Evening star., 1924-02-20
Continued from Yesterdays Starr

I after I started work with him.,
though, / had no idea how far he'd
go-not at the very first. But when
we came to rehearsing the tango,
"Rudy" did so we'll that ! made up
my mind to expand this phase OF the
story. / did this by means or
sequence in a Universal picture l had
made several wears before. The
sequence showed an adventurous
youth going into a Bowery dive and
taking the dancer after he had first
ioored her paTsnsr Times this ae1ion nn t to
South America-yrt only Il few or my
wise Universal friends recognized 1t.
This hit "f acting not in the book
gave Valentino Il chance Tor one or
: hearsrd 1t very carefully fer three
days right on the set, and think the
result showed it,.
At this point in the directors story
asked him if he thought. as so
many people do. that Valentino was
a were flash in the pan.
"By 10 means" rejoined he prompt
Iy: hes very ambitious and earnest
and if he doesn't take what the tans
say too seriously he will live long
time as a picture idol-provided OF
course. that he is kept in good stories
and has a capable director.
Here at this point l can not re.
frain from quoting the most FAMOUS
OF directors on lile Su'!eS' ,n;f
present day idol. In talking to t'ri1-
nth one day asked him What he
thought of Valentino
Il declare don't know" he re
piled; "all the time | was iookln.
at him in THE Four Hocsemen' ] kept
asking myself, is this fellow really
acting or is he so perfectly the type
that he doesn't need to act?
The existing Impression that TINS
famous novel afforded Valentino his
in ictn
Not only had the young Latin WORKED
with Holubar, as Ingram mentioned
but he had been cast with Mae hul :
ray by Bobby Leonard. And, OIL
perience as an extra. HAD II no,
been. however, for Rex Ingram ana
for the naturalization of story SO
exactly adapted to his type. valentino
might still he standing around IN the
lobby of some Hollywood hotel-one
of the thousands of young men anu
women whose hearts are suffocating
With that one cry. THE chance.:: II
only they'd give me the chance.
"Hail. Car of Hollywood! thus
.ome woman addressed Charlie Chap
oh, no" smiled Charlie. that no
longer. Valentino is the present
ruler" And then he Went on to fIa! Say:
"T like the fellow. you know. lie
cot a lot of color and charm. ] went
around to see him the other day and
It Just delighted me to see him step
ping about on his thick: beautitui
rugs among. his gorgeous brlc-a- a-nrac pa.
aud his incense burners. IheS
seemed to suit him. YOU know, anu ne
was SO pleased with all his ne"
. spiendor-just like a child"
There is Chaplin .l rfnI f1r yGuIaa%aiSs ,ha nicS
torial. the thing which sets his
inlagina ton going.
In limo with Charles approval
come the words of another man |
know. a man we'll read. cultured and
charmine, ANY one who thinks VAL
entinu is an illiterate Young for-
eigncr with handsome face and
talent for d9ncing is mistaken so
protest this witness. lknoW nlHi
we'll and am always interesteu III
his comments on life and work:
You've got 20 remember that Rudy
doesn't come from the lower ciasses
m Italy. His; father was a scientist
and his family connections are Win
professional people.
.rThe Four Iorsemen' carried not
only Valentino high into the cther OF
ropular success. Although Rex IN
cram had made successful pictures
before this, he had never so thor-
oughIy demoustrate ted his capacity Tor
that difficult union of finely knit mar
ratlve and sweep of vision as dih ne
I'm Jbanez's masterpiece. TO my m'hd
+he skill with which the personal
element is presented against the back
GROUND Of great epic disaster places
ingram in the very foremost rank OF
screen directors. AS for Alice Ferry
her role Of the wife in the story at
Corded her the first satisfactory ave
nue for that exquisite something
which differentiates her.
The story of Alice Terry has the same
rairy-tale quality as Naieutino's own
T.illc him, She had worked hard as
~. extra for many years, and the
?ard work had resulted in little
r.acognition However, discouraEing
rs had been her experience, 1T was
= not without results. For Rex ingram
happened to see her IN New horh
teens. she played with Bessie Barris-
Gale in Not My Little Sister. The
promise which she gave impressed
The Young director almost inmedi-
New York to the coast he welcomed
the fact that she, too, had shifted
from cast to west. Had it not been
for the war. in fact. Alice Terry
would probably have been his lead
ing lady some years before.
When ingram on his return from
overseas service finally located the
fob which put q roof once more over
his head and civilian clothes again
'Ipon his back. he was to resume MS
-.light acquaintance with Miss Terry.
For she came to his Office then and
.ipplied for position as script girl.
.hc functiouary who, working on the
ett, chalks off the scenes as they
arc made aud notes the new ones
"NtcmporiSed.
lie looked at her in amaZement.
"yhat," cried he. you don't mean to
cay that you've given un acting, do
~ou""
She looked at him somewhat sadly.
"oh, dear, yes" she replied. 81 did
hat some time ago. 1t was too dis
"ouraging-T wasn't getting any place
YOU see. No matter how hard !
worked nothing seemed to come of
t. AES of course being an extra
or getting some bit now and then
doesn't keep you. SO 1 decided I'd
Just get a regular job.
And what have YOU been doing
since" inquired Ingram.
"I've been working in the cutting
room.' replied she, land that was fine
Il mean it was fine-inowing just
what you We're going to get each
week. But the ether commenced to
get into my lungs and that's why
I'm looking around for something
Use"
Ingram promised to give her the
desired position in the picture fol-
lowing Shore Acres" However.
something changed his plan and in
stead he cast her for wild and
Hearts and Trumps." To his sur
prise she seemed Ioath to accept this
chance of returning to the screen.
'Oh, no, ! don't want to try-I've
given it all up, you see." she kept
protesting in way that showed
how completely previous discourage
ments had shattered her self-confi-
dence.
But he finally succeeded in over
coming her fears, and since then
she has been his leading woman in
every story except "Trifiing Women"
It was not. however, until the ap-
pearance of 1.-THE Four Horsemen"
that Alice Terry, the girl who. heart
sick from her discouragements on the