Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1919-06-01
Another Chapter
InLife of Movie
Actress
BY JEANNE JOHNSON.

nau COHHucHCc my scCOHu uAy
at the studio, but how | wondered
what | was going to do.
| found out that the most ardu-
Gus thing about acting before the
camera is not acting at all. 81
It's the waiting that wears one
out l waited for the director to
arrive at the scenes in which was
to appear until 3 o'clock in the
afternoon, though OF course we 'ad-
journed for luncheon.
At 5 Mr.. Browning told me what
] was to do.
you're to- be Miss Deans
friend" he said, referring to Pris-
ella Dean, who was starring in the
picture. Now here's the contin-
uity; look it over" And this is
"12l-Med. c. U. Of Dean and
I22-L. S. friend watches Dean
disappearing into boudoir; registers
suspicion. e |'s
Dean III
1t was all Greek to me. I must
have looked what l felt, for Mr..
Tyler, the assistant director, came
over and asked if there was any
thing he could help me with.
"Why, yes" l told him CRATE
fully. Will you explain what l
have to do?" He did. 1t seems that
Med. c. U. meant medium close
up and l.. S. was long Shot"
{; Mr.. Tyler coached me bit and
before | knew it l was on the set
and at work. l was horribly nerv-
Gus inside, but assured that my ex-
terror did not give me away. In
deed it didn't seem so difficult, now
that ] was really working"
Disillusionment came. l had been
used on the boards" at high school
to walking about to my hearts con-
tent, even to improvise business of
. the scene" But here acting evil
IDENTIFY was a matter of Zines" and
the cinema to which l refer most EN-
phatically were not spoken words
but the technical restrictions of the
action. In other words. both Miss
Dean and myself were obliged to re-
main always in focus Of the camera
and deviation Of even footfrom' the
Side lines" pointed out by Mr..
Browning, it was told me. would
ruin the scene. l confess that the
iinminency of this faux pas un-
nerved me to the extent of STUN
bling but guess this misdemeanor
being "in character" was over
looked. Indeed, | felt complimented
Cor was already becoming con-
ceited in my newwsphereD for most
scenes, according to my experience.
are repeatedly rehearsed and some
times retaken by the camera before
the director announces himself sat
isfied.
(! will pass over the details Of my
debut a a real picture actress" for
extradom, I assure you, is no war
rant for that designation. and tell
you what happened afterward.
Upon being told by the director
that | was not to bel used further
except in the extent Of retakes, I re-
paired with great JUNCTION to the
Universal City cafeteria, where I
mingled with flmdor's elite with
full sense of my newly acquired i'm
portance as member of the col
ony.. .-c.>- -
*Bits" No Longer Allure Me.
think I left you at lunch time.
! neglected to invite you along.
Well, you must forgive me, for be-
fore me there was wonderful vista
of opportunities. But the sun of
success, which was just approaching
its apogee for me, has quickly
changed its course--for the casting
director has just "looked me over
and found me wanting.
At least so It seems to me. for
when / asked him If he thought
could fiji any of the roles for which
he was hiring, he said, quite bluntly
indeed:
Haven't done anything yet, have
you,"
ooh. I had a Bit with Mr.. Brown
ing" I replied.
"Then you had better continue do
ing bits until one of the directors
himself picks you for a part in his
production. don't doubt that you
are likely enough material-but you
need a little more, er, we'll, season.
ing"
"Seasoning?" I said to him--a
weak attempt, so he must have
thought at a pun. DO you mean
pep, dramatic genius, or what?"
"Experience!" Misting Casting Di-
rector was very laconic. Bring me
your Photograph he continued as
he moved away toward his office,
and your address and phone num-
Der for my files"
Well, after that I just sort OF took
to hanging round the casting d.
rector's Office. Playing extra seemed
far beneath me- I had hitched my
histrionic wagon to the moon and
nothing less would content me.
saw on the silver sheet Of my imag-
nation another Nazimova and sec
ond Dorothy Phillips, maybe coun-
terpart of the popular Priscilla Dean
who knows? And the picture was
Myself.
But they were disappointments. I
suppose hundreds of girls before me
went through my present experience
and hundreds more will after me.
Ny career of the last few days
seemed to have assured me of start
in nv chosen profession, for by this
time, you must have noticed, | had
firmly decided that my future lay in
motion pictures. and that Venus. my
regnant constellation, had destined
me for a cinema star.
There is an old joke that the three
best ways to spread news rapidly is
L.. 4aianranl felenhnne and telling