Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1915-10-16
WHY WENT INTO MOTION PICTURES
TO PUT CARMEN" ON THE SCREEN
The Noted Prma Donna Tells How She Found
Phantom Audience to Act To>and How She
Felt the Thrill of a New Art
By GERALDINE FARRAR

All this is by way of Introduction to
what follows. Frequently. since last
spring. when I determined that the time
had arrived for me to enter a new field
Of artistic endeavor | have been asked
the question: "Why?" My friends have
said, Already you have reached great
popularity through the operate and con-
cert stages Why motion pictures?'
Whlle 1t is true that to most Of these
INQUIRIES L have answered, why not2"
In halt Jest am glad now to tell more
tuIy precisely the reasons WHY | de-
clined a summer of rest and ease for a
summer of mighty hard work
For what was said in the first para
graph is quite true. The artist-the per-
son who has dedicated himself to an
artistic cause-if he be sincere in his re-
sponsc to the call from within" cannot
stand still. There is but one road in art
and that is straight forward" There
Is no detour, no turning back And in
exact proportion to the inspiration which
the artist obtains from a responsive and
sympathetic audience. precisely so is the
effect of lasstude and wasted oppor-
tunity Work is for workmen. as the
comedian once said. And friends are for
artists
When Mr. Morris Gest first interested
me IN m)tton pictures as field of work
which L have been endowed as an actress.
l was more surprised than amused.
had been at various times to see motion
picture entertainments but usually I'm
the theatres in Europe. 1t never had
even occurred to me to act for the screen.
The more l thought of the suggestion
the more it interested me and before long
1 knew-l felt, as it were-that motion
pictures really offered a field in which T
could not only xftifI,
and happiness, but also through which I
would be answering that inner command
constantly IN the artists mind, "Broaden
yourself, extend your scope, make new
friends"
After attending scores Of motion
picture entertainments in New York and
other American cities | saw and under
stood to what wonderful ends this great
medium of dramatic expression was
pointed. The Paramount theatres inter
ested me most because OF the truly high
principles that seemed to prompt the
producers and exhibitors.
After discussion with Samuel Goldfish.
head of the Lasky Feature Play Com
pany found myself within a few weeks
thereafter on the way to Hollywood Cal,
where the LaSky studios are situa ted
When | first sang for the talking ma
chine I believed for a moment that |
would be unable to overcome the feeling
tIal IL was mechanical cOntriVanCe
Twas not sure that the best artistic
impulses would respond. My experience
however, was that once 1 started to sing
all sense OF tho mechanical thing in front
of me disappeared. ! saw in my minds
eye a great throng of people to whom
was singing.
And that was my experience before the
mollon-Dicture camera. l lost sight of
tho photographer and his steady turning.
| saw only mighty gathering~of men
women and childrcn-thousands upon
thousands-who were watching my every
movement It was thrilling and | knew
that my sincerity was meeting with re-
sponse and that my pictures would please
Never in the worlds history of amuse-
ments has there been any audience so
great so wonderful. as the motion-picture
audience Sight is the medium of the
photoplay, and the simple emotions OF
pantomne are universal to human nature
tho world over. The South American
native, the Chinese the most highly cul-
tured OF Europe and the Asiatic all under
stand the emotions Of comedy, Of trag-
edy, Of happiness. Joy sorrow. jealousy
and anger.
SO. where thousands have seen and
heard me in grand opera and concert
where hundreds OF thousands have heard
only my voice through the talking ma
chine. millions now will be my audience
In motion pictures. And they viii see
Geraldine Farrar in her happlest mood
assure you-well, wait and see Car
men" and tell me that you agree with
me,