Evening star., 1942-09-23

Ing ecCS W tuc pOulI. COT ~ years
or more, and particularly since the
introduction of sound as an integral
part of motion pictures, that indus
try has recruited the major num-
ber Of its better actors from the le-
gitimate theater. It has tried on
several occasions to set up schools
for acting talent but in the end it
has always gone back to the simpler
and, on the whole, less expensive
procedure of hiring actors who
have established themselves In the
legitimate theater. It has nearly
always been successful because it
is able to offer so much more money
than the legitimate theater that
actors have felt they could not
afford to decline the offers. what
ever they may have felt about the
work ITSELF"
industry acknowledges it, the mo-
ton pictures have a stake in the
legitimate theater. 1t is not to
their interest to see a whole gen.
Grafton of young legitimate actors
drawn out of the theater without
requirements coming along.
"And since the stock companies
are the ultimate source of actors
for both the theater and pictures, 1t
would be an act of enlightened self
ishness on the part of motion pic
ture producers if they should en-
courage the return of stock COM
panies which will produce these re-
placements.
inexpensive Innovation.
"For the few, comparatively
speaking, dollars that they might
have gotten if these stock companies
were kept eliminated, they would
gain whole generation of acting
talent, tested and proven. To men
who look beyond the next picture
or the next season of pictures there
could not exist a real choice there.
"As matter of fact, the motion
pictures could 60 long step be-
yond the mere liberation of stock
competition. They could, with a
good conscience, cooperate in their
organization and send to these
companies the best of their own
actors, who are now wasted in per-
sonal appearances in the presenta-
tion houses.
THE appearance OF such actors
In good stock companies would not
only build a far better personal
following than they now gain by
appearing for few minutes to make
a set speech between q swing or
chestra and a vaudeville comedy
turn, but they would enormously
sharpen the tools of their own trade
and return to their studios the bet
ter actors for their stock work. It
is not mere accident that many of
the better actors insist upon being
allowed to make return engagements
to the legitimate theater. They
have found that the effort of build
ing and maintaining the charac-
terization of an important role be-
fore an audience is experience
which cannot be duplicated any
where except In the theater and
that 1t adds to their stature as
| players.
Suggests Conference.
$50 Equity regards this particular
suggestion as both q proposal and
challenge to the men who control
the destinies Of the entertainment
world. It hopes and believes that
they will be big enough and wise
enough to weigh it on its merits
and to sit down with Equity and
with all the organizations which
have stake in this situation and
see If some way cannot be found
to insure the replacement of acting
talent upon which all depend for
their welfare and prosperity"
| This seems like solid suggestion
for the solution of the manpower
problem. Undoubtedly 1t will
awaken enthusiasm among juveniles
who feel the urge for self-expression
In a dramatic way. Except for some
few cities removed from theatrical
highways, the stock company is a
national memory. 1t has always
served useful purpose in teaching
footlight fiedglings how to spread
their wings.