Hollywood Vagabond 1927 (6)

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APfl 18 W^T T" H O L L Y \Y O O D

Vagabond s

Filmpaper <§ SESTET1, Number 6 Thursday, March 17th, 1927 Copyright, 1927, bo-

Vagabond I^ub. Oo.

^^#S*S#S#^^*S#S#^N*^#S#s^#N#N#s#S#S#N|-

Hiatus^ COMPENDIUMOF CLIPPINGS

Warner in Merger?CARBON-COPY PATHOS

Publicity pathos as

b y Mr.

B. Jacobson, purvey-

of editorial advertising

UniversalAn air of solemnity pervades

City. A profound hush

"B" stage, past which all

tip-toe. The affecting strains

"My Heart at Thy Sweet Voice,"

"Samson and Relilah" haunt-

gly linger on the air.

Grandiose gesture tothe intellectual

of the silent drama,

contained in a pub-

broadside from Mr.

of the Para-

studio in Holly-

"If you biddies gotta yen for

alongside of what's what in

Hollywood chatter, take a tip

sock th' roll on this three grand

which ain't nothin' but class

it comes to pegging some of

brain-sagging Lulus.

"Some of them dames might be

'dumb,' 'cracked,' 'woozy,'or 'dizzy' to you, but to me

are just plain GAH-GAH."

NOTICEThe editor has received

several requests during the

past few weeks to reprint

his sketch, "THIRTY ANDFOUR YEARS: I Return to

the Hamlet," which was orig-

inally published in another

Hollywood film publication

three years ago.

This will appear in our next

week's issue.

Merger Chiefs at

Warner Studio Here

CECIL B. DeMILLEWho is "The Greater Galahad" of Fred Fox's

sketch. See Page Five

Is Warner Bros, to bedrawn into the impendinghalf - billion dollar film

merger of Pathe-P-D-Cand other interests that is

now under way in NewYork?

Such, at any rate, is the

possibility according to thereport of a Vagabond sleuthwho happened to see John J.

McGuirk, Sol Lesser, Col.

Fred Levy and other powersin the huge deal at theWarner studio the other day.

While the visit may havebeen merely a friendly call

upon the Brothers, every in-

dication is that somethingwas brewing at the SunsetBoulevard sanctum of theWarners, according to wise-

acres.

Following closely upon the

heels of the Pathe-P-D-Cconference came the newsthat First National, the Stan-

ley Company, the SaengerAmusement Co., Film Book-ing Offices and others wereto be merged with the De-Mille, D. W. Griffith, Keith-

Orpheum and Pathe group.

This makes it more thanlikely that a deal may beunder way to bring the

Warners and Vitaphone, a

most valuable asset, into the

combine.

«Is/Lemoirs oftheVshispering vLity

)f

—TURN TO PAGE FOUR



Two Hollywood Vagabond March 17th, 1927

Great Forecast ofDavies Film;

Credit is Due Hohart Henley

Seems to

Know Davies Forte

Looking over the 'stills'

"Tillie the Toiler"

Metro-Goldwyn-

has sent us, makes

very buoyant over

Davies' new pic-

It seems that she

at last come under the

of a directorrealizes her forte.

The other night we suf-

the anguish of sitting

"The Red Mill,"

was, to our minds, a

insult to the charmingcapable Marion. Not

did the picture lack

and original-

(it fairly reeked with old

and wheezes) , but it

the blonde actress

us in a rather unattractive

One cannot escape thethat the public likes to

Marion all spruced up.

don't want to consider

as a waif or a clumsy

It might be interest-

to the public if there wasgreat appeal to the

but Tina of "TheMill" was assuredly not

for Marion at all.

The photographs from

reveal Marion as

seductive enchantress of

modern variety. She

like a million dol-

and if the action of

he picture itself is con-

with the forecast

f the 'stills' then we can

look forward to a most

entertaining evening.

Marion is a girl who has

ever stressed sex in the

films, now having a greater

ogue than ever. In "Tillie"

she appears as a shapely and

alluring figure, and it is a

foregone conclusion that she

will capture many new ad-mirers in this role'

Much credit for this

new film must go to

Hobart Henley, a director

who has never been ade-

Are Original Film

Titles at Premium?Judging from recent indi-

cations, originality in select-

ing names for motion pic-

tures is at a high premium.

When Paramount made"We're in the Navy Now,"it tickled sundry funny

bones. The title was voted

as being breezy and origi-

nal.

