Pictures and the Picturegoer (Jan-Dec 1924)

NOVEMBER 1924 Picture s and Picture puer 23 whisper, when the film was shown, not even the sternest critic detected the fake! Tt is amazing the fascination the screen has for the leisured classes. These members of society, seem to imagine that filming is an amusing method of killing time, until they have sampled a real day's work in a studio, and then usually the craze dies a sudden death. During the filming of a drawing room scene, in one picture, there happened to be amongst the crowd one of these girls who, to do her credit, was very pretty indeed and beautifully dressed in a black sequin gown. Owing to her appearance, she was placed well in front of the set, with her back to some powerful arc-lamps, and was instructed at a given signal to turn round and greet a couple who would cross the room. TV/hen all was ready, something went wrong with the camera, and took about five minutes to fix again . . . At last the scene was taken, and at the signal the lady turned gracefully round and greeted the couple ... A gasp from the producer, and tittering from the crowd ... I looked up from my script and saw that the back of the lady's frock had entirely disappeared. The sequins had melted under the strong lights, and all that remained of them, was a sticky mess trickling down somewhere in the m . region of her waist. I rushed forward with a cloak and escorted the unhappy girl to her dressing Below : Yvonne in Fancy dress. room, where, she confided to me, as I helped her out of the remaining piece oJ gOWn, and scraped the melted sequins off her back, that she did not think thai filming was half the tun she had been led to suppose ! VVyiu-u assisting in the Brat production of Fred Karno's famous comedies, the "Early Birds," a very funny incident occurred in a poor neighbourhood where we were taking exteriors. The scene was one where a down and out V.C. is discovered upon some steps in a state of collapse, without the / ■^ Reading downwards : Two studies of Yvonne Thomas by The At Home Studios and Yvonne and John Stuart in a love scene from " Land of M\< Fathers." money for a night's lodging. It was one of those pathetic touches, often found in slapstick comedy. "Phe actor was made up to look veryill, and incidentally was playing his part to perfection. Naturally an interested crowd of onlookers gathered to watch proceedings. Suddenly, in the most tense part, a dear old lady, followed liy a burly chaff eur, broke through the crowd, dashed up to the actor, felt his head and pulse, ordered her chauffeur to carry him to her car, and turning to the gaping crowd exclaimed, " How dare you see this poor man die here like this?" Of course, everyone laughed, and the producer stepped forward to explain matters. The old lady on hearing the truth, took it all in good part, and was thoroughly amused at her mistake. VV/hilst on the technical side of films, I learned a lot, and the experience was well worth while, but when, not long afterwards, my opportunity to act came along, I knew that my old love still held first place in my heart. In conclusion, perhaps I may tell a little tale against myself, especially as throughout this article I have been telling tales against other people. Whilst filming in my last picture Ozvd Bob for Henry Edwards, we were taking exteriors at Walton, and I could not help noticing that the onlookers regarded me as an unwelcome intruder, probably because they did not like the idea of anyone but Chrissie White (though it is quite by this lady's wish that she is taking a short rest from filming) playing in a Henry Edward's production. Anyhow this is the conversation I ^^ overheard just behind me, taking place between two loyal village .girls. "Who is she?" asked one. " I dunno," replied the other. " Suppose she thinks she's a second Chrissie White!" " Go one," was the disgusted retort, "if she's the second Chrissie White, then I reckon I'm the second Alma Taylor." Not flattering? No, not quite, but I could not but admire their loyalty to their favourite.