Capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1919-1980, 1922-01-23
Starlight
BY the Noted Author
IDAH M'GLONE GIBSON

Between every SnOt IL beenleu y
me an army Of hairdressers came
to pin up the struggling locks on
the heads OF the extra girls. and
hardly had they moved away be-
fore more locks were jostled out ol
place by the multitude Of people
who were fastening to get or re.
turn with some article that Mr.
DeYore thought that he might
need.
1t was nerve-racking ordeal.
Anyone who tells you that the
movie tctress' life, whether she be
a star, is an easy way to fame and
fortune knows nothing about 1t.
That day on the DeVore stage l
saw those two woman stars work
under stream of command,
poured out like ammunition from
a machine gun, until 1t seemed to
me they must fall from sheer fa-
tigue.
The human equation of any one
On that lot was nil. Every one of
Us might have been carven piece
lpon a chessboard. Kings and
queens, knights and ladies, bish-
,ps and pawns were played as
.hough before him. DeVore vi
'ioned as his adversary the innu-
nerable audiences in the world Is
.heatres who would use this pic
,ure. 1t mattered not that to us
lis moves were unintelligible. He
tnew that in the end the game
would be his, and 1t was but our
hare to stand where we were
placed and move at his command.
For the first time / realized that
moving picture production was a
usiness. hard and cold and mathe-
natically exact. There are always
hose In 1t content to remain as
'xtra people, and these are of the
anne class Of those in business
Who are satisfied to hold the minor
in department stores and
1t Is a job, and a job means the
'read and butter in their lives.
1t is a necessary evil.
Others with greater ambition
yill work early and late, think and
'cheme after hours to find ways
md means of stepping up another
'ung. These people In moving
'ictures become leading men, or
women stars, directors, are direc-
ors, producers. They are the kind
Il men and women that in any
'ther walk Of life would become
amous as writers, as painters. as
musicians, or known in the COM
nercial world as great financiers
n business men.
1t takes the same determination.
he same hard work, to be a great
Irtist that 1t does to be a captain
u industry. In fact, it is harder
or the artist to succeed, because
II his temperamental impediment
II dreaming dreams instead of
them come true, than it is
or the hard-headed business man
% materialize the vision which
,ften evades and eludes his more
PRACTICAL mind.
When everyone was tired to a
,oint OF that utter let-down which
'omes when your nerves have been
,ulled taut to the breaking point
or hours we were made to go
through the ballroom scene again!
AT its end DeVore took out his
watch and said something to one
If his assistants. There was an al
most audible sigh of relief, but
ike soldiers we still stood at at
ention
THAT will do for today, ladies
md gentlemen. Be on the set
nade-up tomorrow at g." and De-
Vore turned to talk to his contin-
lity writer.
There was a scrambling and
for the dressing room. l
lad become rather callous to make
up by this time, SO that l just
ioftened 1t q little by adding
little rouge and rubbing it all over
with clean powder puff. / was
90 tired to care how looked on
he car. Indeed, 1t seemed to me
hat never could stand a week
II such gruelling attention and
.errific effort that l had given
.oday.
Hastily slipping on my blue
'erge skirt, l buttoned up my
,oat over 1t, pinned a veil over my
ACE. and started for Hollywood
Blvd.
As got under the light at the
'irst street corner a car purred
ip beside me and stopped sud
lenly.
MAY l take you home, Miss
Ninston?''
| was all atremble for an in
'tant, and although l knew I
answered by an upward glance OF
oyous recognition. could not
peak.
He opened the door and helped
ne up beside him at the wheel of
he luxurious roadster.
isn't 1t lucky for me, Mr..
'tratton." | found voice to say.
that you were passing just now.
was hurrying for a car-and