Unseen Stars Behind the Screen (1926) 🇺🇸

To the public the stars who actually appear on the screen, are at present, the all-important factor. To the exhibitor who makes and maintains his reputation by purveying good entertainment in an original manner, the unseen stars behind the screen have at least equal, if not greater, values.

by William Sistrom
General Manager, De Mille and Metropolitan Studios

The star who shines in singular brilliancy before the eyes of the public, is sustained there by the unnoticed hands of other stars in the professions contributing to picture making. And the box-office success or failure of every production depends in great measure upon the talents of these “unseen stars.”

The intrinsic value of every production is, in its final box office analysis, determined by the genius and skill of its many contributing factors. And exhibitors will find in this fact a new and unlimited source of invaluable exploitation material.

For instance: Under modern methods of picture making, a supervisor has become extremely important. The supervisor’s work starts with the motion picture from its inception as an undeveloped idea. He supervises its writing by a capable author, keeps close watch upon it as it is being directed and finally cuts and titles the picture and makes it a finished product. To properly handle his job, the supervisor must have had long and intensive training in the motion picture business. He or she must be in sympathy with the ever changing inclinations of the public and likewise be able to understand the problems of the director, the actor, and the writer; — merging and moulding all these elements for the general good of the picture.

In the De Mille and Metropolitan organization we are fortunate in having an extremely able group of supervisors. Bertram Millhauser, Jack Cunningham, Elmer Harris, Will M. Ritchey, C. Gardner Sullivan, F. McGrew Willis; — all of whom have succeeded splendidly during the last year and have been given increased responsibilities for 1926. In addition, Beulah Marie Dix is supervising one picture and Jeanie MacPherson will likewise give her talents in a supervisory capacity to at least one production this year in addition to her regular duties as special writer for Cecil B. DeMille.

The work of these supervisors during the past year is the best sort of public recommendation for the pictures that they will supervise this year. Certainly it would seem highly advisable from a box office standpoint to herald the fact that the supervisor of such past successes as Three Faces East, Braveheart, Red Dice, Silence, Rocking Moon, The Prince of Pilsen and Hell’s Highroad is the supervisor of the production being shown current in any theatre.

Jeanie MacPherson, who is credited with the writing of over thirty box office successes, heads our list of staff writers which also includes: Rex Taylor, Jack Jevne, Charles Logue, Beulah Marie Dix, Jane Murfin, Harold Shumate, Garrett Fort, Douglas Doty, Lenore J. Coffee, Anthony Coldewey, Gladys Unger, Marion Orth, Margaretta Tuttle and Zelda Sears. Negotiations for the services of other writers equally prominent are now in progress.

The form in which the story is told; the cleverness of each situation; the blending of the pathetic and humorous situations in perfect continuity is the work of this staff of star writers and their names if properly used can be capitalized by the theatre just as the name of authors are exploited by magazines and newspapers.

Then comes the dressing of each production. The settings of a picture contribute a large percentage to box office intake. The pictorial backgrounds allure quite as much as the action and each is a distinct and distinguishing reflection of the individual artistry of an art director. Their names should carry as much weight as the signatures on the most lavish of painted canvases in the art galleries.

In our De Mille and Metropolitan organization we have recognized this in securing the services of such men as Paul Iribe, special art director for Mr. De Mille who has just returned from Paris to assume responsibility for Mr. De Mille’s next big picture with Mitchell Leisen as his associate. Max Parker and Charles Cadwallader, art directors at the De Mille and Metropolitan Studios respectively, are as excellent as they are efficient in their calling.

The matter of costuming has an appeal particularly its own. Here there is a tremendous appeal to women and this responsibility is splendidly handled by Adrian, the famous designer who came to us from his successes in The Music Box Revue and previously notable costuming efforts in Paris and other European style capitals. — Adrian as a designer is one of the most important stars we have who is never seen on the screen.

The most marvelous acting and the cleverest stories can easily be ruined by poor photography and here we also need stars of the photographic profession. My experience in this business leads me to a statement of absolute fact that for Producers Distributing Corporation we have the most adept group of cameramen the business can offer.

