The Washington times., 1915-11-29
PHOTOPLAYS AND
,PHOTOPLAYERS
Bv GARDNER MACK.
Van Buren, Believes
Film, Will Bring
Neqv Audiences
to ThedterS
BY GARDNER MACK.


rather than the present or the past.
Is the subject upon which many Of
the thoughtful actors. dramatists. and
authorities Of the drama asn con-
sidering In these da.s OF raTid de-
~relopment In the new art. IL is the
almost unlimited possibility opened
to the adherent OF real dramatic de-
velopment and education rather than
achievement OF the present that
these men and women desire to keep
always In mind to the end that the
pictures may more surely take their
real place as the sister art Of the
stage.
Among the thoughtful actors who
has taken q very deep interest In
motion pictures from the standpoint
of their value In the education Of the
people In the drama and enlarge
ment Of the drama loving public. Is
A. II. Van Buren,. leading man of
the Poll Players. to be seen today I'm
a motion picture version OF BARLEY
Campbells THE Galley Slave" at
Crandalrs theater. Mr.. Van Buren,
Is regarded by his associates of the
stage rs one OF the actors Of the
countrl who Ia doing yoeman service
In bull, Ing up an interest among the
people In the real acting art.
As an actor In stock compan anies he
has come closer to the real people
to whom he Is playing than most
artists OF his typo and has been able
to carry distinctively constructive
work that has made permanent
friends for the theater as a whole,
His work has always been Of the most
~ h N rn ,NAs - II -
tiOn OF a part has not only been ar
tistic as an individual creation, but has
been demonstration Of the best that
is IN the work OF an actor to interpret
human emotions humanly-to make
the sometimes impossible charac Avs
OF dramatic literatures seem real
ana thus bring out the vital lesson
more MS work has had the effect Of
knitting together the dramatist's gem
erai idea. rather than the develop
ment Of an individual part entirely.
Motion pictures represent to me
tremendous possibility for building
up an interest In the drama where
It has been dormant" said Mr.. Van
Buren In discussing his work In
The Galley Slave" "In this par
ticular piece one OF BARLEY Camp
beifs old-time melodramas which
was revamped for the purpose OF
giving Miss Bara a strong part. I
have rather little to do. and was
able. therefore to get bit of first
hand information Of what can be
done rather than what has been
done. To actors who have watched
the pictures intelligentiv they repre-
sent something we have always
wanted-a means Of giving what
might be called an intensified idea
OF the drama. In this direction there
Is absolutely no competition with the
stage as 1t exists today.
The pictures are encyclopedia In
the way they suggest almost every
thing the drama represents and 90
even further. In this way they Will
attract the attention Of people who
would 90 to the theater-who have
always wanted to go to the theater.
but who have not known exactly
what y Is they wanted. And in this
way the motion pictures will form
the best sort OF an advertisement
or an advance agent for the thea
ter and bring to It larger audience.
motion picture which must not be
overlooked-its Possibilities Tor the de-
veloDment OF what we might call the
old pantomime with realism. Here
tofore manv Of our theatergoers
have considered pantomime as
rather stilted art. vt really Is not
There were two kinds OF pantomime
in the old days. That which was
made I'D of a series OF exaggerated
gestures and was used largely in the
so-called pantomime comedies and
that which was real pantomime be-
cause 1t suggested an action the i'm
agination OF its audience could not
be complete in detail.
1T Is of this type of pantomims
that the real art Of the motion pic
ture should deal, 1t seems to inc.
and this type Is not confined to the
limitations OF comedy or tragedy
In fact. 1t has no limitations. The
possibilities of the pictures In real
scenery end settings have no limita-
tions. Therefore. by combining real
pantomimic art with actual settings
we have the foundat ton fo- a school
Of drama. which. II seems to me.
will offer an unlimited scope to the
actor and the dramatist. and will
make for an artistic development In
an entirely new field"
Announcement has beaA, made that
Edna May. the former musical COM
edv star. has succumbed to motion
picture temptation and has recently
accented an offer OF the Vitagraph
Company to appear in picture play.
She is to receive large sum Of
she will turn over to the Rod Cross
and other charities In which she is
Interested.
Now thst I have promised 10 pos"
for the pictures snid Mis- Nay. ~
am anxious to begin. OF course. I
rave already, been photOgra phed by
the Vitarraph Company 1, some
tests. and Mr.. Smith assures me that
como up to his most optimistic ex-
rectaticns. I'm so glad. fo~ now
that have agreed ~ pose. 7 want
10 feel that the results will be well
worth while. especia''v since ! am
to appear In but one picture"