Evening star., 1922-06-11
BL KARL X. KITCHEN,
//T'M afraid there's too much al

//YM afraid there's too much abou
Charlie Chaplin in the firs
chapter of my book" sail
Miss Pickford to me one chill
April afternoon at her studio. "Why
I thought you and Charlie were thu
closest friends" 1 protested "Yo,
can't have too much about Charlie-th,
public likes to read about him.
But did Charlie mention me in hi:
book" asked Mary.
"A score of times" 1 replied adding
Didn't you read his book"
NO. / haven't had time" Shit
answered. with such a mocking smile
that we both burst out laughing.
II wouldn't have thought anything
more about It If Charlie Chaplin hadn',
appeared on the scene a little later
As IS his custom. he wandered over tc
the Fairbanks-Pickford lot" after he
had finished his days work in his OWE
studio on LaBrea avenue. a few blocks
away. And with the diabolical inten-
ticn Of ST.rting the conversation abou,
himself 1 mentioned the fact that there
was quite bit about him in Mary Pick
ford's new book. Hollywood to Paris
soon to be published serially.
He smiled all over like a Cheshire cat
and took bow
"Mrs. Fairbanks Mary likes to be
called by her married name) is afraid
there is too much about you" I went
on with devilisn intent. For she
hadn't read your book and she doesn't
know what nice things you wrote about
her"
"Oh, was there something nice about
Mary in my book?' he asked in a sur
prised manner.
You don't mean to tell me that you
don't rems mber what you wrote about
Miss Plckford in your Trip Abroad "
How could l." he asked. adding with
smile, Il haven't even read it,
THIS double -barreied incident is
not aprocryphal. And it is typical
OF the life of the screen screams OF
this gelatin set. Charlie Chaplin may
have been exaggerating a little when he
said he hadn't even read his recently
published book. but I'm sure Miss Pick
ford hasn't read 1t and I'm equally sure
that Charlie will never read her book
The reason is very simple. Every
big star in Hollywood is so wrapped up
In his own affairs that ne or she has
no time for anything else. And, in
,dAitinO iS ~ ir,
the homes where the stars are able to
spell out the words
But if you look on life as Charlie
Chaplin does there is no occasion to
spend lot OF time reading books
which are simply the experience of other
%sople-their travels, their love affairs
or their philosophy. Charlie believes in
having the experience himself. He ad.
mits that it may cost a little mora but
it is a lot more satisfactory and, be-
sides, 1t saves ones eyes.
Consequently it is not surprising that
be allowed some one else to write his
autobiography. Bob Wagner, who has
written moro about the movies than
any other person in the country, re-
Gently finished it. But when Charlie
glanced it over he decided that it would
never do for publication, and so 1t re-
manned d secret memoir.
a Trip to Europe remains his only
literary effort up to date, and he con-
hded to me that the only reason he
was interested in its sale was the fact
that he gets a royalty of 10 cents copy
The bookstore in Hollywood sold 115
copies he told me, with considerable
hat a
That's not bad, Is it?''
And In a gelatine community in which
the telephone book Is the only book in
the average library, Charlie has good
reason for boasting.
But he does not take his illiterary
success seriously.
THERE has been more gun and non
sense written about Charles Spencer
|, Chaplin than any actor in the world
Highbrow critics who nave never seen
him, except In the act of throwing a
custard pie or sitting on hot stove
have hailed him the greatest histrionic
genius of this age and generation In
a recent appraisal of the great men OF
the world by ten of the alleged lead
ing critics OF America, Chaplin received
almost as many votes as Shakespeare
In fact, he was ranked between
Leonardo da vinci and Ludwig Won
Beethoven. On the other hand. certain
r.formers and muckrakers. like the
Rev. DR.. John Roach Stratton, have
characterized him as the lowest and
most vulgar importation from the Lon
s.n ynlIstc halls
Both views amuse Charlie immensely.
He laughs at the ridiculous adulation
q, highbrow. critics quite as much as
he does at mud singing of sensation
seeking clerygmen. He knows he doesn't
rank with Shakespeare just as he knows
that life in Hollywood is SO dull that he
couldn't be vicious or even wicked, il
hs tried.
His artistic ~ we'll a. his privats
esputation Ii just a. much exaggerated
~ his incomA
You hAys read how Charlie makes
q oeol million . year, a II the tempera-
aure q tha=moasE- -uaads any dinsrsnes
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