Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1921-08-04
The
LOVE STORY
of a
MOVIE STAR

T WONDER IL this sounds conceitcd?
hope not. ] made up my mind,
when began to write this. to be honest
with myself and about myself. as fer
us was humanity possible. And ] hope
that self-knowledge is not necessarily
cgotism. How could I hold the posi-
tion ! 10 IL l did not have the sense
of power?
Yes. hard work was the way, and
lucky for me that it was. 1t consumed
60 much Of my time and energy that
l had little opportunity for brooding
over the past. And yet, as i have
tod you. the very thing that drove
me, the motive power, so to speak. was
my broken heart.
They say that neither Byron nor
Helne would have been a great poet
II first their hearts had not been brok,
en-. It was that secret terror ana
torture in my breast that whipped me
into recklessness-and then made me
famous over night
1t came suddenly, before the year
was up, late in the autumn. com:
pany Of us. in two automobiles, had
been up in the country to take scene
around n clubhouse. Luckily for me,
II was not directing; he would
surely have restrained me. But big
Cantor was acting as director. Cantor
the most nonchalant, irresponsible,
dare devil man in the whole studio!
In our automobile, as we were re-
turning, were Cantor. the camera man
with his apparatus, and myself. There
was wild wind blowing: the sky was
overcast with sudden shafts of sunlight
and running shadows over the country.
side The air was chilly. We sat
silent. huddled up. Cantor was pulling
ficrcely on his pipe. For some reason
or other, | was feeling horribly TOT.
lorn. my eyes half shut, my teeth grltted
together. wanted to jump out or my
skin! Life did not seem worth living
Just then. I was ready for something
wild and abandoned. 1t so happened
that we had to pass through the city
In a roundabout fashion. We were
threading the tenement house district.
The car went fast. The horn was
honking continually. Children scat
tered before us. The streets we're dirty
and crowded. and the faded red OF the
houses gave one feeling OF uttr desc
lntion. OF a sudden. turning corner.
the chauffeur stopped the car: Rlght
before us was a wild and thrilling nre
scene. Vast crowds stood just back or
the fire lines. In front of the burning
building, mattresses and furniture,
hurled from the windows. lay heaped
on the dirty pavement. The engines
we're throbbing, the quite was crIss-
crossed with hose, and the ruooer-
hated firemen were coming ana golng.
pleamingly wet. The fourth tenement
from where we had come to stop was
on ire, smoke and flames iutting from
its windows. 1t was thrilling thing
70 see. Cine forgot the horror OF IT,
lost TO everything but its pictorial as,
meet Every window in the block. all
thc roofs, the full length of the street
outside the fire lines. were thick win
people. the greater part of them Win
foces filled with anxiety. There was
nm air of suspense. peril, deadliness.
Here. in the very heart OF the cltF'
ono of the greatest forces of nature
was working havoc. g,
Evidently Cantor saw it only as l
did, But he was infinitely more prac-
tical 1t was too good chance TO De
missed He must get the scene, and
save it for some future picture that
should have a fire In 1t. lie stooa up
on the seat in his excitement li'
spoke sharply to the chauiIeur. 49,,
"Honk your horn like hell: and then
drive close up to the lines.
The chauffeur obeyed without queS-
tion or comment. We jolted forward.
scattering the crowd. We pushed sIowy
on until We were stopped by police
man, But Cantor was equal TO the
occasion. He lcaped down and whiS-
rrrcd into the ear Of the representative
Of the law: Moving pictures. ~ Oh,
magic words, The officer was inter
ested at once. and proceeded to move
off, and get himself into the picture
The cameraman set up his machine
The crowd threatened 10 overwhclm u.s.
but the officer kept them back. Then.
suddenly, looking up. ! thought | saw
! n little face-a child's face-thrOugh
the smoke that belched from one OF the
! ton floor windows.
Every drop Of blood seemed to leave
nv body and rush back to my heart.
I sank back on the seat. half tainting;
But even at that moment. wonderful
| thought came to me. leaned over
| to speak to Cantor.
"I'm going to rush in-save a child,
or something. Wen build this up into
great picture later. 80,
He grinned. His face II GIFTED up with
On expression Of boyish glee.
IL get you. Gee. You re It, girl
! PUOTOPIAYS