New-York tribune., 1921-12-25
Cue and Curtains:
Little Visits to
The Makeup Box

q acC Tor mOntnS without speaking
line, and in stock company produc-
ing the spoken drama is an experience
out of the ordinary for any young
actor. 1t is an experience that bcfei
George Arliss when he was eighteen
years old.
Having cherished an ambition to go
upon the stage from the day when he
first saw a pantomine at the age Of
seven, Arliss joined the stock company
at the old Elephant and Castle Theater,
in section of London, where working
people and small tradesmen lived. He
was an EXTRA" with no lines to speak,
and received salary as small as al
most any one upon the stage ever did
receive-six shillings, or about Sl.5O a
week.
Every week this "silent actor would
ask the assistant stage director if the
next weeks play did not have a part
for him with lines to speak But for
many weary months he had no lines to
speak and fell then into stage habit,
which he continued after he did have
lines to speakthat ofemaking UP diff
ferently on different nights for the
same part. If playing the part of
clerk one night, he would appear as
young, jovial chap, and the next as
middle aged, despondent crouch, some
times to the confusion of the company.
He often got into hot water by this
practice, but it brought him into atten-
tion and also helped him to learn how
to act, which is what he had seriously
set himself to do. Once he nearly ruined
the most dramatic moment of an emo
tional play for visiting star by COM
ing upon the stage, in the role of
policeman, in a comic makeup at n
serious moment when comedy was the
last thing wanted. If he had not, in
the mean time learned muct about act
ing and been willing to act for an
absurdly small salary, he would un-
doubtedly have been dismissed But he
remained at the Elephant and Castle
for some time and yet continued to get
all the practice in acting he could by
varying the same role from night to
night.
Then he went upon the road with a
touring company, which put on new
play every night of the week in each
town visited. For ten years he con-
tinued this kind Of strenuous life, but
when it was over he was ready for
London and the engagement with Mrs.
Patrick Campbell which brought him
to this country in 1901. He had ac-
quired in that ten years time tho
hnesse, the expressiveness Of gesture
and position and the eloquence Of
voice which have since raised him to
commanding position upon the Ameri-
can stage.
Reginald Mason, who plays the role
of Leonard in Guthrie McClintic's pro-
duction of the new A. A. Milne comedy.
THE Dover Road" at the Biiou The
ater, was catapulted upon the stage by
an earthquake.
That statement is literally true, Mr..
Mason asserts.
Born in San Francisco, where his
father was British Consul, Mason had
his business Office there At the time
Of the earthquake and the resulting
fire, which destroyed the city, he was
surveying a lake not far from Sau-
salito, across the bay north of the
doomed city.
The next day, while the city was
burning, pail Of smoke and ashes and
burning debris filing the air, Mr..
Mason stood on the north shore of the
bay watching the spectacular fire.
When at length he made his way into
the city he found that he no longer
had an Office or any business interests.
Footloose and without a calling, he
decided to seek out new and differ
ent career. He had acted since child
hood in various amateur theatricals in
San Francisco, in which his mother
also appeared given in behalf of diff
ferent charities. Robert Eberle had
staged most of these plays.
Through his mother, Mr.. Mason is
reihteu 10 the DdVenpofts, an English
family of actors which, in turn, was
related to William Seymour, then pro-
ducing plays in New York for the late
Charles Frohman.
Armed with a letter of introduction
to Mr.. Seymour. he came on to New
. York and obtained an interview which
resulted in an engagement to act the
part of the "heavy" in support of Will
lam Collier in Caught in the Rain
He remained with Mr.. Collier for four
entire seasons, acting also in "The Pa
triot' and the revival of "The Man
From Mexico"
Having once made an imnression nnou