Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1913-06-22


setting for motion picture dramas that,
played by the nations most prominent actors,
to be produced by the first of all producing com
panies will be displayed on screens the world
over. The Thomas A. Edison Company has sent
its stars to Atlanta to make pictures, seeing
here, it is announced, the opportunity for won
derful scenery and, in the country around for
faithful reproduction of Southern rural life.
Charles NJ. Seay, himself native Georgian
and prominent movie actor, is stage director
of the company of stars that is in Atlanta. He
selected Georgia as the place for the manufac-
ture of desirable pictures.
His automobile whirling along the quiet, shady
road to Bolton yesterday he pointed out a far
off hillside with its bright green lights and
darker shadows and told why he had selected
Georgia.
This scenery is wonderful" he said, enthusi-
astically. "The Adirondacks and the Catskills
have nothing on it; it has California beat a
mile. There you have only the same trees the
same rocks, the same features without change
and always the eternal mesquite mesquite,
everywhere. You Georgians don't appreciate the
beauty of your country until you go elsewhere"
Then the automobile turned curve, and
came upon his company Of players, picturesquely
made up, awaiting the moment when he should
start the show moving. They We're having the
time Of their lives, trying to talk rural Georgia
talk to a peddler of bright-colored, gaudy-framed
pictures, who took them to be very merry
family Of rustcs and who was trying to sell
them a lurid picture of Lee at Appomattox.
They looked it. Mabel Trunnelle, her black
hair in curls down her back, wore bingham
dress that reached just below her knees. Arthur
Housman had on a hickory shirt without col
lar uondescript yellow trousers, and hat that
plainly had seen a whole generation Of outdoor
summers. Herbert Prior, heavy man Of the
Edison movies wore pair of overalls that were
held about his waist by bit of pillow line, and
a shirt that was hardly as much of a shirt as
it was of a saddle blanket for a mule
1t was a rural drama they were to play. Not
a rough-and-tumble comedy of bewhiskered
farmers and staring, open-mouthed farm hands,
but a simple, sincere bit out Of real Georgia
life, scrupulously reproducing every detail The
old farmer did not wear whiskers nor boots.
His sons clothes were not too small for him
The city "feller" didn't fall in love with the
farmers pretty daughter.
I'VE are trying to put on real Georgia" said
Mr. Seay.
That is why he is here, with Mabel Trunnelle,
and Bliss Milford, and Harry Beaumont viii
liam West, and others of Edisons first stars.
1t is very pleasant making pictures in the
sunny, shady Georgia country In fact, the
moving picture profession strikes you as being
very much to be desired as a vocation-when the
players are playing in Georgia, outdoors in the
summer time.
All day yesterday they lounged about a pic
turesque cabin on the Bolton Road, and acted a
half-dozen scenes Between whites they prac-
tised Workmanship on an unfortunate beer bot
tie stuck up on a rail fence, sat on the brown
pine carpet under the trees, and talked about
New York and the turkey trot, and chickens
and automobiles, and the weather. and how pref
ty Georgia is.
You are impressed upon such occasions with
the desirabiity of the profession. Maybe YOU
remark.
"Oh, they are paid for what they know not
for what they do" the stage director explains
You are sure of it when the actors cast off
the appearance of assitude and take their places
for the scene that is to be reproduced. They are
very conscientious as to the expression of the
eyes and of the hands and of all the details.
They are finished actors, and the stage director
has never to worry about telling them to do this
or that. They know. And for that reason they
are paid salaries that range from $4,000 to
$4,000 a year.
But to see them shooting beer bottles and
sprawing under the trees most Of the time
well, you venture over to Stage Director Seay,
tIHidly. and ask
Say, do you reckon I could learn to be
moving picture actor: How about trying me
out?"
one thing that impresses you wonderfully is
the almost total absence of rehearsals Out
there under the trees, the actors are not aware
of the lines in the play They don't know from
one scene to the other what they are going to
do. For inStonce:
Yesterday irector Seay walked over to the
laughing bunch on the front porch of the cabin
Lets have little scene. here" he said.
Miss Trunnelle you are washing Dishes in
this. The old man comes in and reproaclges you
because there are no buttons on his shirtSsnd
you explain that the other homework keeps YOU
busy. Then" and he went on with the direc-