Motion Picture Classic (Jan-Dec 1920)

MOTION PICTURE CLASSIC The Fighting Earl (Continued from page 96) Earl, "It's/doinfj-.that counts. Hand me that screw-driver." Perhaps it was true that Earl Metcalfe detested interviews. Was he keeping busy to avoid talking about himself? Or had his training in Uncle Sam's army given him this zeal for service? He was a lieutenant, I rehiembered,. a commissioned officer from the first Plattsburg Training Camp and assigned to the famous One-hundrcd-and-sixty-fifth Infantry, popularly known as "The Fighting .Sixty-ninth" of New York City. He went across with his regiment in '17 and, after a year, returned upon a special tnission to the Adjutant-General of the Army in \\'ashington. With the signing of the armistice, the mission became automatically finished and he was honorably dischai'ged. He must know many things worth talking about. At any rate, he must talk about something. ".Sit down by the lady, Earl," commanded our hostess, "and tell her where you were liorn, what you like for dinner and what you are going to do next." "Next? I'm going to lengthen this picture wire," said Earl, imperturbably. This feat accomplished, he reluctantly descended from a stepladder and sat down upon the lower rung. "What shall I talk, about?" "I know you were born in England," I said,»"and I know what you like for dinner — you showed us — but wont you talk of your year overseas?" "No,'' he said quietly. "I spent a year over there, a good part of it in the trenches. I saw war in all its phases. But I cant talk about it. The public doesn't want to hear about it, either. It's over. Let's forget it." "And be thankful that there wont be another war," I added. "Wont there?" and Earl jumped to his feet and began pacing up and down between the piles of furniture. "Do you ever listen to the 'soap-box harangues' that take place on the street corners? I never did until I came back from the other side. Over there I learnt the condition of the people — their position economically and .socially. Some of them come over here and have advantages they didn't know existed before they came. Then about one out of every hundred discovers that there is a class of people who have much that he hasn't and decides that this land of the free isn't a land of the free at all, so he proceeds to put ideas into the heads of all who are unfortunate enough to get in his way. "Does socialism and anarchism and bolshevism with incitement to strikes and riots start with good American citizens ? No. Would a good American citizen stand upon a soap-box and incite his fellowmen to lawlessness, and' could he get away with it? No. He' would be judged insane or a criminal. And when I hear these exhorters and know that they are actually influencing some of their hearers, I get so angry I stop and argue, and then I get so much, angrier that I know if I dont keep quiet I'll get in trouble. There will be war right in our midst if things dont change. .\nd I'm here to tell you that if there is, I'll be in it." And Earl of the "Fighting Sixtyninth" stopped for breath and sat down. "Since I've been back?" establishing himself more firmly on the .steplpdder. "Well, I've just been getting my bearings. Captain Charles Maigne gave me a chance to break into harness by giving me a part in support of Alice Brady, whom he was directing. Then I directed the James Montgomery Flagg satirical comedies. I like directing and did considerable of it in the old Lubin davs. "Then World Films asked me to finish The Battler,' a picture ^lonty Love was starring in when he was taken seriously ill. Of course, all the scenes had to be retaken. Ultimately, I want to go back to the speaking stage. I pla}'ed a thousand dramatic roles before I went to Lubin and feel that the experience helped me in many ways. "\\'ar certainly broke into things," he said, "careers, finances, everything, but I'm doing the things which lie nearest, and just at present that happens to be a part as leading man for Corinne Griffith. Later, I hope to do some big character work, and would like to direct pictures, too, if I could get a chance to do it in a large way. "That's plenty of time spent talking about myself," throwing open the piano to strike a few chords. "Out of tune. Too bad I dont number piano-timing among my accomplishments. This certainly has been an evening after my own heart. I haven't had such a good time in years," he said, attacking a pile of books stacked in one corner. THE FEMININE FACTOTUM By La Touche H.^ncock With a hairpin woman can do Most things on earth ! Here are a few — Pick a lock, and pnll a cork ! Cut a pic. and make a fork ! Put up curtains, rake a fire! Tinker with an auto tire ! Scour the kitchen pots and pans I Take up carpets, open cans ! Clean tlie chimney of a lamp! Saw a cake, and jab a tramp! Peel an apple, rake a grate ! Hang up pictures, or a plate ! Spread the hutter, varnish tloors ! Fix the hinges on the doors ! Do up a haby, beat an egg ! Use it as .;hc would a peg! Button gloves, sew, darn, and knit ! Make the children's trousers lit! Yawning chasms reconcile ! Keep receipted bills on file! Tighten windows, clean a clock ! Sharpen pencils, mend a sock! Stop a leak, untie a knot ! Varnish floors, erase a spot ! With this in hand she's quite content — She needs no other instrument! THEIR APPLAUSE Friend — How did your act take? ,\matei:r — Great ! When I sang the first A-erse they yelled, "Fine!" and when I sang the next they yelled, "Imprisonment!" 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