The Washington times., 1915-12-18
PHOTOPLAY VS. AND,
PHOTOPLAY YERS
- nv. cARDNER MACK
Superstition Of the
Photopldyer$ Only
Natural, Declares
Picture Stars,
nv GARDINER MACK.

q
The photoplay studio seems to have
fallen heir to a number Of superst'-
tIons OF Che stage. Actor folk
are supposed to be very superstl-
tlous, The business. they are IN Is
said to make for belief in outs!de
forces operating to shape their lives.
There is believed to be something
mysterious about the. stage. as
matter Of fact, and this probably
helps to create ah air of mysticism
about the actors themselves. In any
event actors are noted for their
superstitions. and now the photoplcy
has felt the burden of them.
II will be remembered that when
Anna Pavlowa-the Russian dancer
who Is here this week, by the way
was engaged In the making. OF pic
ttire in the Universal studio re-
Gently. she refused to so on With
her work while a red-haired man re-
niained in the studio. 1t happened
that there WAS red-haired ppoperty
man working about the stage. AMI
TIE great dancer ordered him out OF
the building. There Is sn actress,
Ella Han, with the Universal Com
pany who has no supsrstitlons-;It
has observed the tendencies OF her
sisters.
mo one who played on the legitl-
mate stage will be surprised at Mme.
PsvlowR's refusal TO 30 on with her
work while q red-haired property
declares Miss Han.
III she considered red-headed peo-
pie brought her ill-luck, no member
OF the profession would condemn her
action. Actors are a superstltious
race. and allowances are always
made for their peculiarIties. Their
ma MIA takes different forms. ] have
known another dancer who could not
set foot on the stage without first
excuse me-spitting in her left shoe.
IL she forgot this important cere-
monv in her dressing room, she
would sit down in the wlngs, remove
her slipper, and perform the func-
ton.
Some actors get into a perfect
panic II any one whistles in their
dressing rooms: others are sure that
the performance will be ruined II
their dresser places their shoes on
table, Lots OF women cross them
selves the last thing before they
make an entrance: others must be
slapped on the left shoulder. and I.
have known a pretty girl, whose cue
had been called to rush distractedly
; At the wings begging for some
one to slap her!
"I knew r. leading lady whose
dressing room was filled with me-
chanical toys, walking dogs. jumping
kittens. and such things. and these
must all be solemnly set in motion
before she could 20 on. Ever so many
PLAYERS have q mascot which never
leaves their dressing room, some
t. -. In
or china dog. sometimes a certain
article Of makeup. a. brush. or rab-
bits foot. which must be carefully
preserved and used no matter how
old and useless II may be. -
"One woman preserves a bit of the
gown In which she played her first
success. and this scrap has to be
stitched into one Of the gowns which
she wears in each subsequent pro-
duction. A mistake in billing an
actors name in his first appearance
Is considered enormously lucky, and
must never be changed. Ada Rehan's
stage name was the result of an err
ror. for example"
A combination OF two of the better
known and. oldest motion picture
theaters Of the city, upder one man
agement Is announced by Wayne w
Aireye, who has just assumed
charge OF the Hlppodrome and Al
hambra theaters. These two theaters.
which are showing the Universal
company's films. are to be operated
by the same company. under Mr..
Aireye's management In the future.
They will establish a general admis-
sion price of cents for week days
and 10 cents for Sundays.
II is the intention to present on
Sundays the Universals Broadway
features, a series OF special produc-
tions, in which well-known stage
stars appear. Manager Aireye will
make some changes in the manner
the best possible values from each
subject. BY combining the bookings
OF the houses series OF better
plays is obtained for both and the
general program will be improved,