The Press., 1915-07-21
]: An Amateur Picture Play . Its Production Was Attended . With Difficulties.
By DWIGHT NORWOOD

I <
 .: When Daisy Allison, who had made a hit in amateur theatricals, noticed ill Ia newspaper that film companies were inviting persons owning handsome places to furnish scenarios for picture plays, which the occupants were to enact themselves ill their own houses and on their own grounds, she clapped her hands in glee. What could be more delightful than to organize a company to enact a play, making house party of the actors and actresses? The sum- mer season was at hand. The flowers were blooming ill the garden; nature was ready to provide the scenery. Miss Allison was aware that a plot
 must be provided for the play and a
 knowledge of construction was requi-
 site. One of her acquaintances was a
 playwright, and quite likely his serv-
 ices could be secured to get up sec
 mario. As for the actors and actresses,
 Miss Allison's friends would be climb
 ing over one another to secure invita-
 tions to the histrionic house party.
 She entered upon her work at once,
 her first act being to write a note to
 MT. Howard Ashley, d playwright,
 stating her design and asking him if he
 would officiate in the construction of
 the play. He consented, stating that
 he had a number of scenarios on hand
 from which selection, doubtless,
 could be made and recommended that
 the play be decided on before the in
 vitations were given out in order that
 persons best fitted for the different
 parts might be included. Since Miss
 Daisy herself had proved her ability as
 an actress she would, doubtless, be ex-
 pected to take the leading lady's part and play should be chosen that would
 be best suited to her abilities. Then,
 too, the scenes should be fitted to the
 Allisons' beautiful country place and its environs.
 Mr. Ashley submitted several plays
 and one was decided upon, the princi-
 pal scenes of which were laid in the country home of the Earl of Pember- ton, an English nobleman. A synopsis of the play is this: An American girl
 only child of very rich man, goes to England, where she visits the home of another branch of her family among the nobility. An impecunious English lord (Axminster) attempts to marry her for her money. Her father, who is at the head of large manufacturing con- cern in America, sends his right hand man, Eben MacArthur, over to investi- gate the matter. He discovers that Ak minister Is fraud and exposes him. The girl marries Macarthur, who takes the place of a son to the manufacturer and inherits, with his wife, the busi- ness
 MT. Ashley, who was experienced not only in the construction of plays, but in choosing the scenes to be pho tographed, consented to take charge of the whole affair, and nothing re- mained but to make up list of names of those who were to compose the con- pany and issue the invitations. The cast of principal characters when con- pleted was as follows:
 Lucinda Owens, Miss Allison; Lord Administer, MT. Perkins; Eben MacAr- thur, MT. Wilson; Gladys Pemberton Miss Stevens.
 So great was the pressure for invita- tions that it was found necessary to make long list of dramatis personae though the four persons mentioned car ried the play. It was also found nec- essary to bring in a number of the nefghboring country people for tenants on the Pemberton estate.
 When the guests arrived each was furnished with synopsis of the play, and on the following morning the pho- tographing commenced.
 Now, there would have been no trou ble whatever in producing an attrac- tive play within a reasonable time had the originals of the characters been in different to one another. Unfortunnte- ly Lucinda Owens Miss Allison select ed for the part of Eben Macarthur Dick Wilson, with whom she was on the eve of an engagement. This was all right considering the way the play ended, but in the earlier stages she was expected to treat him with dis dain. Gladys Pemberton Miss Ste vens), who was supposed in the play to be angling for Lord Administer, was really a rival of Miss Allison for the affections of MT. Wilson, who played | the part of Eben Macarthur.
 One of the first scenes was an inter | Lucinda Owens, in which the gentle 1 man was to be treated with something | more than indifference. Unfortunate 1 ly the lady found it impossible to con- zeal her affection for him. Ten efforts | were made by the photographic artist | before fair one was secured.
 When Eben Macarthur arrived in | England he was received at the Pem- oerton manor house by Gladys Pember- :on, who was at the time enjoying tete-a-tete in the flower garden with | Lord Administer, for whom she was to be angling. Being rival >f Lucinda Owens for the affections 'f Eben Macarthur and having wit lessed that lady's exhibition of a lik- ng for MacArthur, she was in very ,ad humor. She turned her back on lis lordship and, plucking rose, pre- ented it to the newcomer from Amer (A' A NOASh pholo5ioPAS WClc luduG | f this scene before the lady could be brought to enact 1t as intended-that 8, she was supposed to look upon Mac Arthur as an uncultured American and act toward him ac- ordingly.
 Since the cost of the photographs vas borne by the film company, their manager began to fear that the ex- ,ense of production would be too great o warrant continuing the photograph ng. He stopped work, but after MT. Ashley had lectured the actresses on heir behavior and they had promised o do better in future the manager con- ented to proceed.
 Eben Macarthur in the play wins ' 4ord Administers confidence ill order o expose his designs upon Lucinda V ,..Is