Josephine Stevens (1917) 🇺🇸

Josephine Stevens, a charming girl with great big “boo’ful” eyes, and whose middle name should by right be “Personality,” will make her premier screen appearance in a Paramount production, when she will play opposite Roscoe (“Fatty”) Arbuckle, in his forthcoming Paramount-Arbuckle comedy, The Butcher Boy, a two-reeler which will be released to all exhibitors irrespective of the exclusive franchise idea of the Paramount program.

By all the rights that any person could ever enlist to aid them to come well indorsed to the stage or screen, Miss Stevens gets them most rightfully. The daughter of Benjamin D. Stevens, the late general manager of the Klaw and Erlanger interests, and Helen Beresford, also well known in the world of the theater, Miss Stevens by birth came by theatric rights.

Miss Stevens is 19 years old. She received her early education at the Blessed Sacrament Convent in New York City, later taking a finishing course at the Convent of Mercy, near Philadelphia. She was a brilliant child in her school days and was the pride of her family because she “always stood at the head of her classes.” Her first stage work was with Robert Hilliard in The Argyle Case.

Her second venture was with Henry Miller (1859–1926) in Daddy Long Legs, in which she played Sally. After a season in this production she played the part of Mary MacTavish in Captain Kidd, Jr. , on the road, and also in a sketch called What’s Her Name. She has appeared in but one screen production, and her real debut will be with Mr. Arbuckle in The Butcher Boy, which Paramount will release shortly.

Miss Stevens has a beautiful head of coal black hair, a wonderful pair of big black eyes, and most expressive lips, the kind that any screen artist would enviously wish for. She is medium in stature and beautifully formed, a clever dancer and the most spirited mortal that “Fatty” has ever had opposite him.

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Griffith to Start Production in May.

A cable from D. W. Griffith received at his New York offices announces his safe arrival in London. It is understood that his activities on the other side will keep him there about a month and that he is expected back in this country by May 1, when he will immediately commence work on his first subject to be released by Artcraft Pictures. It is also learned that Mr. Griffith will undoubtedly stage his initial Artcraft release in California, where his most famous spectacles were produced.

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Urban Takes Horsley’s Bayonne Studio

Big plant now being extensively altered — Urban Pictures to be produced there.

Charles Urban, of Kinemacolor fame, announces that he has acquired the extensive studios and laboratories formerly operated by David Horsley at Bayonne, N. J., and that the plant is now undergoing extensive alterations and equipment of the most approved machinery, covering every phase of film work. Mr. Urban has devoted many months in tours of inspection of various plants in the vicinity of New York, but for accessibility and convenience for carrying on the manufacture of films and producing of pictures, and has decided in favor of this plant as the base of operations. All “Urban information” and “Urban Colorfilms” will be made there. A large proportion of the plant will contain an extensive installation for the manufacture of the “Urban Spiragraph” discs — the “Movies for the Home.”

“During my recent stay in the East,” said Mr. Urban, “I have observed the methods of working in various plants. The slipshod systems and carelessness displayed in most of these works, resulting in defective output, the waste of time, materials and disappointing results to producers and directors, has decided me, for the benefit of the general film business, to give to those who will seek it the benefit of our organization and efficiency of our staff and machinery and general technical knowledge of the art.

“Fortunately I have secured the services of many of my former employees, who received their training in London, and who will direct the staff of each department. The present capacity of our film plant is 800.000 feet weekly, the buildings, however, allowing of extending this output to double the above stated capacity.”

Nothing but the superior “Urban Quality” will emanate from this factory. The plant will be operated by the Urban Spiragraph Corporation, under the persona! supervision of Mr. Urban, who will undertake to produce printing and developing of the highest order for the trade, at reasonable prices. The laboratories will commence operations on April 9 next.

The spacious studios (capacity for five companies) will be ready May 1 next.

Collection: Moving Picture World, April 1915

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see also Olive Thomas with Triangle (1917)