Photoplay (Jul-Dec 1925)

''^Aristocratic Footstools" is the way some of the extras have heen duhhed in Hollywood. But some get fifty dollars a day for their services, so what's in a name? maid parts, distantly comparable to the soubrette of the stage; and with the men they run to butlers, ofiice boys or other parts of menial proportions. Now and then a director becomes impressed with the dexterity of an extra in handling a bit, and in a moment of kindness, enlarges upon it to permit a flash of genuine acting ability. John Patrick owes his advance from the ranks to an ability to make much of what originally was supposed to be a small bit. It was in "Flaming Youth," during the Bacchanalian debauch in the Fentriss home. Patrick, in a moment of alcoholic frenzy, adorned himself with a lampshade and pranced his way deliriously to fame. Not a few of these atmosphere players of familiar mien started their screen careers more auspiciously— and now wait with varying hopes for a revisitation of Providence to give them another start. Virginia Adair, often called the best-known Stella de Lanh is knoun as "The Duchess," but Cristina Monti is related to foia piesidents of Chile and ran away to get into the movies. You've seen both At the top are Gene Barham and Betty Mulligan, while below is Virginia Adair. Betty went to Hollywood to visit her sister and never left extra girl in Hollywood, was once a leading lady, in the days when Westerns were at the height of popularity. An unwillingness to submit to the insolence of a director — one of the few who, with others of his ilk, have since met the retribution of banishment — swept j\Iiss Adair off the ladder just as she was getting a firm foothold. Of late she was given a conspicuous morsel, that of a Russian courtesan in Mme. Glyn's "His Hour." Following that she played an Indian ayah, supporting Milton Sills and Viola Dana in First National's "As Man Desires"— played it, indeed, with such effectiveness that Director Irving Cummings promised her a real role at the first opportunity. Frances bare is another well-known little "nobody" who once was a somebody. She had the feminine lead in an early dramatization of Abraham Lincoln, produced several years ago by Francis Ford, and was scheduled to be featured by him again when disaster befell his film ventures. Everyone who has attended the cinema regularly is bound to have seen and retained a mental picture of Dellorice Johnstone, once known by the single designation "Dellorice." Hers are the largest dying-fawn eyes, the most luscious lips and dusky skin in filmdom. Usually she was to be seen gracing De Mille's creations— his "Feet of Clay" may serve to recall her. Just a tantalizing glimpse, a fleeting instant of sensual allurement — and she is gone. Fronzi Gunn's saucer-like eyes, and her sweet, sunshiny blonde features are recognized at first sight. Fronzi has had screen credit! She recalls the occasions — Lasky's "Gentleman of Leisure," in which she was the sweetheart of Casson Ferguson; and "The Breaking Point." Little Betty Mulligan is a novice for whom the fates augur well. Betty was sent to San Francisco as the Muskogee, Okla., representative to the American Legion conclave, after winning a beauty and popularity contest. She stopped off in Hollywood to' visit her sister, Jerry, who was working in pictures. The Fox casting director saw her— and she never got to the convention. Though her eighteenth birthday is long to come, her " arrival" as an actress is looked for far in advance of her majority. On the male side Gene Cameron is worthy of mention. Young Cameron seems destined to hew himself a place in the closely-kept ranks of male satellites. He has good character features, watches attentively the movements of bigger actors and the advice of directors, and is able to act upon instructions without being told twice. As a residt of his alertness Robert Leonard picked him out of the mob and gave him a nice plum burlesquing a New York male modiste in Mae Murray's "Circe." Once before Gene slipped into the credit sheet, in "The Sign of The Rose." Charles Farrell is a handsome young man whose chances to advance are [ coNTtNUED on page hi ] 39