Pine Bluff daily graphic. (Pine Bluff, Ark.) 1893-1942, 1916-07-14

Undismayed by this blow to my ar
tistic ambitions, / decided TO go int,
the motion pictures.
Accompanied by girl friend wht
had already played extra parts, | dc
seconded on studio.
We climbed three flights Of car
petlcss stairs and entered the ball
room which occupied practically tn,
entire third floor, and, in conjunction
with the roof, was used as the studio
| People were packed i'll like sardines
all hunting jobs. Over in one corner
on a small platform, Director Franz
Powell was taking a scene for "a
Corner in Wheat" Everyone wa:
making fuss over the money spen,
on the production, but it was very
cheap little affair compared with the
productions of nowadays.
One day we were working in the
studio when Mary Pickford entered
She was the only one with regular
contract from the company and had jus
been on a vacation to Maine. | re1nem
Der exactly how we all looked at he!
and marveled. She had blue beaver
hat on and a simple blue dress.
NfISS PICKFORD looked then
M just as she does now, and as, she
AVA was the first person to ever be
starred in motion pictures, everyone
bowed down to her; but it did not turr
her head bit.
After l was made up, several of II:
girls were hustled out to anothe,
corner of the ballroom and my frs;
scene in moving picture was taken
l was given S. and told to come bacl
the next day.
/ worked there for several month:
on guarantee of S. day until final.
ly the news came that the company
was going to move to California tc
take pictures
One day the Director sent for me. !
had been late and thought he was COINS
to fine me.
"Do you think you can act" de.
,nanded Mr.. Powell.
l admitted l thought I could. l
explained that / was no Bernhardt,
but still | thought l was pretty good,
considering the little experience | had
had
"We1l, you are to play the lead in
"A Man With Three Wives he
snapped. "You had better make
good. Now go see the wardrobe
woman about your costumes"
| know | must have gazed at him
open-mouthed.
"Run along" said he. And as I
turned, "You had better push your
eyes back where they belong or some-
one will knock them off"
How | did work over that part. I
x,,o,111 liz ou,,1,o .~L
I would do in the morning. re-
hearsed so much around the house
that my dear grandmother was driven
to distraction.
Later | was given the lead in
Judith of Bethulia," "The Escape"
and many other films produced by
D. w. Griffith.
@ HORTLY after the production of
"The Escape" received an offer
- from the Jesse L. Lasky Feature
Play Company to appear in Paramount
Pictures. They wanted young woman
to play Agatha Warren in "The War
rens of Virginia"
Cecil B. De Mile, the director gem
era1 of the Lasky Company, was very
particular about the selection. The
story of the Warrens is really the
story of the experiences of the De Mile
family at Fairfax, Virginia, during the
Civil War. The stage version which
was produced by David Belasco, was
written by William De Mile, the
noted dramatist, Cecips brother.
The offer from the Lasky company
was so f1attering and l was promised
so many splendid parts that I accepted.
Since then l have appeared in "The
Captive" Stolen Goods, 1.-THE Clue"
"The Secret Orchard" "The Case of
Becky" and 1.-THE Secret Sin," all on
the Paramount Program, fact of which
l am very proud.
never expect to go back to the
stage again. The lure of Southern
California has crept into my blood. I
love the open, the fields and trees.
Really the only time l am in the
house is at dinner time. I even sleep
out ofsdoors on big, broad sleeping
porch. open on three sides where I can
get the scent Of the neighboring orange
orchards.