The New York herald., 1922-03-26

tDat ne II an 6s8lDLauI caStlng olrector.
The girl says that she wi--es to be an
actress. She passes over one of the photo
graphs. The young man rattles off a list
of questions and writes the answers on a
card. He records her age, weight height,
color, wardrobe, type, experience and other
personal details. Accoi : lg to the card
which goes into filing cabinet her tyne
is school GIRL" her experience none" and
her wardrobe modern" she having told
the man that she had brought from home
several frocks, including an evening gown
That's ALL" the man SAYS. 1--WE have
your telephone number. II we need Won
we'll call you. No use hanging around"
AND what am to do when called?" she
says. "Extra-mob stuff" he answers
Then, It being slow day and assistant
directors not always curmudgeons as
painted, he takes time to ask her IL sbe
mas also registered at the Service Rureau
one learns that this is an employment
agency, operated by the Motion pictura
Producers Association in Los Angeles for
she purpose of effecting economy tbrouob
centraiization and also of wedding out su.
pernuous and undesirable extras. Later
sne nnds out more about the armv NJ ex.
tras In whose ranks (if she is so fortunate
as to be called) she must grub tow.ra
stardom
AL nrst," a wise man of Hollywood tells
her, they were mostly hysterica1 k;as
rushing out to Hollywood to iumn in an.
make big splash. Now they are prettv
much shaken down to hard boiled nersors
looking for work. They used to flock
around the studios to loll chew eum rood
the movie magazines and talk big. Thew
.,u'.ereo tne streets and didn't add any
'hihs 10 the reputation of the town in the
eyes Oh tnose who wish it well. Now thew
are all card indexed and most of them stay
ae nome beside the telephone, so as not To
Hiss CALL That is why you see so few
movie people outside the studios DURING
the day. They are either on the lot. ont
on location or in their homes.
How 1t Is Worked
With Card System
foure registered as a school girl tyne
wen, IL director who is shooting on the
lou wants twenty-five school girls to floss
up something he's doing he sends word to
tne casting director; the casting directors
assistant grabs twenty-five school girl
caros from his card index and works the
phone until he gets the right number. Or
ne phones the Service Bureau in Los An
geies: Have twenty-five school girls, swell
dressers, here by II o'clock Some of the
studios work 1t one way, some the other.
There are also half dozen private .er.
changes or employment bureaus for ex
tras. Many girls on piece work in fac
tories are on the extra list. When lot of
people are wanted for some big spectacle
they get into the mobs and make their S.
or $3.50 day. Ordinary mob stuff pays
30. Then again mere atmosphere may be
wanted, That may bring in crowd with
out any experience or movie ambition at
ala lot OF farmers right off the ranch,
for instance to piece out street scene in
rural drama. or lynching scene, or may
be bunch Of Chinese from Los Angeles to
swell the mob in Boxer rebellion. This
pays SO day. The farmers get a lot of
fun out OF coming to the studios occasion
ally and pretending they're actors.
The extras-on the legitimate stage
they're called supers-have to be on the
lot by half past in the morning the
same as the actors, for shooting starts at
9. If there's no rush to get the pro-
duction done, they're through at o'clock,
but IL there's rush, as there often Is.
they may have to stick around late at
night. or even all night
IT'S hard work, and irregular work un-
certain as to money return usually get
ting you nowhere except a certain stand
Ing as dependable extra. I've seen many
one start with flourish in the morning
and quit for good the first night, especially
when the company goes into the country
on location. At such times the discipline
of the big studios is so strict that all the
extras have to sit in their rubberneck
wagons until called. They may sit there
all day in the cold and rain There are
interminable, wearisome waits.
And the worst OF II for the screen
struck youngsters is that they may never
catch even glimpse except at distance
Of the worshiped stars. Often the stars
do not figure in the mob stuff at all; they
may be miles away while the sequence is
being shot And at the studios the extras
can't wander whittier they list they are
herded In one place, and no stars are In
that place.
Fate of the Winner