Douglas Gerrard (1915) 🇺🇸

Douglas Gerrard, whose correct name is DouglasDouglas Gerrard MacMurrough Kavannagh, was born in Dublin, Ireland, thirty-one years ago. “Gerry,” as his intimates call him, was educated at Dublin University, Dublin, just outside of London, and also at the historic Heidelberg University.

His theatrical career commenced at an early age. His first appearance was in Henry the Fifth at the Lyceum Theater, London. Later he was featured at the Zurich Theater, Switzerland, as Carl Heinrich in Old Heidelberg. He speaks German fluently, and was prominently associated with a number of German stock companies. He is the typical Irish gentleman in manner and appearance. He has dark, rich Spanish coloring of the Western Coast Irish people, a wealth of curly raven hair, large dark eyes, is of excellent physique and in all the type which lends itself readily to the motion picture screen.

Mr. Gerrard is a daring horseman, and the happiest moments of his life are spent topping six-foot fences on his thoroughbred Dermot. He is a member of the Players’ Club, New York, the Savage Club, London, the Photoplayers’ Club, Los Angeles, and the Los Angeles Athletic Club. He is one of the board of directors of the Photoplayers’ Club, and his enviable reputation as a raconteur places him in the foremost ranks of the entertainment committees of all clubs.

His first appearance was with Miss Viola Allen in Cymbeline, at the Empress Theater, New York, returning to London for a limited engagement, where he was engaged by William A. Brady for Ahdemar in Divorcons, with Grace George. Mr. Gerrard was again brought to this country to play the juvenile lead with Ethel Barrymore in Lady Frederick.

Mr. Gerrard’s successes on the screen are many. He was featured with the Universal Film Co., Pathé Frères (Western), also the Majestic and Kalem Companies. Among the features in which he so ably took part were The Quicksands, Shannon of the Fifth, in which he appeared as Shannon, The King of Chance — The Invisible Power — The Derelict and others. He is at present engaged in the Favorite Players’ production of The High Hand, playing Lewis, the political boss, in support of Carlyle Blackwell.

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”Alias Jimmy Valentine.”

Paul Armstrong’s strong melodrama makes hit as picture offering (World Film, five reels).

Reviewed by Hanford C. Judson.

The quality of its story is the big thing in any picture, and the quality of Alias Jimmy Valentine is known. The picture is one of the kind of which there is no question or doubt; that it is a very good offering everyone, we think, will be quite agreed. The spectator who wants’ “high brow” stuff and the one who wants “low brow” stuff can generally get together on simple, human stuff and that this picture, in both plot and detail, furnishes richly.

Maurice Tourneur directed the picture in the Peerless studio, with Robert Warwick in the leading role as “Jimmy.” Ruth Shepley plays the girl. John Hines plays “Red,” the pal of Jimmy, and the other crook of the three is played by Alec Francis. Doyle, the detective, is played by Robert Cummings. There are many delightfully small details; but there is nothing in the whole offering that is, in this way, quite so pleasing as “Blinkey,” the clever penman, done by John Starkey. Scenes actually taken in the big pen at Sing Sing are included. These pictures are full of interest and, just at this time, have a news value, due to the work of the new warden, Thomas Mott Osborne, the rich man, who is reforming methods of treating prisoners and is remaking many of them into men. Warden Osborne is shown on the screen. The staging and scene-making throughout is convincing and worthy.

The quality of the story comes, in part, from the breadth of its emotional appeal to human affections; it’s a love story of several different kinds. First there is good human stuff, and we can sympathize with it, in the friendship of the crooks against the background of police activities. Then comes the showing of Jimmy’s respect for women and the first, faint twittering daybreak of a real love story. It was through Jimmy’s strength and not through his weakness that he is arrested and brought to book for the robbery of the bank. It was due to the fight he has with the cad to protect the girl on the train. He goes to prison and the pals who are gathered together in a long-term reunion are denied long conversations; but they have their signs and understanding. For his good deeds Jimmy gets a pardon and soon there is a real love story within him, and this is reinforced by his attitude towards his old chums. He would herd them all on the straight path and does his best for them.

There is good dramatic construction in Jimmy’s finally winning his right to happiness. He is successful in business, but his past still holds him liable. He has worked out a false alibi so cleverly that it fools the relentless detective. He then wilfully relinquishes its safety to secure the safety of the little sister of the girl he loves — he lets the detective see that he is able to open the safe, for the child is shut in it. The girl sees it too and the detective’s heart is touched and he tears up the papers asking for information about alias Jimmy Valentine.

Scene from Alias Jimmy Valentine (World Film).

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Oregon legislature may show Kleine film.

The Oregon State Legislature is considering a proposition to project George Kleine’s big Roman spectacle, “Julius Caesar,” in the council chamber next month. It is proposed to secure a lecturer who will talk on Roman government as pictured in the film.

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”Dramatic Rights” again in court.

The question of the interpretation and scope of assignments of dramatic rights to serial productions is involved in an infringement action which is expected to be decided in the United States District Court this month. The decision is being awaited with interest by moving picture manufacturers and producers as the question is one of vital interest.

The action is brought by Charles Scribner’s Sons, publishers of The Trail of the Lonesome Pine; John Fox, Jr., author of the novel; and Klaw & Erlanger, producers of the play based on the book, against the Broadway Picture Producing Company and the Eagle Feature Film Company.

The film companies contend the assignment of the dramatic rights to the book which the author and his publishers executed to Klaw & Erlanger, covers simply the presentation of the play on the stage with living actors and consequently photoplays cannot be construed in any sense as a violation of the rights of the producers.

The drama was staged by Klaw & Erlanger for three seasons before the Broadway Picture Producing Company negotiated with Frank H. Rice, as agent for the publishers, for the moving picture rights to the novel and consequently the film companies aver the exhibition of the drama in picture theaters does not materially injure the producers.

Collection: Moving Picture World, March 1915