Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1915-09-18

possibilities or the mOtlOn pictures
and concluded to locate in the Golden
State, naturally selecting the Selig
Polyscope Company as the most de.
sirable association.
It is not only good locks that count
for success in motion picture work,
one must have physical endurance, q
capacity for the hardest kind of la
Dor, and a willingness to follow the
mandates OF the Director. No matter
how long an experience n may have
had in dramatic work, no matter how
versatile the artist may be. the Di-
rector's word in motion picture pro.
duction is law.
l remember one versatile actor in
the cast of "The Circular Staircase"
released in five acts as a Selig Red
Seal Play. This actor has had many
years Of experience in the spoken
drama. He came to the Green with
knowledge of his experience and with
knowledge of his own importance.
He was not inclined to observe the
orders Of the Director. The Director
selects the types, he selects the cos
tunes to be worn, he orders the en-
frances and the exits, and little is left
to the artist. This particular actor
could not understand this procedure.
He had been accustomed to having his
own way Oh the stage and there was
many a tilt before he could appreciate
that movie action must be done as
the Director orders, for the Director
of Motion Picture production is all
responsible and all supreme.
l was delighted to be assigned the
character lead as Aunt Ray Innis'' in
Mary Roberts Rinehart's great mystery
story, "The Circular Staircase" l felt
that I was fitted to such a part. AS you
will probably remember, Aunt Ray"
leases a bankers home. She is a
woman with the courage Of her own
convictions, and when warned to
remain away from the summer house.
she is more resolved to remain right.
there. :
Aunt Ray and her servant are
aroused at 3 a. M. by the sound of a
revolver shot. They venture forth,
find the men folks have disappeared.
and Aunt Ray is Mortified to dis
cover a lifeless body huddled in the
dark shadows at the foot Of the circu.
lar staircase from which the flve-part
production takes it's name. The &C.
ton starts right then and there and
is never finished until the final scene
where the lovers are reunited.
There isa scene in which l am
supposed to do battle with a mystic.
rlous stranger in a secret room which
l have discovered by mean Of a tape
measure. There is nothing supposi.
tious about this conflict, either.
Put the pepper into this fight" OF.
dered the Director. When it was fin.
ished the unfortunate actor in the
struggle had his shirt partially torn
from his back. To all intents and
purposes it was a real fight, and the
actor had difficulty in escaping my
clutches and springing to the circu.
lar staircase. Then to top it all off,
the unfortunate individual had to
plunge headfirst down the staircase,
to his supposed death, and he Ger.
tainly had earned his money after the
days work was concluded.
l think | nave put my very best art
into the character Of Aunt Ray
lines" in the Selig Red Seal Play,
The Circular Staircase / have al.
ways been a great admirc- Of Mrs.
writings, and there is
every opportunity to put forth ore's
best endeavors in this story.
A majority Of the artists say that
motion picture acting is the hardest
kind Of work. l never deemed it so.
l try to forget myself in my part,
throw my entire personality into the
roles / create and I love the work.
However, it is an art that cannot
be acquired by any school" other
than the school of long experience.
Of years of experience on the
stage are the more successful because
they have . foundation upon which to
- ORR.