New-York tribune., 1918-01-27
By Harrictte Underhill

By F1arrlctte Onderhill
For the first time in his young life
charles Ray has disappointed his fol-
,overS, and this is how it happened.
Va shall say it quietly and get it over
,,,.h. because If we know anything
.Aout young Charles. and we do, al
,sough we have not seen him for two
y,srs, we know that he is going to be
nishty frightened When he sees that
lead
Charles has greatly intrigued our
tinerant fancy. and never before has
he seen such sentiments expressed as
those which head this column. But it
IS true. Charles Ray has disappointed
his followers, most of all this particu-
lar follower, because he promised to
come to New York right after the new
wear. and now he isn't going to come
at all.
But he need not think for that reason
that he isn't going to get this space,
whNh was allotted to him along about
the latter paN of October. Two years
aso w~ met Charles Ray before any
one, excepting Charles himself, knew
thss he was going to be big star.
Andw remember everything he said to
Us. Some OF it we shall print.
Never shall we forget the first time
We saw Charlie Ray on the screen. It
was With Prank Keenan, in 1.-THE Cow
ard" and at that time we knew naught
Of the movies, save that some pictures
had more reels than others. OF Course,
a dog editor isn't supposed to know
anything about actors, but Just because
one could tell the difference between q
French bull and q bat-eazed Boston.
and knew all about the variegateA peai-
s1xes Of tfte AireAale, IL 40 4~,aQ 1~casopq
why he should not be ab9e to tell tAa
difference between an acto4 And a Hay--
celled hero with long eyefashes.
And so. IN spite Of our knowledge ef
canSulture, we knew, too, that Charlie
Ray was & great actor. Not long after
that we met him and Immediately told
him what we thought about him. To
which he replied: 'Tm not yet, but
I'm going to be. Just watch my work
improve, for I'm going to work harder
than any two men ever worked before"
So after that We went to see hirA in
everything he did. Perhaps he did ina
prove. 1t IS impossible for US TO SAY,
because when You like anything as
much as you can at first sight yosa
don't care U-hether it improves or not.
Charlie kept his word, and worked
hard. After his big success in ~The
Coward" THE Deserter," "sThe Honor
able Algy" and "The Pinch Httey1
came in rapid succession. After ~The
Clodhopper" he proved that he u,as
the son of mis- father" and them
month later he turned around and be-
came His Mothers Boy and ta~rnes>
row, unless the Monday closing law
switches again to include the theatres,
We shall see him as "Ihe Hired Man."
80 1t seems he has left nothing unaons.
and, speaking Of undone- we fear tha.
Charles has been the nndoing Of many
{ foolish feminine heart.
AS soon as they learn that We are one
OF those privileged beings who car talk
to screen celebrities, they always say.
10 You know Charlie Ray 90 and
Nhere did you meet him and what is he
lEe!" To which we reply, "Yes, in Ber-
muda- and he is like no one else OF, Garth.
lie is SIX feet TALL twenty-siS years
Old, has blue eyes and brown hair, aad
IS rather good looking H WAS born 10
Jacksonville Fla~- and he says, 4 YrcS~
on, but he migrated to California early
IN life and there he has lived ever
since No. David Griffith did not see
hin and, being struck with the remark
able versatility Of his expression. en-
saxs him to play Romeo. David Griffith
haa nothing to do with him, and, ir-
desd, It is doubtful if there are any
Irfath boys, although every success
iul present-day ingpnue claims To be a
Griffith girl.
tharle Ray appeared first in musi-
cal comedy Then he went into vaude-
Vile, and then into the movies, under
lne banner of Thomas II. Inre. where
ns h2s remained ever since
II you want Charlie to like you don't
sal him q matinee idol" and don't tell
01n that ne is good looking. he isn't,
'ea!l5' at least not terribly SO, and
10 Is resolved not to be a matinee idol.