Picture-Play Magazine (Mar-Aug 1924)

116 Advertising Section Good Music Wherever You Go! Sixty miles on the speedometer — twelve noon by the clock — a quiet, shady grove by the roadside — a lunch basket packed with good things to eat — and five hungry people ready to sit down to a feast at nature's table. That's the time for a little music from the pocket orchestra — a few lively selections on a Hohner Harmonica — The World's Best There's nothing likegood music for happiness; and there's nothing like a Hohner for good music. Hohner Harmonicas are true in tone, accurate in pitch and perfect in workmanship. Anyone can learn to play real music quickly. Get a Hohner Harmonica today and play it tonight. 50(2 up at all dealers. Ask for the Free Instruction Book. If your dealer is out of copies, write M. Hohner, Inc., Dept. 186, New York City. OHNER ARMONICAS Sell TIRES DIRECT PROM FACTORY i >Ve want one auto owneria each locality to use and advertise Armour Cords. Yoa , j---1 make bigmoney andgetyourowntiresFree I By simply Bending us orders from friends and I n?lgi?b ■or3 No CaP't;il «r Experience needed. 1 vvJr.<le*1Ter ail<l collect direct. Pay you daily, j MostLiberalTire Guarantee Ever Written 1 Armour Cords are Bonded against Accidental IDarnage, Wear and Tear, Tread Separation, Biisnrr^termg, Blow-Outs and Kim-Cutting for I 10,000 miles. We are actual manufacturers. Write today for Great Special Offer „ to Agents and low Factory Prices. f Ancour lire & Rubber to., Dept. 564-A, Dayton. 0. New Easy Way To Beautify Eyes No need now to fuss with messy, smudgy cake eye make-ups that run, rub off and smear. A wonderful new liquid has been perfected which can be applied in a few seconds, dries instantly, lasts all day and is absolutely waterproof. This marvelous new liquid makes the lashes appear long, heavy and beautiful, and the brows more lustrous and well arched — without' giving them an artificial look. It is being used by thousands because it gives the eyes a new, NATURAL beauty — a wonderful new fascination. FRFF TRY AT For introductory purposes we * **|J*J A*%*r*lj will send you free a generous supply of Lashbrow Liquid. And we will include a trial size of another Lashbrow product, Lashbrow Pomade, which quickly stimulates the growth of the brows snd lashes. Clip this announcement, enclose 10c. to cover cost of packing and shipping, and send it at once to Lashbrow Laboratories, Dept. 227, 417 Canal Street, New York City. Is on sale at all good toilet goods counters everywhere. tures than he has been getting. I was pleased to see what he wrote about the stars reading our letters, for that assures us that our time and the editor's space is not going to waste. Harriett E. Stiles. 2920 H Street, Sacramento, Calif. A Screen Test. Fans — and fellow thinkers — have you ever had a screen test made? If not, then hearken unto my tale of how it all feels. A little over three weeks ago there appeared in this town some placards announcing: "Do you want to act in the movies ? Have a screen test made Tuesday night!" Immediately I scented a school of acting— "we teach you in only twelve lessons"— behind this flaming ruse. Thinking what a neat little account it would make for the fan department, I hied myself to the town hall and viewed the picture with some impatience. We waited impatiently through the showing of "Adam and Eva." When the last scene had faded out, the screen-test man made his appearance on the stage. He made a speech all about the wonderful chances for beginners — how they. were searching for new faces — new personalities. . . . He finished with the prediction of a rosy future for us all. Oh ! How we thrilled at the golden hand of opportunity stretched forth to us and the open doors (?) and glowing welcome that awaited our ambitions ! Presently the impresario ordered the screen rolled up to reveal four large lights, old faded scenery, a chair, and a camera. Then he requested those who wished to be shot to come up on the stage. And from all those who registered did one of them go up? Fellow fans — they did not! Everybody looked accusingly at everybody else and grinned blandly. The girls with me developed stage fright and refused to move. I began to see a perfectly good movie story fade away, so, to save the evening, I jazzed myself up the aisle and on to the platform — and the audience applauded! I felt, really, quite at home, and while the screen-test man went on urging others to the slaughter, I went around the stage scrutinizing the lights. The two at the back were huge bulbs against a round white metal