Pueblo chieftain., 1921-06-12

What DO I have to bo TO be an actor
(or actrsss) for tho motion pfctures7
This b question propounded mofs
frequently than perhaps any other By
aspirAnts or evan by those who havs
meroly q relative interest In the pro
fnssion-
Why does Tom, D4ck or Mary sue
coed where others fail? What IN the
magic open sesame to the work?
II talent Is there, hardly anything
will prevent its expressing itself sooner
or later. Whether 1t receives its full
mead of expression or no depends on
circumstances surrounding tho indi-
viduAl. The desire to act seems inmate
with almost every human being. Per-
haps this is because We are all actors
and tho world is a stage. Even eusi-
ness life commercial pursuits, the lay
We are acting when We try to SELL
an idea to someone: we arc acting
when we sell a piece Of real estate or
a yard OF ribbon
But to act as an actor, h interpret q
role, to be at home on stage or screen.
requires something moro
For woman. unless IN character
roles, appearance u = big factor, but
never imagine that nero beauty alone
will win you . high place in tho dram
attic profession. In q man. physiQue,
the ability to wear clothers properly.
self possession-an are ESSENTIAL And
an absence Of self-consciousneaa, usu-
ally the result Of euperienoa. - re-
Qutrod almost primarily.
In tho speAkinI gtAGo, th0 vUkoo =
q big f4ctor. but IN tho silent drama,
this is of small importance.
Success in acting requires poise and
ina ginaion combined We admire the
actor who can appear perfectly At
home in a characterization and this
is the result of poiae.
Undoubtedly early environment has
lot To do with II pcrson reared
In a theatrical family. hearing more of
tho stage or screen than anything elsa.
could hardly fail to become an actor
OF some kind. Education. therefore. u
a prime factor.
To become an actor - actre0 for the
screen. requires frst Of all. thea. IN
interest in art. Next It requires ex-
pertence. To attain this. providing the
individual is still young enough to ab-
lures or 'supeinG' for the sta0e, b An
admirable way to begin. But today
the supply exceeds the demand in
either field.
l. NJ Goodstadt. casting director at
the IAsky studio at Hollywood. where
paramount pictures ara h3oS. n91
several times In the past bean quoted
as saying that he had hardly more to
do than think q certain typo of extra
than a whole string of such people were
at his window. This Ls OF oourAe an
exagEeration. But let him advertt1e. or
tell someone that he needA. say. n
blonde Gtrl about nineteen and weigh
ing perhaps onS hundred and nfteen
by tomorrow and there vim he dozens
OF applications before the day In over.
This should not discourage tho per-
son who is in earnest, however. But
1t should discourage the Rirl or youth
who. living in some remote village or
city. decides that the life OF the screen
actor or actress Ii a wonderful thing
and sets out to seek . studio with the
belief that no or she will Immediately
he employed. Tho waiting Is some
times long and heart breaking - and
even after you are actually at work
as an extra II may be a long time be
fore you get a chance to play a real
part.
Beauty IN a girl II of course val
liable asset. where the ingcnue or lead
ing woman role is aspired TO. But here
there ia something else TO be consid-
cred. Not all beauty is adapted to
tho screen. Certain faces screen"
well. others do not and sometimes the
lovelicst face in actual life. Is not near
ly so good for the pictures as the one