Pictures and the Picturegoer (Jan-Dec 1924)

AUGUST 1924 Pictures and P'cfxjrepver \\SUL\\rj _ % ELIZABETH LOfNERGAM fN9 I EUGEINE O'BRIErS Stage or screen, which shall it be? So many stars seem to find it hard to choose. That is why they put in an equal share of both. i ugene O'Brien not long ago made ;i temporary disappearance from the screen. He thought n was going to be a permanent one, but that is where he guessed wrong, and thereby hangs a tale! to go back a bit. Eugene started out to be a doctor, following in his father's footsteps, or rather his family decided for him and Gene decided to be an actor. He joined a stock company in Denver and later came to New York and played leads in a number of important productions, both musical and dramatic. He was Alexandra Carlisle's leading man in the American production of " The Country Cousin" and almost got to England with it. Then someone discovered his screen possibilities and overnight 'Gene became star. He was featured in Selznick pictures and one of his favourite co-stars was Norma Talmadge. Fans thought them the perfect lovers and never felt that any of Norma's leading men measured up to his standard. A nd then 'Gene decided to go back to his first love. Contrary to the usual conception of film stars, Mr. O'Brien is very modest and he felt a certain amount of timidity at appearing on Broadway after so long' an absence from the stage. So he made all arrangements to star in a clever play called " Steve " which fitted him like the proverbial glove, but stipulated to his managers that he must NOT play New York ! And he had been a big success on Broadway only a few years before. After he tried the play awhile, be expected to return to Broadway but not until he was perfectly sure that he could come back as stage hero. " Steve " was a delightful little storv with a moving picture star as hero' and several pictures were actually taken during the progress of the play. It ran for almost a year and if it had not reached Hollvwood, it would probably be in New York now and 'Gene would be appearing in it. [ ast summer while 1 was visiting Salt Lake. Steve" and Mr. O'Brien came to town. I was anxious to find out just how he was taking his reappearance on the stage and so visited the star, meeting him for the first time. For the benefit of fans I will say that he is much better looking in real life than on the screen and is most charming. One reason tor his return to the stage was because he missed his audiences. Some future day ' he would go back to pictures— and the very next week he played at Los Anuelcs and all his L'ood resolutions went on the rocks ! Jt was Norma Talmadge who persuaded him to change his mind or perhaps when he got into a studio once more he knew he had to go back. The tour of " Steve " whieh had many weeks more, was terminated and Mr. O'Brien became once more a screen star. A contract has been signed and the stage will not see him again for some time-. But the experiment was worth .something; it tautfht him th.it theatre applause was not everything and that there wen. bi-vcr audiences to please, audiences that circled the world. ri / A'i ir u something sf ss \\J Eugene O'lh (mil Norma Talinadgc are tostarring en, ,• again " Fight iritital absitt ///<• pensive profile i / '</,