The daily Alaskan., 1915-07-16
An Amateur
 Picture Play Its Production Was Attended With Difficulties.
By DWIGHT NORWOOD


 When Daisy Allison, who had made a hit in amateur theatricals, noticed in Il newspaper that film companies were inviting persons owning handsome l nlaces to furnish scenarios for picture plays, which the occupants were to | enact themselves in their own houses and on their own grounds, she clapped her hands in glee. What could be more | delightful than to organize company to enact a play, making q house party | of the actors and actresses? The sum- mer season was at hand. The flowers were blooming in the garden; nature was ready to provide the scenery.
 Miss Allison was aware that q plot must be provided for the play and a | knowledge of construction was recul- site. One of her acqualntances was q playwright, and quite likely his serY- ices could be secured to get up see narlo. As for the actors and actresses, Miss AIlison'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 Mir Howard Ashley, a playwright. stating her design and asking him if he would oflciate in the construction of the play. He consented, stating that he had a number of scenarios on hand from which Q 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 q 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 enyirons.
 MT. Ashley submitted several plays, and one was decided upon, the princl- 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 a very rich man. goes to England, where she visits the home of another branch of her family among the nobility. An impecuuious English lord Administer attempts to marry her | for her money. Her father, who is at the head of a large manufacturing con- | cern In America, sends his right hand man, Eben MacArthur, over to inyest- gate the matter. He discovers that Ak minister is a fraud and exposes him. | The girl marries Macarthur, who takes 1 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 com l pleted was as follows:
 Lucinda Owens Miss Allison; Lord Administer, Mir. Perkins; Eben MacAr- thur, MT. Wilson; Gladys Pemberton. Miss Stevens.
 So great was the pressure for invita- tlOns that it was found necessary to make a long list of drGmatis perSonae, though the four persons mentioned car ried the play. It was also found nee essary to bring in q number of the neighbOring country people for tenants on the Pemberton estate.
 When the guests arrived each was furnished with a synopsis of the play, and on the following morning the pho | tOgraphlng commenced.
 Now, there would have been no trOu- ble whatever in producing an attrac- 1 tive play within a reasonable time had | the originals of the characters been in- | different to one another. Unfortunate ly Lucinda Owens Miss Allisonl select cd 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 yens), who was supposed in the play to be angling for Lord Administer, was really rival of Miss Allison for the affections of MT. Wilson, who played the part o2 Eben MacArthur.
 One of the first scenes was an inter- view between Ebeu MacArthur and Lucinda Owens, in which the gentle man was to be treated with something more than indifference Unfortunate ly the lady found it impossible to con- ceaI her affection for him. Ten efforts were made by the photographic artist | before q fair one was secured.
 When Eben MacArthur arrived in England he was received at the Pem- berton manor house by Gladys Pember- ton, who was at the time enjoying a tete-a-tete in the flower garden with ,l,