Photoplay (Jul - Dec 1919)

Photoplay Magazine 77 people who play with him. Their wrath over 'Sunnysidc" was quite personal i they seemed to feel that their idol hail lu'en imposevl upon, quite illogically ignoring the iacl that Charlie did it himself. "Shoulder Arms" is, in the minils of the many who comment, his supreme achievement. Interesting, and gratifying, is the continued personal success of William S. Hart, an actor-manager who is not oni\ trying lo please his people, but to manifest diversity and artistic growth as well. Ihey may say that they are tired of seeing hmi in Westerns, but they tlock to him, and llock about him with their pens and t\pewriters, just the same. "The Toppy Girls Husband" caused a general sensation in fandom, for it was not only a new thing but a likable new thing. Frank keenan is the most talked-about character actor in the photoplays, but in a careful review of his p;uronage 1 am convinced that he passes Holurt Bosworth and Theodore Roberts in public interest only because the lirst-namcd has had ver>" few recent appi.>a ranees, and in the second case, because Kol>erts is always a support, and never a star. Such pieces .IS •Honor Thy Name," in the old days, made Keenan singularly unforgettable, but his real stellar popularity now is dirt-ctly traceable to the pieces Jack Cunningham has written for him in the past year, of which "Todd of the Times," and ■ The Sierra Si.\ties" may be quoted as examples. Is the picture public so devoteil lo personality that it is blind lo the faults or e.\cellencies of play or production? Douglas Fairbanks" situation is an answer to thai question. Fairbanks has not "slipiJed' in personal appeal, but he has slipix-il tremendously as a reliable purveyor of dramatic amusement simply because of his vehicles and his manner of playing. "Arizona " ihe people liked, because it meant something. Most of his other pieces in the year igio have not been satisfaclorj' t-ntertainment. ami unless Mr. Fairbanks follows a different line he will lose steadily. .\ villain knows they love him only when they hate him. and hate him hard. The particular object of public detestation now is Warner Olaml. occupying the bad eminence upon which Stuart Holmes was once enthroned. I predict a dangerous coming ri\-al to Oland in Eric \on Stroheim. Lew Cody, let us not forget, melted a secure place in the public heart as the first and only male vampire. Speaking of comedians. Harold Lloyd has come up amazingly, and the pubhc is likewise devoted lo the nonsensicalities of Charhe Murray and Ben Turpin. These are the three laughmakers — always excepting Chaplin, and the reliable and rotund .\rbuckle. the small boy"s idol — that they talk about. • Smiling Bill ■ Parsons does not draw any comment. Of the character men the favorites of the past year, apart from these already named, have been J. Barney Sherry. HerUri Manding. George Fawceit. .\lec B. Francis and Tully Marshall. Of these, probably Francis has made the greatest advancement, due to the fine line of parts handed him at the Goldw>-n studio. But Tully Marshall is not far behind him as a topic of interested conversation. These '. oung actors have distinctly bettered themselves, public Iv speaking, since 1918 was cut down by Time's remorseless scy'-.he; Roy Stewart. Cullen Landis. Nigel Barrie. Herbert Rawlinson, Da\id Butler, Robert Anderson, Kenneth Harlan, Mahlon Hamilton. Robert Gordon and Wyndham Standing. Though not exactly in the juvenile class of those just named, Conway Tearle and Milton Sills have kept pace wiih ihem in their advances. William Duncan has a unique prestige — he is ihe kids favorite all over the country, so what matters it whether the screens in the picture palaces of Chicago and NewYork and San Francisco ever t^ash his name? .\fler Bill Hart, as the head popularities in chaps, come Tom Mix and Harry Carey. Robert Harron has had few opportunities this year, but he is by no means forgotten. James Cruze is creating a t-and-new following, a la Tom Moore, as a director. Bert L>it-il is fairly popular. Lou Tellegen disappeared pictorially, and if he comes back he will have lo depend uprm his wife's pictures a', the start, at least. Ir\ing Cummings dropper! out of sight as a leading man. and is resolutely endeavoring to return as a character actor, or. anon, as a bad man. E. K Lincoln is followed in any sort of picture, but he suffers with his public by lack of concentration. Sessue Hayakawa is ti'.hcr idolized or wholly rejected; there are fewer "half-way ' rf.mments on him than upon any man in the movies. Jack Pickford is experiencine a sudden revival of popular favor, due almost wholly to •'Bill Ajjperson's Boy." Tom Sanlschi f Continued on page 112) "The Hoodlum" presents Mary Pickford in a story which is wholly at fault, but in which Marys work is beyond reproach. H "Deliverance. ' in which appur; Helen Keller, affords a story heavy in propafjanda but (Jenerous in human interest. 'The World and iti Women " ■• Ccraldinc F»rr«r'» premier effort for 1919. an impMintf play of BoUhcvik RuMia.