Picture Play Magazine (Sep 1921 - Feb 1922)

A Girl's Adventure in Movieland 89 Continued from page 33 that if a player has been in the movies for any length of time he or she must be old. And because my sister began to work in, pictures more frequently after I had my start they think that she is younger than I, though I really come in between her and my brother. You see, Norma Talmadge and I started in pictures when we were scarcely more than children, so we don't have to be so awfully old even if we were in the movies a very long while." Her mother called her into the house then, and I was left to amuse myself. I envied riie two little boys across the way of having the chance to see Anita every day. Miss Stewart came back soon with two gentlemen, one whom she introduced as Mr. Christy — who makes the Christy comedies — and her husband, Rudolph Cameron. At first glance he looks so much like Richard Barthelmess I was startled. He's just about the same size and build, and very dark, too, and he has that same friendly, interested manner. It's almost a shame he isn't acting any more since he did a few pictures with Anita several years ago. I asked him why he didn't. "Well, you see, it wouldn't pay me," he said. "I make more money managing the Anita Stewart Company. It's strange, though, you know, the picture game is in pretty bad shape just now — in such a condition that it is hard for any one to get work. And now I have received a good ofifer to play in a Broadway production and three picture offers. Isn't that the way? Probably if I needed the work I wouldn't be able to get it, and because I don't, why they come." You wouldn't wonder about that if you saw Mr. Cameron. He is an ideal type for the screen. We went into the house for luncheon, which we had in a aining room all done in yellow. Anita and her husband sat on both sides of me, with Mr. Christy opposite me, and through the substantial luncheon of soup, chops, potatoes, chicken, peas, and iced tea, with ice cream and coconut cake for dessert, served by the colored butler, Mr. Christy amused us all with his very interesting talk. I believe he is the first producer, outside of Mr. Griffith, of course, that I have met, and if they are all as nice as Mr. Christy I like them very much. A lady friend of Miss Stev/art's — or should I say Mrs. Cameron? — came over and joined us. She hsd the most magnificent diamond ring — the stone was almost as big as a ten-cent piece — that a friend vv^as willing to sell for three thousand dollars, and she wanted to know whether Anita would care to buy it. She liked it immensely, but it wasn't just the color stone she wanted, so she was undecided. As all her jewels were stolen in California, she was anxious to get some more diamonds. During the conversation Miss Stewart happened to mention how she haj^pened to get in pictures, and I listened eagerly, for that's my jjet information — how they began. "My sister was six years older than I, and she married Ralph Ince when I was eleven. Of course, on account of my brother-in-law being a director, I was always around the studios. I remember the Talmadge girls, Rosemary Theby, and Rose Tapley were all working at the Vitagraph studio then. When I was fourteen we moved here to Bayshore. One night my brother-in-law came home and told us he had three stories to film. "He said, 'One of them is an awful story ; I don't know whv I'm doing it, but it's Albert M. Smith's pet story. It's called "The Wood Violet," and I can't imagine who I'll get to play it.' "My sister suggested, 'Well, let Anna — they always called me Anna at home — do it. It will give her the chance to go to Saratoga, and she wants to go so bad.' I was just the type for the picture then. You know, just a kid, and it was easy to play just running around wild and barefooted with my hair hanging down my back. So I did 'The Wood Violet,' Rosemary Theby did the other picture, and my sister the third one. 'The AA'ood Violet' made a hit, so on the strength of that I was given twent3'-five dollars a week." After luncheon Miss vStewart took me upstairs, and we primped up a bit to have our pictures taken. She had had her flannel skirt laundered, and it had shrunk a trifle, so she was worried for fear it was too short. It seemed strange to hear an actress fret about a skirt being too short, which an ordinary girl would never let bother her for a minute. 'Mr. Cameron snapped our jMctures all over the place with Casey, the dog, and sitting on the running board of the car that they call the "Jazz-bo." x\nita told me everybody around there had one to carry luggage and things back and forth from the station. Just for fun we were going to take a ride in it in the afternoon, but the time passed so quickly we didn't get the opportunity to. Instead Miss Stewart's friend took us to the Bayshore station in her car. Anita Stewart consoled me with the probability that we may meet again before she returns to California as we said gcod-by, and as I watched the car drive out of sight I knew this was the end of one of my most perfect "adventures." Continued from page 71 Atherton, is a picture that tells a romance of a generation ago, when, licker flowed freely and when the Five Points in New York was unrescued by settlement workers. "Big Game," starring May Allison, relates the adventures of a wife who cures her husband of an artistocratic bent The Screen in Review of mind by taking him to Canada and forcing him to lead the raw, rough life. "Life's Darn Funny" to Viola Dana and Gareth Hughes, who costar in a comedy. The reviewer is under oath not to mention Hugo Eallin's production of "Jane Eyre." I am sorry because "Jane Eyre" is one of m\ favorite novels, because I should like to talk about a Ballin production without mentioning the settings and because I should like to be able to say a great deal about Mabel Ballin's clever acting. However, a promise is a promise, and I have not said a word about "Jane Eyre." But when Hodkinson releases it, don't miss it. Norman Trevor is that sinister hero, Mr. Rochester. A Few Historical Facts Not in Our Histories Did You Know That De Soto looked for the fountain The reason it took Hannibal three King Henry VIII had eight wives of youth in vain because he didn't davs to cross the Alps was because and not one showed a desire to go travel as far West as Hollywood, the camera men on both sides couldn't into the movies because they knew where Mack Sennett had a monopoly decide on advantageous positions to they wouldn't live long enough to be on enough youthful maidens to make take their views, so there was no rea come a star? the Spaniard's mouth water? son for Hannibal to hurry?