Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-01-17
Hollywood Then--and Now.

"WHEN the soldiers marched out
of the house the ground was
covered with snow" said Theodore
Roberts. But the battle was fought
on a sunlit field carpeted with flowers.
Ihat picture in 1914 remains dis
tinct In my memory. 1t was not a
paramount production. But 1t brings
me to the subject of how important a
part the weather played in the MAX
ing or screen plays years ago. They
shot the scenes on different days and
the weather played them false. The
army was composed Of so soldiers and
four cannons. To make the array i'm
posing the soldiers would reach the
end of the camera line and then rush
back to start all over again"
The Grand Old Man of the Movies
gently tapped the ashes from the tip
of his ever-present cigar and con-
tlnued his "Reminiscences.
The old LaSky studio-a single
frame building still standing at the
corner OF Vine and Selma-had a
hundred foot stage with no roof. This
was to admit sunlight. When it
rained there was no filming. Each
morning at breakfast my wife and I
would hold a discussion about the
weather. She was working extra for
So a day"
Sitting on the sun porch Of his spa
cious home on the hill that crowns
North Vine street. Daddy" Roberts
discoursed on the most interesting
chapter in the stages of the screen
brought to mind by the twelfth ami
versary of the founding of the Lasky
studio in Hollywood. The Metropoli-
tan Theater in Los Angeles recently
staged a brilliant celebration of the
anniversary and paid honor to Jesse
l.. Lasky for his monumental efforts
In behalf of the film art. Theodore
Roberts was there. In fact, II was he
who introduced the honor guest as
the climax to n series of introductions
of two score Paramount players,
executives and directors.
The corner stone building of the
Lasky studio" continued Mr.. Roberts,
stood near a lemon grove" Back
of that was a field where horses
graZed. Vine street was a muddy
country road. The studio offices and
laboratory were housed in a stable
which Is still a part OF the present
studio and is used as a shipping room.
quarters We're so crowded that
Dustin F'arnum. Robert Edison and
myself We're forced TO share one dress
ing room. Finally I bought a portable
garage and used il for a dressing
To place and sometimes IL was hard
10 tind-sheltered away in some part
of the lemon grove. ! have It yet in
my back yard and use it for tool
house.
Jesse l.. I.asky. Cecil b. de Mile
and Samuel GOODWIN were associated
together in the first studio. Mr. De
Mile and Oscar APPEL were the direc-
tors. Jennie Mcpherson and Steward
Edward White. the noted writer used
TO write the scenes at night that were
TO be filmed the following day. Pic
lures were made foot by foot at that
time. The first picture made was The
Nirginian,' and the second The
Squaw Man Dustin Farnum was
the star and Winifred Kingston,
whom he later married, was leading
lady. Ny first screen appearance was
in the third production, The Call of
the North adapted from Stewart
Edward Whites story, The Conturer'
House Robert Edeson played the
lead and portrayed the Scotch factor
of Hudson Bay trading post. heavy
role. Mr.. De Mile directed these first
three productions.
II had come to Los Angeles on the
Orpheum circuit in a vaudeville play
called The Sheriff of Shasta and was
dickering with an Australian circuit
for the following season. This was in
March, 1914. In June / made an
agreement to play In films and looked
upon the new industry as retiring
place for brokendown actors. The
screen had no dignity at that time and
with me the venture was an expert
ment, although l will say that ! had
a shrCwd suspicion of an artistic
future for the films and was keen TO
try my hand at IL.
Lighting facilities We're very poor.
Sunlight was an absolute necessity.
Night filming was not made possible
until two or three years later. A
spotlight provided the only artificial
illumination. and we used refectors
of aluminium and white cloth. The
first semblance of a roof for the stage
was the stretching OF white cloth on
wires TO give a more subdued effect.
"Most filming then was accom-
plished on outdoor locations. Because
Of this when a scene called for a man
to be arrested they took the Judge to