Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-03-20

buckle plans a comeback in
the movies via the herman
producers has caused little
futter among the fans. The large
comedian, who once had a large toll
lowing in the photoplay theaters OF
America, has been as dead as the
provcrbial doornail for several years
at least, as far as the cash custom
ers are concerned, and he is stepping
rough road when he plans to re-
establish himself as a star OF move
dom. The large and glorious pro-
cession-the pageant of the photo
play--has passed Arbuckle. and no
matter how fast he travels, he will
be unable to find his old place on
the bandwagon He has followed a
minor role as a director. but his
craving for the kleig lights and the
spotlight of popularity has resulted
in his decision to make another at
tempt under the direction of Presi-
dent Hindenburg's subjects. He has
been barred from participating III
American films as an actor, and even
in the pictures he has directed on
the West Coast his name has not
appeared among the blurbS suffered
a the prologue of each film story.
Arbuckle may be a hit in Germany,
Poland, Lithuania and the far Arctic
regions. but he will never regain his
place with the American public,
even though the German producers
plan to show his pictures i'll this
country.
Larry Semon, another comedian
who was favoritc several years
ago IN the slap-stick brand Of come
dies, also plans comeback as an
actor. lie has been writing scena-
rios and directing on the West Coast.
1t may be that the success of Har-
old Lloyd and Harry Langdon has
Influenced the old-timers in their de
cisions 10 share some OF the honorS
and the spoils.
"OLD IRoNsIDEs," What Price
~ Glory?" Don Juan" The Fire
Brigade" The Better Ole and
THE Big Parade" continue to make
long-run records in New York. And
three other pictures are TO be added
TO the list-"When a Man Loves"
with John Barrymore and Dolores
Costello;' Stark Love" and Herbert
Brenon's production of Beau
Geste," which had quite a run here
i'll Washington. Other new pictures
have not met with special approval
from the New York audiences.
* x
A CERTAIN amount of delving
into the records OF the photo
play. its stars and its featured play
ers, shows that six years is the aver
age film life of the motion picture
star. During these half-dozen years
star goes from obscurity through
the trials and tribulations of a bud
ding actor or actress. Then on to
stardom, and his or her face becomes
familiar TO the thousands. After a
time the peak of popularity is
reached; the public is tickle, demand
ing new faces, and the star grad
ually goes back to the obscurity
from which he or she hailed. There
are, of course, exceptions to this
rule, but they are few and quite tar
between.
Old-time movie fans may recall
Lillian Walker, Florence Turner,
Flora Finch and Maurice Costello
These have gone the way of most
stars, and following them came the
screens first real vampire, Theda
Bara. Her popularity waxed and
waned within only a few years.
Anita Stewart and Earle Williams,
often playing together, came over
rhe horizon, but very little is heard
OF them today Francis X. Bushman
had his share of the iimelight, and
now he is making an effort to re-
establish himself Then came Harry
Hyland, Arlene Pretty and "Broncho
Billy" Anderson, and, of course,
Mary Pickford. The latter is one
big exception to the rule of six
years-and-o
The fading of the stars is much
more noticeable in screen work than
on the stage. Some of the blame is
placed upon the producers some
upon the public. There is no get
ting away from the fact that the
public demands new faces and new
personalities, but it has been proved
that this same public retains kind
ly feeling for the old favorites.
Photoplay audiences have the stars
thrust upon them much oftener than
the stage stars appear. For instance,
John Barrymore was appearing in
a. cities in Don Juan" at one time
Perhaps the public sees entirely too
much Of the screen stars: they are
broadcast" too widely and they be-
come tiresome after the short space
of six years. A part of Mary Pick
fords popularity may come from the
fact that she appears in very few
pictures and that her audiences al