background — one was bluish, the other white. To the front, left, there was a similar one, with one bulb, and across from it was a funny little light — round and about the size of a small orange. My investigations in this line were put to an untimely end when the director — we will honor him with this title — made me sit down and "register" things. First, it was sorrow, surprise, anger, then just a smile. He talked in a loud, harsh voice, and the audience snickered and tittered with amusement. . . . When I had expressed "faith, hope, and a claret cup," as some wiseacre put it, and proved, "publicly, that I possessed every qualification for the dumb-bell ranks, another call was made for volunteers, and this time four responded with new-found courage. The two girls were rather usual types, but the boys were the whole show. One, I'm sure, must have been the prototype of Merton. He even wore a large cowboy hat, had his test made with a pistol in his hand, and was, oh, so fearfully serious in his efforts. One could see he yearned, if awkwardly, for tragedy, while the other harbored comedy aspirations — even to the extent of wearing Lloyd spectacles — only with lenses. When the tests were finished the director put us through a comedy that was "nothin' else 'cept !" It all went along beautifully until Merton, the lover, made his appearance. With a Macbeth stride he walked into the glare of the lights, a bedraggled cloth rose dangling in one hand. Announcing to his true love that the bouquet was, actually, for her, he turned his back serenely upon the camera, excluding the others. There was a yell of disgust from the director. "Aw — I ain't takin' a pitcher of your back! Turn roun' an' do it over — you with the flowers !" Much to Merton 's chagrin, he rehearsed it again. This time everything was satisfactory until he knelt down at the girl's feet, laid the rose in her lap, dropped his hands at his sides and calmly stated in a disinterested voice that she was the kitten's ear and nothing else. Again there was a squawk from the director. That, he asserted in raucous tones, was no way to make love. To prove his point, he took the rose and rushed over to the girl. "Jus' look wot I brought you, darlin' !" he cried, putting both arms around the girl and scaring her almost to death. But when Merton did the scene again, he went the director one further. "You got to kiss me," he announced to the girl. "The man said so, and I gotta !" The girl protested, calling his attention to "all those people out there." Finally the comedy was finished without casualties, except that the girl got a bit the worst of it in the dramatic choking scene. As I think it over, I doubt that I have ever seen a more appreciative audience. It took the whole proceeding with a sort of wondering seriousness and credulous earnesty. Yet, it laughed until it cried at the "faux pases" we pulled and, certainly, their mirth was genuine. I haven't heard yet that any of us who were tested have had any starring offers. Nor have I seen any of the tests. In fact, I've been wondering whether there was really any film in the camera ! Trix MacKenzie. Orange Hotel, Inverness, Fla. Another Protest About "Our Club" Write-ups. A deep, profound salaam goes to Edward Lee Seay for his letter in the Mayissue. I've groaned and raved inwardly over the space devoted to the "Our Girl's Club," et cetera, but lacked courage to write about it. It's nice that those girls are so chummy and all that, but don't tell me so much about their social activities. Wait till they do something big on the screen, and you won't need to tell us about 'em. We'll ask. Old-timer. Mount Kisco, N. Y. From a Strongheart Fan. It is often a source of wonder to me that there are any efforts being made at all in the way of producing really worthwhile motion pictures. Perhaps the producers such as Mary Pickford, Fairbanks, Chaplin, and scores of others whose films may be considered the best of the great output, do not read the fan letters in magazines. If they do,, and are still ready to carry on their efforts to bring art into the movies, I must congratulate them on their courage. In the April number of Picture-Play, motion pictures are called "vulgar, common, without depth," et cetera, but Monsieur Solomonetta, whose letter you have appropriately headed "What an _ Outburst !" is the most unkind, and, in my opinion, unfairest, of any. Why has he condemned all the movie children to the Red Sea except Jackie Coogan? Perhaps he has never seen Jackie Condon or Mickey Daniels or Mickey Bennett or True Boardman or