New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1921-07-03
In Which We
Meet Our Old
Friend Zakkuri
George Arliss Discusses Viii
lains and Vdliainies and
The Tricks of the Stage
BY Earriette Underhill


70 the Booth Theater to interview
George Arliss. This means that we
wanted very much to do that particu-
lar interview. We dislike all mornings
and especially rainy ones. But don't
lot any one tell You, If you don't like to
get up in the morning and start earning
your daily bread and jam, that it is be-
cause you are lazy. Our doctor told
US that it has something to do with
the thyroid gland and that ones COM
pensation is usually the possession of
long, silky hair and nice, smooth skin
We explained this so the autocrat at
the stage door when he told US that
our interview time had been changed
from 7:45 p. m. to 1880 a. m. ~But
Wa were not consulted or we never
should have made il for that time"
al can't get at Mr.. Arliss to tell him
now, he's busy" said the autocrat of
the stage door.
"Let me in and I'll tell him." we re-
torted. So he took US into Mr. ARTISTS
reception room and Mr.. Arliss ex-
terview and hadn't time before the
curtain, and would we--could we-come
oyer to the theater at 1880 in the
morning? OF course we said that we
could and we would, for Mr.. Arliss has
way with him which gets hina pretty
nearly what he wants in this world,
and let me say here that when MIR.
Arliss said he wanted to give me a
proper" interview he did not use the
word as opposed TO Improper" as we
do. When Eng1ishmen say proper"
they mean "the right SORT" We thought
Mr.. Arliss was really very "proper"
himself, and we were afraid that
we would act natural OK something
before him and shock him. His first
name is the same rs Mr.. Cohan's, but
can you imagine any one calling him
Georgia?
An Old Acquaintance
Is Pleasantly Renewed
We never had seen Mr. Arliss to
speak to since "Ths Darling Of the
Gods" Then he was the suave, muir
derous Zakkuri, not unlike The Raja
Of Rukh in "The Green Goddess" and
we were carrying Blanche Bates's par
asol on the stage. He laughed when
we told him that we still stood IN awe
Of him and that no "ensemble lady"
ever quite loses her reverence for a
star.
We arrived at the theater Ave minutes
ahead of time and the autocratic door,
man seemed to say, "See, told you'll"
And then Mr.. Arliss came in and we
went in his reception room and sat
down on some chintz chairs. "Now,
what do you want me to say?" asked
Mr.. Arliss.
r. "Say anything" we replied, "and 1t
will be interesting" What we wanted
him to do was just to act as though
he were not being interviewed, and
talk. But he said: 81 have no hobbies.
Pm not enthusiastic over anything.
have no wrongs TO right; I'm quite
pIeased with things as they are"
"rhen you would not. If you could,
sshatter it to bits and remold it nearer
tic the hearts desire?'" There is
something about Mr.. Arliss that makes
ven feel romantic and sort Of as
though you wanted to quote poetry or
,l,ave him bare his soul TO you snd tell
xop Of a secret SORROW that ia blight
ing HIS life.
We are not the cnly one who feels
that way, either, for when we told K.
Wright, the music critic. that we had
been to interview Mr.. Arliss she
clasped her hands and said: wasn't
it thrillingl" But Mr.. Arliss doesn't
feel 40 about IL at all. He said: "Oh,
no: it's very pleasant world, and any
tina I don't think it is I take little
aspirin. When man doesn't think
rightly It's because ne doesn't eat
riehtly.n But we refused to be side
hacked.
aHow could Lucilla, the girl in the
MAY. resist yous should think she
would have been delighted when
syou wanted to marry her instead OF
saving: Don't touch me, you beast!'"
The Raja Is
Fascinating Villain
s "Bus the RaJa was villain, you
know, and he probably would have
killed her later, anyway"
"And such villain! The most fas-
cinating one ever met. Don't you
love to play the Raja?"
sof course, villains arc more inter-
.esting to play than heroes, and then,
10 be leading man one must have a
certain amount of good looks or charm
or fine voice.
"Well," we interrupted, "you GER
tainly have that. Why, even in the
big Booth Theater one can close ones
eyes and still hear every word you say"
81 mean that they shall" replied Mr..
sArliss. 81 have no patience with
actors who turn their backs to the
audience, with the explanation that a
room has four walls and that it Is
foolish to face any one of them. A
room has four walls, but stage
hasn't, and no actor should forget that