Peverell Marley, special cameraman for Cecil B. DeMille has shown his worth in The Volga Boatman, The Road to Yesterday and the Rupert Julian production, Silence, Arthur Miller [Arthur C. Miller] proved his worth in photographing The Coming of Amos. He, too, is one of the great artists in the business. Lucien Andriot came with William K. Howard from Paramount and has splendidly handled the photographic details of the William K. Howard pictures. Norbert Brodine excelled himself in Paris at Midnight, Charles G. Clark and Joe LaShelle in Rocking Moon and other George Melford productions. Devereaux Jennings, Gus Peterson, Alex Phillips, Hal Rothen [Hal Rosson?], Dave Kesson, Georges Benoît, Ray June, James C. Van Trees, J. Badarracco — all these clever cameramen and a number of others contributed their talents to the 1925–26 releases of Producers Distributing Corporation and they will be entrusted with the recording of our 1926–27 group of attractions.

Executive direction of the studio is always an extremely important factor. I am very fortunate in having closely associated with me Louis Goodstadt, assistant general manager, whose wide knowledge of the business of attracting artists to the screen makes him an extremely valuable factor in both De Mille and Metropolitan productions. As general manager of the De Mille and Metropolitan Studios I am very proud of the unseen stars who build the stories which our players later bring into life on the screen.

The skill of the director always has been and always will be of inestimable importance. The director is the alchemist who transmutes the basic elements of script, players, settings and locations into the finished unit of entertainment.

Producers Distributing Corporation is, I feel, rarely fortunate in the directors who have been attracted to its banner. Cecil B. DeMille, of course, needs no introduction. Rupert Julian, Joseph Henabery, William K. Howard, Scott Sidney, Donald Crisp, Alan Hale, Robert Thornby, Paul Sloane, George Melford, Frank Urson, Frank Reicher, are men of real achievements. They are artists whose names are of distinct value. They realize that the most artistic thing they can do is to completely and thoroughly please the public.

• At the top, left to right, are Paul Iribe, Jeanie Macpherson and Jack Cunningham.
• At the side, Lenore J. Coffee, Charles Cadwallader and Garrett Fort.
• Bottom, left to right, C. Gardner Sullivan, Jane Murfin and Harold Shumate.

• At the top, left to right, are, Elmer Harris, F. McGrew Willis and Finis Fox.
• At the side, Beulah Marie Dix, Bertram Millhauser and Mitchell Leisen.
• Bottom, left to right, Gilbert Adrian, Douglas Doty and Anthony Coldewey.

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Add to Big Cast for Barrymore Production

A number of additions have been made to the cast for the second John Barrymore road show attraction for Warner Bros, for the 1926–27 season. This picture is an adaptation by Bess Meredyth from the famous opera, “Manon Lescaut,” and it has already been in production for a number of weeks. The newcomers to the cast are Dick Sutherland, Stuart Holmes and Tom Williams.

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Production Started on “Forever After”

Production on Forever After started May 25 on the West Coast. This production, adapted from the stage play by Owen Davis, will be B. P. Fineman’s initial effort for First National. Lloyd Hughes and Mary Astor have the featured roles.

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John Barrymore and Mary Astor in a scene from Don Juan. The picture will be given an elaborate Broadway presentation by Warner Bros, in July.

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“The Passionate Quest” Completed by Warner Bros.

Jack L. Warner, in charge of production at the Warner Bros. West Coast studio, made the announcement recently that he would have six pictures on the 1926–27 schedule completed by the first of September and that they would follow at the rate of two a month thereafter until the twenty-six Warner Winners and the nine road show attractions were finished.

Evidently Mr. Warner is not going to have a very difficult time maintaining this schedule. Last week he announced that photography had been completed on The Better ‘Ole, with Syd Chaplin as the star, and Chuck Reisner as director, and Footloose Widows, with Louise Fazenda and Jacqueline Logan in the leading roles and Roy Del Ruth directing.

This week word comes from the Coast that The Passionate Quest has been completed and will immediately go into the cutting room.

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To Direct Evelyn Brent

Eddie Dillon has been engaged by Film Booking Offices to direct Evelyn Brent in Flame of the Argentine, her next starring vehicle. Work on the new production, which is a flashing story of the South American pampas, will be begun within a few days.

Four more names have been announced for the cast of the Brent picture. Orville Caldwell has been engaged to play the lead opposite the star, while Frank Leigh will have the heavy role. Evelyn Selbie and Dan Makarenko also will play important parts.

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Coming the walloping wonder of the A.E.F.

Gene Tunney in a Pathéserial

Collection: Moving Picture World, June 1926