Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1922-03-24
THE MOVIE FANS LETTER.BOX
By HENRY NJ. NEELY

| Barthelmess. Mabel Normand was my
! first screen love and I'm not going to
go back on her. And I'm predicting
that Dick Barthelmess will nearly head
your list Of ''likes'' in another year. !
agree with all your likes, although I
would put Ethel Clayton, Alice Joyce
and Sessue Hayakawa in the list of
stars to whom I am completely in
different. l don't dislike them; neither
do like them.
DO you know--the, incest thing you
have said to me was that my answers
make you feel that I am really and
not merely a machine made answer
man. Why. then. do you doubt that
am a man? ! am-though the Lady
Who Goes to the Movies With Me says
this job isn't mans job. That's on
account Of the gushing girls letters.
you know. But l like to have them
write to me about their crushes on the
various screen idols. 1t at least shows
thing IN the world-enthusiasn, faith,
ardor. real human reaching out after
something beyond their immediate lives.
even IL that something doesn't strike
you and me as being particularly
worthy. ] don t print half the letters Of
this kind I get. Many Of them ask me
not to: they Just want to conkde in
some one and they choose me. And I'm
glad.
Your description of "Over the Hill"
Is pitifully inadequate. ] can't tell you
what I really thought Of 1t. This Is q
home newspaper Ind we can't print that
kind of language
j. s. A. writes: 81 was glad to see
that one of the fans gave good opin-
ion Of Joseph Schildkraut. was just
waiting for the fans to begin talking
about him, as he did splendid work in
Orphans Of the Storm and is very
suited to be a matinee idol.
'l'm pleased to know there are sew.
eral people who think Peter lbbetson'
was great. ] went mad over 1t, and
can say It is one Of the most artistic,
beautiful and well-acted pictures I've
ever seen.
"Wally Reid certainly can act when
he wants q. Why, I think there's no
one among the young actors who has
ever done the masterful acting he did
!, as Peter.
although think Reid and Valen-
tino are very fine and handsome, there's
, something very shocking about them,
and that is their makeup. / don't see
why they use so much paint. No other
actors do It, and let me tell you that
there are other handsome men on the
screen besides these two. but who are
not so spoiled and they don't use that
disgusting makeup.
Tf Wally and Rudie don't get more
} manly they will soon be repugnant even
to the girls who adore them now.
II don't know why We shouldn't t
! have at least decent matinee idol who
could be not only handsome but man.
ly and really great actor. My opin-
, ion is that Schildkraut will be the only
one in ane near future: that's why !
admire him so much. He is far above
all those idols OF the present day as
. to looks, acting and everything.
1T is true, of course. that he didn t
, have so much to do In the new Griffith
, picture, but what he did was his best.
and he showed with that more ability
than any other young screen actor has,
and also that he could do that much
acting and a lot more. too.
I'm anxious to see his next pic
ture and hope he will get the chance
,, to show what great actor he Is, as
know he is a second John Barry.
more on the stage.
From what I've read. you must
know Schildkraut very well. Please
: give me a short biography of him and
any recent news you may happen to
J know Of him
!, II don't know SchIldkraut well at all
? only met him once or twice He un :
doubtedly showed great promise iu
. "Orphans OF the Storm" but be is
, doing so we'll on the stage that I'm not
, sure we are likely to see him In pic
, lures for some time TO come. He is
/, twenty five years old and made one
other picture-an English screening OF
Oscar Wilde's picture OF Dorian
Grey" "Liliom' is his first acting
, role in America, though he has been
+. on the European stage most Of bis
, life. He is a son of the famous Schild
kraut who founded the Yiddish theatre
in New York and who introduced Ber
tina Kalsh and Nazimova to the Amer
can public.
I'm particularly glad to see the faul
coming in so strongly In favor OF
Peter Ibbetson." When l saw it
many months before II was released
its first showing for the Lasky Off
cials in New York. in fact said
cts far too fine to be commercially
successful. 1t looks like another Sen
timental Tommy fssco to me. And
. I'm mighty glad to sec that ] was
wrong. IT gives me the impression that
the fans do want really artistic pro,
ductions without the inevitable "bap'
\ py'' ending and the regular movie ho.
tan.2 S