Yona Landowska (1916) 🇺🇸
“Early in 1915 the Universal Film Company was looking for a dancer who could play an important role in their production, The Beautiful Unknown, someone told them of me, and my debut in pictures followed, and I have remained in them ever since.”
This is the way that Yona Landowska describes her entry into the field where she has won distinction. “I was born in Petrograd,” say Landowska. “We moved to Paris when I was a little girl. I was mad about dancing and pantomime and wanted to study, but my parents would not hear of it. But my grandmother was a famous Russian ballet dancer, and her legacy to me was too strong for them. I made the acquaintance of Madame Mariquita, the famous teacher and ballet mistress of the Opéra Comique in Paris, and she gave me lessons, and laid the foundation of my career.
“I made my professional debut in Switzerland, where a gala performance of Orfeo was being given, and in which I had an important role. A two-year engagement at the Gaieté Lyrique theater in Paris followed, and then I had a season at the Apollo theater in Paris. Then I came to America to visit my friend, Madame Fovieri, the great actress, who has made her home here, and she persuaded me to stay — a decision which I have never regretted.”
—
Interest in Actors’ Fund Spreads
Reports from committees in all parts of the country indicate that $500,000 will be raised.
The National Executive Committee of the Motion Picture Campaign, which was organized to promote the collection of $500,000 for the Actors’ Fund, has completed a chain of committees from coast to coast and announces that everywhere most active interest has been awakened among film people. Samuel Goldfish, chairman of the Executive Committee, finds that the responses to its appeals have far exceeded expectations.
Not only are film actors and actresses sending in generous contributions daily to J. Stuart Blackton, treasurer of the campaign, but also theater proprietors in every section of the country are declaring their intention of doing their part towards raising the $500,000. Monday, May 15, has been fixed as National Motion Picture Tribute Day, on which it is planned that a portion of the receipts of every theater in the land where films are shown will be donated to the fund. Already 1,200 proprietors and managers have promised to contribute 10 per cent, or more of the money which they take in on that date. These pledges are not confined to any one section. Their range is the widest possible, as shown by the preliminary honor roll of theaters announced by the executive committee of the campaign two weeks ago. Since that time scores of additional managers have signified their intention of joining in the great work. A random selection from these new responses shows the extent to which the active interest of busy, practical men has been awakened in a single humanitarian purpose.
Here are a few of the latest additions to the theater list for National Tribute Day: — F. H. Schanze, Shanze theater, Baltimore, Md.; F. M. Bond. Bond theater, Pontiac, Ill; Ario Bertotti, Columbia theater, Clinton, Ill.; Jay E. Gould, Crystal theater, Glencoe. Minn.: F. Newman, Grand theater, Helena, Ark.; Guy Mahoney, Plain theater, Missouri Valley, Iowa; C. A. Orr, Princess theater, Grace, Idaho; I. W. Dakin, Gem theater, Hood River, Ore. The capacity of these houses ranges from 800 down to 200, and they represent cities and hamlets. Never before was a movement of this kind met with such diversified and general support.
A letter received from J. S. Smoot, manager of the Camden theater, Parkersburg, W. Va., was of the kind that g cheer to the Motion Picture Campaign’s Executive Committee. Mr. Smoot notified Mr. Goldfish that on Sunday, April 30, he will give a sacred concert in his theater, the entire proceeds of which will be sent to Treasurer Blackton. Sunday, is of course, one of the best nights in the week with any motion picture manager, and Mr. Smoot’s offer shows a spirit which would bring great results if emulated Monday was selected by the executive committee for National Tribute Day, so as not to place too great a tax upon managers, but many of them have written to headquarters that if their returns on that day do not come up to a satisfactory figure they will contribute from the receipts of some other date.
In every section of the United States branch committees have now been organized and are rolling the big $500,000 ball larger with every day’s effort. Busy men of big affairs in every walk of life are donating a part of their energies to the Motion Picture Campaign. John Kunsky, the millionaire theater owner of Detroit, is a typical example. The friendly rivalry among the large cities as to which shall make the best showing on National Tribute Day awakened Mr. Kunsky’s interest and his pride to see that his home territory does its share. This hustling motion picture magnate is in direct control of ten big theaters, besides which he has a personal following and social affiliation that have enabled him to enlist the interest and activities of many men of consequence and money-getting value in the middle west. He has formed a committee headed by the Hon. Oscar B. Marx, Mayor of Detroit, as honorary chairman. Mr. Kunsky himself has assumed the hard working office of active chairman.
The latest big community to enter the competition of cities is Washington, D. C An energetic committee has been organized in the national capital. The chairman of the Board of City Commissioners is the honorary chairman, and Alfred Ferguson is the active chairman. Other members of the committee are J. H. Walraven, J. L. Yates, and Fred Haskins. Omaha, Neb., also has fallen in line. The Screen Club of this progressive western city is busy and on May 11, will give a ball. In addition to the presence of the leading officials and business men of Omaha at the Screen ball, it is promised that all the theatrical stars playing within easy distance of the city, will be present, and some unusual entertainment is confidently expected. Having before them the records of the Screen Clubs of other cities, the Omaha club intends doing equally well. In New Orleans a carefully selected committee, headed by D. L. Nicholson, is working hard to bring the donations of the Gulf City and surrounding districts up to a high figure.
Definite plans have now been formulated in Buffalo for a big boost for the campaign. B. J. Brandon, of the Buffalo Screen Club, has gathered together a committee for western New York which promises big things. It is composed of H. Edel, M. J. Sitterly, J. Mulhouser, C. A. Taylor, D. J. Savage and F. S. Hopkins. The principal activity of these men just now is being centered in a grand balj to be given in Elmwood Music Hall on the evening of National Tribute Day, May 15, the proceeds of which will be donated to the fund. The organization of the function is only one division of the work this energetic committee has in mind for the campaign. New York City is not to be forgotten in the great movement. Affairs in the interest of the campaign are being held almost nightly in Manhattan, or one of the other boroughs.
—
Sioux Chief in Metro Picture.
One of the interesting characters in The Spell of the Yukon, a forthcoming Metro production in which Edmund Breese is starred, is Chief White Hawk, a genuine Sioux chief. Like many other intelligent Indians, he is a natural actor, and plays a very striking role in The Spell of the Yukon.
He was last seen on the Metro program in The Lure of Heart’s Desire, in which Mr. Breese was starred, and he made such a decided impression upon Mr. Breese that he was secured for his present engagement.
Collection: Moving Picture World, April 1916