Fitzgerald leader enterprise and press. (Fitzgerald, Ben Hill County, Ga.) 1921-1964, 1922-02-16

great works of art better known
among the masses of the people. She
herself had got SO much real joy out
OF painting and music and sculpture
that she wanted others to know how
TO get the same joy. She went at 1t
from the same high-brow angle first.
Maybe that is why she did not sue
coed.
AS her money began to dwindle a
way, she tried hard to make ends
meet. She tried little posing for well
known artists. She even took chance
that came her way to play small parts
in three motion pictures out at the
Lasky, Long Island Studio. But
was no good she told me in her
honest, straightforward way.
In spite OF the encouragement OF
slim finances, she stuck to her idea of
making the works of art known to
the masses. But money got tighter and
tighrer until she had about made up
her mind TO quit and go back home.
And then came one of those ispir-
stlons you read about but don't often
have yourself. She had gone with
few friends to see Mae Murray in Con
with The Dance" And in the lighting
Of orc particular scene, came the self
illumination that she had been hoping
for
Why not use the M otion picture to
teach the masses about art? Why not
use the wonderful lighting effects that
have been developed in movies to get
people to appreciate the lighting and
the coloring that artists use? Why not
put into screen form some story about
a painting or statue or melody that
will get the fans sufficiently interested
to want to know more about the paint
ing or that statue or that melody?
Size went to her room and sat up all
night developing her plan. And the
next day she went to some of the ar
fists she had met in her studies, and
her posing and talked it over with
them. They liked it. They promised
they would help her if she could get
moving picture concern with nerve
enough to attempt something new.
So she hunted up Isaac Wolper who
produced "The Miracle Man. He
listened to her idea and admitted that
it sounded good. But it was risky fl
nancialIy. 1t meant the education of
the public up to new standards, and
the education of the public is mighty
expensive hobby. He asked her wheth-
err her artist friends would be willing
to form an advisory board to choose
the art work to be illustrated by each
picture and to consult constantly dur
ing production.
Miss Roger didn't know. Success
full artists are busy men, But she went
to all of them again and she was sur
prised to find that they thought the
whole idea so good that they agreed
to give their time without pay.
Then she got Lejaren a-Hiller for
art-director! She went to him because
he has long specialized in the use of
artlstically lighted photographs in his
magazine illustrations. And in this
way they got their company together
and Wolpcr, who knows movie men,
found the necessary money and they
started the production.
You've seen 9TH, Beggar Maid
That was their first 1t is a story based
upon Burne-Jones famous painting
which in turn, is illustrative of Tennv-
sons immortal poem. This first at
tempt has surprised them by its sue
cess So they have gone ahead now
on business lines, incorporated taken
a studio of their own and contracted
for at least II pictures a year. And
little Vera Roger has decided that
she needn't go back home a failure
after all. But she admits it was very
close shave.