The New Movie Magazine (Dec 1929-May 1930)

Bessie Love received invaluable advice from Douglas Fairbanks years ago. "To be a successful player, you should study people," he said. "Improve yourself by observation. Practice walking in front of a mirror. Develop poise, grace, manners." NOTE — Last month Bessie told the readers of The New Movie Magazine of the heartaches and joys of the early days of pictures — of her discovery by David Wark Griffith and of playing opposite Bill Hart. This month she tells of her career — with its thrills and disappointments— up to the coming of the talkies and her great hit in "Broadway Melody." NEXT morning I returned to the studio to be cast in a picture with Douglas Fairbanks. I smile as I remember the names connected with that production. Then they meant little to me. But today Alan Dwan directed. Anita Loos wrote the story. Sidney Franklin and Chester Franklin were co-directing nearby. Lillian Gish, Dorothy Gish, Mae Marsh, Miriam 78 Bessie Love and her dramatic struggle for film success Cooper and Gladys Brockwell were all at the studio and came into the set frequently. But of them all, it was Douglas Fairbanks and D. W. Griffith who helped me. I had just visited the principal of the Los Angeles High School. You see, my car passed the campus. No matter how often I was on it, I could scarcely keep from crying, I was so sad because I was not running up and down those familiar stone steps with the other youngsters. One day, the longing became too great. I stopped and asked the principal how I could secure one of the little crescent school pins that I might have it as a keepsake of my days of learning. "But you must graduate to get that!" "But— how can I?" "You can study outside of school, Bessie. Do the work and, if you pass the examination, we will give you a diploma. You do not need to attend the classes. I should advise you to do this. You are not the type of girl who will be content always with the movies. Undoubtedly, there are many fine people in them. But I want you to keep up so that wherever you go, you will be able to talk to all kinds of people." W! ITH this new vision of a diploma and the pin which meant so much to me, I commenced studying on the set. One day Douglas Fairbanks took my algebra book from me. "Algebra has done you all the good that it can," he remarked, as he sat down beside me, "unless you wish to be a mathematician. What you want now is to study people. You should improve yourself by observation. Read romances, not mathematics. Practice walking in front of a mirror. Develop poise, grace, manners." He was not thinking so much of my picture career, he told me, but of myself, my womanly future. It is strange, but at the same time that Douglas Fairbanks was using his influence to create my interest in womanly ambition, Mr. Griffith sent for me and offered the same suggestions with my career in mind. He wished me to work before a mirror to improve my acting. A trick of the old school and one which is most valuable. After all, it is before a mirror that you see yourself as your director sees you. All 4;his could not help but make an impression. Yet, strangely, I did not turn to the women at the studio who were so soon to be famous in what these men were explaining! I was true to form and looked far away from me. It didn't enter my head that I could study those close to me. My mind leapt to New York, to Florida. Norma Talmadge, who was to be a model for picture actresses, was right there before me but I made no