The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1922-01-29
SAYS ALL BOYS ARE
IDOL WORSHIPERS
Entertaining Interview With Douglas
Fairbanks That Will Interest
the Boys.

All boys, according to Douglas Fair
banks. are idol worshippers. They seek
to follow the footsteps OF those who
make history because they love the
spectacular and the man who excels.
All OF which makes the world progress.
No youngster can establish ideals to
shoot at too early IN life. And If he's
well supplied with ambition he'll hit
any mark he aims at.
Like the average American KID"
said Doug. Il cherished an idol. In fact,
L Joined the juvenile league of idol
worshippers very early. In picking my
hero / was influenced, as most young
sters are, by environment and associa-
tons. Ny dad, n practicing attorney In
Denver, Colo, was a very close friend
Of Edwin Booth, the celebrated
Shakesperean actor. Many were the
letters that passed between Booth and
my father. and whenever the famous
actor came to Denver he was always a
guest at our home. He would discuss
his plays with my dad, often accepting
suggestions meant for their improve
that Edwin Booth should become my
idol?"
This early association, coupled with
tho training Fairbanks received as a
boy, welded a great Influence on his
life. His father wanted him to study
law; his mother, on the other hand.
wanted him to become an actor. So to
please them he became both.
AS a lawyer" said the star. IT was
a very good sailor with an ambition to
become a tramp. You know there have
been successful tramps-not the mere
lazy indolent buns that burden society,
but the sort of tramps who care not
the least for material things but who
develop and broaden in bigness OF
soul; whose mental faculties are
sharpened by the exercise they get in
observation who build for themselves
through the physical exertion of long
jaunts, bodies as hard as tempered
steel
but we were talking of idols" he
said suddenly, coming back to the sub
ject in hand with a mental jump as
abrupt as any that we see manifested
physically in his films. Let us go
back" he went on, 'fo early associa-
ttions. Not only did l learn much of
Booth; other great actors OF the gener-
alton just passed, left their impress on
my memory--Richard Mansfield, Stu
art Robson, William Crane. in fact
saw much of every great actor of that
day. But through it all Booth remained
my idol"
In addition to studying law, Mr..
Fairbanks mother saw to 1t that he
also received a very thorough dramatic
training, and II was this that laid the
foundation for the work he followed as
a life calling. II studied all of Shakes
peare's plays" said Doug, learning by
heart practically everything he wrote.
And I never missed an opportunity to
see Booth. My dream, of course, was to
a Shakespearian actor and appear in
classic plays. AS a matter of fact my
first stage appearance was In Bulwer-
Lytton's great play 'Richlieu.'
Douglas Fairbanks has been ac-
cused OF commercializing the smile.
To some this may have been tiresome.
Critics frequently said, why doesn't
he act instead OF GRIM" The answer
perhaps is to watch his work in '"The
Three Musketeers,, scheduled for a
three day run at the isis. Doug says
he hopes this film will prove that it
pays to be an idol worshipper.