The Washington times., 1915-12-22
PHOTOPLAYS AND
PHOTOPLAYERS
Artistic YoungSter
Is What Veteran
Actress Calls
Photopldy.
BY GARDNER MACK.

"The photoplay? Perhaps! Let
us hope So"
Ordinarily it isn't polite to aIu TO
srch a quotation that it vas the state
OF "onc of the Netsrans of the stage"
and attach a woman s name to Il. Be
csIse the word 'ycteran" indicates
= certain ruInber Of years, ard wears
and q wcD.an are generally supposed
TO be strangers. Ent In tho case nf
Ada Bosfcll, who really mace use
Of THE quoted words in Just tie way
they ere Quoted, it would " neither
irnpolite or in Tho least bit sugccs-
tive of years 10 add The veteran part
OF the phrase. Anyone who saw
Mrs. Boshell in rho Little Min
ister'' with Maui.s Adams last week
knows exactly what is mean.
And for those who we're not 80
fortunate It might IT, p.opur - state
that the actress Is one CT thH Wkole-
some, kindly. and altogether !o>-
able mothers" or the stage. who
has been one cf the reasons for the
faith ana the trust of an enormous
number of PEOPLE in the dramatic
profession since the days OF the civil
war. Ada Boshell vas m actress
during the civil war. Sne paved
parts in plays that were acted be-
fere Presid.nt Lincoln. And she has
heen continuously and steadily on
the stage ever since--exceptirs only
FOR the time she has acted in motion
pictures.
Motion pictures hit the young md
old OF the acting profession ,ilitc,
Mrs. Boshell declared on the occa-
sion. IF her interview. ''!, rohs the
cradle and then comes along rs yis-
erously after us cid ruIkS. Ard it
gets us--it acts u.s." she nc dded. ard
her eyes tv'inkled humorously.
You know used to say I hated
And l had reason to. They were
very seriously interfering with our
business. They were getting every
hody at greet big salaries and turn
ing the heads Of our young folks
Why. do you know they almost got
ti1is child once" and she patted the
hand Of Florence Rittenhouse. Of
was while in Washington last week.
But they didn't get her. That is
the reason she is here in Washing
ton.
What do US old folks of the stage
tn,1k tnn, noa Of the pSs pieturSs; Frankly
haps. It may come to perfection.
Let us hope so. l know a little
about il because ] have acted in it.
7 rather liked some OF my work and
some Of II I didn't like. I don't be-
lieve there has yet been developed a
any reason to believe it will not be
developed. 7 have worked with the
hanhouser company al New Rochelle
In several pictures. 1t was most in
terestins and fascinating.
There was no audience. Of course.
l managed to get an idea OF what We
were trying TO do and did it to the
best of my ability. l rather liked
that part of 1t. l didn't like the
waits for work and the seemingly
Senseless way the things were being
play here and from the middle next
and then from the beginning. There
was a real reason for it. though,
which ! soon understood and appre-
ciated.
1T isn't easy for us Of the stage
Who have lived so long with it and
Tor il to see this artistic youngster
spring up so quickly and attain such
visor. II required years for vaude-
vile to reach the stage where it robbed
the legitimate OF the people who had
made it: Put tn. molten pictures
~ I6Nc d'ColiipllSii'u tllr
Thing quickly and finally. They have
done it'll was going to say complete
lY. but I guess I'd not make myself
quite clear. We who have worked
50 hard and so long to make theater
coers laugh and CRY feel just a bit
sad about the way they are being
made TO laugh and cry by strip Of
celluloid pulled through a box.
The theater has meant a great
a"al more to most Of us than just a
way to make a living. 1t has meant
something more than simply every
day work To provide amusement
and recreation for a great houteful
ct people. to know that it Is you who
are comforting on them the happi-
ness of laughter or the freedom OF
tears or are making them think of
something 1t is good for them to
think about-it is a great thing. as
great a thing "a ] know anything
about And that is probably why
We ancients and honorabIes feel a
bit reSentfuI Of the motion pictures
But il the motion pictures carry
on what we have been doing-snd
there doesn't seem to be any reason
70 believe they will not--why more
mower to 'em. think maybe they
will Certainly il men like Mr.. Than
houser and some of the others I
will do il. But there is one thing
they won't ever call me the gray
haired MalN Pickford no matter
what 7 do tn always be the same
Ada Boshell." G, NJ.