Picture Play Magazine (Sep 1921 - Feb 1922)

A Fan Club Talk Latest news about the activities of Fan clubs new and old. By Marjorie Powell Fohn NOW, let's have a talk. What are you new clubs doing in the way of organizing and beginning your activities? And you, whose clubs have been formed for some time, are you busy with winter plans for meetings and parties ? I have had some interesting letters from members of the various clubs. Many members asked what the motion-picture players thought of the fans organizing, so meeting Vera Gordon, whose interpretation of the mother in "Humoresque" proved such a success last year, I talked with her of the clubs. "I wish you would say for me," she concluded her remarks, "that I am very much in favor of these clubs. It is a splendid idea of the fans to organize them, as cooperation is the prime need of the fans just at present. I am interested in girls. They take pride in their movie knowledge, and are better judges of pictures than most older people think. I, like most of the other players, love to get their letters, and from my screen experience I can say these clubs will be of great help to their favorite players. Also they can express their opinions of this censorship question from the viewpoint of the ones most concerned — the young fans. I shall be interested in the development of these clubs, and extend my very best wishes to each of them." But it seems that girls are not the only movie fans who are anxious to organize. In the list of members attached to many of the letters were boys" names, and there were two letters from boys who intended to organize clubs. Now, since this is to be a real fan-club chat, let us see what some of the members have to tell us. Many of the clubs enlarged on the suggestions offered in these articles, adding original touches in organizing. Beatrice Stibyen, of 5434 Winthrop Avenue, Chicago, Illinois, writes the following of a club composed of eight girls, varying in ages from fifteen to nineteen : It is called the "Bug Club," and we have our "Big Four." whom, as we enter, we pledge to support. These are Monte Blue, Lillian Gish, Harold Lloyd, and Colleen Moore. Of course, each member has her other two favorites ; the "Big Four" are by mutual consent. We are now enlarging our club, and as each new member joins, we have an "initiation party." Instead of president, we say _Star ; vice-president is Leading Lady; secretary is Support; and treasurer is Extra. Also, we have a secret sign to greet all members by whenever we meet them. Best of all, we have our "bug rings," just a cheap ring worn on the little finger of the left hand with a bug made of sealing wax on it, as our emblem. As our "guiding" stars, we have chosen people we believe will keep on doing better things and never fail, and at each meeting we dedicate a few moments to the memory of Olive Thomas, Bobby Harron, and Clarine Seymour, who did very great things while they were here, especially Bobby Harron. We try to get the best and cleanest plays at the neighborhood theaters. Ever so often we give a dance, each member bringing an escort dressed as some movie celebrity, and we give a prize to the one guessing the most players represented. We are also collectnig a scrapbook of pictures and bits of gossip from the various newspapers and magazines about our favorites. We are helping the girls in Freeport, Illinois, organize a "Bug Club, ' and we inlend to keep each other posted concerning our activities. Each club meets every two weeks, and whenever there is a play in which any of "our" stars appear, we have a theater party, and all go to see it, then we write the actor or actress and tell them our candid opinion of it. We have adopted Monte Blue's motto, "Sincerity." If you want to enlarge your treasury fund, Minnie Glassman, of 645 Lamont Street, N. W., Washington, D. C, suggests an easy way in her letter: Thanks to your outline of a real fun provider, we are now proud to proclaim the existence of the "Pickbanks Movie Fan Club." Immediately after reading your article, we congregated on the back porch where a lengthy and interesting discussion ensued. We took much pleasure in organizing and naming our cliib. We voted on naming each member after the player she most admired or slightly resembled. Since we are all high-school girls with limited allowances, we were obliged to enforce your idea of theatricals at once. Our third and most profitable affair was the movie wedding of Ben Turpin and Katherine MacDonald. * The cross-eyes of a false face were tied across the eyes of our ZaSu Pitts, and a badly fitted man's suit made her a "handsome" groom. Our prettiest girl wearing her best dress was the bride, and there never was a more laughable combination. The wedding guests were all film notables, attired according to their most successful roles. Harold Lloyd, man's suit and heavy-rimmed glasses — only make-up — was present, also, Corinne Grififith and Connie Talmadge, represented by our bobbed-haired members. Our "heavy" thought she would be only a part of the audience, but the suggestion of Walter Hiers was welcomed even by her. And, we also had a Marie Prevost. Adding with these a variety of stunts, dramatic scenes, comic situations, our audience thoroughly appreciated otn* efforts. We pair off for the different movies in town each week, then at the next meeting, each couple tells of the show they've seen and we feel as though we'd attended six movies. We always discuss the most interesting scenes and save them for our next show. So far, it has been fun with us, but we hope to develop into a movie club of which the^ others may be proud. I wish every girl would organize a similar club which is sure to produce good, wholesome enjoyment. Some of you, perhaps, have just organized, and as yet have not attempted any stunts or parties. You will be interested in the letter of Grace Hannagan, of 732 Harris Street, Appleton, Wisconsin. Our club is formed at last. We met at my house last Friday night. Hereafter, we will take turns meeting at different members' homes from seven-thirty until ten o'clock every Friday evening. There are six of us now, and we've named our club the "Gloria-Reid," after Wallace Reid and Gloria Swanson. We are all sixteen and high-school juniors except Marion, who is a "soph." At the first meeting, we really didn't do anything novel, but we intend to have something original at our next meeting. As it was, we all sat aroimd the table, and elected officers, then we spoke of the different pictures we were anxious to see, and of the framed portraits of our favorites on the walls. Wednesday evening, we are going to have a theater party.' We are going to see "The Old Nest." Continued on page 107 _ Now that many new fan clubs are imder way, and the Wn3t S old ones have been awakened by the spirit of the new ones, no end of ingenuity and originality is being displayed Your their activities. Our fan-club editor is in constant cor — respondence with the secretaries of many of these clubs, Ffln from month to month she tells you what they are doing, but we are sure that there are many of you who have not riiih reported to her. What interesting features have you developed in your — T UOinQ ' How did you organize and Avhat has yotir club come to mean to your members? What do you do at your meetings? YOUR CLUB MAY WIN A PRIZE We have offered three prizes of twenty-five, fifteen, and ten dollars for the three best letters describing the organization and activities of a fan club. Any member of any club —new or old — is eligible to entei this contest. Letters entered in this contest should be addressed to the Fan Club Contest Editor, and must reach her not later than January 1st. Gel Your letter in Now. It May Win a Prize ,