Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1957-08-04
Crisp Still Fills Roles
go Years After Debut

long black wig I was wear
ing"
One Of the wealthiest men
in Hollywood-he once sat
on a Bank Of America board
that passed on loans for
some Of the movies in which
he later appeared-Crisp Is
in excellent health and active
to the point where Il take .
couple Of parts a year just to
keep my name up" He was
busy this week on an MGM
sound stage playing q role in
a rugged Bob Taylor west
ern, Saddle the Wind" He
has no plans for television.
Got His Revenuge
I've done only three little
spot jobs on TV." he ex-
planned. land all Of them
were merely gratuitous per-
sonal appearances for char.
ity drives. I have no inten-
ton Of doing anything dra-
matte In that medium-not
at this late date"
His first major directing
effort was the original "Ra-
MONA" which opened In New
York City's Liberty Theater
at Q $3.50 top-$l.50 more
than tickets to "The Birth
of q Nation" He had quar-
relied with the great Grifnth
after being refused credit for
directing many Of the spec
tacular battle scenes In the
production and. as q matter
of personal revenge, wanted
his picture to have q higher
box-ofiice tag.
Crisp has seen movies 70
from one financial extreme
to the other. "At first" he
said. I'VE had only so much
fllm and could seldom do a
retake. If q scene was too
bad we cut it and put in a
subtitle explaining what had
gone before. Then the in.
dustry went through its ex.
tremely lush days. I'd say
that today production
methods have reached a sane
level. with a fine balance Of
quality and spending"
Happiest as Actor
He was the first important
director to fight against the
exaggerated gesture" and
in a short time such broad
acting tactics were being
laughed at. But he was never
completely happy in the pro-
duction end. and so in 1884
he supervised his last film,
Don O." starring Douglas
Fairbanks, sr.
II couldn't stay away from
In front Of that camera" said
Crisp. II guess what my
father said when / left home
to become an actor was true.
He was a staid Scotsman and
when a neighbor asked where
] was of to he replied sar-
castically. didn't you hear
that Donald has entered
clowning?'"
Though Crisp has done
mighty well financially, he
has always led a moderate
existence.
Maybe it's the Scotch In
me-" he laughed, but I
think mostly it's because I'm
q creature Of habit. l still
drive the same car that
Charles Kettering (of De-
troit), the inventor of the
Va motor, gave me seven
years ago. And I still live
in the same house in Holly
wood, on the cheaper side of
Sunset, that 1 bought 80
years ago. It has always
suited me. so why should I
move?"
Proud Of Movie Industry
Crisp is not one to sit and
reminisce over "the good old
days" His philosophy is
today is the good day If you
make it that way" He's
proud to have been part Of
Cne INDUSTRY and gruntS
whenever anyone suggests TV
might replace it.
Nothing can - nothing
will" he blurts out fatty.
His favorite role, and the
high spot Of his acting career.
was as the father in How
Green Was My Valley"
Still merry-eyed and
quick Of step. Crisp refuses
to reveal his age. but he
came to this country in 1906,
and next year will celebrate
so years In movies.
And" he concluded, q
twinkle in his eyes, Il was Of
voting age when left Eng
land. You take 1t from
there"