The Birmingham age-herald., 1916-01-23

1 to feel that way" the veteran critic said, 1 and before you know it you are smiling up into Macklyn Arbuckles face and you 1 find yourself reaching out to shake hands
 with him and that funny little streak of | groWn-up loneliness has been sent spin ming into space For man who is port l ly, there is nobody who can be busy at 1 as many things at the same time as MT. | Arbuckle; he's whirling dervish of ! wonder; how he gets away with it, you can't even imagine; he will be directing a performance for the Lambs jamboree or kidding a friar's' committee, personal ly conducting. benefit, playing six nights and two matinees a week. starring in coupl-a 'five-reel movies and study l ing up vaudeville turn all at the same time! He's marvel of personal achieve ment and he's driven away more genuine ! bona fide cases of those horrid old night mares-'the blues'-than all the Minstrel First Parts ever written. When Mr. Ar buckle slaps you on the back-from the stage I mean-and tells you to forget 1 it. and-well, by George-you do. That's an"'
 1 And then comes our old friend, little Thomas Checkers Ross, the veteran critic smiled happily. Don't you remember him all dolled up and handsome and driv- ing dull care away with his clever art and making the world worth living in,
 when he was the star of Checkers" And then again when he played the lead in The Only Son., when he wore that beau
 tific smile and high color that the winds of Colorado are supposed to have set upon his countenance in the Winchell Smith play? Can't you hear him saying as the l interview lady asks him: How do you 1 like being matinee idol?' Why, I'm
 not; I never was That's part of the
 game with MT Ross his modesty, and then he adds: There's no such thing as
 a matinee idol any more ,and if there is, she's woman; men-real men-hate to be called a matinee idol believe me;
 they'd lots rather be called good actor;
 one who has some art and backing and
 stamina Then. you instinctively say: Like yourself in The Fortune Hunter?
 And again he smiles back that modest 1 mo-"
 There are few of the younger actors of today who are more popular than Thomas W. Ross; he's finished and clever
 and one of these days when he reaches
 the seer and yellowed leaf veteran critics, like myself, will be saying of
 him: He was real actor; he's had the
 punch.''
 "Of course you know her." the veteran
 critic continued, as he smoked lag fly away and smiled. ITO be sure; it's Miss Bingham-Amelia-w of sun- | shine and grace and. stitched into place with personality. Echoes of nightin- l gale song came floating to us from the memory of yesterday. She is smil-
 ing and lowing; we are bending for
 ward in our seats and we are saying
 as people do when they are very in terested as we watched her in The Climbers" isn't she wonderful; isn't she
 charming; she hypnotizes us; there is the very essence of art in her make- l up' e...... .%,. t
 q confess, I've always liked Miss Binghams methods" he went on .'She
 is so big in the little things she does. trt is not measured with her. by rant or radicalism; the Bingham way is
 soft and soothing and subdued it is all tricked out with subtle. even cunning light and shadows, and minor tones, and you find yourself saying: She's so good, because she's so natural; such Ia character looks as Miss Bingham
 looks and ould talk as Miss Bingham talks Her success now is mild so- lution of parts she has played success fully before. Really and We watch her intently al she unstrings the stage
 puppets and gives them divine fire"