Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-04-21

QeugNLIUl TeHllIlloCGllt CAldVs -
mental cocktail. You come away with
the feeling that, after all, these gentle
men of the old school OF dramatic
standards have an artistic background
that cannot be acquired from the new
tangled technique so stilted and me-
chanical. Bob" Edeson, as his friends
call him. lived in an atmosphere Of the
stage throughout his childhood His
father was prominent actor, and when
Robert made his debut, at the age OF
10, he was admirably sschooled In the
technique Of his profession as well as its
traditions.
The last leading man Of that famous
stock house, the Boston Museum, EIDE
son was the first screen player to help
Warmers make Vitaphone history with
such early talkies as "The Wildcat,
"The Home ToWners." Since then he
has mixed" over all the methods in
use at the various studios, lending con-
siderable prestige to the new medium.
As the doctor in his recently released
picture, 1.-THE Doctors Secret" Edeson
is superb. William De Mile, who di-
rected this, his first talking vehicle, told
me the studio executives changed the
name of the Barrie play from Half an
Hour because they believed more doc
tors secrets could be sold than hall
hours. But when the critics declared
the picture one Of the best talkies made
to date, what's In title counts less than
Robert Edeson" in lights.
Although q free lance, Edeson Is In
such demand for the talkies it is diff
cult to get an appointment with him
He just finished his work in Cecil De
Miles Dynamite" when he went Il
the Fox lot to play the governor ir
1.-THE Valiant" and just happened tt
have an afternoon of when I caught
him at home in Hollywood.
When say caught" overstate It
Edeson arrived Is minutes after did
so had time for survey OF his hill
side home, directly across the street
from Carrie Jacobs Bonds, and of much
the same design. A rustic, clapboarC
cottage, stained brown, rambling up 9
steep hillside into a woodsy garden. A
many-windowed cottage, with glass-in.
closed porch.
entered this porch from rock step.
on the side, being admitted through
one Of those Dutch wooden doors. The
living room is warmed by walls of dark
stained wood and by q blazing log fire
on hearthstone built o foot from the
floor. The fireplace practically domi.
mates the room.
found Edeson much more striking
looking OF than on the screen. There's
dash about this gray-haired, gray
eyed man with a continental twirl to his
mustache. You would guess he was an
actor or painter. Either guess would
be correct, for Edeson is both. He
paints pictures as well as acts in them
Here In his studio Edeson spends his
leisure hours away from the picture
studios, or out In the wilds sketchins
some little beauty spot for q friend
Once while growing beard for char.
acter role he devoted his time to paint
ing murals on his baby grand piano
Several Of his paintings have received
honorable mention, and there was q
time when they meant board ane
keep"-those long Summers when Eide
son was on the legit.
Don't ask me where the talent came
FROM" he said: "just Unborn. I can
remember when didn't dabble in color
Sir Guy Standing, Walter Hale and
worked during Summers In New Yorl
City when finances were not so strong
Hale got me in the Royal Etching So.
ciety. Guy did covers of theater book.
lets and took care of myself doinf
magazine covers. We stopped at no.
thing that would bring in few dollars.
Then Edeson lapsed into reminiscent
mood, going back to Boston, where hi
career as q matinee idol practically
began. Naturally thrill over Boston.
he said. II laugh when recall tn.