Picture Play Magazine (Mar-Aug 1920)

48 Up the Ladder to Stardom a meal. Those were the days when actors never struck. I walked, stole rides, rode freights, and did odd jobs by the way to get back to Chicago. However, I liked the stage enough to risk another stranding; and soon was leading man — at twenty-five dollars a week. "Thorns and Orange Blossoms" used to close the schools, and I fancy that woodshed correctives were used to combat our questionable influence. I doubled my role and played the part of a pawnbroker, helping to ruin the honor of my wife, whom I was protecting. It was a little complicated. In "East Lynne" we did one-night stands in towns of five hundred people. There were no advance notices. We passed handbills from house to house during the day to the' sort of people who argue it must be a good show because there are five acts. Eventually, I left the company because of a disagreement with the manager. He hadn't paid any salaries to speak of for some time, so I guess he won. Pie looked pretty good to me in those days, so I accepted an offer to go into the movies, ashamed when I did so of my action, for like most actors of the time, I despised the silent drama. However, it was summertime, the curse of actors' well-being. When I went back to stock playing in the fall, I kept mighty quiet about my stoop to the camera. But the following summer I was back in the shameful fold, playing, directing, cuttingfilm, O. K.'ing bills, writing stories, helping manage the studio, and acting as chief office boy. Finally, I was called to another company where I had a chance to specialize. The public makes a star. Bear that in mind. I have learned since I became one that the people in the litlle towns where pictures were being shown in which I was the leading man, asked the exhibitors about me and said they wanted to come to the theater again when I was in the picture. The exhibitors, with an eye to business, put my name in the billing with the star to attract the questioners. Finally, I became enough of a side-show to be billed "Miss (the star) and Tom Moore." Every well-known star on the screen holds his or her honors because the public sent them where they are. The screen is the one place where pull fails ; the public likes what it likes — and gets it. When I was promoted, my friends made me buy more suits and a car and a Japanese valet, arguing that I had a peculiar position which could only be maintained by having such things. I don't know. I feel apologetic about having a valet, but he really does held me in a lot of ways. In fact, he maintains the dignity of my being a star more conscientiously than I do. My small daughter Alice is another person who appreciates to the full her father's position; she heartily disapWk proved of my role in "The City of Comm rades" because I went un shaved through WE a good part of the picture, which she mm thought most disgraceful. I like to lead the simple life, play just enough golf to keep me in condition, and my liking for the books of H. G. Wells and Robert Louis Stevenson is no affectation. I am deeply interested in the Irish Nationalist movement and an ardent admirer of the late Charles Stewart Parnell. I hate to be interviewed. Film Observations By Vara Macbeth Jones Mohammed once summoned the mountain, in vain. But that was in ancient days ; He could nowadays behold any mountain he wished. If he went to the picture plays ! If a body meet a body Side view — on the screen, And a body kiss a body — Then — the end you've seen ! I know a wedded couple — In the movies often seen ; Folks say they act like lovers, So they do — upon the screen ! "I'm a screen devotee," said my brother, "Though it's not for such pleasure I yearn; But my girl loves the picture-play lover, So I'm trying his method to learn." "Which of them all is your favorite role?" I asked a soaring star ; He winked as he solemnly answered me, "The pay roll is — by far !" For successful advertising The department stores should say : "We guarantee t6~ctuplicate Any room in a picture play !"