The Washington times., 1921-02-19
Ina Claire Admits She Leads
"Double Life" and Tells HozU
BY INA CLAIRE.

Usually q person leading double
life tries to keep tho fact secret.
Every possible agency Is employed
80 that one-half of ones world won't
know what the other half is doing.
The possibility of discovery carries
with 1t an undercurrent of fear and
the impulse of fear leads to almost
uncanny subtlety in the construction
Of lies that will meet the demands
of the case. There must be some
fascination in it; there surely is a
wealth of discomfort.
Yet I've been leading "a double
life" myself at present, and, instead
of hiding it from everybody. I'm
quite ready to let the world know.
In fact, I rather glory in it.
At any rate, by making a clean
breast of everything. 1 escape the
nerve-wracking torment of being
exposed" And there remains a
great deal of fascination-and a bit
Of discomfort, too.
1t all started because Of the sue
cess of THE Gold Diggers" / had
expected to be free to do just what
I pleased. Consequently when / was
approached with offers to do some
motion pictures during the summer.
I was attracted. But 1t required
something more than merely an at
tractive offer to make me consider
giving up plans for a vacation: I
received an offer that / simply could
not refuse.
That offer came through Richard
A. Rowland, the head of the Metro
Pictures Corporation. He wanted me
to do Polly With a Past" the play
by George Middleton and Guy Boil
ton in which the critics said found
myself" and for which David Be-
lasco found me.
The character of Polly is one that
love-I consider 1t one of the most
brilliant creations conceived by any
present-day authors.
Friends warned me. Don't try II,
Ina; you'll kill yourself" And, once
/ had got started on my new sched-
ule, they'd say, you must be nearly
dead" In the next breath they'd
add. But how well you're looking"
More than that it's how we'll I'm
feeling. never had much theoretical
sympathy with Carlyle's dogmas on
hard work or any OF the platitudes
connected herewith; but in practice
I've found the platitudes work out
very nicely.
How do you manage to do ity' they
ask me.
Directly after my evening perform
ance at the theater is over 1 hasten
home, where l make 1t an invariable
rule to retire not later than 1890
o'clock. / sleep for eight hours. Then,
directly after breakfast, I 60 to the
Metro studios to start work on
Polly" We work almost without
Observation-Disclosures to snatch buffet
luncheon on the scene "set"-until or
$3.50 o'clock.
When $50 o'clock comes, however,
I confess I usually feel quite tagged.
But cold bath does wonders, and
I manage, too, to get in a nap before
dinner. I'm all full of vitality again
once I start for the theater.
Then / find the theater very re-
freshing after my exacting work be-
fore the camera 1 can take up my
what is more. / feel rested by II. I'm
so thoroughly familiar with my role
in "The Gold Diggers" that I can
cast off the acute sense of RESPONSE
bility and be carried along as though
borne by a strong current
Then there Is always Sunday-and
Sunday brings with II a rest from the
stage and screen. ] have the whole
world to myself and, like the rest of
the hard-working world, all hope
Ia that II doesn't rain. For I'm al
ways looking forward to the outdoors
and sunshine. It means that I ride,
motor or swim--sometimes all three
of them. And then I'm ready to re-
turn to my weekday double life
Polly with a Past" viii be shown
at Locw's Palace all next week, be-
ginning tomorrow