Ashland tidings. [volume] (Ashland, Or.) 1876-1919, 1916-07-03
A Romance
OF the Movies

Dozens of moving picture stari
have obtained their first opportunit!
in moving pictures in strange ways
but it is safe to say that no star be-
fore the public today has as unusua
a story to tell of her first part as has
Mary MacLaren, the star of the Blue.
bird photoplay, Shoes" written and
produced by Lois Weber.
Mary MacLaren is Lois Weber's
discovery, and it is entirely due to
her chance meeting with the totally
inexperienced girl that a new screen
star has risen in the photoplay firma-
ment. The story reads like fairy
tale, and in itself would make an
extremely interesting photoplay If
Lois Weber should ever be at loss
for striking plot.
To go back to the beginning: Lois
Weber, as everyone knows, is the best
known woman director of photoplays
in the world, and as such she is the
object of ceaseless solicitation for an
opportunity to appear before the
camera from a thousand different
sources. Anyone who can appear in
a picture directed by the Smalleys is
indeed lucky, and the hundreds of
extras and would-be extras who be-
siege the gates of Universal City
every day not only cast longing eyes
in the direction of Phillips Smalley
and his wife, Lois Weber, but unless
they take precautions, they would
find their time occupied for the most
part in interviewing people who want
to appear on the screen.
There is quite a little walk between
the garage where Lois Weber leaves
her car and her office in Universal
City. Progress along this walk had
come to be almost like running, a
gauntlet for Lois Weber, until she
discovered that if she were apparent
ly occupied on this walk she was sell
dom interrupted. Even the boldest
thought twice before interrupting the
pursuit of genius. In this way, either
writing or reading a book, Miss
Weber contrived to escape Interrupt
tion quite successfully.
One day during the early part of
December, while she was practicing
her usual defence against Interrupt
tion, she had a strange feeling that
there was someone near her whom
she herself wanted to see. The feel
ing was so strong that she turned
around and found herself face to face
with bevy of young girls.
Among them was one whose face
arrested her attention Immediately.
There were others in the group, but
she does not remember to this day a
single face except that of Mary Mac
Laren. With her usual directness,
she bowed to Mary and said, care
you looking for work."
eyes, indeed, have been here for
several months, but have not been
able to get hearing with any of the
directors" said Mary, quite beside
herself with agitation at being no.
ticed by Miss Weber.
Have you had any experience?"
mot in pictures" said little Miss
MacLaren, with sinking heart, "but
! danced one year at the Winter Gar
den in New York"
Miss Weber at the time was work
ing on John Needham's Double"
and she managed to make small
part for Mary in this Bluebird photo
play She gave her the part of a
maid, and she took part in three or
four scenes-a very inconspicuous
part Her part in Where Are My
Children?" was not much larger.
In Miss Weber's next play, "The
Eye of Cod" there was no part for
Mary MacLaren. Miss Weber tried
TO have Mary put on regular salary