Motion Picture Magazine (Nov 1916-Jan 1917)

66 DOUGLAS E. (ELECTRICITY) FAIRBANKS repeat his famous remark, "War is hell," backwards. However, it was only the hundred-thottsancl-dollar voice — m inus the smile — of Douglas Fairbanks that came to me in the "pay-as-you-enter" booth. I explained myself in exactly thirteen words and received only twelve in return, but they were of far more importance, namely, to call at the Algonquin Hotel at five-thirty that evening. At five twenty-eight I walked down Forty-fourth Street to the hotel. On an artificial cornice (sounds good, doesn't it? — but it was really a cement slab), at the entrance, sat the object of my call. However, as a matter of formality, I walked into the hotel and asked for Mr. Fairbanks. I was directed to the slab, and here I found a hundred thousand dollars' worth of actor, smile and all, in conversation with a couple of friends. While I was waiting, I had a chance to examine him. Standing — or rather sitting — about five-foot eight, with very dark complexion and hair, he made a very striking appearance. Dressed in a very classy, tight-fitting, double-breasted suit, and with a nifty hat perched on his head, he was all there, to use the vernacular. Smile ? Oh, yes ! I should say the smile was especially prominent. I had to think of that old song, "Smile, Smile, Smile, and Kiss, Kiss, Kiss," and I wondered which was the cause and which the effect. A moment later the man who made Denver famous was with me. I found that he was thirty-three years old on May 23d, last. Seated beside him in the hotel lobby, I soon found that he knew everybody in the hotel. He had a word for them all, even to the girl at the desk — -"Chuck me a box of coffin-nails," he called, and caught them in his hat. A publicity man from "Chi" wanted some photographs, a friend wanted to borrow some money, a Mr. Brown wanted him on the phone, a reporter wanted an interview, a friend had a dinner party waiting, and dozens of friends stopped to pass the time of day and purloin a cigaret. At last he began to talk : "I attended a military academy in Denver, my home town ; then went to the Colorado College of Mines for a time, and later to Harvard The most trying moment of my life was while a student at Cambridge. Two friends and myself worked our way to Europe on a cattle-boat. We landed in England, and then crossed into France and walked to Paris. We had great sport with the Frenchmen and the Martinique negroes (pronounced niggers). They couldn't understand us, and we called them all kinds of American pet-names, and they would shrug their shoulders and walk away while we stood and* laughed. I tried it on a six-foot-two shade one day, and he understood English. I had no more than said it, when — bing ! — I landed under a table, with blood running from a gash in my cheek where he had hit me. I looked up just in time to see friend Beardsley square off and send a right, clear from Omaha, into that black mug. The coon went down as if he had been hit by a forty-two-centimeter shell, and we beat it. Blood was running from his eyes and he was in bad shape. The three of us hid in the morgue overnight, and got out of Paris the next day. We dont know to this day whether we killed that fellow or not." Another cigaret, a few more stories, and a few more "Helios !" to friends, and we were ushered to the elevator. We were taken to his apartment on the ninth floor. It is a cozy, cool suite of rooms and very homelike. At one side, near the window of the main room, is a small table covered with papers, magazines and photographs. It seemed as if there were "photos to the right of us, photos to the left of us and photos in front of us," altho none of them volleyed or thundered. Surely the most of them were of Mrs. Fairbanks and Douglas, Jr. Married, did you ask ? Why, to be sure, and very happily. So you want to know how I know so much? Well, didn't he just say that he had ordered a new car for the Mrs. ? The evidence is conclusive, and the case is dismissed; order in the court, please. While he is demonstrating his ability as a circus performer, he continues : "I am very fond of athletics of any kind, especially boxing and wrestling. I like swimming, boating, motoring, or, for that matter, anything that has life to it, I simply cant sit still."