Allan Dwan Now at Work in East (1917) 🇺🇸

New Eastern Triangle supervising director discusses his plans for production at Yonkers studio.

Allan Dwan, the new Triangle supervising director in the East, is hard at work at the Yonkers studios of his company. A World man last week found him in his sun parlor over the front entrance of the former Clara Morris mansion, in Riverdale avenue. It was a “location” not conducive to hard work for any one susceptible to spring fever, but apparently Mr. Dwan is immune to this Eastern malady. Plainly he is a worker.

The man who stands to the Triangle in the East in the same relation to that company as does Thomas H. Ince in the West has been a director of motion pictures for seven years. In that time he has worked for seven companies. He began work with the Essanay, from there going to the American, with which company he remained for a long time. Then after a considerable period with the Universal he was engaged by the Famous Players, where he directed among other players many subjects in which Miss Pickford was starred. Then he went to Triangle Fine Arts. He resigned this position to direct Norma Talmadge, and after the completion of “Panthea” was engaged by Goldwyn. Here he directed one subject, in which Maxine Elliott was featured, and at the conclusion of this picture again was engaged by Triangle to supervise its production in the East.

Mr. Dwan was born in Toronto about thirty years ago, being therefore one of the youngest veteran directors. With his parents he removed to Chicago as a child. He was graduated from Notre Dame University as an electrical engineer, and during 1907 taught electrical engineering in that institution. Then he became a scenario writer for Essanay, and two years later became scenario editor for the American. It was not long before he was directing his own company.

While with the Fine Arts Mr. Dwan directed Douglas Fairbanks [Douglas Fairbanks Sr.] in “The Habit of Happiness,” “The Good Bad Man,” “The Half Breed” and “Manhattan Madness.” The producer writes his own working scripts, and it is in this division that he capitalizes his long experience as a scenario writer.

Two companies at present are at Yonkers, under the direction of Arthur Rosson and Albert Parker. With Mr. Rosson is his brother, Richard [Richard Rosson], the two working together, something on the same plan as that employed by the Franklin brothers [Chester M. Franklin | Sidney Franklin]. With them as leading players are Jack Devereaux and Winifred Allen. With Mr. Parker are Wilfred Lucas, Mrs. De Wolf Hopper and Joseph Kilgore. The latter company is now filming its first subject, the working title of which is “Her Excellency, the Governor.” Mr. Dwan describes it as a virile man and woman story, and illustrative of the possibilities in the enlargement of the dramatic field by reason of the extension of the suffrage to woman.

The complement at the Yonkers studio shortly will be increased to six companies, the Eastern “division taking over all of the work formerly done at the Fine Arts plant. Aside from those players mentioned but one of prominence is at present slated for transfer to the East — Enid Bennett. Bessie Love will remain with the lnce forces. It is Mr. Dwan’s intention to draw on the New York field for his players. It is not his intention to build up large stock companies. He will construct his casts around his principal players. Neither does he have in mind starring any other player.

“We are going to make serious pictures here,” said Mr. Dwan: “pictures that pulse with the problems of today. We are going to accentuate the value of ideals in industry and business, to attempt to show how men and women may be honest and highly successful, too. The tendency in business today is toward the idealistic, and we are going to try to do what we can to help it along.”

There are several acres in the Yonkers Triangle property, with abundant room for expansion beyond present requirements. Already there is a glass-inclosed studio with a stage capacity of 75 by 100 feet. It is fully equipped with lamps. Downstairs are many dressing rooms adequately fitted for the convenience of players. Another studio, also glass inclosed, larger than the present one, is to be constructed on the Riverdale avenue side of the present building. The north wall of the latter will be knocked out and the two thrown into one. Alongside of the present structure will be built a good-sized open stage. Work also will begin immediately on a laboratory for the development and printing of sample or working prints.

All indications point to a busy season at the Yonkers studios. The accession of six working companies to the Eastern territory will be welcomed by those players who prefer to work in the East. Also it will be a demonstration of the continuing desirability of the New York territory for motion picture producing purposes.

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Collection: Moving Picture World, April 1917

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see also William Humphrey with Ivan (1917)