The Omaha morning bee., 1924-02-28
CHAPTER NINETEEN.
The Two Talmadges.

accompanied Sehenek to the
Rivola to see "A his fiancee on the
screen, and l was very forcib1y strucl;
with the beauty and talent OF Miss
Norma Talmadge.
Every lovely--very gifted was my
verdict as we left the theater.
Isn't she. thought" he responded
eagerly. Il tell you that girl IL
bound to go far He hesitated fol
moment, and then turning TOWARD
me abruptly he asked. How about II
Sam? Wouldn't you like to have her
for your company? She'd come with
you for thousand a week"
l shook my head. I'm sorry, Joe,
/ replied, but you know what the
situation is. It's the big name that
counts nowadays, and Miss Talmadge
beautiful and talented as she is
hasn't enough fame sor a man. try
ing to put over a new company. But
why don't you try Zukor? He's bet
ter established and could afford tc
take a chance"
NO" answered he, Il might a.
well tell you that he's turned her
down already"
This dialogue was destined to be ar
Illuminating comment upon both my
competitor and myself In refusing
to heed the knock of opportunity we
| both lost many thousands of dollars
Indeed. I might as well admit here
In these annals of life so crowded
with errors of judgment. that in my
| case opportunity was 1enient. Once
again. year or so after this episode
she again knocked at my door. Ant
once again ] was deaf to the golden
visitor.
On this second occasion Schenck
who had in the meanwhile married
Miss Talmadge. came to me with a
proposition.
SAM" announced he. i've started
producing Norma's Apictures and OF
course / realize that I'm not sc
awfully experienced. Now. what
want to know, is this: Won't you LEI
her work over in your studio and
get the benefit of your advice? II
you do I'll give you 25 per cent OF
the receipts of her pictures.
| hesitated for n moment and then
told him l didn't see my way clear
to any ouch arrangement. / was toe
busy. I explained, TO give her the at
tention meriting any such returns
Nowadays In looking down the long
road over which l have come ] often
pause at this point. For / realize
today that had / accepted this Offer
should have made enough to bal
ance many costly experiments.
The realization of my blunder came
to me not long afterward when i was
dining with Schenck at his home
| After dinner we sat talking together
In the living room. and II must have
been almost midnight when the door
was flung open and Miss Talmadge
stood before us. Her eyes were shin.
Ing with excitement; the cheeks above
the full collar OF her gorgeous eve.
ming wrap were the color of n
Jacqueminot rose. Never in all my
lie have i seen a more vivid ap.
partition OF beautiful, victorious youth
There was only second for me
to record that impression, for Miss
Talmadge just hcsitated there on the
threshold, and then with a tumutuous
gesture she threw herself into her
husbands arms.
"Oh, Daddy" she cried, clinging Ia
him and looking up into his eyes.e"I
could hardly wait until ! got home
to tell you! They all said I drew
| bigger crowds than Clara Kmball
Young. Think of it oh. isn't Il
just too wonderful! I'm the happlest
girl in the world"
had heard from Joe previously
that his wife was making personal
appearances that evening at the Loew
theaters: but was certainly as I'M
prepared for tho result as was the
heroine OF the incident herself. Fol
in those days the beautiful Clara
l<imball Young was one OF the most
popular women on the screen. and the
announcement that she was going tc
make personal appearance at any
New York theater was almost equiva.
lent to calling out the police reserves