The Washington times., 1922-04-23

discovery or new actors. This has
been particularly noticeable during
the season now ending. Some Of
our stars are so restricted. % lack
ing in all versatility. and SO small
that the art Of placing them
amidst even smaller people hns
really been quite remarkable.
THEN there IL another. possible
= reason why new stars have
failed to materialize. Look at the
plays that have been marketed Of
late. Study them ana ask your
selves II they gave tho slightest
opportunities to people with any
aspirations. told you last week
about the quality Of this seasons
plays and I have little to add
to those remarks. But GER
tainly there have been very few
plays lately presented that offered
any chances to . now brew Of
actorsL I could repeat the list Of
''impossdbles" that I gave last
week. but that II not necessary.
II good plays make good actors
and the question 10 frequently dis
cussed- what about bad plays!
Bad plays should not sQuelch good
actors. and perhaps they do not.
but It IL very difficult to Judge the
work Of good actors in bad plays.
Critics can do It, Of course. but To
the public 1t Is very hard. and
even tho managers are nonplussed.
What new stars could have
emerged this season from the
stock Of ridiculous plays oven II
there had been a disposition on the
part of managers to boom new
talent7 Name the plays that savo
tho unstarred actors tho least
chance. Perhaps you could count
them on the fingers of one hand.
The plays have been SO parti-
cularly vapid and inconsequential
that actors have been unable to
distinguish themselves. As for tho
old actors, who used to make
good in days gone by, they would
sniff contemptuously at the mere
idea of accomplishing anything in
tho output Of the last season.
WE could certainly do with =
" few REAL stars-actors who
dominate. actors who positively ir-
radiate the parts they play. actors
who are not starred fer tho sake
Of the trademark necessary for an
ungrateful road" actors who
would shine in any organization.
I venture to say that there are
many actors at present not star
red, but usually engaged to sur
round mushroom luminaries. who
could readily be pinnacled. We
have a number Of extremely fine
actors and actresses. They play
leads" and they are expensive,
and they are in demand as filters"
They could be. and they should be,
starred in preference to the many
diminutive people whose names
are electric.lighted in the city's
highways and byways.
There are actors today cast for
small parts who know their busi-
ness from A to y; who are ambiti-
Gus. experienced. energetic. intel
ligent and genuine. They are real
ly born stars, but their fate COM
rels them to appear with the made
stars. There is a vast difference
between the born and the made
stars. We seldom see the former
and we get an overdose Of the
latter. Bad plays have obscured
the born star and emphasized the
made star. 1t Is rather an un-
fortunate condition Of things.
Whilst It would never be possi-
tle to do away with stars entirely
the great actor will brook no sub
terfuges-it wouldn't be such
dreadful thing IL more than half
OF our stars dropped out of the
Ornament. Perhaps the new sea-
son will arrange things. Be opti-
misuc!