Then the same company

started out on what appearsto be a contest to see howoften they can muff the

same idea. Thus they have

announced "We're in the

Air Now" or some similar

cognomen.

Now it is Universal that

startles the industry with a

whimsical touch of origi-

nality. They have decided

on "You're in the ArmyNow" as the title for Mr.

Melville Brown's next opus.

HOLLYWOOD VAGA-BOND suggests that exhibi-

tors get together and make aproduction of their own, en-

titled, "We're Going Crazy

Now."

Kenton Picked To

Film Robson Opus

Erie Kenton will direct

May Robson in "The Re-

juvenation of Aunt Mary"for DeMille. It will be madeat Metropolitan studios.

William Seiter Flms

P* G* Wodehouse OpusWilliam Seiter is starting

work on "The Small Bach-elor," P. G. Wodehouse tale.

The lead will be played byAndre Beranger, with Bar-

bara Kent opposite. Otherswill be Otis Harlan, Ger-trude Astor, Ned Sparks,

Carmelita Geraghty, TomDugan and Vera Lewis.

Papa Cannons Hands

Out Big, Fat Cigars

George Cannon, "still"

cameraman for Mack Sen-

nett, is wearing a huge smile

and passing the box of

smokes around. Reason:

8-pound boy, Robert Estes

Cannons, at California Luth-

eran Hospital on March 9th-

What's he gonna be, George,

a comedian?

>igns

Anton Grot Contract

Anton Grot, art director,

has been given a new De-Mille contract. He designed

settings for "The VolgaBoatman," "Silence," "WhiteGold," and "Vanity," for

that company; also previous-

ly with "The Thief of Bag-dad" and "Don Q."

Virginia Lyons To

Return to Screen

Virginia Kirtley Lyons,

widow of Eddie Lyons of

comedy fame, will return to

the screen. She has been

signed by Producer RayJohnstone to so-star with

Helene Costello in "Girls of

Today," for Rayart Pictures

at the California studios.

quately appreciated by the

industry. Henley is a mas-

ter of the frothy and de-

luctable, and adroit with

comedy situations. In our

opinion Henley is easily

the peer of the Lubitsches

and Cruzes in this partic-

ular regard and should

come in for a large share

of credit with "Tillie the

Toiler."

If Marion will continue to

make pictures of the excel-lent caliber that this new one

seems to be, she will rapidly

climb to heights of popular-

ity that she has never before

attained; popularity gained

on sheer merit.

The Motion

Picture IndustryA Western Institution and

a Western Asset

By FRED W. FOXEditor of "Hollywood Vagabond"

also- -

"Selling Needs More CommonSense," by B. J. WILLIAMS

"When Advertising Goes on the

Air," by HARRY P. BRIDGE, Jr.

"Advertising Maketh Old Things

New," by HUGH E. AGNEW

AND MANY OTHER FEATURESin the March Issue of - •• - <•

25c

estern AdvertisingA Monthly Magazine Published in the Interest of the More

Effective Marketing of Western Products

564 Market St., San Francisco



March 17th, 1927 Hollywood Vagabond Page Three

thics and the

WampasThe scornful thrusts

and ignominy heapedupon the prevalentmountebanks of press-agentry by HOLLY-

WOOD VAGABONDhave not failed to drawireful repartee . . . and

also considerable lauda-

tory comment.

The cursory attitude of

many, who were self-con-

scious of the indictments

to the point of protesting

their authenticity, has

been that of spoiled chil-

dren. The refuge sought

by many in arguments has

been the Wampas bureau-cracy; that the bureau-

cracy is the hand of God.

In conversation the other

day with one of the most

able publicists of the indus-

try, we were pleasantly sur-

prised to learn that there is

a revolutionary movementafoot within the ranks of the

Western Association of Mo-

tion Picture Advertisers to

create a coda of qualifica-

tions and ethics. If this be

true, then let us offer up a

mighty paean of praise!

In an earlier day of the

motion picture (not so manyyears ago at that) , this alli-

ance of press agents was

formed with the idea of ele-

vating the standards of pho-

toplay publicity. In some

instances the Wampas mayhave attained its ends; but

it has been sadly negligent

in determining the caliber of

many of its own members,

who are sadly proficient in

the discharge of their duties.

Atleast to the satisfaction

of picayuny editors, who are

the gehennas of all bad lit-

tle press agents.

The scathing denunciation

of the praiseful scribblers as

written by Stanley Walker

P<* Bin the American Mercuryand other noted journalists

who have discussed, in news-

papers or in public conclave,

the demerits of the publi-

cists, is something that the

Wampas and other organ-ized bodies of press-agentry

cannot dismiss too lightly.

