The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1916-01-05

The days Of the wishing ring and
the genii of Aladdin's lamp. who
could make your widest dreams come
true, belong to the fables of the past.
Today genius is hard work, and it is
to the latter that attribute my sue
cess.
Ever since that memorable day
when went to the Biograph studio
and Mr.. Griffith gave me my first
part, have worked like the squirrels.
who store during the summer months
their provisions for the winter.
have sowed hard SO that might reap
my harvest, nor do l intend, because
in a measure success has come to me,
to feel that l can rest long enough to
admire my laurels. l know they will
wither and fall to pieces IL I do not
keep bringing my art to higher
standard. am not content with what
! have done and want to climb high
er and higher. :.
What an easy life you really
have" said discontinued young So
ciety girl to me the other day. Cali
you do is ride around in machines to
pretty locations and wear cunning lit.
tie costumes, and then have the fun
of sitting In audiences and watching
people as they admire you upon the
screen. lead dreadful old life; 1t
is all such hard work-teas, luncheons,
natinees. shopping and then stupid
old trip abroad every year. / would
give anything If l could be in your
shoes"
laughed at her.
IF all those pleasures you name
are hard work" l replied, you would
be w9rn threadbare in week work.
ing as a moving picture actress. 1t is
far from play with us and the very
hardest kind of work. There are very
few mornings that l can get up later
than Z o'clock, and in the winter it is
cold and bleak as we ride, sometimes
fifty or sixty miles, into the country
for a location. When the days are
dark and the clouds hide the sun. we
have to sit around for hours waiting
for one flash of sunshine that will
enable us to take the scene. Is there
anything more firing that an eterna
wait? even for the sunshine?"
Taking Comedy Seriously.
She looked at me with surprise
But you just romped through Fan
chon, the Cricket" she continued
Fancy getting a salary for such fur
as that"
This made me observe the genera
opinion is that comedy is not work
That is Il mistake. To me it is the
very hardest kind of work, because
1T must be taken so seriously. 1t il
really harder to make people laugh
than to bring tears, and the artis
who directs his comedians is al
choice and careful of his comedy al
an architest who is constructing /;
gigantic building.
High Heels and the Leading Lady.
The first picture I played the leat
in was at the BiOgraph, and wa
called THE Violin Maker of Gre
mona" Mr.. Griffith decided that
could play the lead in spite of tn
fact that was almost too small.
Florence Lawrence came to my res
cue by lending me a pair of her high
heeled slippers and then, hold mysel
as straight as a sapling. l felt I haa
reached sufficient height to become
leading lady.
It was the first time had ever hat
heels on, and, feeling as if l wer'
and twisted my ankles and stepped OF
my dress repeatedly. When the pic
ture was shown in the dark room.
heard some one remark, That CIR
with the long curls has a pretty face
but isn't she an awkward little thing?
Awkward l did look. but not half a
uncomfortable as I really felt. 1t wa
because / couldn't be natural. and un