The Washington times., 1916-01-15
PHOTOPLAYS AND
PHOTOPLAYERS
Rv GARDNER MACK
Lost Chance To Be a
Stage Star Because
She Did NotHdve
All Her Teeth.
BY GARDNER MACK.
By BLANCHE SWEET.


AS look back over the past ten
years and compare the cheap little
sets, the crude acting and photog-
rsphy, and the hastily written
stories-mostly made up as we went
along--with the elaborate produce
tions. the painstaking attention to
detail, the. careful direction, the
carefully selected casts and the
scenarios written by famous drama
lists demanded Coday, l wonder what
viii happen in the next ten years.
The whole scheme has been
changed. Then lou peeked through
little slot in a penny arcade and
saw prize fignt or a lrain rush by.
Now TIE greatest dramatic anG
operati, artists III the word are
eager to play before the camera,
ana miIions OF people go - see
them.l
Was "A stage child from the time
! 'pceou 10 IAN. was born III Cni-
casu. OF Juuc IS 1850, anu went on
the stage Wnen 4 was lnrec years
oIu, pIa, ing III support of marie Sur
rougns IN The battle OF the
Strong" with nolbrooK Blinn and
Maurice barrymore. l tnen went
with Chauncey OiCott for three
years. again playing little girl
part.
me members of the company look
ed after my education anu every day
for a certain nuinUef or years, 1 was
lorced to STUDY whether ! liked 1t or
not. AIIeu / Was iiIne Years oid, L
left the stage ana went to u board
ing SCHOOL at l]crkeIeI, Cal Ihe
school was SO strict that l never
menuoneu being On the stage ipr
,tl
When | had loacned fourteen re-
turned to New J ork and decided To
60 back on the stage. from paby'
! had loved to dance. SO when Gel
trude HOFFMAN selected me as one
of the cuiiuren to appear with her in
The Spring song, | was delighted.
When vAcauon Logan was offered
the position as leading woman, a
childs part, In play called "Chai-
lotte Temple
After Charlotte Temple be,
Ean to feel that l was an established
actress, and through Thomas Wise,
who was then appearing in. he
Gentleman from Mississippi. Sc
cured an Introduction to Nluhain a.
Brady. the theatrical producer. NJ.
Wise recommended me Tor the ledd-
Ing feminine part in second COM
psny of The Gentleman from Mis-
sissIppi," which was about to go on
the road talked to Mr.. brady
and was making a decided impress
sion until an unfortunate moment
| smiled. Mr.. Brady threw up his
hands in horror and said. "Grea'
Heavens. Tom. | can't hire lead
ing lady that hasn t all her tech
yet"
Undismaycd by this blow to my ar
tistic ambitions, | decided to go into
the motion pictures. Accompanied
by girl friend who had already
played extra parts, | descended ON
a studio. People were packed in like
sardincs. all hunting jobs. Over in
one corner, ON d small platform, D-
rector Frank powell was taking "a
scene for "A Corner In Wheat.
One day We we're working in the
studio when Mary pickford entered.
She was the only one with regular
contract from the company and had
Just been on ,aCation to Maine. !
remember exactly how we all looked
at her and marveled. She had blue
beaver hat on and simple blue
dress. Miss PiCkford looked then
lust as she does now, and as she was
the first person to ever be starred
in motion pictures, everyone bowed
down to her; but 1t did not turn her
head bit.
worked there for several months
on guarantee of s. a day. one
day the director sent for me. | had
TO fine me.
DO you think you can act" de-
manded Mr.. Powell.
admitted | thought | could.
eXplained that | was no Bernhardt,
but still! thought / was pretty
good.
well. you are to play the lead in
A Mau With Three Wives he
snapped.
How I did worr over that part.
would lie awake nights and plan
what ! would do in the morning.
rehearSpd SO much around the house
that my grandmother was driven 70
distraction. Later ] was given the
lead III judith Of Bethulia." The
F.scape." and many other films pro-
duced hy d. W. Griffith.
shortly after the production GO o.
The Escape" | received an offer
from tn" Jesse L. 1.asky Feature
play Company. They wanted a
young woman to play Agatha War,
ren In THE Warrcns Ui Eirgina. -
Cecil r. De Mile, the director
general OF the Lasky Company. was
very particular about the selection.
The story of the Warlens is really
the story Of the experiences of the
De Mile family at TahfaA, Virginia
during the civil war.
since then hay" ii, Appeared pnaG in I'm" ,.Th"
clue, Inc secret oiChhlI' lh'
case OF Becky and The Secret
Sin
never expect tC 90 back to tn"
stage again. The lure of Southern
California has cropt into hy blood.
l love the open. the fields and trees.
Really the only time | am in the
house is at dinner time. | even
sleep Out of doors on q CiG, hroaH
sleeping porch, open on three sides
where | can get the scent of the
neighborine OranG" orchards,