It has been, apparently,

too easy for a member of

the Wampas, irrespective

of mental qualifications,

to obtain employment in

positions of high respon-

sibility.

Collectively, the Wampasis an organization of, we be-

lieve, integrity and high

principles. Individually, we

find many who are really notequipped for the efficient

discharge of duties to whichthey have been appointed. It

smacks greatly of the organ-

ized power that has placed

the individual in a berth of

consequence.

For years we have had

a silent quarrel with the

lack of qualifications that

we believe hinders the full

realization of the Wam-pas ideals. Let this body

of men, who are, for thegreater part, thoroughly

schooled in the intricacies

and manifold responsibili-

ties of their labors, deter-

mine, not by good-fellow-

ship or the rapid collec-

tion of initiation fees and

dues, the status of a press

agent in the industry, but

by test of the individual's

capacities in actual work.

An attorney must first

pass the bar examination. Aphysician, surgeon or other

medico must satisfy the state

that he knows his business.

In some states, prospective

auto drivers must pass rigid

tests; certainly a profession-

ureaucracyal chauffeur must prove his

worth to the state motor ve-

hicle officials. Would anymember of the Wampas risk

his neck on a fast train

whose locomotive was

piloted by an engineer freshfrom the yards? Would anyWampas allow himself to be

carved up by a surgeon whowas taking the scalpel in

hand for the first time?

Then why prostitute the

destinies of successful film

enterprises to publicists whoare not at all enabled to car-

ry on the complex duties of

those offices?

We know of instances

where young men whohave won their spurs years

since have been ruled out

in favor of some trollop

who happened to be a

member of this or that in

Hollywood. The Wampashas been one of the grave

offenders, consciously or

otherwise.

Instead of worrying so

much about the annual Frol-

ic, it might be a grand

move for the Wampas to get

together and clean house. If

their idea is to enlist the menin Hollywood who are en-

dowed with ability and fore-

sight then they have certain-

ly passed over many whoshould be leading them.Whatis more, they have discrim-

inated against them, for no

good reason.

As a bureaucracy, the

Wampas will not live

long. As a fraternity,

with a standard of quali-

fications and a code of

ethics, and the desire to

accomplish great things

for the industry, its future

is bright and rosy and

tempered with idealistic

opportunities.

L A* Moran, Local

Film Producer, Dies

Leo Anthony M o r a n,

prominent Hollywood film

producer, died of pulmonarytuberculosis at T u s c o n,

Ariz., on March 8th,ac-cording to dispatches re-

ceived by HOLLYWOODVAGABOND.Moran had been in frail

health for several years.

The body has been shippedto the home at Long Beach,California. The death ofMoran leaves Priscilla anorphan, as her mother died

about seven years ago in the

east

Moran, who was about 40years of age, was the fatherof Priscilla Dean Moran,

8-year-old screen actress,who appeared in the lime-

light several years ago as

the "adopted sister" of

Jackie Coogan.

According to a story car-

ried in the Tuscon, Ariz.,

Citizen, Moran had come to

Tuscon from Phoenix andhad registered at a hotel,

apparently in good health.

He had been in Tuscon only

a few days when he passed

away.

It is understood that

Moran was contemplating

making a series of twenty-five features with his daugh-ter. The first, "HungryArms," had been recently

completed.

Universal Writes

"Collegian" Finis

Universal has completedits "Collegian" series. "TheWinning Punch," sixteenth

episode, was finished last

week.

Marlowe Lead in

"Eternal Silence"

June Marlowe will play

the lead in "Eternal Si-

ence," the Alaskan film to

be made at Universal byEdward Laemmle.

Alice White Cast

for "Dove" Role

Alice White, who recent-

ly completed a flapper role

with Milton Sills in "The Sea

Tiger," has been signed for

a part with Norma Talmadgein "The Dove," which is be-

ing directed by Roland West



Page Four Hollywood Vagabond March 17th, 1927

^L T*H OLLYWOODYaga

The QUALITY Filmpaper

Published by BILLY JOY Edited by FRED W. FOX

A. J. GASCHEN, Comptroller

Published every Thursday by the VAGABOND PUBLISHING

COMPANY, 619-620 Taft Building, Hollywood, California.

Telephone GRanite 1859. 20c per copy; by subscription

$10.00 per year.

MEMOIRS OF THEWHISPERING CITY

"Cities aretaken

by the ears."—Old Proverb.

