Picturegoer (1922)

JUNE 1922 THE PlCTUf?EGOE-R 27 One morning his uncle came to see him at the college, and obtained leave of absence for Nigel to accompany him to the next town to see a show at the local theatre ; the particular point of interest to the uncle being that an old chum who was at Haileybury with him years before was playing the leading part in the show. After the second act, Nigel and his uncle went round to the star's dressing-room for a chat, and the rest of the play Nigel was allowed to witness from the wings. This insight into the life of an actor behind the scenes infatuated Nigel, and there and then he decided to become an actor. And as the wish is father to the deed with Nigel, it was not long before he had secured a part in a stage production. After a period of hard training in very minor positions, this Rolling Stone decided that his job in life was to tickle the visible faculty of the public, and he accordingly turned his attention to comic opera. He will be well remembered by the theatregoers of a decade ago as playing important parts with Sir F. Benson, Sir Herbert Tree, Fred Terry, and many other big stars. But it must not be supposed that our Moss-Gathering Stone had talents that were concentrated on the one form of art only. If that had been so, there would have been no Nigel Barrie of his present-day eminence, because screencraft brings into play every possible form of stagecraft. There was no department of stage work of which Nigel did not make himself complete master. In fact, he has played practically everything from drama to step-dancing at the music-halls. It was music-hall work that took him to America, where his personality and stage style soon attracted the Lasky people, who gave him his first film part in the famous " Babs " series — Bab's Diary, Bab's Burglar, etc., in which he played as " Carter Brooks," opposite Marguerite Clark. He also played opposite Jane Grey and Clara Kimball Young. Then came the war. And our Rolling Stone lost no time in joining the British Army. He chose the Royal Flying Corps, in which he became^H a Lieutenant, and his adventures while " O.H.M.S. " would fill a complete issue of this magazine. He says that he never had such a hot time since he left India ! But fortune smiles on the brave, and our Rolling Stone returned safe and sound to his studio work when the Armistice w-as signed. Nigel has been one of the world's most busy workers since the war, having played opposite Bessie Barriscale, Margarita Fisher, Alma Rubens, Blanche Sweet, and Pauline Frederick in a record number of big popular pictures. In personal appearance, Nigel is one of the most striking men in the land of films. Tall (he registers 6 ft. I in his socks), with dark-brown hair and brown eyes, he is a perfect specimen of manhood. And if you ask him the reason for his success in films, he will laughingly reply : Oh, it's sheer luck — the luck of being born a Britisher " !