The Birmingham age-herald., 1921-10-29
Beautiful Norma TdZn1ddge

"Is she as pretty off the screen as she Is on?"
 'Is she small or is she larger"
 Is she cordial? Is she agreeable?'
 '1s she married. or isn't she7"
 These are just a few of the dozens of questions movie fans" have asked me since I got home from New York and told them that had the pleasure of spending a couple of hours at the First National Picture Corporation studio, Out in West Fifty-sixth street, when l was in New York last week.
 Dozens more questions have been propounded to me about the ador- able Norma Talmadge, which is ms sic name in pictures. Nice Norma Talmadge. cunning Constance Tal- madge and natty Natalie Talmadge, being the three graces" of the ci- nema world, sisters, all pretty, all talented, all successful.
 Through the courtesy of MT. Earl Hudson of the First National Pic ture corporation. who in turn passed on the word to Miss Beulah Living ston, the clever publicity director for this big corporation. we were given an appointment with Miss Talmadge at the studios one sunshiny. beauti-
  filming her latest play, "Smilin' Thro'," the charming play which
 Jane Cowl made such a tremendous success in last season and is still playing.
 Vending our way back to stage properties" and finally arriving at the interior of the studios. we had our first glimpse of Norma Talmadge under the most powerful of mean descent lights. brilliant. yellow-hued, l glittering, sitting under tremen- dous oak tree, the grass at her feet forming carpet of gorgeous hue. Seated beside her was Wyndham Standing, who, as every movie fan knows, is one of the most talented actors on the screen. the scene call | ing for a big piece of dramatic work on the part of these two stars Harrison Ford, who Is Miss Tal- i madge's leading man in Smilin
 Thro'," and that sterling actor, Alex l P. Francis, were not in the partcu-
 lar scene we saw filmed, but with i fmake-up" on and awaiting in their I dressing room the "cue" for their appearance, they formed part of the galaxy of stars who are employed in the picture.
 To all the questions asked me about Norma Talmadge as to her beauty, her graciousness. her cordial | ity and whether she is married or not. let me say that she Is even more beautiful off the screen than she IS on the screen; her complexion IS 1 fIawless; her eyes. with their long, sweeping lashes, are radiant, and her cupid's bow mouth and her crimson l lips. her jet black hair (which IS "bobbed") making her really as near 1 ly a perfect beauty as anybody have ever seen.
 Her mother, Mrs. Talmadge. joined our party before we had the pleas ure of meeting Miss Talmadge, anu told us many interesting things about her three girls. Norma (who K Mrs. Joseph Schenk in private life and has a wonderful home at Bay side, L. I.), in particular "She Is absolutely unspoiled by her popularity, and all my girls are mod- est and sweet and have always been a pleasure to me-"
 Which is the sweetest thing any mother can say about her cnlldreh' according to my way of thinking. Miss Talmadge at this point was released from her work for rev moments, and she and Mir. Standing joined us and chatted for a charming half hour.
 "You can't imagine tn etiresome' l long. irksome work that one picture | requires" Miss Talmadge declared. | We have been nearly II weeks nak- ] ing 'Smilin' Thro.' which Is several 1 weeks longer than the average pic 1 ture, but 1t Is costume play. most or l it. and very artistic. and 1t requires a great deal of detail work which l can't be hurried over"
 which of your leading men have won liked best?" I asked. knowing the long list of wonderful actors who have played ~opposite" Miss Tal- tnadge-Eugene O'Brien. Harrison
 Ford. wyndham Standing. Conway Tearle and the others. and very | automatically she answered: All of them" And which of your pictures have you. liked best?" I questioned.
 That. too, is difficult to answer, Miss Talmadge declared.
 Are you thrilled at seeing your pictures when they are finished?" l | asked.
 Not now; used to feel the great l est sort of thrill when looked at myself on the screen after weeks and weeks of work. but now I'm only | critical-poor photography, poor 1 close ups'--all that sort of thing gets | on my nerves and often I am disap- l pointed" > l q am especially fortunate in hay
 ing for my photographer in 'Smilin'