Gossip has had a potent influence in making

Hollywood notorious. It will never make it famous.

If Hollywood is the home of the motion picture,

it is also the home of the scandal-mongers. The place

teems with talkative renegades. This city, reputedly

the lair of the free-and-easy, is worse than the Towerof Babel . . . and as intolerant as a censor.

Some day somebody will write a book of sketches

about Hollywood. They will write about its self-

cruelty and its incessant chatter-boxes. People here

indulge in more stupid tongue-wagging than a nest of

hags at an Iowa picnic.

It is the usual course of procedure, in other self-

respecting communities of the world, to applaud the

success of the "home-town boy," ... or the home-

town girl. Not in Hollywood. Let one of the minions

here dare lift a head above the crowd and . . . oh,

God!

We believe in Hollywood as the ultimate city.

Our good friend, Mr. Henry L. Mencken of the Amer-ican Mercury, and a few other boys in New York and

elsewhere, derive considerable amusement from our

local enthusiasm. It is not the vociferous ballyhoos of

Hollywood that create derision. It is the undying

energy of the makers of chin-music. We have coined

a name for Hollywood. We have named it the "whis-

pering city," ... its password is bzz-zz-zz, bzz-

zz-zz ; its salute, a fugue of the "latest dirt." How can

Hollywood be the ultimate city when it talks so much?

The stranger within our gates is certainly be-

wildered. Let him listen to the vituperous sallies of a

few of our boulevard hounds or our parlor jabber-

jabbers, and he will go away with the idea that every

man in Hollywood is out to cut the other man's throat.

Maybe he's not far from wrong at that.

Everything is wrong ; everybody is wrong ; life is

wrong; the motion picture industry is wrong; Holly-

wood is wrong; this and that ... all wrong. That's

what we hear in Hollywood from dawn to dusk. After

dusk it's worse than ever. All is wrong . . . except

the person talking about the wrong.

We have heard that this actor is a fat-head ; and

ives and

usbandsBy BURL TUTTLE

(EDITOR'S NOTE: The following sketch is by Burl Tuttle, well-

known scenario writer, who has recently completed his novel, "The

Bastard," slated for autumn publication.)

"Yes," said a sharp voice behind me as I sat eat-

ing my dinner in a Hollywood cafe, "see if there isn't

some pretty young thing to look at ! You must be tired

of gazing at a faded old one like me!"

There was a dead silence. No laughter.

When I rose to go, I looked to see who had spoken

with such curt venom.

There was the elderly man, well-groomed and

about fifty. Neatly dressed and well poised, he car-

ried about him the air of success won by hard work

and character.

The woman with him was his wife . . no mistake

about that. She was gorgeously dressed, fingers blaz-

ing with diamonds, a rich cloak of fur draped on the

chair behind her.

Her face was exactly like her voice . . sharp,

querulous, discontented. She may have been pretty

once. Her features had the shadow of bygone beauty,

but the hateful curve of the spoiled mouth, mean little

wrinkles about the eyes, and the air of triumphant

possession and sarcasm ... oh, yes, she was his

wife!

How could he help looking for something other

than that mean face?

She could have made him happy and comfortable.

She'll probably make him leave home.

Canned Hours for MuseumThe motion picture indus-

try is going to leave a leg-

acy of assorted hours to

posterity, if it does nothing

else.

"His Hour" was Metro-

Goldwyn-Mayer's contribu-

tion of sixty hot minutes. It

certainly turned out to be

the hour for Jack Gilbert.

First National believes in

doing things tenderly, they

say. Therefore "The Ten-

der Hour," with Billie Doveand Ben Lyon, now on the

way from the studio to

theater.

None of 'em are going to

outdo 'Uncle Carl' Laemmle,

though. He's going to make'em all red in the face with

"The Crimson Hour," he has

just announced-

that actress is a flat tire; that this director is crazy,

and that producer is a damn fool.

When Gabriel blows his trumpet, it is more thanlikely that there will be gossip in Hollywood as to how

he got the trumpet, and speculation as to why he didn'tblow it louder.

From now until then, we expect to have our ears

inflated with the sibilant nuances of whispering . . .

day and night.

Why isn't the silent drama really silent?



