Irene Fenwick (1915) 🇺🇸
Pretty blue-eyed, brown-haired, magnetic Irene Fenwick, present sensation of Broadway, has signed a contract for a term of years with George Kleine to appear exclusively in pictures for him.
Just how important this announcement is you can learn only by a fairy visit into the private haunts of New York film magnates, who for more than a year have unsuccessfully tried to lure this slender slip of a girl into motion pictures.
Irene Fenwick is the star of the Song of Songs, Al. Woods’ latest play, now breaking records at the Eltinge Theater, New York. Her newly signed contract with George Kleine will in no way interfere with Miss Fenwick’s extraordinary stage career. While playing in New York, she will be engaged in film work in the Kleine studio. Miss Fenwick, therefore, will continue to be seen in the life in Manhattan and in film everywhere. In this way her wonderful stage reputation will be preserved and enhanced.
Miss Fenwick is a Chicago girl in the early twenties, but her professional career dates back to the days of Peggy from Paris, in which she found her first “bit” part. Site has appeared successively under five of the best-known managements on Broadway and has starred in several internationally known comedies and dramas. Henry W. Savage, Charles Frohman, William A. Brady. Cohan & Harris and Al. H. Woods have featured dainty Miss Fenwick at different times in recent years.
Following her success in small parts in Peggy from Paris, The Office Boy and Just One of the Boys, Charles Frohman gave her the first really serious work of her career in the role of Sylvia Futvoye, the leading feminine part in The Brass Bottle. In this she scored an instant hit and the following season appeared in Frohman’s The Speckled Band, a detective story by A. Conan Doyle. The Importance of Being Earnest, that clever skit by Oscar Wilde, was her next success and in this she toured the principal cities of England. Kiki in the French farce, The Zebra, followed under management of Frohman. Hamilton Revelle, who plays DeCosse Brissac in the Kleine film, DuBarry, appeared with her in this production.
Miss Fenwick’s next triumph was the role of Beatrice Lind in The Million, that delightful farce which proved one of the most popular of Savage’s many comedies. Next came what many regard as the best work of her career, that of the Princess Irma in Hawthorne of the U. S. A. with Douglass Fairbanks [Douglas Fairbanks Sr.]. In this she fairly covered herself with glory, the pensive, dutiful, loving princess being much to her liking and well suited to her capabilities. Hawthorne of the U. S. A. proved an exceptionally popular play, and Miss Fenwick has been seen in it in all the principal cities of the United States. This she followed with the Kitty May of Owen Davis’ The Family Cupboard.
But it is her present work in Al. Woods’ latest production, The Song of Songs, that has shot Miss Fenwick over night into the upper realms of stardom. In this she has proven herself an actress of remarkable powers and great promise. The role of Lilly Kardos calls for a rare quality of histrionic ability, and the expression of emotion more subtle than the confines of word and gesture. New York has been quick to recognize the extraordinary distinction of her work, as the daily crowded Eltinge Theater well testifies.
Miss Fenwick will be seen in a number of big Kleine features this year. Already elaborate plans are being made to star her in some of the well-known successes in which she has played. At the present time she is busily engaged at the Kleine studios, where Director Fitzmaurice [George Fitzmaurice] is filming that popular Forbes [James Forbes] comedy, The Commuters.
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“The Great Italian Earthquake”
Some of the most startling scenes ever shown are in these pictures of terror and suffering that followed the recent great earthquake in Italy (True Feature).
by Hanford C. Judson.
There is somewhat over two reels of this offering which was taken by cameramen happening to be in the neighborhood of the catastrophe with cameras ready. The scenes of destruction and misery were taken in and about the towns of Avezzano, Paterno, San Bennetto and Artuchio. Some of these places were populous and prosperous cities and their remains are in truth less than heaps of ruins; they look as though the years had shaken them down into dust heaps.
It is not the shapes of these dust heaps that yesterday were dwellings that makes this offering startling; but the pictures of stunned and still weeping humanity that it gives. And of all things shown in it the most terribly astonishing is the sight that it gives of a young girl being literally dug up from living burial under the fallen wall of her former home. We are told that she had been there five days. The beams of the wall had felled her and had then protected her from the debris above. We see her uncovered before she could be drawn out of her close prison. The very taking of such a scene was cold hearted and the impression that looking at it leaves is unpleasant, especially in spectators with the keen and unblunted sensibilities of those who as in this happy community, see few scenes of pain and very few of horror.
The picture shows the irrepressible light heartedness of the children playing among the ruins of their homes. It shows the tears of those who not yet being attended to, still suffer from wounds and fear. It shows the tears of the old women who have lost everything they cherished and who turn their heads towards the camera as though sending a message out to the world as to some who are friendly, telling them of their pain.
The photography is very fair; it is all that could be expected under the circumstances. The subjects were chosen to interest and instruct. It is a powerful plea for help.
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“Avezzano Before the Earthquake” (True Feature).
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Jay Hunt in Kay-Bee drama.
Jay Hunt, the veteran director and actor of the Ince [Thomas H. Ince] forces, who is affectionately known as “Daddy,” will soon be seen in what is expected to prove the greatest triumph of his screen career in a two-part rural drama entitled His Brother’s Keeper, which will be released by the Kay-Bee-New York Motion Picture Corporation.
Mr. Hunt portrays the part of David with a skill that makes the character fairly breathe on the screen. He is capably supported by Violet MacMillan in the role of Amanda and Joseph Dowling and Gertrude Claire and Jeremiah and his wife. In addition to playing the principal part, Mr. Hunt directed the production.
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Rube Miller with Kriterion.
A. M. Kennedy, general manager of productions of Kriterion Service, has succeeded in obtaining the services of Rube Miller, who for the past year has been directing comedies for the Keystone Company. Mr. Miller will have a company working in Santa Barbara, and his productions will be released through the Kriterion Service in the near future, under the Kriterion Star Comedy Brand. Great credit to Mr. Kennedy, as much was due to his personal efforts in securing this able director.
Collection: Moving Picture World, March 1915