The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1916-07-10

prominent figures in America
today is Mr.. D. w. Griffith,
the famous moving picture producer,
and | am so proud to tell that my
first years of training were with him
as my director. As I have already
written about my early days at the
Biograph studio and the difficult
tests Mr.. Griffith put me to. must
now start in to give you few ideas
Of the manner in which he directed
us.
Doesn't ne yell through q mega
phone at his company" | was asked
by a newspaper woman the other
day. at seems to me | would be
quite terrified if l were an actress
and heard a voice roaring at me
across the stage
He does use a megaphone at
times" was my reply. but that IS
only for the great mob scenes. where
he is directing hundreds OF actors
and actresses. Then his voice must
ring out above the din and confusion
so that even the extra men on the
most remote part OF the field Will
hear and obey his commanding tones
just as a soldier looks 10 his general
for orders. But during the quiet
scenes, or the tense dramatic mo-
ments,' | explained TO her, his
manner changes entirely and his
methods are simple. direct and
iorceiul."
For the first rehearsal, we were
all taken aside and intelligently ex-
planned the story. the theme and
thc dramatic possibilities of it. At
ter this was made comprehensive,
we walked through the scenes to
get our positions, and then we were
coached by this great artist as to
how we were to play them.
Simplicity is the keynote OF sue
cess" he would often warn us;
simplicity and sincerity"
! In the early days Of pictures, Mr.
Griffith had to produce two stories
! a week, and sometimes when we
/ started out the material he desired
! had not been submitted, so we began
without any story at all. Often dc
( remember the days when Mr.
/ Griffith would call into the office
Henry Walthail, Florence Lawrence
Marion Leonard, Bobbie Heron anc
myself, and confess that he had nc
story, But this did not mean a de
lay for us, as Mr. Griffith woulC
create his story built around oul
own personalities, as they appeared
to him in their many guises. Ant
out OF these little seeds of idea
grew the giant oaks of his sue
ccsses, the very pith Of them beint
his own individuality.
Another attribute of Mr.. Griffith
character is his gr at love for chill
dren and his ability to make then
/ understand and appreciate his re
quircments of them. know tina
YOU who have seen his pictures hav
always been touched by the it'll
sweet, tender. natural children VIII
seemed to romp through thei
scenes, unconscious that Gamer
was registering their footsteps AM
their expressions.
For a few months I left Biograpl
studio and went with another com
pany. Then it was that | appre ciate,
what Mr.. Griffith had done for m
and realized that ] not only MISE,
his direction, but was discourage,
and dishcartened without it. Hoy
happy was the day ] returned 4
resume my work at the Biograpt
and how much more | enjoyed tn
artistic, human stories Mr.. Grifft
was producing at that time.
Blanche Sweet was one of IN
most promising of his protege
and she proved herself to be an ur
disputed star after her appearance |
Judith Of Bcthula."
Days go into weeks and III
weeks soon side into years" I re