March 17th, 1927 Hollywood Vagabond Page Five

I HOLLYWOOD JOURNEYS WITH FRED FOXJ

vagabondia*

I

£ "We are the music-makers

And we are the dreamers ofdreams"

A. W. E. O'SHAUGHNESSY

The GreaterGalahad

. .

the Grail ofa JVeaver ofDreams"For now I know we shall today

see him who may sit in the Siege

Perilous, and shall achieve the Holy

Grail. For as ye all well know,

that holy vessel, wherefrom at the

Supper of our Lord before His

death He drank the wine with His

disciples, hath been held ever since

the holiest treasure of the world,

and wheresoever it hath rested

peace and prosperity have rested

with it on the land. But since the

dolorous stroke which Balin gave

King Pelles none have seen it, for

Heaven, wroth with that presumpt-

uous blow, hath hid it none knowwhere. Yet somewhere in the world

it still may be, and maybe it is

left to us, and to this noble orderof the Table Round, to find andbring it home, and make of this our

realm the happiest in the earth.

Many great quests and perilous ad-

ventures have ye all taken and

achieved, but this high quest he

only shall attain who hath clean

hands and a pure heart, and valour

and hardihood beyond all other

men . . . .

"

—Sir Thomas Malory.* * *

In the world's treasury

of legend there is no

jewel as bright as the song

of Galahad and the Quest

of the Holy Grail.To the child of tender

years, reading Malory for

the first time, it is a ro-

mantic inspiration. T o

the man or woman of ma-

ture intellect it is an alleg-

ory of profound beauty.

The story of Galahad,

the fair-haired and youth-

ful knight who achieved

the Holy Grail, whopassed serenely where

mighty warriors feared totread, where kings could

not command, and where

the magic of wizards was

impotent, is an ecstatic

simile of life.

It is a song of the ultimate

victory of virtue and the un-

dying glory of good deeds.

It is a rapturous object les-

son for a world that is today

lost in a swirl of materialism

and prone to overlook the

achievements of pure hearts

and gentle souls.

The great-girthed knights

of the Arthurian legend whothought their prowess at

arms would win the HolyGrail for them are strangely

reminiscent of the poobahsof finance who believe that

money can rule the world

and that millions donated to

vague charities now and then

will win for them the grail of

a good name in years to

come.

The Galahad of the le-

gend conjures up thoughts of

the dreamers of the world

who do good deeds with un-

selfish intent. They are the

keepers of the Grail . . • the

grail of happiness.

—o

There is a Galahad in

Hollywood.

He is a greater Galahad

than the knight of the

beautiful legend.

He is a Galahad in the

midst of the ignominy of

commerce ; a man arrested

by the beauty of his labors,

not held captive by the po-

tential financial rewards of

his undertakings.

He is a Galahad zealously

conscious of the sanctity of

his efforts; and somewhat

awed by the immense scope

of the quest of his Grail.

This Galahad the greater

is named De Mille.

—o

Hollywood has unfairly

criticized Cecil B. De-

Mille in years past. Not

only Hollywood, but the

world, too.

DeMille is not a maestro

of sex, he is not a votary

of the lascivious, not a

gourmand of voluptuous^

ness.

He is a man deeply rever-ent and, withal, infinitely

kind. He is shy; and some-what melancholy. His is a

sensitive soul, responding to

all that is beautiful and fine.

He is a man of moods and of

gentle humor. His is a gra-

cious and whimsical person-

ality; tempered with the

hope of making every per-

son he meets a true friend.

There may be times whenDe Mille is in a stormy mood.That is not the real man. Heis much like a little boy . • .

wondering, enthusiastic, at-

tentive.

DeMille has ego. It is

not the ego of conceit. It

is the ego of confidence.

People who have that are

fortunate. They accom-

plish things in the world.

De Mille would throwaway a million dollars to

create something that is edi-

fying. But it would be his

luck to make a million dol-

lars on his venture.De Mille is one of the fewmen in motion pictures whohave successfully combined

artistry with showmanlyrequisites.

De Mille has been pictured

as the Great God of the "yesmen."

De Mille hates yes men.De Mille is the type of man

who believes in frankness,but he does not encourageit; his demeanor and ges-tures are too authoritative.It takes a

man or woman ofcourage and confidence toargue with Cecil B. De Mille.The man or woman who willdo that will have won hisundying respect.

He likes people who aregenuine.

DeMille does not regardhimself as the Absolute. Heis a man strangely timorousabout making mistakes, andaware of the human propen-sity to err-

We were slated to con-

verse fifteen minutes, at

the most, when we visited

DeMille at his Culver City

sanctum the other day. It

was nearly two hours be-

fore we bid him adieu. It

was one of our most en-

joyable journeys.

