Motion Picture Classic (Jan-Jun 1929)

WorkingAt-Night Life {Continued from page 65) casaba"; gaping at Allan Dwan directing the swaggering musketeers. The company had received a call to be on the set at seven o'clock, but at ijinethirty not a camera had turned. The use of miniatures and doubles for the watersequence held back the shooting. Mary Pickford, though working all day preparing for her next picture, returned to the studio with her husband and spent most of the night on the set and in their elaborate bungalow. Doug, in velvet trousers and open shirt, was everywhere. With his customary enthusiasm, Doug feels that this is his greatest picture. The genial, swashbuckling, devil-may-care, romantic Doug has played in all of his pictures, with variations. The picturesque D'Arlagnan was the most popular. Perhaps because D'Artagnan is a reflection of his own flashing personality. A dozen girls in the rich silks and laces of an earlier century, sat lazily on stools and boxes and waited. The musketeers grouped about Billy Bakewell, the youthful Louis, and waited. Profit in Idleness DON'T all these hours of idleness get tiresome?" I asked Gino. He shrugged: "We get used to it." And smiled: "And paid for it." \o one cared to entertain himself by reading. Just gossip and wise-cracks and, toward midnight, "Is it time to eat?" The studio orchestra suddenly came to life and sobbed, "I Can't Give You Anything But Love, Baby." Kveryone roused from a comfortable lethargy and accompanied the music with the proper pathos and feeling. "What with the stars and the moon and you," one gallant blade whispered — but his ecstatic cry of "Lunch!" when the midnight supper arrived just then, proved that the sight of food was more potent than the moon. There was general whoopee, a rush to be first to the kitchen tent and a loud groan as they discovered the menu was veal cutlet and potatoes — again. I tasted the coffee hopefully; but it was coffee. That and nothing more. On one night-set I had visited, a playful extra had poured three bottles of gin in the percolator. The pep the players had as a result was astonishing. Satisfied with 7-5-Oh THE next few hours were more animated. The chatter of the e.xtra girls was flippant and amusing. They're a cynical lot and the stars hold no illusions for them. As to their own chances of becoming famous, one girl said, "Don't be silly. When I first came out here I thought I wouldn't be satisfied with becoming anything but a Swanson. Now I'm tickled to be getting the seven-five-o daily." At the first hint of dawn, the Fairbanks's Rolls arrived and Mary, almost lost in a big fur coat, waved to everybody with a smile. Doug, wearing a jaunty beret, g^)t in the car beside her as an assistant director called the cast together. "Men on the set tomorrow at six p. m. Girls are through. Collect your checks at the cashier's window on the way out." The girls grumbled as they walked toward the dressing-room, removing the uncomfortable wigs. Tomorrow they'd have to start ringing Central Casting again. The Worser, The Better {Continued from page §/) "Maybe it's because the villain is often the stronger man in the picture. Women like strong men. "\'ou know, any acting is hard 'work. But playing character heavies is the hardest. Each part has to be created by an artificial atmosphere. It's not a case of looking f)retty and being kissed by the heroine. It means a lot of hard and slow work to put the character over. "Being a villain in pictures is like being [)aid so much an hour for choking a beautiful girl, or beating up handsome men. And I'm here to tell the world I love it. I'm never so happy as when I'm stealing the girl and making myself out a general and complete nuisance. But there is one thing l)out being a villain that is rather heartreaking. .No matter how many women and •ading men he overpowers in the beginning f the picture, he knows that he must take ri awful beating in the last scene from the i-ro. Only once in my long career have I id the chance to beat up and generally :u>(k the hero about. That was one of the ■ St scenes in 'The Rough Riders,' when I as supposed to knock out Charlie Farrell. \nd he was knocked out. I should miss the iiance of a life time! Not this boy. From Chokings to Chickens IT'Sa funny thing! I guess maybe I take it too seriously, but the minute I get my iake-u|> on and a few dirty clothes, I feel ke a villain. I want to flo the worst things ' liat I can do to make it hard for the boy and irl to kiss in the fade-out. I'.ut it's just the ime when I'm through for the day. I have ' shower, get all the extra dirt washed ofT, get on a clean suit of clothes, and I feel like being a regular guy. " I don't suppose my lady friends, who like me mean, would get much kick out of watching me feed my chickens in the evening. 1 don't believe I look tough enough milking a cow. If I was seen petting one of my five dogs, I guess I would be banned as the villain. I'm only supposed to kick dogs. But I do all those other things, too. "Living in a castle on the hill in Hollywood has never been my way of having a good time. I like country air. Plenty of it. I want lots of room to move around in. Why, if I only measured my front yard by feet in place of acres, I'd die of suffocation. "I don't think that kind of living hurts anyone, do you? Every once in a while I pick up some discouraged young boy and bring him out here to the country for a few weeks, ^'ou see, living in a back bedroom and eating at the hash houses isn't so gooi' for a young kid. Some of 'em that come out are almost starved for food and fresh air. "While the stars are entertaining the European nobility, I am playing host to a half-starved extra, who has run away from home to become an actor. It sure hasn't helix;d my social climbing any, but I'm enjoying myself. Sometimes I believe I have more fun out of life than anyone else in the country. That's going too far, but for such a low-brow villain I have my moments. "S|)eaking of villains, here's a good one: here's the first fan letter of this kind I ever got. She says: ' I don't see why, Fred Dear, that you don't make those directors let you be the hero. I'd like to see you win the girl. Why don't you? Your devoted slave.'" A// Skin Irritations Quickly Healed It is surprising to see how quickly you can get relief from eczema, rashes, pimples, scales, blotches and other skin troubles. Just apply pure, cooling liquid D. D. U. Penetrates the skin, soothing and healing the irritated tissues. Stops itching instantly. Clear, stainless and gre.isele.s'j. dries up almost immediately. 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