Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1921-08-26
CONFESSIONS OF n STAR
CHAPTER "
As Told to Inez KIumph


ISABEL didn't come to the studio the
L next day. She sent word that her
eyes had been burned by the lights the
day before and that she'd have to stay
home in a dark room and rest them.
Billy Graham trotted right over to
her house to take her some flowers,
much to my disgust, but lot of the
other people around the studio gossiped
bit about her and Phil Craney.
hated that sort Of thing, and I was
glad when Derry Winchester sauntered
up, Just as I was starting for home, and
asked II Le could walk along with Inc:
Somehow, even though he'd been around
the studios for two years then. he WASH
like the rest Of the people, or, rather,
like those who gossiped.
lie had left college in the middle OF
his freshman year because his father
died and there wasn't any money left
to 60 on with. He had to support him
self, and he knew some one In one OF
the studios, and so had drifted into act
ing. He was awfully good looking.
stood over six feet and had the clean
cut sort of face tnat screens so well.
At first he doubled for different lead
ing men when hard stunts were pulled
off. He was awfully good at that sort
of thing; even Douglas Fairbanks had
complimented him. But he hated 1t.
meant earning a good deal of money very
easily.
"I'm going to get into the producing
end, d." he told me that afternoon, as
we strollcd along toward my house.
That's where the money Is in this
game. I hate the idea of mans act
ing, anyway. And it isn't thing that
will last. Suppose you're a popular
star. Well, just as soon as your youth
Is gone and you get fat where are you?
Done fora has been. You can drop
down to character parts, IL you want to
stay in the game, but that would be
pretty tough after being at the top of
the heap.
"But il you work carefully and have
your own company and make good pic
lures and market them right-well,
then you've got something that's good.
making the kind of stories / think ought
to be screened-the real, human ones
that are like bits of real life-before /
get through with this game"
couldn't help wondering II there was
my place for me in that picture Of his
future. Not that I thought I was in
love with Derry then, or that he cared
an awful lot for me, though couldn't
help sort of feeling that he did, be-
cause of something that had happened
out on location.
We were making a scene which was
one of the climaxes of the picture.
had to fall from an automobile, and
the hero was to dash up on horseback
and save me. I was bound. hand and
foot. And just to make things more
interesting, the hero had several cow
boys with him, who were riding close
behind.
Well, the fun wasn't any fun. The
director had told me just to relax COM
pletely, and ! wouldn't be hurt-but of
course when you set your mind on re-
laxing you cant do it to save your
life Then, the first time they dropped
me out Of the back of the car I fell
so it had to be done again. And that
time the hero-I'l call him Richard
Nale-couldn't get his horse around
soon enough. So we had to try it once
more.
realized. as Vale came tearing to-
ward me, that he was reeling in his
Siuule. anu lltIl, MI NJ 1 re-
called what I'd heard about him-that
he'd been drinking lot lately. and
had been reproved by the director just
the day before. At that minute he
reached me, but he couldn't pull off the
rescue stunt; he lost control of his
horse, and it began to caper around
me; one of its hoofs struck my shoulder
and another grazed my face, and ! was
frightened half to death.
And then the cowboys came dashing
up. I wondered if they'd ride right
over me. But / heard somebody cry,
"Out of tine way, you fool" and all at
once / was swooped up in Derry's
arms. They held me so safe that it
seemed to me ! never wanted to move
again then the reaction from my mo-
ment of awful fear set in, and I buried
my face in his shoulder and wcpt like
baby.
Derry turned around and rode
straight back to the house in the village
where ! was staying, about mile
away. ! don't suppose he knew what
he was saying-my crying had ratified
him so-but he held me there close to
him, and told me not to cry. and that
everything was all right. and the di-
rector was fool to let ME play a
PHOTOPLAYS