Picture Play Magazine (Sep 1921 - Feb 1922)

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Double-Double — Harold Lloyd's mysterious shadow becomes a star. By Edwin Schallert MR. Lloyd, Mr. Lloyd!" I hastened after the young man rounding the corner of the studio building, for at the office they had just informed me that Harold Lloyd had left for the day, and here I'd been so lucky as to catch him. "Mr. Lloyd !" I hailed again. This time he heard me and faced about. "Why, Mr. Lloyd, I wanted Oh, I beg your l^ardon, I thought you were Er — um !" "Yes " he said with a suspicion of a smile. "That's my name." "Well, but — but " I stammered astoundedly, and even made an effort to rub my eyes. For a moment I thought I was seeing an apparition. "Bvit — you aren't Harold Lloyd." Certainly he was not the comedian of the horn-rimmed glasses. "My brother left just a little while ago," he answered slowly. "Your bro Oh, are you Harold Lloyd's brother?" I blurted excitedly. "Oh, that's why Well, by Jove, you do look a lot alike — that is, from a distance," and mentally I added, "when viewed aft." The resemblance wasn't so marked now that I had approached the slight but well-proportioned man in the tweed suit and cap. I noted that his eyes were blue, whereas his brother's were deep brown. Too, he talked at an easier pace and with apparently slightly more reserve, although the noted comedian is rather quiet and retiring in his demeanor with strangers. "My name is Gaylord Lloyd," he said by way of explanation. I recollected that I had heard of a certain Gaylord Lloyd, who was starting to make pictures, but remembered that I hadn't paid any , particular attention because a star's relatives don't often look much like the original, and frequently live on the reputation of the other member of the family. However, my curiosity was somewhat excited by the chance encounter, and so I engaged him in conversation. "It's funny," I went on, as I made a guess at his age, "but I thought Harold Lloyd's brother must be younger than he." "Lots of people have the same idea," he replied. "It makes him mad, too, when he hears it, though he calls me 'the kid' for fun. The fact is, I'm just about five years older. "I had a head start of Harold professionally," he continued. "That is, on the stage, but I quit acting and went to ranching in Wyoming until I came out here." "You're in pictures permanently now, though, aren't you?" I queried. "Oh, yes. I've been in them for three years. You see" — I noted he had a funny way of contracting "You see" into "see" and almost deleting even the "Y" — "I've been doubling for Harold in the stunt stuff off and on. "Now, though, I'm making comedies — that is, in a small way as yet. I've finished several one-reelers, and one of them is about ready to show. I'm not just satisfied with them — I mean they're not just right yet, but things are framing up better now." "But about that doubling?" I interjected. "Well, 'see, it came about this way. Hal Roach and my brother wanted me to star when I came to California. On the left is Harold Lloyd, and on the right his brother Gaylord. and it won 't be long before you 'II know him as more than Harold's brother. Roach said he thought that I could revive my brother's character of Lonesome Luke, which was always a favorite with him. "But as I had just been operated on for appendicitis I didn't feel that it was a good time to begin. So I told them I'd rather wait. I said I'd like to start in and learn more about the films, because all my experience had been on the stage. "I began by doing some extra work in Harold's first two-reelers. I used to play Chinamen most of the time — because I happened to get a good make-up at the start. Then, after a bit, I commenced doubling. "During" my ranching days, 'see, I had driven machines over rough roads and even across open fields, and I'd ridden bad horses and even broken a broncho or two. So I was pretty well fitted to take the extra risks. "I began doubling for Harold about two years ago, and for a while did all the stunt stuff, like the riding in that burlesque on the Western, and driving the Ford car through fences and buildings in 'Get Out and Get Under.' I worked in most of the long shots, while Harold did the close-ups. My last doubling was in 'Now or never' — the stunts on top of the railroad cars. Harold wanted me to have credit in the publicity, even had some notices about it sent East, but as this would have taken away from the pictures they decided it was better to keep it quiet. I always photographed just like Harold from a distance — you've noticed how much we resemble each other — and it seemed Continued on page 92