The Oskaloosa herald., 1916-05-11
0skaloOsa Boy Who Studied For
Ministry Lands in the Movies.

I Los Angeles Times: There are
many little villages throughout the
United States whose greatest claim
lis that some noted man or woman
was born there. This may or it may
not be true of Oskaloosa, Iowa, ncv
ertheless this little town which is
marked as the couny' seat on some
maps was the birth place Of Chester
Conklin, now one of the stars under
the direction of Mack Sennctt, of tho
Keystone Film Company.
J The young man who has made mil
lions laugh as the chief of the Key
stone Police Department, was cduCat
ed to be a minister. But it was an
other case of the best laid plans oil
mice and men, for a travelling show
visited Oskaloosa one day; came in
q white car painted with gold letters !;
gave a parade in the town, to say
nothing of show that afternoon and
night, and Chester Conklin gave up
all thoughts of the pulpit. The lure
at the footlights and the applause of
the audience was more than the young
man could stand, and after years OF
hard work he was a clown in circus
when the moving pictures began to
BOA at uIS Heart strings.
! The only hard part in telling the
story of Mr.. Conklin's life and his
rise as a screen star is to ten it the
way the comedian does for his sense
of humor is not confined 10 the
screen.
/ Il was clowning with ap eighteen
car circus" Mr.. Conklin began. and
when we reached Los Angeles a
friend of mine insisted that | would
make a hit in the movies. Perhaps
| have but it was a long road OF
course began with Mack Sennett and
the first day after leaving the circus
4 applied for work as an extra man.
After applying at the gate OF the
Keystone Company for about week
every morning l was given a chance.
They told me to get a cops uniform
and begin. received FIVE dollars a
day when | worked. Sometimes
got two days work a week and once
remember working six days without
stepping.
Sometimes used to go broke and
then would tell my friend it was
back to the circus for me, but he al
ways made me stick and am mighty
thankful today that l am not clown
ing around with that eighteen car cir
Gus
when was II Mr.. Sennett first no
ticed your work." the comedian was
asked.
! Il was working under salary then
and the salary was thirty dollars ev-
cry Saturday night. was cast In a
picture with Ford Sterling. We were
both married and lived across the
hall Each had been caught in what
locked like q compromising position
with the others. wife. We we're each
afraid of the other but went to sa-
loon to get drink, This was where
II made my hit with Mack Sennett.
In the saloon we had a drink
then a fight, and Ford knocked me
down and went out Of the saloon. An
idea came to me and | began to cry.
The bartender noticed me and gave
me q drink Then | began to sing
The bartender said l could not sing
in there so ! began to cry and OF
course got another drink. Then
wanted to sing again and was thrown
out.
II walked off the set and nearly
stumbled over Mr. Sennett. Come
here he said stood there for a
second wondering whether he was 60
ing to fire me or what II seemed a
year before he looked up and said
How much are you getting now?
Thirty dollars | told him. He look
ed thoughtful then asked me how
would like to sign six months con
tract and receive forty dollars in the
Of "a a Y
night
Can this he possiblc?' | thought ;
but was mighty glad to sign con
tract Well, after a year and u halt
Of hard work as an extra with some
times two days a week and perhaps
four to six, that forty dollar contract
looked like mountain. 1t did not
seem there was that much money in
THE world. and the first thing that
did was to- 90 down town and buy two
fifteen dollar suits of Clothes
Well, as | said. worked like dog
after ! got that contract Even my
wife was a little pleased, and at the
end of four months. Mr.. SenHett
walked into the dressing room one
day and said he would like to tear
that contract up so he could raise my
salary. ! stuck pin into myself to
make sure | was awake and we light
ed cigar with the old contract and
signed a new one at large salary for
a year, and then in Nav Of 1915
signed two years contract at fig
ures which are more than satisfac
tory
I OF course Mr.. Conklin, like every
one else connected with Mr.. Sennett
has prOspcrcd. Since the forty dol
lar contract was torn UP he has
bought a home in Hollywood on the
outskirts OF Los Angeles; an autOmO
bile adds much to the pleasure OF tho
well-knOwn star and his wife, while
last month Mr. Conklin presented his
wife with the deed to a 320-acre farm
in one of the most fertile parts oil
Southern California. '''.
81 guess I'll raise some chickens. 2
flew fruit trees. and piIt most Of it in
to beans Mr. Conklin continued
then perhaps in the years to CONE
when get too old to wear . makeup
we'll just build comfortable house
ION the farm, and the best woman IN
THE world and. win spend the rest Of
Jour days there and drive. into town
sonce in while to see a keystone
comedy"
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