The Ontario Argus. (Ontario, Or.) 1???-1947, 1916-08-03
ACTRESS TELLS HOW
SHE BECAME A STAR
by May Allison, the Famous Metro
Star.

nave StudiCd my subject necessarily
and have applied that study 20 my
work when appear before the
camera | sndeavor with all my will to
sink my own individuality into that
OF the character | am portraying. AT
these times | am only subconsciously
May Allison. | actually feel that
am in reality the person whose char
acteristics l interpret. with me THIS
in n more or less clearly defined proc
ess OF what might term solf-hyp-
nosis.
But the upward climb has not been
along a pathway OF roses. Now can
look back on the struggle and smile.
II has not been 80 difficult for me
since I entered motion pictures from
the speaking stage as II was for me
90 succeed In an art where the fall
ures Overwhelmingly eclipse the sue
cesses. I feel that l may now talk
with freedom about those first years
fraught with fears and failures; dis
couragmenets and shattered hopes.
In fiction stars are made over night.
In real life the battle for recognition
fakes years.
My original ambition was TO be-
come a grand opera prima donna I
studied voice culture for several
years. and determined TO leave my
plantation home In Georgia and seek
fame and fortune in New York. My
family protested. but l finally won my
mother over. and persuaded her to
come TO New York with me.
We arrived In the big city absolute
strangers to our new surroundings.
We looked up several operate book
ing offices in the telephone book and
started on the weary rounds. After
many days OF frultless searching for
an opera engagement I determined
10 seek employment on the dramatic
stage. When | reached this conclu-
sion I honestly believed that I was
doing the drama favor by conde-
scending TO take n place In II. But
learned very much TO the opposite
In a short time. My bump OF prec-
iousness was rubbed off In the first
two offices visited. Before that day
was over ! was told few things that
l shall never In all my life forget.
However. finally managed to secure
an engagement at the Henry w. Saw
age offices. I was given the role OF
vanity" In "Everywoman,"
The first few nights taught me that
II would ever become anything
more than one OF the supporting cast
would have to work. labored TO
the best OF my ability TO make the
character vanity" live. aud my re-
ward came when was given the
part OF Beauty" In the same play.
But deep down In my innermost
self knew that I would never he sat
isfied with the speaking stage. also
realized this the next year. when
played in the Quaker Girl" and |
the year after that, when I played /
ingenue lead In Miss Caprice" This
satisfaction was ranking me more
and more each day when heard the
clear. strong call OF motion pictures.
The lure was irresistible, compelling.
and I succumbed.
As soon as had posed In my first
picture for the Famous Players
knew that | had at last found what
was going to be my life work, Gone
was the longing to be an operate
songbird, That once high hope OF
mine flew from my mind as soon as
saw the first fifty feet OF film in
which l appeared,
II Is a common saying that the
camera doesn't lie, but | want to say
that | did not believe what | saw
when the first picture | had posed for
was projected on the field of white.
Could | have done that, and that?
asked myself, as mannerisms of
mine were yisualized on the screen.
Every defect in gesture and posture
were thrown back at me by the pie
ture. II was then that began to
study, | determined to remedy the
defects my first picture had shown
me, In the next production l sue
ceeded only partially. | concentrated
On the subject OF getting over" my
My third picture showed
Improvement, and l was convinced
that my specializing in the study Of
motion picture posing had been re-
sponsible for the improvement, For
that reason | still keep up my study.
After my third picture I was cast
FOR "A Dlaasant rola In david Harum"