Evening star., 1928-04-15
BY TOD BROWNING.

THE road Lon CLANCY traversed on
his way to fame was a very long
and difficult one. He worked as stage
hand. vaudeville and stock comedian,
dancer. stage manager and screen extra.
but always in his mind was one central
idea--the development Of new methods
of makeup, as he tried to utilize and
apply every new experience.
Makeup with CLANCY is not merely
a question of disguise. but of convinc-
ing deformitieS, facial movements and
other apparently slight but telling de-
tails. Each new role Is problem in
construction. and is studied, so TO speak.
from the ground up.
Chaney'S first step in character crea-
tion is to visualize all the details of the
face and figure he wishes TO create.
Muscle by muscle he builds 1t up, much
AS sculptor might mold a clay model.
He notes the position of the eyes. ears
and every other structural detail and
works out all possible muscular tricks.
He takes out his makeup box and ex-
perimentS, making sure, however, that
he never draws a line nor builds an
artificial contour that Is not strictly In
accord with the principles of anatomy.
Finally. by the shading Of paints and
the application OF plastic material he
constructs "over" his natural counte-
nance a Superstructure of the muscles
of his character face. The mental side
of this work involves an intimate knowl-
edge of human nature and the mechan-
ical details include the application of
paints, powders and other materials to
produce natural looking scars. blem-
isheS and physical irregularities or de-
formitieS.
In the course OF the many pictures
which have made at the Metro Gold
wyn-Mayer studio starring Lon CLANCY
l feel that ! have come to know him
particularly well. and I have no hesita-
tion in saying that there is, no more
serious-minded or diligent worker In the
Hollywood colony. The air of intense
earnestness with which Chaney goes
about the diffcult task OF each new
character creation is an inspiration to
other picture players. He achieved the
title man of thousand faces" by hard
work, not by luck.
Recently CLANCY was asked how
much time he had spent in applying
makeup during the past five years
His estimate was 2.i80 hours. Re-
solve this into 6-hour days and YOU
will discover, perhaps somewhat TO your
surprise, that this star has passed, IN
the last five years 272la working days
seated before makeup table, exper-
imenting with disguises or applying
them for his. roles.
Chaney averages at least three houis
daily III making up for his parts and
each new makeup tsometimes there
are several in one picturel means a
minimum of 10 hours experimental
work. When playing a role he appears
on the studio lot promptly at 6 In the
morning and is ready to so on the set
by Q o'clock. In Mr. Wn" the make
up Of the old Chinaman required con-
siderably longer than three hours TO
apply; not wishing 10 delay production.
CLANCY voluntarily got up earlier In the
morningl In The Unknown" the
stars makeup with a special harness
which presented him as an armless
character, required exactly three hours
to apply. In Laugh. Clown, Laugh"
his newest picture, about the same
length OF time was required but, in
addition, CLANCY works evenings max
ing his own clown wigs. incidentally.
the actor makes most Of his wigs and
always makes his false teeth. placing