The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1936-02-03

Guilty. ionA 5-SO 111NuoIl iCS-
movies, in every shape end form
evolved from the simple slap
stick comedy of The first "f1ickers. "
TAROLD LLOYD was a native
Il Il "hick" boy with a hankering
to go on the stage. He was born
in Burchard, Neb., a little town
of 300, where his parents lived
in moderate circumstances on
farm. AS long as he can remem-
Der, he says, he wanted to be-
come an actor. Walking between
the pillow handles he dreamed of
the footlights, and the fame it
might bring. =
While watching a magician who
visited Burchard with a travelling
medicine show, Harold got a pas
sion for legerdemain, got together
a collection of card tricks and
magic. Besides he had two
clown suits" and he mastered
several circus stunts.
At that time he was short,
stocky, black-llaired and freckled.
He was as earnest in his various
endeavors as Mark Twain's Tom
Sawyer. He didn't know then,
but he found out years later, that
he was getting started on the
wrong foot, trying to become a
great actor when the style in
which he was to achieve the most
was just being himself.
Harold Lloyd's professional act
ing debut was made in Shake
speare's Macbeth" The young
ster thought he had found his
field-that of serious acting in
character roles.
1T was at Beatrice, Neb., that
Il the first night" took place A
stock company visiting the Ne
braska territory, cast about for
local talent and picked Harold for
the role of Fleance, Banquo's son.
After the murder of Banquo,
Harold was to run off the stage
shouting, Help, help!" continu-
ing his shouting out into the
wings of the theater. His voice
failed him when he reached the
side of the stage and saw the rest
of the cast standing there, grim
ming at his funny movements. An
old-timer took up the cry for him.
The Lloyd family moved to
Omaha, and it was there that
Harold Lloyd met John Lane Con-
nor, leading man in the Burwood
Stock Company, who was to be-
come one of Mr.. Lloyd's closest
friends in the years to follow. He
taught Harold a great deal about
makeup and later took him I'M
der his wing as sort of protege.
In 1907, Harold appeared with
the Burwood company in Tess
of the D'Urbervilles" as Abraham,
Tess brother. The season closed
soon after and Harold's voice
changed, making it impossible for
him to play child roles any longer.
A BOUT this time Harold's
IA father, j. Darsie Lloyd, was
struck and injured by wagon.
He collected $4,000 damages. 1t
was decided to spend the money
in moving to another and perhaps
more fruitful business district.
But the Lloyds knew not where to
20. So they tossed a coin.
Heads meant they would go to
Nashville or New York; tails
meant they would go to San
Diego. 1t was a fateful moment
and when the coin came up tails
it probably decided the destiny
of the young actor.
Harold Lloyd went into the
movies against his will. He was
helping his father in a lunchroom
and pool hall in San Diego when
the old Edison producing company
issued a call for actors. Harold
was doing nothing important at the
moment and decided to pick up
some money. So he was painted
up as half naked Yaqui Indian
and fitted in front Of the camera
for one scene.
With no stock companies open
ing there, Harold was driven to
other movie studios for work. He
sat all day long for weeks with
out being called in for test.
Then he noticed that the charac-
ter actors working in the pictures
were re-admitted each day with
out question from the gateman.
So he hit upon a plan. He made
up, marched in.
INSIDE the gates, Harold met
l. Hal Roach and the latter con-
fided that he had saved several
thousand dollars with which he
was going 70 produce one-reel
comedies. The first man he hired
was Harold Lloyd. 1t was hard
Shedding and the one-reelers came
DdCk So 1dSI ll4dO INOdS1I SiiOu6AAV
some one was meeting the train
in Kansas City.
At last they sold one. With the
last of his money Roach hired
Roy Stewart and Jane Novak, al
ready we'll known movie players,
as leads for his pictures. Lloyd
was the low" comedian in the
picture.
The job resulted in Harold quit
ing Roach when he discovered
that Roach was paying Stewart
$40 a day and he was only get.
ting SIS.
Against Ford Sterling's advice,
Harold finally went back to work
for Roach at $50 a week, doing
slapstick. He didn't like it
though, and told Roach he would
quit again if they didn't let him
do a natural American boy" no
funny clothes. no limitations OF
Charlie Chaplin.
That was the birth of the
famous spectacles character. It
was hit almost overnight. They