Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1916-02-12

ready and ordered on the lights and tn,
camera to be turned, his keen eye woulC
| observe that something or somebody wa!
| not just as he wanted them to be.
l have often rehearsed and rehearsed
| until | was ready to give up from IA
| tlgue. And. mind you, / am unusually
strong and n tireless worker for girl.
as take daily course of physical train
ing. Perhaps that Is why l have been
able to stand up so well under the strain.
1t often happens that even after a scene
is photographed 1t proves to be wrong.
That, of course, means 1t must be made
all over again.
/ recall a big scene, in which more
than 200 persons were used, that had to
be made four times. 1t was a scene in
a story laid in the South 30 years ago.
Something unforeseen happened to mar
the picture the first two times 1t was
photographed. We had worked in the
boiling sun all morning and the director
was wild because he had not accomplished
anything.
Then, when he announced that 1t had
to be done correctly the third time,
threatening to discharge several OF the
minor chracters. we all kept our wits
about us. Every one was going through
their parts as smoothly as possible, and
the cameras were recording the action.
We were very near the end of the scene,
when the director shouted for us to stop
An automobile had dashed across a
stretch of road, back of where we were
acting, and 1t was caught by the cam
era's all-seeing eye, OF course, it spoiled
the picture, as 1t would not do to have
an automobile in a scene supposed to
have been taken 80 years ago.
I mention these things at some length
to correct the false impression that acting
for motion pictures is child's play. knew
one dear little girl, who worked her way
up TO playing leading parts, whose health
suddenly broke down and she was in a
sanatorium for three months last year.
She could not stand the nervous strain.
Another well-known star was out of
the business for two years, following
months of hard work in the pictures. SO
IL behooves the girl who is not strong TO
choose some other profession than the
silent drama. OF course, there are small
parts that do not require a deal of physical
endeavor. but one will never rise very
high in the profession without an endless
amount of hard work.
Another thing that works 10 the dis
advantage of the average new girls In
motion pictures is the patience required
of them. Many are able to cultivate this
patience, but II is often nerve-racking
You must be made up, properly cos
TUNED and always within calling distance
nave ESdlly heaIu HloIe complaints aDOut
these long waits than 1 have about play
ers being called upon to work too strenu-
ously.
We all know how hard actors and ac-
tresses work during the last week OF re-
hearsal before opening in a new stage
production Often many OF them are on
the point OF prostration, and merely able
to go through with their opening per
formance from the attendant excitement
After the opening, their nerves are re-
stored, and II the production has a run,
the remainder OF their work is easy.
But in motion pictures, every day is a
rehearsal day. II Is not the easiest thing
in the world to have big scene TO make,
calling for all your strength and intense
and so through 1t six or
seven times bofore 1t Is finally photo
graphed. Then, no sooner are you fin
ished with that scene than work Is begun
on another. You may have to run up
and down stairs 80 or 40 times In one
day, besides your other work, II the story
calls for that sort OF action.
Some OF this hard work Is offset by a
pleasanter side We often take long and
rides In automobiles, yachts.
boats, etc. / think II We did not have
these occasional Tecesses, none OF US could
survive the work But even then, at the
end Of a nice spin In au auto We are
often obliged 10 chase across fields, up /
steep embanlImenta, over them, and do |
all manner Of unusual ana strenuous
things. There Is seldom a working day |
which Will not dnd one sufficiently tired /
a night 10 enjoy : good. sound rest of /
nom eight % nine hours