Great Falls tribune., 1922-03-12
THEODORE ROBERTS
ONCE USED MOVIES
FOR BRINGING SLEEP
Old Time Actors Tell of What
Film Carried When In
dustry First Started.

''Ten years ago." remarked Theodore
Roberts, vetrean character actor, re-
flecting on the movies tenth anniver-
sary celebration this month, II was
stage director at the Davidson theater
in Milwaukee.
Il worked very hard and every once
in q while, needing relaxation and rest,
| would 80 out for an hour or two
and see movie. Those were the days
Of the one, two and sometimes three
reelers.
Principally, they consisted of wild
chases. of leaps over cliffs and such
thrilling scenes. The humorous re-
mark that's the best picture / ever
slept through had a practical applica-
tion in my case. would sleep peace
fully while the screen shadows which
were really Pickering shadows, then
achieved wild deeds and followed har-
mountains. down deep gorges and
across endless plains
Shakespeare at His Best
But the crowning tragedy of all
was when they put on Shakespearean
drama, condensed, with boy who was
intensely ignorant, actually engaged in
explaining the scenes as they were
| flashed on the screen! Imagine, They
| played 'Othello' and the boy couldn't
even pronounce the names such as
Desdemona and Iago. He would at
tempt to acqaaint the audiences with |
what the actors were supposed to be |
saying-as for example: I'go is say
in to Desdemony: | love .you!' or;
alone, etc.-yes, there were subtitles, |
but you see, even with these and the |
extravagant gesticulations and mug
ging,' they still feared the public |
wouldn't get what was meant
The pictures were then novelty
It was case Of seeing something
move-whether kangaroo or a man.
That was the thing-pictures that
moved. The story was almost entirely
lacking. So the great advance began
when they started producing real sto-
ries.'
Didn't Want Actors
''They didn't want actors in the early
days. supplemented James Neill, an
other noted actor. now frequently seen
in pictures, "at least not more than
the leading people. Anyone, would do
for the other parts"
They believed, you see, that it was .
easier to handle totally unframed per-
sons-iike puppets or marionettes,"
chimed in Roberts.
But that was proved fallacy.
very soon,' continued Neill. ut be :
gan to be evident that even minor parts
something about acting. because so !
much time was wasted that the saving !
IN salary was soon eaten up and also I
because the pictures suffered as re- !
suit of the uncouth movements and {
gestures. of the unskilled performers. !,
Start in Snow. Finish in Spring =
The funniest thing he went on
were the pictures. such as some of
those depicting General Washingtons
e1perience-1 recall the one which (
showed the battle of Valley Forge.
where the army started out in the
snow and fought the battle in the love
" sprihgtime. 1t was easy to make
one snow scene but to show a battle
field covered with snow was beyond
them in those days
Yes" interjected Roberts, "and the
!rmy consisted of four supers General
came out of the house to
meet his scouts and others because it
vas so much easier and cheaper to take
a scene out of doors than to build a
set representing an interior.
When | think of what the pictures
we're 10 years ago and compare them
With the pictures of today I can scarce
y believe that this progress is the
work Of but one decade
Sleeps Clock Around
Speaking of sleeping through
picture added Mr.. Roberts. smiling
'ver the reminiscence, II remember
'nce several years ago entering a pic
ure theater where comedy was being
'un off. I was arrested as I entered
he door by the gale of laughter which
lad just burst forth took my seat
md fell comfortably asleep: suddenly
gain came that wild burst of merr-
nent and I awoke and gazed at the
creen-it was the same scene and
lad slept through the entire program"
lady Godiva's $ Name