DeMille waxed enthusias-tic about the "King ofKings." He showed us count-less numbers of "stills" andphotographs from this lat-

est spectacle of his. He told

us of the ambitions he heldforth for its spiritual mes-sage to the world.

Cecil DeMille has the urgeto give something to the

world that will surmount themere status of photoplayentertainment. He has theidealistic promptings of adreamer; but he also has thepractical convictions of a

doer.

The strange anomaly of a

man who has made a fortune

in the photoplay with earthythemes and now has the

ambition to realize nothingfurther than satisfaction

from a theme divinely spirit-

ual.

In speaking to him onerealizes that this is not a

sudden or passing fancy; it

is an urge that has beenformulating and growing for

years.

It antedates the hey-

day of his bathtub regime.

This is the sort of thing

Cecil B. DeMille has always

wanted to do.

DeMille spoke in a soft

monotone.

"I find that the reac-

tions of people all over

(Continued on Page 7)



Six Hollywood Vagabond March 17th, 1927

THE BIG Merger KILL Vaudeville?

Impending Combine Presents Many New and Interesting

Aspects on Film Economic Problems

Is vaudeville, as a busi-

in its own entity,

What effect will the

merger wave have

the independent pro-

the independent

and exhibitor,

the salaries of players,

and other film

These are but two of the

tions that are being rab-

discussed in Hollywoodprincipal cities of the

as the culmination of

giant Pathe combine

near at hand.

With such vast organiza-

as the Producers' Dis-

Corporation, Pathe

West Coast The-

Inc-, North American

Far West Theaters,

Company of Amer-Saenger Amusement

First National Pic-

Film Booking Offices,

Circuit, Or-

Circuit, D. W. Grif-

and Cecil B. DeMille andvarious affiliations and

about to mergeinterests in one pool,

hypothetical yet puz-

problems are confront-

the industry at large to-

The primary reasonfor the combine

is that it will aid tre-

in cuttingthe enormous distri-

overhead now be-carried by the various

and producers

in the deal. Also

it will place the vari-

theater circuits that

represented in a stra-

political position, af-

them voice and in-

in the various poli-

affecting their box-

fare.

Other hinted mergers, that

expected to take effect

the not too distant future,

have even further bear-

on the economic future of

film industry.

Among these are the re-

Metro-Goldwyn-May-

er pact for a merger withUnited Artists, which, it is

rumored, may be consum-

mated early in the autumn.

Great stress is laid upon the

presence of Joseph M.

Schenck in New York at this

time. This purported nego-

tiations to bring these twohuge companies together is

repeatedly denied from offi-

cial sources on both sides,

but the rumor persists, nev-

ertheless.

Since the first announce-

ment that a deal wasunder way to bring a newPathe Corporation into the

industry, combining the

many different organiza-

tions named, there has

been a strong tendency

noticeable in the theater

field toward centraliza-

tion The past week has

teemed with reports of

various exhibitor mergers

and working alliances that

are being outlined in vari-

ous sections of the country.

Practically the only film

producing company whosename has not been linked

with the merger is Fox FilmCorporation. As a result of

many shrewd moves madeduring the past four years

or so, however, William Foxis understood to be in a po-

sition where it would not

profit him to any great extent

to be a party to any merger,

Pathe or otherwise. Foxholds a big block of stock in

West Coast and thus will

have a voice in the new com-bine, anyway. It is believed

that he also maintains a si-

lent interest in several of the

other parties to the impend-ing merger. For Fox to join

hands in the combine, evenif he so desired, would prob-

ably be of no great financial

benefit to him, as his mar-ket today is virtually com-plete and Fox Film Corpora-

tion is founded on an excep-

tionally fine profit-makingbasis.

Just what the destiny of

Famous Players - LaskyCorporation may be whenthe various companies are

collected under one headis exceedingly problemati-

cal.

Persistent rumors that one

of Zukor's highest lieuten-

ants was about to swing to

the new combine has beentraveling up and down the

local rialto ; and the fact that

Harold B. Franklin, who hada big hand in putting the

Paramount theater depart-

ment and, later, Publix The-

aters Corporation, on a goodfoundation, has joined West

Coast Theaters as generalmanager, has caused no lit-

tle stir within the industry.

The apparently sudden

decision on the part of

Paramount to abandon the

Long Island City studio as

a film producing plant is

even more puzzling in

view of the fact there has

been an almost wholesale

dismissal of people from

the Hollywood studio.

Many scout the theory

that the war of the giants,

for several years predicted

in the trade journals, is at

hand. That this is more

than hyperbole, however,

is apparent from manyoutward manifestations of

looming radical changes

in the economic adminis-

tration of the industry.

