Gardner Hunting with Wharton (1916) 🇺🇸

One item of news that will be received widely with interest, not only by members of the motion picture fraternity of New*York and of the country at large, but also by the followers of the writers’ craft and by readers of the magazines all over America, is the announcement made this week that Wharton Incorporated have secured the services of Gardner Hunting, writer, editor and scenarioist, whom they have put in charge of their scenario department.

Mr.*Hunting has many friends, both among the men and women who are making the literature and the pictures of this country to-day, and those who are enjoying both. His stories, especially those for and about boys, are known wherever the leading periodicals find their way to home firesides, and, though he is a comparatively new recruit to the motion picture world, he needs no other introduction than a mention of his name, to be sure of a warm welcome.

Some great plans are brewing in that model plant of the Whartons at the foot of Lake Cayuga. Feature pictures from the popular novels of Fred Jackson, from the Broadway and country-wide stage-successes of the Shuberts, as well as some original and unique things, with which the name of Wharton is becoming synonymous, are to follow the Wallingford and Elaine series, Clyde Fitch’s “The City” and the never-to-be-forgotten “Hazel Kirke” are among the earliest of the good things to make their appearance for this early winter season. Fred Jackson’s “Red Robin,” an amazing story of a secondary personality, will soon be picturized. Mr.*Hunting has just finished another scenario based on Mr.*Jackson’s famous Lloyd Demarest stories, and is putting the finishing touches on a remarkable snow-picture of Leo Wharton’s own original authorship, which will probably be released under the title “A Tragedy of the Snows.”

Mr.*Hunting was for several years editor of People’s Magazine, of Street & Smith’s list, and has staunch friends on the staff of that popular publishing house, as well as among the multitude of writers for their periodicals. His books are being featured among the Christmas offerings in the great stores, and many of their readers will soon be looking forward to the things in his pictures of which they have grown fond in his stories. There is many a man among the scenario writers and editors as well as the editors of the craft’s own periodicals who will extend a cordial hand to him and wish him good luck in his new undertaking.

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World Film Productions

Will open the year with a number of noteworthy subjects.

The first month of the new year finds the World Film Corporation and its staff of directors, players and scenic artists engaged upon a group of feature pictures that promise to be the most imposing of this organization’s many productions.

Clara Kimball Young, prominent among photoplay stars, is at work under the direction of Edwin August in a Russian five-part drama dealing with revolutionary plots and counterplots. Many of the exterior scenes were taken during the recent big snow storm with exceptionally realistic effects. Particular enthusiasm was aroused among the heads of the organization by the successful staging of a scene depicting the Kishineff massacre in which nearly a thousand*people appeared.

Director Chautard [Emile Chautard] and a company headed by Frances Nelson, June Elvidge and Douglas MacLean are producing the filmed version of Jules Eckert Goodman’s remarkable play, “The Point of View.” The pictorial adaptation by Emmett Campbell Hall maintains only the thread of the original play and builds it into a powerfully dramatic story. Miss*Nelson has the most important part in which she has yet appeared under the World Film banner, and Miss*Elvidge, too, is expected to win new laurels through her skillful performance of the important role in which she is cast.

George Beban’s original story of life in pastoral France and in the Parisian studios and salons is rapidly nearing completion under the masterly hand of Director Tourneur [Maurice Tourneur]. The many thousands of picture patrons who reveled in Beban’s marvelous characterization in “An Alien” will soon see this noted character actor in a role that gives him the greatest opportunities of his stage and screen career.

Miss*Kitty Gordon, the statuesque queen of musical fame, is progressing rapidly with her first film venture at the Paragon studio under the direction of Frank Crane. This picture, an adaptation of H. C. Phillips’ noted novel As in a Looking Glass, affords Miss*Gordon the opportunity to wear a marvelous array of gorgeous gowns and to display every phase of her dramatic talent.

Holbrook Blinn, Director Barry O’Neill and the company producing “Life’s Whirlpool,” an adaptation of Frank Norris’ great American novel, McTeague, have returned from the south with every foot of the picture completed. It is being cut and assembled for immediate release. Private showings have convinced Lewis J. Selznick and the other heads of the World Film Corporation that in Life’s*Whirlpool they have the most gripping picture yet produced at their studio.

Director Oscar Eagle and his star, Robert Warwick, have nearly completed the final interior scenes of the five-part filmed version of Henry Russell Miller’s successful novel, The Ambition of Mark Truitt. The title for this picture has been a much-discussed matter in the World Film offices, but a final decision has been reached on “The Quest Eternal.”

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Walter*MacNamara Rejoins Universal.

When the papers announced recently that Jane Gail, the talented and popular English star, had returned from England and the zone of Zeppelins and rejoined her old partner, Matt Moore, at the Imp studios, the Universal Film Manufacturing Company received many congratulatory letters from exhibitors who were exceedingly happy that the comedy pair was back in harness again for the Universal.

But “old home week” is going on right along at the Imp studio, as Walter MacNamara, author of “Traffic in Souls,” and other photoplays which have gained wide and extensive popularity, has come back, and will be associate director and script writer for the Matt Moore–Jane Gail Imp comedy company. The English trio has already started operations at the new studio at Leonia, and their first releases will be made in January.

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Moss Sends the “One Day” Players South.

The players appearing in the B. S. Moss screen production of “One Day,” a sequel to Elinor Glyn’s “Three Weeks,” left New*York last Saturday, December*25, aboard “The City of Montgomery,” with Savannah as their destination.

In addition to Jeanne Iver, the star of the organization, Director General Hal Clarendon and Head Cameraman H. M. Dean [Faxon M. Dean?] and the supporting company, there were in evidence the technical director and his staff, assistant cameramen, property men and electricians, making in all a total of forty-two for which passage was booked.

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Screeners Hold Christmas Tree.

A hundred members of the Screen Club gathered about a big tree in the parlors of the clubhouse on the evening of Tuesday, December*21. King Baggot was chairman of the committee that had arranged the plans for a “get-together.” President Billy Quirk acted as Santa Claus and saw to it that every Screener got at least one Christmas present. The fatherly advice that accompanied each token was the cause of a steady flow of laughter. Later there was a spread downstairs. There were songs by Bruce Weyman, whose “Mandalay” and “Mother of Mine” were applauded long; Sam Ryan, who, with his Irish songs, kept the crowd in high humor; Joe Phillips, Harry Benham and Georgio Majeroni, Sidney Bracy and William McKenna accompanied at the piano. It was entertainment of the best.

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Pantages Books “Red*Circle.”

B. E. Loper, manager of Pathé’s Los*Angeles office, wires under date of December 17 that Alex. Pantages after viewing competitive serials booked Pathé’s “Red Circle” for Los*Angeles, San*Francisco, Seattle, Spokane and Tacoma. Mr.*Loper wears a broad smile, for Mr.*Pantages’ judgment counts for a lot in his territory.

Collection: Moving Picture World, January 1916