Motion Picture Classic (May 1921 - Dec 1927)

CLASSIC ' ♦ J 9 Before Kings Pell ( Continued from page 23) I first met the late King Edward VII, whom some have called “the gayest of monarchs.” Certainly there never was a man in high place who could so thoroly throw off the cares of his office. Because of my performance I was a few minutes late in arriving at the Rothschilds and my first impression on entering the drawingroom was of laughter emanating from a large group gathered around a medium stout gentleman with a Van Dyck beard who was relating a humorous experience with most evident gusto. Edward VII loved to entertain and be entertained; he had an eager laughing eye and the responsibilities of state had apparently failed to sour his sense of humor. As to the present King of England, I cannot say, but I do know that the present Prince of Wales has inherited all of the blithe spirit of his grandfather. We danced at Oxford when he was a college student there and the Prince visited us every night. I have never known a young man of greater charm of personality. And he is absolutely democratic. Persons that intrigue his fancy have instant entree ; the bars are up only for bores. It was in the gardens of the Palace at Berlin that I first met “the Grey Ghost of Doom,” formerly known as Kaiser Wilhelm II of Germany. After the performance a group of army officers approached me. The leader came up with hand outstretched and extended congratulations. He spoke in perfect French, my German being somewhat faulty. The actions of his entourage soon informed me that I was talking with the Kaiser. One of the most conspicuous features of his personality was the scrupulous care with which he hid his withered arm. Our interview was over and the Kaiser was gone before I realized that the man was so afflicted. I saw the Kaiser only in his lighter moments, but even then, laughing and smiling, his eyes revealed that remorseless ambition which drove him to exile. Now that I am in motion pictures I have many contacts that bring back memories of the’ past. Recently during the making of Mr. Cecil B. de Mille’s new picture, “Manslaughter,” the violinists on the set played as an accompaniment to the action of the players, a selection from “Pique Dame” by Tschaikowsky. It instantly recalled to my mind one of the first performances ever made of this opera. It was in Moscow and I was but ten years old. Tschaikowsky had appealed to the Imperial Ballet school for a children’s dance — and I was one of those chosen. He was one of the most particular men about his clothes that I have ever known, almost a fop, grey-bearded, most distinguished. I remember we all thought him splendid because he presented each one of us with a huge bag of candy ! As Tschaikowsky was one of the great artists of the time of the Empire, so was (E:yh*y-ove ) Anton Tcheckov. Tcheckov was one of that notable group of geniuses who flourished under the patronage of the upper class, of the “Intelligentzia,” who gave to Russia its marvelous theaters and opera houses which are now, for the first time, available to the millions as well as the thousands. He was a man of sparkling brilliance, a marvelous conversationalist, an inspiring friend. We worked very closely together when he was producing “The Cherry Orchard,” one of his greatest successes, and I grew to be an intense admirer of his genius. Unfortunately he was afflicted with tuberculosis and even his own knowledge of medicine — he was a practising surgeon before he became a playwright — could not save him. Tolstoi, the great prophet of the present condition, was nearing his death before I was much more than a youth. My father knew him, however, and often spoke of the tall count and the comment caused by his appearances in peasant costume. Tolstoi’s ideas were far in advance of his time — but Russia is now seeing many of them put into practice. One of the mistaken impressions many have gained regarding the Russian Revolution is that the Ballet scTiool was broken up. This has never been the case. Russian Ballet in a few years will be again what it has been, one of the most unique forms of art in the world. The same methods of training undergone by Madame Pavlowa, Mr. Mordkin, Mr. Nijinsky and myself are now being practised generally. I doubt if there is any art in the world which requires the stringent training of the Russian dance. From eight to eighteen I studied, ten years that will either show a person’s absolute unfitness for the dance — or create a star. Seven boys and seven girls were admitted into the Moscow and Petrograd schools in my time — and our maestro considered himself fortunate if he got from the number one great soloist every two years or so. My particular generation was particularly prolific, however; Mordkin and Nijinsky entered in Moscow the year after I did, while Madame Pavlowa had become a pupil in Petrograd some two years before. People say to me, “You have seen kings and dukes. You have seen Europe and Russia when Royalty was at its height. What do you think is going to be the future of Russia and Europe?” Europe, as I said before, can be no stronger than its weakest link, which at present is Russia. Restore stability to Russia, and the Continent will be on its feet and no longer a matter for international worry. Whatever errors the Bolsheviks may have made, they must be given credit for a definite effort to awaken 128,000,000 people, who for generations had been able neither to read nor write, whose ignorance made them live in squalor, who had The Rudolph Wurlitzer Co., Dept, 1519 117 E.4lh St., Cincinnati 120 W. 42nd Si, New York 329So.WabashAve.,Chicago,HL 250 Stockton St., San Francisco Send me your new catalog with illustrations in color and full description of the Wurlitzer Complete Outfits and details of the free trial and easy payment offer. Name I Address State musical instrument in which you’re especially interested Try It In Your Own Home WURLITZER will send you any instrument with complete outfit for a week’s Free Trial in your own home. No obligation to buy. Return the instrument at our exat the end of , if you not to keep Trial won’t cost you a penny. Monthly Payments A few cents a day will pay for instrument and complete outfit. 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