The Washington times., 1915-09-18
THE BEST
Photoplay Department In
WASHINGTON
Viola Dana Another
Stage Child Who
Has Made Good
on Screen

Comment has often bsen made a.
to the many actors and actresses
who served as children In stage pro-
ductions and have become motion
picture stars. The training the chill
dren received on the stage In big
dramatic productions or as extras In
stock work. has been invaluable as q
basis upon which to build motion
picture success. More particularly
It has enabled motion picture direc-
tors to get young women and young
mon who had stage experience. but
not 50 much as to prevent them re-
ceiving instruction In motion pic.
ture work.
Most Of those who have studied
the matter will admit that much Of
the instruction in motion picture
work that was given such young
men and women has been time
wasted because the early forms Of
motion picture instruction were bad
and made bad actors and actresses.
In the sas case Of h. the Large n%ss Ss Of
tutelage OF D. w. Griffith and one or
two others. however. the instruction
valuable. II will be remembered
that from the children Of the legiti-
is sd;ss fcrctsy syeh ssr: =, Msy s
Miss Pickford was on the stage
from the time she could be carried
as an infant. and the same 10 true
Of Miss Bernard.
Both Of these young women, too,
are pupils Of Mr.. Griffith. That the
stage children will continue to fur
nish actresses at least for the photo
play 10 shown In the great success
that has been attained by young
Viola Dana. now considered one OF
the most valuable of the Edison
Players. 1t has only been q year or
ance Of the heroine in The Poor
Little Rich Girl" The play itself 10
q beautiful piece Of dramatic con-
struction and Miss Dana fitted the
structure perfectly. Now she has
fitted just as carefully into motion
pictures. The motion picture editor
static In expressing his regard for
Miss Dana's work. He recites her
achievements in these terms:
she has not alone kept the
genius for portraying she possessed
as child. but has refined and ma
tured 1t until she verify holds the
mirror up to nature without al
nothing Of the player. only the
character she lives for the moment.
Perhaps much Of the popularity she
enjoys springs from the indescrib-
able winsomeness OF happy girl
hood which has never left her; be-
cause she typihes the wholesome,
yet sweet and gentle. American girl
We might perhaps for several
volumes try to trace the secret of
her personality without arriving
any nearer. but there will be many
ready to believe that the lovable-
ness Of this little girl Is due much
very much-to the fact that she
"a mothers girl. In. short. it is be-
cause she Is wholeheartedly and
sincerely herself on the screen that
she 10 becoming. without the aid Of
blatant advertising. one Of the best
loved players on the screen.
she dearly loves dresses and.
as for hats-well. she Is strictly and
product Of her own skillful fingers.
Few indeed. even among those
who devote their entire time to 1t,
can surpass the classical dancing Of
this diminutive artist.
This. however, Is not heaven
sent gift. but the result Of having
been trained for the stage by q
famous danseuse. Unlike many who
excel In the classic movements, Miss
Dana does not disfavor modern
dancing; Of this she 10 equally fond
and has won prizes for excelling In
them in contests. There are sew
eral films In which she has danced.
classically speaking. and. II the
truth be told, she likes no Aim bet
ter than one In which she has an
opportunity to dance. As a child.
she has played prominent parts with
the sta ge's foremost stars. and It Ia
difficult to believe. seeing her on
the screen, that she has been be-
fore the public for some twelve
years.