Evening star., 1923-08-26
ny HALLETT ABEND.
Snecial CorrespOndenre of The star.


LOS ANGELES, August 23.-Photo-
play fans the country over. who will
soon be seeing Merry Co Round" will
bp marveling as | have marveled over
the work Of Mary Philbin. the little
eighteen -year-old star who got into pic
ttire work by the accident of winning
newspaper beauty contest in Chicago
and who was never heard of before by
tilmdom.
MARY doesn't know what ii is all
about" said stupid mutual acquaint-
ance 20 me when discussing her work
in Merry Go Round" But | disagree
violently with that statement. Miss Phil
bin, who was only seventeen when
Merry Go Round was made. is still a
Shy young girl who does not know how
to talk about the things that mean most
in life. but be very sure that she does
know what il is all a about.'
A few nights ago Miss Phlbin and
made up one couple of a quartet who
motored out to an inn on the Palisades
at Santa Monica to dine and dance. At
first could get no copy out of her. but
as the evening progressed she talked.
shyly at first and later with more conf
lenCe.
She was becomingly dressed in girl
ish evening gown, quite short And she
Years her hair hanging down her back.
She does not drink even mild high
ball and she does not smoke, but she is
not prude and makes no protest. even
mental one. when other women in her
party do these things. In spite of this
llberality she has her prejudices. She is
q great reader, find. but to her Arnold
BENEFITS THE Pretty Lady" was rel
volting work. She says frankly that she
thinks it should never have been written
and that it should not be permitted 10
hospital scene in Merry Co Round"
lnGongrous isn't it. and yet charming in
girl of her age.
One year and four months ago Miss
Philbin was signed for a three-year
contract by Universal for-well, less
than 500 per week. She is still getting
that and her contract has one year and
eight months to run. Universal will
probably make an adjustment, for now.
of course, her services are worth many
times what her contract calls for.
She sticks by Bargain.
I'm contented, though" she said
chance and what 1 know I've learned
there. l shall serve out my contract
without complaint"
This little slip of girl-she weighs
only ninety pounds--is very beauti-
ful to look at, but no one save a
genius like Erich Won Stroheim, who
chose her for the part in Merry Co
btlities for emotional acting.
About six weeks ago, for instance.
she was loaned to the Fox Company
for an important part in The Temple
were already busy at San Clemente
island. about fifty miles from here.
and Miss Philbin was sent across the
channel
When the boat landed the little
star. who had been seasick for the
whole crossing, went shakily ashore.
Her hair was wet with spray. She
was pale and there were deep green
shadows under her eyes because of
the seasickness. The director took
one look at her and asked her name.
Mary Philbin" meant nothing to me.
What have you done and how long
have you been in pictures?"
"Oh. "A few small things for Cniver-
sal, and I've been in pictures little
more than a year
The director was polite. told Miss
the beach until the next day, and
went away muttering to himself
about casting director who would
send an unknown amateur for big
part. He decided grimly to try her
out for one day and then ship her
back to the mainland
But the next day when she was be-
ing tried out she amazed the director
and the entire company. After hours
Of work with her the director spent
additional hours in his tent expand
ing her part until in the end it was
the most prominent woman'S part in
the whole picture.
Mary PickfOrd I'm Shakespeare.
Considerable surprise has been oc-
casioned here by the formal an
nouncement that Mary Pickford will
make Romeo and Juliet" as soon as
she completes Dorothy Vernon of
Haddon Hall" Work will be begun
upon the latter in week or two.
with Alan Forrest, Lottie Pickford' s
husband. in the male lead role.
The Pickford announcement about
Romeo and Juliet" has caused a stir,
because less than a month ago Jo-
seph NJ. Schenck announced that in
March, when Joseph Schildkraut re-
turns from New York, he intends to
make a production of Romeo and
Juliet" with Norma Talmadge and Mr.
Schildkraut in the title parts Specu-
lation is now rife whether both will