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12
P/chjres and Pichjrepver
FEBRUARY 1924
Charles Brvant.
Bririsher
Abroad
" He himself has said it —
And it's greatly to his credit — That he is an Englishman."
There has been a great deal of talk lately about the position of Britain among the world's screens; all sorts of people — some of whom know, and many of whom don't— have given their opinions and advice. It has even been whispered that several eminent English directors once said in public that there was no acting talent in England, and never could be. Rumour hath it that the immediate retort of the actors was that there was not, and never could be, any producing talent in England. And general gossip has taken up these whispers and rumours and accepted them as fact.
Of course I wouldn't dream of contradicting such experts, but nevertheless, like the Executioner in the "Mikado," I've "got a little list" which 1 should dearly like them to see. It's a very simple little list really — just a few names of people who, if things had been different, would to-day have been spreading the fame of Britain into America instead of the fame of America into Britain. 1 think the directors and players who made those famous statements will probably recognise a few of the names, and some, 1 fancy, will surprise them. All the same, all the people on my " little list"
have proudly claimed theii British heritage. The truth of the matter is that every department of American screenland is rich in artists over whose birthplace floated, not the Stars and Stripes, but the Inion Jack. Producers, actors, actresses, cameramen and scenario writers, technical and art directors, and clever child players — you will find a little of Old England in
Oral :
Mac Busch.
Left : Lupino Lane.
every branch industry.
From England, Scotland, Ireland, and Wales they have gone to the country of their adoption : Canada and Australia have contributed their glorious quota, and the world is the gainer. They have not forgotten their British birth. They have become, not American, but international. Perhaps the detractors of British talent have never heard of Charles Spencer Chaplin. from London, England? Assuredly they cannot know that Mary Pickford, and Al. Christie of comedy fame, are Canadians born. They may like to know that Dublin was the early home of Rex Ingram. And just let them ask George Arliss whether he was iorn in England or not, and listen to lis emphatic affirmative !
But these are only a few — the most scintillating on my list. There are other directors, and famous ones, besides Rex Ingram and Al. Christie. Frank Lloyd, for instance, who has made so many of Norma Talmadge's successes, who made Madame X with Pauline Frederick, and Jackie Coogan's