Tombstone epitaph., 1917-01-14

N uies, SalC Mack Sennett eS king of the film funmak-
 CTS. but how many ever pause to think of the brains and work that go into the making of one laugh7'
 It would be a revelation to those who never have considered the source Of their fun to watch the maker of a certain brand of well-known comedies In action. Hat down almost to his eyes. shirtsleeves rolled above his elbows. and precipitation pouring from his face. he rushes about the studio, the per sonifcation of dynamic. untiring ener- gy. At his side there Is always a ste nographer, to whom he Is saying re peatediy. Make note Of this. make a note of that: l want to change It." His brow Is gnarled in concentration as he shouts orders.
 Don't make that expression of dis may quite so pronounced. Miss Nor mand." or "Exaggerate that gesture of mock difference a little more, please. Mir. Arbuckle." In short, he handles his company as 8 musician does his notes, blending their actions into what on the screen will be a symphony of laughter.
 Comedy" the miracle man of mer- riment told writer for the New York Sun between the rehearsal of two scenes, ''is the hardest thing in the world to get over successfully. and dlm laugh plays are twice as hard to make as those of the stage. In the nrst place, the movie director is handi- capped because it is impossible for him to use two of the great elements of comedy upon which the stage dIrec- tor largely depends-the voice of his players and the funny lines. What use would Harry Lauder's infectious laugh or Oscar Wilde's brilliant epi- grams be to mel l have to juggle with action where the playwright juggles with words. Then to make a comedy successful. you must have climax every minute. I always must be build ing up. making each climax funnier than the last. and the last funniest of all. If film play is too funny at the beginning, 1t kills the latter part.
 'There are three things that make . picture comedy successful. About one-half depends upon the scenario. write all my own scenarios, because find 1t almost impossible to buy good ones. The man who can write one comic scenario a week for me that is up to our standard can make out his own checks. The rest depends upon sho ecsN h., -Ss rector's part is the selection of the proper cast-and that Is very impor. tant-the working out with infinite care of the proper details regarding scenery, costumes and action and the handling of each scene so that when 1t is shown it will appear that every turn of the actors hand. every widen Ing or narrowing of his eyes. every breath he draws, is absolutely sponta neous.
 Prom the point of view of the actor too," continued the creator of canned mirth as he warmed to the subject that fills his every thought comedy Is the hardest kind of acting to do well. Tc begin with. the comedian has to ring the bell every time. Either he make. his audience laugh or he falls flat { serious picture play done only indif ferently well may get by but ther, is no such thing as halfway success. for the movie comedian.
 "And let me take this opportunit, to say right here to those people wh, are forever referring contemptuousl! to 'slapstick' comedy. that to do so called low comedy successfully is in my opinion. the highest accomplish ment possible to the histrionic artist
 "Burlesque is taking a serious char acter and tipping the scales of his ac tions just enough to make him appea iaughable. dropping him by an exag gerated gesture or facial expression from the sublime to the ridiculous To burlesque a character the acto must first be able to play that par straight before he can attempt a tray esty on 1t. Before a man can kid with notes and chords he must be good musician. To turn out good satir a writer first must be able to writ serious stuH That's just the way 1 is with the actor who tries burlesque
 ~One of the attributes that a filu comedian needs particularly Is cour age. He must be an acrobat or at leas an athlete. Any man who can be
 successful comedian on the scree would be sure to succeed on the stage but the rule does not necessarily wor the other way. The film comedia