Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1922-04-02
Il Chat With the Gish Sisters.

out row that it is over, hut very
happy over the success of the film,
both here and abroad.
Lillian gave an interesting account
of her Impressions during the tense
| moments that shs was strapped 10
the guillotine, IN the thrilling climax
| Of the drama.
1T was a terrible sensation" she
began. The knife was q real one,
and 1t weighed fifty pounds; the
straps hurt my arms, and that board
] was tied to was hard. You read in
| novels of the French revolution that
people went bravely to their deaths.
calm and serene. but when I walked
up those scaffold steps and looked
at the glistening knife-blade poised.
ready to drop, L knew no one could
have faced such an execution with
out being absolutely terrorstricken.
1t simply wouldn't have been posi-
BILE unless they had been drugged
into a state of semi-consciousness.
ITO return to pleasanter subject,
she continued, Il had the privilege OF
| taking David Belasco to see Orphans
of the Storm" in New York. He has
seen only four moving pictures in
his life. The Birth of a Nation Way
Down East and one other. But do
you know, he told me as We were
leaving the theater that he was mo-
vie-mad.'
You have the entire world to
work with he said. whereas | am
confined to a few narrow feet of
stage
Incidentally, it is interesting TO
know that Lillian was under Mr..
| Belasco's management before she
went into films. Both sisters were
were four years old. playing child
parts in the old melodramas SO popu-
lar at that time. Then they began
acting for the camera, while the new
art of film making was in Its first
stages of development No actresses
over eighteen were considered then,
Lillian said, because the harsh. crude
lighting effects made them look too
old. Practically all the feminine
screen stars OF that time were LITTLE
more than children. their ages rang
ing from fourteen to sixteen years.
Pictures of Mary Pickford, taken ten
years ago, she continued. made her
appear much older than she does in
her films of today.
As for the future, Dorothy and
Lillian are quite undecided. Dorothy's
husband. James Rennie. Lillian laugh
ingly confded. is trying TO lure her
to the legitimate stage.
Would you act opposite him?" the
writer asked.
"oh. no." was Dorothy's reply. with
a decisive shake Of the head.
But you played with him in one
picture. why don't you do some more
film together"
That was before we were married"
came the rejoinder. It's different
now. Business and the home shouldn't
be mixed" This in a most positive
tone.
Besides he doesn't care much for
film making, she continued. Hes
going to appear soon in a new play
with Frances Starr, under Mr.. Belas-
cos direction"
The subject naturally drifted TO
marriages in the world Of film folk.
when You go through the list II is
A bit discouraging." Lillian said, but
l think there are really many THEATRE
cal people who are happily married
The ones who aren't, get the public-
ity, however, so attention is attract"
ed to them. rather than to those who +
are leading quiet. happy lives togeth-t
er. Jim and Dorothy. every time
they hear about a couple who have
been happily married for long time,
rush nladly. in to tell mother about it.
Really, it's too funny
There was just one more point of
especial interest during the inter-.
view. the girls visit to the White
House.
of course. We were thrilled" they
chorused. and Dorothy was so excite
ed she couldn't eat all morning" Liz
Ian continued. And then We were
SO overwhelmed at being invited to
luncheon. 1t was simply all too WON
derful to be true,
First We were ushered into a room
where We waited awhile, and then we
were passed on to another where the
President was receiving. From where
we were sitting We could watch the
people as they came UP and were in
troduced to Mr. Harding. and really
II was wonderful lesson in acting to
watch the expressions on their faces.
Every one was SO fused and excited.
and one lady. after shaking hands.
with the President became so con-
fused that she grabbed the hand of
the secret service man standing by
him and shook that. too. Naturally,
he was amazed. and she. realizing her
mistake. almost ran from the room
Later. Mrs Harding took US alE
over the White House" Lillian con-
tinued. and, of course. il was fascin-;
ating to us to inspect the various.
rooms. We were especially INTEREST,"
ed in the one that Abraham Lincoln,
occupied. The bed. which had been
made to order for him, was six feet
seven inches in length, and goodness
knows how wide. Imagine"
Just then the phone rang again,
and there was another knock at the
door. and SO the writer left them in
their garden of fresh-cut flowers
placid and imperturbed amid the flu.
ror of excitement their visit had cre-s
ated. ELENORE DE WITT EBY. !
2