Pictures and the Picturegoer (October 1915 - March 1916)

PICTURES AND THE PICTUREGOER 353 WF.F.K HNjING Jan. 15. J(h G EDNA FLUGRATH OF THE LONDON FILM COMPANY AX IMPRESSION FROM WITH IX THE STUDIO BY DOLLIE TREE. A LITTLE figure under an enormous liat covered with " fevvers." and dressed in a coster lady's Sunday best, running wildly down the street after a disappearing donkey and cart; spectators looking vn with amusement, mixed with curi >sity, as the little person finally eatches it up and jumps lightly on to the seat as it is gemg, takes the reins from the coster-driver, and sets oil at a good speed down the hill. Such was my first impression of Edna Flngrath. "Pearlies,".' " IV \ vers." and the most mischievous pair" of hazel eyes were all conspicuous when she played in / he Heart of a Chihl, in which she was the very personification of sprightliness and vivacity, just a mischievous Cockney girl, full of that shrewd Cockney humour she knows how to pourtray so well. She was a Cockney again when I saw her in l.il 0' Ldndon^ an awkward gawk of a child of about fourteen. I remer.iber when we were engaged on exteriors one day. and Edna (as Lil) had to look hungrily into a poulterer's shop. There she stood, patiently rehearsing her scene. Presently" the producer called "Camera!7' and poor little Lil. gazing hungrily at the beautiful, fat poultry arrayed in the window, made a oral) at a tine pheasant, and was darting off with it. when out came the shopkeeper. Then the fun began. He knew nothing about the camera, and caught Edna by her flapper plaits, and started to administer a sound box on the ears. The camera man continued to turn. " Fine ! "' yelled the producer; " keep it up it's grail." " Maybe it is.'' replied poor Edna ; " but he's pulling my hair out!" The more she struggled to free herself the more the shopkeeper pulled. " I'll teach you to steal my pheasants. I will," he shouted. Then he looked up, and "spotted " the camera man. Kdna's sense of humour overcame her and she just shrieked with laughter, which made us all laugh— even the Bhopkeeper. But Edna Flugrath ran be serious. Those eyes of hers arc not always merry. The other day I stood and watched her in a scene in which her wonderful art changed her vivacious, almost restleas self into the very embodiment of gentleness. A pore-faced nan, Bhe stood praying at a latticed window; her hands were clasped, her eyes were uplifted, and real tears were running down hercheeks ami tailing unheeded on to. the black of her gown. And only a moment before she had been talking and laughing gaily will) us all. She is plucky too ! \\ lien she played the' party of" l.ady Hetty "in l-'nil-i mi's Menace, one ol the London Films' mosl mi Bsful productions, she undertook to ride a motor-cycle through the heart of Loudon. She did it. and came through with flying colours; and yet until that day she had never been on a motor-cycle in her fife. Another time she drove a car -into a ditch ! Ho all laughed! Edna most of all. It t the Lest part of a morning and six men to extricate it. She loves playing chara rter parts, and is never happier than when she is hiding her prettinsss under some character make-ups. For instance, when she played a Gosti Wife a few days ago in a picture, she was walking about with a lovely black EDNA KLUGRA1H. eye which her " ole man" ha I hei in the film! When she was working "in 3fr. <•! Liberty, she sailed a motor-laiinel down the Thames, much to the admiral tion of captains of passing res3els, the said admiration being sometime. rassing. When she i tnally playinfl Edna is -till busy, Usually when 1 -re-' into her dressing-room 1 find bei ing. for she makes every gown Bhe on the screen; to-day I found her hara at work on a wonderful evening all shimmering embroideries and flamed colour tulle. She loves sewing, and if she could help it would uever buy a • dress at a store, and neither would anyone else if they could make such beautiful things as she dLfood thing for the dra " e can't -all sew ! She always says, laughingly, " I am too old to act. I shall sew fo>my "living." She'll have a long time t" wait, for she is very young. She went on the stage when she wis three, and 1 says that her first part consisted line — " Daddy. Daddy " ! Her second professional appearance was as a premien aged tour. She always remembers what a hit she made -with the scenery I bowed so vigorously when the audit-in applauded that she bnmped her head the backcloth and had to be can the stage by an irate mother in the wings. After a long and arduous train ing she joined the Metropolitan • House forces as prt where she very successfully substituted for Anna Pavlova on several occasions. Her last appearance on the legitimat was made in A' ! 5 /•"<',„/. the charming rural play which had such a sue ison in I. Before coming to London she played for a year in Edison films in America where her absolute fearlessness was shown time and time again when she was called upon To perform feats which required unlimited courage. As the Sweetheart of '/"■;> Dmm~b*ildi swung across a steep chasm dangling from the end of a wire cable and climb d down the side of the great Ashokan Dam; then, in Betm ■ Junction cral FiiHiiiirilh she galloped' along a railway track between two approaching locomdj her horse stumbling over th ; ties and threatening to throw her at any moment. In . .Miss Flngrath calmly floated out to sea on an upturned r. avb '.it . and ./ /' s < .ml her scrambling aboard a horning schooner which a few minutes later was blown to pieces by dynamite. And site loves it ! She is all energy and vivacity, and is ssed of a personality which to welcome obstacles and dangers.