New-York tribune., 1919-08-24
Girls From All Sections
of America Seek the Pick
ford Job in Movies and
Also the Pickford Salary
Now There Are Only Six
Final Vote on Her Sue.
cessor To Be Cast by Ac.
tress Herself, From Films

Mary Pickford the Second made
hesitating debut yesterday under the
shade of dropping elm trees out at
Roslyn, Long Island. Only the judges
had the key to her identity. To the
casual visitor she might have been any
one OF twenty-five of Americas fairest.
Bets were heaviest on the original
Mary type -1axon-h haired, blue-eyed
and dimpled. A solitary dark-eyed
swamp" and Titan headed damsel
looked forlorn and out of place among
SO many blondes.
The gathering of the beauteo Gus
twenty-five marked the elimination of
the Fame and Fortune Contest of the
Motion Picture Magazine the "Mo-
ton Picture Classic" and "Shadow-
land" Competition has been keen for
the last year, and when the chosen
twenty-five were finally culled from
100000 hopefuls, they were brought
from al over the country and even
from Canada, to be seen in the flesh
Grouped together yesterday at the
country estate of Eugene V. Brewster
owner of the three publications, they
pink silk lajamas and backless din
ner gowns sported around on the lawn
braving the rays of the sun and the
critical inspection of judges, photog-
1apbers and newspaper people
1t Has Real Object
The object Of the contest is to find
a, successor for Mary Pickford, who
shortly retires from the screen. The
winner will be given secure place on
the screen, and the three noting picture
magazines will back nation wide pub
hcity campaign in her behalf.
~ The Judges are Mary Pickford,
Thomas Ince, Cecil de Mile, Maurice
Tourneur, Commodore J. Stuart Black
ton, James Montgomery Flagg, Howard
Chandler Christy, Samuel Lumiere and
Eugene " Brewster. The twenty-five
favorites were reduced to six after the
taking of the test pictures, but Mary
herself is to cast the final vote as to
her own successor when she has seen
the prize beauties in the film taken
yesterday.
Four of the half dozen now in the
running are true to the original Mary
type. There is one brunette who might
possibly develop into a good "vamp,"
and there is a half-and between who
displays considerable animation. All
are between sixteen and twenty years
of age. Little doubt was felt that the
winner would be petite, fairy-like and
blonde, pretty much like the queen who
has reigned supreme in the movies for
the last few years.
Favorite Comes From Texas
The favorite appeared to be Blanche
Mccarthy, a little Texan beauty who
might easily pass as twin sister to
Mary Pckford. Fair Pickford curls
blue Pickford eyes, dainty Pickford
smile; height feet II inches; born
only sixteen years ago on a rancho;
elfsh and sprituelle. This is what
movie fans may expect with reasonable
assurance in the way of new favor
ite. The South boasts three possibles,
the East one, the Middle West one and
the West one.
New York lays claim to one of the
chosen out of 100000 contestants-Vir-
ginia Brown, Of 565 West 162d Street,
the only brunette of the six. She looks
like a Talmadge and has considerable
character and vivacity.
The most sensational entry to the
contest was Anita Booth, Virginian,
who flew by aeroplane from Atlantic
City to Newark to reach Roslyn on
time. Her photograph was the last
sent in. and now she is we'll in the
running. She is an attractive girl with
soft brown eyes and medium brown
hair. She is so fond of flying that she
vows she will KEEP plane roped to the
roof of her studio when she becomes a
successful movie actress. She believes,