With two or three giant

organizations, such as can

very easily be formed oncethe greater part of the cen-

tralizing activity has beenconsummated, it will be a

very simple matter for the

executives to hammer downprevalent salary scales andoust undesirables or dead-

wood from the business-

The aspect that leads to

the possibility of a sudden

shutdown on vaudeville is

the fact that Keith-Albee

and Orpheum, the twogiants in the

vaudevillefield, will be an intrinsic

factor in the motion pic-

ture merger.

With the great popular-

ity that has been gained

in the past few years byprologues and film the-

ater presentations, such as

that of Fanchon & Marcoof West Coast, and the

Publix Theaters, it is

highly possible that vaude-

ville, in its own entity, will

be totally abandoned andthe Keith-Albee and Or-

pheum houses converted

into film theaters with

elaborate stage presenta-

tions.

Just what the upshot of

the whole thing will be is as

yet merely speculative. If

the merger should succeed

in shaking the industry upand opening the gates to aninflux of new talent then it

is a foregone conclusion that

there will be a rapid forward

march of the film industry

as a whole, in the studio, the

exchange and in the theater.

If the combine, how-

ever, is merely the concen-

tration of Wall Street

money as represented by

the Morgans, the Blairs,

the Drexels, the Hayden-

Stones and others active

in the merger proceed-

ings, then it will remain

to be seen whether the

combine will be for the

benefit of the industry at

large or merely for the

financial gain of a group

of capitalists.

Rogers

Comedies?

According to a

late report, Will

Rogers signed to

make a series of

two-reel com-

edies forJoeRock

at Universal.



17th, 192'/ Hollywood Vagabond Page Seven

vagabondia

world are the same.

"Letters that we have re-

commenting on our

productions clearly

that the reaction of

Swede, the Hindu, the

the Englishman . . .

are identical.

"People throughout the

love things that are

and idealistic. That

why the most saccharine

of a photoplay will

offend them.

"In this picture we haveportrayed the Christ as

wan ascetic- We havehim as a real man, a

person, an ideal

the visual scope andof humanity.

"It was He who admon-us, 'Go out unto all cre-

and spread the gospel-'

centuries mankind has

trying to spread the

of good-will unto all

of the world. Creeds,

sects ... all haveand gone for years.

world is looking for a

message that is

upon the collective re-

tendencies of all men.Christian, the Hindu,

Mohammedan ... allsomething in common

their various religions.

"We have tried to make'King of Kings' a spirit-

message of world-wide

Its entertainment

is assured. It is a

of moving beauty

the showman's view-

It is massive and col-

"But underneath it all,

is a message so beauti-

that it cannot help do

for the world- It will

the emotions of man-It is the supreme

to spread the gos-

unto all creation, for ev-

can understand pic-

"I do not say these

hings from the standpoint

of Cecil B. DeMille. I

speak as an infinitesimal

part of a great undertak-

ing. It is not a DeMille

spectacle; it is the "King

ofKings,'

the work andthe inspiration and the

soul of many people whohave been profoundly

moved and have given of

their talents generously.

Pick Title For

First Rex Picture

"Wild Beauty" has been

picked as the title of Uni-

versal's first with the horse,

Rex.

"Shield of Honor"Next for Johnson

Emorv Johnson will next

make "The Shield of

Honor," a police melodrama.This is the third of nine heis making for Universal.

"My eagerness is not for

a 'King of Kings' that will

make millions of dollars; it

is for a picture that will live

and be an inspiration to the

world. Mankind will be the

judge." —o

Cecil DeMille stirred in

his chair and regarded the

distant hills with a gaze

of reverie. The sun wasemerging from the dark

bank of rain-clouds and

touching the peaks with

dashes of fire and color.

DeMille was silent. His

eyes dwelt on the glory

of the distant horizon

in melancholy contempla-

tion.

This, then, was Cecil

B. DeMille.

This was the soul of a

man who reacted to spirit-

uality, friendliness, unsel-

fish ambition and the

pink-fingered etchings of

a twilight sky.


weaver of dreams.


Galahad . . . whose Grail

was the happiness of man-

kind.

What greater Grail has

the world than that?

Film Folk Share in

Hopkins' Millions

Excitement is running

wild in Hollywood as the

impending titanic battle

for the Mark Hopkins mil-

lions near the courts.There are at least three

direct heirs to this estate,

which exceeds $300,000,000,connected with the motionpicture industry.

