Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-07-08

A NEW personality is looming over
the motion picture horizon at
Hollywood, Baclanova, the Russian
actress.
Some already are claiming that she
will be the greatest character actress
of the screen. Jesse L. Lasky thought
highly enough OF her TO sign her to a
Paramount contract. and Immediately
| rumors started that she was to be
groomed for stardom.
Whatever Baclanova's place In the
screen armament may ultimately be,
she has a background which should
make for success. She was born in
Moscow, the daughter OF a noted
painter. Her mother wanted desper-
ately to go on the stage but her parents
objected, and when she married her
husband also refused to sanction the
atrical career for her. The woman,
denied her own great ambitions. Is said
to have worked out her suppressed de.
sires In playing theater with her chill
dren.
Her parents were wealthy, thanks to
a bank that her ancestors had founded
| In Moscow, and some wooden mills In
| which her father had invested. Conse-
| quently the girl was sent to one OF the
| best institutes, as the private schools
of Russia are known, for her educa-
| ton,
Immediately upon her graduation she
| took an examination for entrance to
| the Moscow Art Theater School. The
year she applied for entrance, 404 per-
sons took the examinations. From that
number she was one OF four who passed
the tests and gained admittencc.
For three years Baclanova studied at
the Art Theater, playing small roles
from time to time as part of her train
ing.
The real beginning of her career re-
suited from one of the smell bits. She
was taking the part of an old lady and
her sole action on the stage was to
drop to her knees, with her back TO the
audience, and pray. So real Ia said to
have been Baclanoya's supplication that
every line Of her figure expressed in
tense devotion and longing for heavenly
aid In the audience Nenhirovich
Danchenko, director of the theatcr,
| saw, felt and was impressed, He
sought out this promising young player,
| talked with her, and was convinced
that she had the seed of genius. FROM
| that time on the bits" we're thing OF
the past for Baclanova.
Then Danchenko conceived the idea
, OF the theater Of combined arts. Dram
atized opera was one OF his hopes for
| the new theater His idea was to pre-
sent this type of opera with actors who
could sing, TO ditferentiate II from the
usual type Of opera presented by singers
some Of whom could act and many Of
whom could not.
Danchenko discovered that the popu-
| lar Baclanova had an excellent dramatic
soprano voice. Would two months con-
centrated study be enough to Mt her for
the new type OF works BaCIanova said
! that she would do her best. For two
months she studied ut the theaters mu-
steal studio. AT the end OF that time
she was ready for the new venture.
The first drainati2ed opera Danchen-
ko's company presented was File de
Madame Angot" Later Baclan0va played
with "Carmencita and the Soldier" AL
ternate drama and opera occupied her
time and she was kept busy constantly,
even during the days when war changed
the whole order Of things In Russia.
One day she was discussing with her
fellow players the various motion pic
ture stars. Jannings. she told them, was
her favurite She added that some day
she would play opposite him. That
brought laugh and finally wager.
Miss Baelanova recently won that wager
when she played with Jannings In her