The Washington times., 1914-06-26
THE BEST
e Photoplay Department in
WASHINGTON
'edf MuteS "Hedr''
Every Word the
Actors Say in
PhotopldyS

=
eslzed: Do actors and actresses IN
he moving pictures repeat the lines
bf the play7
= he answer Is. in many instances
|hey do. In a large number of in
ta noes they do. And it is e curious
fact that one OF the things that led
30 their doing so-outside the fact
hat they learned the artistic value
bf actually talking to give emphasis
% an action-was a complaint from a
teaf-mite. This complaint, made in
Chicago that the language of GER
hat the deaf-mute read the lips
md understood every word that was
Uttered by the actors and actresses
while pictures were being made for
the screen,
II was about two years ago that
complaint was made to the police in
Chiacgo that the language of GER
aiu actors In a cheap moving pic
kure production in an obscure theatsr
WAS so vile that the film should be
destroyed. The police department
was startled at receiving such a
complaint. and thought joke was
bong perpetrated. ..r =-r- -.
How could the things people say
tn moving pictures be heard, they
Ezed themselves? Then il was de-
We oped that the complainant was a
mute who had been taught lip read
tnE An investigation Of the pictures
vas started. and some very laugh :
ahle results obtained. -
There were found to be several
vell-known actors who took great
delight in saying things that were
entirely out of keeping with the
sCenes they were acting-probably
for the purpose Of creating a laugh
tn the studio. But the words were
ust as plain to the lip readers as
though they had been actually
sDoken in their presence. 1t was
found that in some of the very
ckeap and trashy films the language
used by the actors was of the Vilest
description. Steps were Immediately
|ts ken by the film manufacturers to
reform their forces, and then II was
that a general plan was adopted by
| |the larger companies to have their
characters speak lines in g climax
III mas always pe6n ln6 CuSIOHl W uO
this with some manufacturers
The ability of the deaf mutes to
re " the lips Of the performers on
lthe screen has led to an interest
ing suggestion regarding the Pros
1uction of standard plays on the
legitimate stage. James x Hack
ett announced in Paris the other
, day that he intended to have moy-
ing pictures mads Of performances
Ii ,.r1 Hr-~-, a. o.,
tire for the purpose OF keeping the
members of the company up TO the
mark The suggestion has been
made that other managers do this
also and that Furthermore they have
sufficient prints made from the neg
G-.ves thus obtained to provide pic
& res of their plays for the various
|th0oughout the country. The entire
Sow could thus be witnessed by,
sch people without going To the
tIeater and in much greater com
| If0rt and convenience than a visit
L. the theater entails for them
When Francis X. Bushman was
o. a lecture tour last fall he was
e deaf and dumb in Pittsburgh.
he was surprised to receive such
2 invitation and on arriving at
to institution was still more sur
III sed TO receive an ovation. He de-
VI cred his lecture and his talk was
lch appreciated. And then he held
8 reception. During the course Of
IS reception he was still more
, -prised by being asked to explain
at he meant when he made this
that remark during the course
a film play. The incidents were
{ ch identified-half a dozen OF
: m-and the actor remembered
g rhn
red TO something Mr.. Bushman
J ID said while acting before the
{ unera which had nothing to do
tn the action of the play that
as being produced. BUshman be-
ne very uneasy as he feared he
ght at some time have said
2 1-1ething that he should not have
-d-but his mind was greatly re-
we'd when, later in the evening.
een invited to address the
: e0ple of the institution, was that
was regarded as one Of the big
ading men who stuck most close
s TO the action Of the play in his
eeches before the camera and that
all the time his pictures had
en- appearing. never had there
srce been word uttered by him
which anyone could take except
2 or which caused complaint
The occasions about which inquiry
ad been made related TO times
hen Bushman had answered
question asked him about some
trivial matter. or made some witty
mark. while he was going through
ne Bushman has been very care
I'll TO deliver his witty sallies out
Eade the camera lines and to stick
rlOsely TO the action when he hap