They are Alice Hopkins,who played leads at Uni-versal five years ago and is

now playing characters;

Tom Smith, affiliated withDavid Horsley in the de-

velopment of the "Duoscopecamera," and a prominentmotion picture journalist andpublicist, recently withStuart Blackton's "MotionPicture Director Magazine,"and Curtis R. Hopkins, a

motion picture "still"

cameraman.Each of these three, it is

estimated, will receive in the

neighborhood of $2,000,000

as their share of the estate.

The bulk of the Hopkinsestate is in the form of rail-

road bonds and steamshipholdings.

The battle is now begin-

Chas* Darnton Writes

Film Column for N* Y*

"Let Me Protect You"

Frank M. Flyrm

INSURANCEALL LINES

GR-0469 6372 Hollywood Blvd.

WRIGHT-OA Complete Stenographic

DepartmentWe Type Scripts, Plays

and Parts

6282 Hollywood Blvd

HEmpstead 6812

Charles Darnton, for twen-ty years dramatic critic of

the New York World, andnow a free-lance scenarist

and title writer, has been se-

cured by the World again to

write a Hollywood columncovering motion picture ac-

tivities. Darnton will con-

tine with his script work, too-

ning in the United States

District Court at San Fran-

cisco and it will undoubted-ly develop into one of the

greatest legal tilts in the

annals of the nation.

Albert A. Kidder. Jr.,

prominent Hollywood mo-tion picture attorney, is one

of the principals and his

masterful handling of the

case to date has resulted in

his appointment as one of

three attorneys to wage the

legal war for the Hopkins

millions.

Kidder is representing

Miss Hopkins, Tom Smith

and Curtis Hopkins, in addi-

tion to claimants in other

sections of America.

FOOD for

the BRAIN

. . . C3.L

like a

[ King j

Subscription

Rates

1 year, 810.00

6 months, $5.003 months, $2.50

HOLLYWOOD VAGABOND,619 Taft Building,

Hollywood, California.

Enclosed herewith find $ for a months

subscription to the HOLLYWOOD VAGABOND.

Name

Address Phone

City State

*++.+++++++**>+*++++++++*+****++++++++++*+++++++++++++<



Eight Hollywood Vagabond March 17th, 1927

The Joy

Of Buying

Your Furniture

At The—*^?

Be-Hannessey Art Studio• • •

Complete Home Furnisher

1122 North Western Avenue

Hollywood, Los Angeles, Ceil.

Phone Hollywood 3963

picures

Deli

Vfc *#

* *

Tennis - -

The purpose of this club is to provide a

suitable and attractive environment for tennis

enthusiasts and their guests, as well as for

social activities. For general play there will

be a number of the finest tennis courts that

can be built, a committee of experts havingcharge of this work. There will be instruction

by the best teachers, and a championshipcourt for private and open competition, cham-pionship and exhibition play.

The club property is situated at the foot of Seventh Street in SantaMonica Canyon and embraces about seven acres. The clubhouse will stand

among a group of old sycamores on the bank of a stream. It will be arambling building of the Andalusian farmhouse type, combining the sub-

stantial comfort of that type with all modern conveniences. It will be one of

the most beautiful and picturesque clubhouses in the country.

and a Social

RendezvousThere will be ample facilities for luncheons, teas,

dinners and dances, so that members may entertain in

one of the most attractive environments in the West.

An aim of the club will be the carefully selected and

congenial membership which insures an unfailing pleas-

ant social atmosphere.

The Club owns water rights from springs above the

property, which will be used for irrigation. The house-

hold supply will be obtained from the Los AngelesAqueduct.

THE SANTA MONICA TENNIS CLUB is incorpor-

ated for $350,000. The cost of a full participating mem-bership will be $350. It will be transferable by inher-

itance or resale, subject to the by-laws of the club. Themembership is limited to one thousand, and each mem-ber will own one share of stock at a par value of $350,

with a proportional share in the club property and per-

quisites. The dues will be $3 per month, payable

annually in advance. No dues will be accepted until

the club is formally opened about September, 1927.

va- -b*.

N^A^.1. .DaniLLv- LA^DICAft- At£H>T%£.-; -G>^lfc*-A • C

l'Cu/4-

'F--

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION PHONE

W. A. SLAYBACKGRanite 1859

who will call at your convenience and explain

this in detail

m

»^#^*^#^#^*^'^^^*^S#^S#S*S| S r**^***^#*sr«s****s^#*s#s#s#^****s*#s« **#s^

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Hollywood Vagabond 1927 (6)