The Washington herald., 1921-03-27
Hard Work Is the Keynote
OF Photoplay Production
Visitor Sees Director Rehearse Scene Fifteen
Times in Film at Columbia.

why. they really work hard, don't
they!"
Newcomers to a motion picture
studio often make that remark In
a manner denoting surprise and
revelation. One might reasonably
infer from this that a great many
people are under the impression
that motion picture studio is q
place where everybody loils In the
lap OF luxury, takes his time about
everything, comes to work when he
feels like II and has an easy life
generally. Needless to say, this is
q sadly mistaken impression.
The motion picture star or lead
ing player, the director. and in fact
every member of a company does
work hard. The above remark was
overheard while a visitor to the
Lasky studio was watching George
Meiford's company at work on The
Faith Healer" which begins an ex-
tended run at Loew's Columbia to-
day. The visitor seemed visibly i'm
pressed and greatly surprised by
what he saw. 1t was so different
from what he had expected.
He saw Uncle, George Melford
rehearse one seemingly simple seen
some fifteen or twenty times. con-
suming over a half q days time,
before that one scene was finally
filmed and passed upon favorably
by the director. He learned that
mining a scene in a motion pic
ture isn't simply a matter Of n d.
rector telling his players what 70
do and then having the cameraman n
turn the. crank as the scene is en-
acted
The question often asked is "Is
acting bard work." In other words.
is II difficult or perfectly easy and
natural for an actor to put over
an idea by his actions and express
sions? or course. an actor must
have natural ability and talent, but
even with those qualifications he
must work. and work hard.
His work IL more mental than
physical. but. like the artist who
sits at his easel and paints a beau
tiful picture. tsxing infinite pains
and giving close study to his art. so
does the actor paint a picture of
"NhAoh Shdi dStcT anu tue Dcduty
OF this picture of the strength o.
the message II conveys will be in
proportion to the amount of care
and study and genuine effort with
which he works out the role in
trusted to him.
"A bird in tn. hand is worth two
in the bush" This was discovered
to be fact by Roscoe (Fatty) Ar
buckle in the role of Monte Brew
sier. in his latest Paramount picture
"Brewster's Millions" which will be
seen at Loew's Palace today and all
week.
Monte Brewster Is the grandson OF
two wealthy old gentlemen. who
have different ideas as to how TIE
boy should mould his life. Grand
father aristocrat gives Monte a mil.
lion dollars. The other grandfather
offers to give nim five millions IL ne
spends that million in one year.
Monte spends the million. but al
the end of the year, he also loses
the fve million, having broken on.
of the rules Of the agreement b.
marrying. Everything ends happily
however.
The cast includes Betty Ros.
Clark. who is leading woman; Fred
Huntly. Marion Skinner. James Cor.
rigan, Jean Acker. Charles Ogle
Neely Edwards. William Boyd. Par.
ker Mcconnell and other noted
players.
Look pleasant. please" urged
Director David w. Smith whims:.
cally. addressing a handsome black
horse. You're supposed to be en-.
joyins this. you know
The horse locke,l pleasant enough
but he did not toss his head proud, ,
and prick up his ears, as he wa,
| supposed to do. He seemed eager
to please. and he had learned to lik.
Mr.. Smith, but he did not quite gei
the idea. although he was a wei
bred and highly Intelligent animal
He was supposed to be expressing
qualification over the name, "Blacl
Beauty" which had just been giver
him by Mrs. Gordon. Instead. h,