Thomas W. Ross (1914) 🇺🇸
Thomas W. Ross, the prominent Broadway dramatic star, best remembered for his work in the stage production of Checkers and later as having created the principle role in James Forbes’ The Traveling Salesman, is now at Hollywood, Cal., working before the camera for the Jesse L. Lasky Feature Play Company in a filmization of Winchell Smith’s most recent success The Only Son, which he played for two years with quite a degree of success.
Mr. Ross came into prominence about nine years ago when he made his first stellar appearance in the thrilling race-track play Checkers, which he later did in pictures. Following his many years in this piece he assumed the leading role in The Traveling Salesman, for the late Henry B. Harris. Following this, Mr. Ross accepted the star part in The Only Son and played in it for eight months at the Olympic Theater, Chicago, later touring to the Pacific Coast.
The Only Son will be the fourth release of the Lasky Company, and under the able direction of Cecil B. De Mille and Oscar Apfel promises to exceed even the first two production of this organization.
A specially select cast will support Mr. Ross in The Only Son. Winifred Kingston, whose work in The Squaw Man and Brewster’s Million won her many admirers, will probably play the leading feminine role, while Richard La Reno will have the opposite role to Mr. Ross.
The Only Son will be in five parts and will probably reach the public early in June. Mr. Ross, en route to the Coast, toured from Chicago to Los Angeles in his motor car which, by the way. will be used in the production. The star colony at the Lasky Studios now embraces Ross, Dustin Farnum, Max Figman, Lolita Robertson, H. B. Warner, Edmund Breese, Winifred Kingston and Cecil De Mille. Upon arrival at Hollywood, Ross was received by the corps of stellar lights and conducted in state to the Lasky studio where he was initiated into the “next to nature” life led by the stars located there.
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British Notes.
(Special Correspondence to The World.)
As a typical instance of the vigilance of the licensing authorities in England’s second city — Manchester — the following abstract from their annual report is worthy of notice: “The 100 theaters licensed by the Watch Committee were visited 2,996 times. Proceedings were taken against five and convictions were obtained against four.” It is not too much to say that the police regulations in Manchester are harsher than in any other city in the country. I recently had occasion to visit a large theater on the outskirts for six evenings in succession and each night the performance was graced with the presence of two police officers.
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Until recently Frank E. Balladur was with the Gaumont Company in New York, but now, I hear, he has taken a position in the industry in London. Mr. Balladur will purchase negative films in Europe on behalf of his firm and will export them direct to America.
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The Parliamentary Committee upon celluloid, after holding twenty-nine meetings, examining fifty experts and witnesses, and visiting France and Germany to study conditions there, has at last issued its report and advice. So far as this country is affected the Committee does not believe that the number of serious fires attributable to celluloid in establishments where it is used or stored is as large as would be expected. Since the introduction of the Cinematograph Act of 1909 though there has been a number of cases in which a film has caught fire, no serious accidents have resulted and this gain to public safety has been secured without detriment to the trade. No raw film is at present manufactured in this country (continues the report), and so far as we can ascertain all raw film is imported from America. The conditions under which renters carry on their business are not in all cases satisfactory. Generally the Committee recommends that all premises where films are handled as a business should be registered; they should not be situated under living rooms, and if in a budding in joint occupation preferably “ii the top floor. Waste should be collected once a day and stored in suitable receptacles, and smoking and open lights and fires should he prohibited.
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A few exhibitors in London have had the seats of their theaters re-upholstered in leather instead of plush. The motive prompting this action seems a sensible one and is, of course, mainly hygienic. Plush harbors dust and dirt and if a light color soon becomes dirty. Imitation Morocco leather, it is found, costs no more, and in addition to being impervious to dust retains its gloss for quite a long time.
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A new periodical, entitled The Photoplay Writer, has appeared in London this week, dealing solely with the interests of photo-playwrights.
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The moving picture cannot really be so detrimental to the morals of the nation after all. The other day the Wiltshire Yeomanry were “ordered out” to attend a picture show at Chippenham.
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A massive picture theater to eclipse anything of its kind in England, London included, is to be built shortly in St. Peter’s Square, Manchester, at an estimated cost of nearly half a million dollars.
J. B. Sutcliffe.
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$10,000 Picture House for Tacoma, Wash.
The new Apollo Theater being erected in C Street. Tacoma, Wash., will be one of the most beautiful picture houses in Washington when it is completed. About $10,000 will be expended on the structure. It is expected to be opened about May 10.
Collection: Moving Picture World, May 1914