Picture Play Magazine (Mar-Aug 1926)

87 a Player Type? merits of adhering to one sort of much in the way of versatility, Gardner saw. I'm never going to let him go near a studio. I'm going to send him to college and make him into a kind of industrial engineer, something that's grand and takes ever so many brains, because, for his age, I never saw any one so clever. Why, you just ought to hear the cute things he says " Clever sayings, physical prowess, school-teacher's praise, et cetera, et cetera, followed in a lengthy and rapturous recital. Oh. no ; not at all like a "real mother !" Then, gradually, her talk turned to pictures as it naturally would and, bubbling with spontaneity, she chattered on. "There's no use in kidding myself into thinking I can play everything, from the roles of Nazimova and Mary Philbin to those of a comedy-gag girl. I can't." Popular opinion has it at the present time that the most stinging anathema that can be hurled at an actor or an actress is to catalogue him or her as a type. The theory seems to be that versatility is the element to be sought, and that "type acting;" as the antithesis of versatility, is t therefore to be scorned. Consequently, when a not-too-firmly established actress comes out and announces that she is, and always will be, a "type player," she is bound to attract some attention and probably, considerable discussion. Miss Livingston's attitude on the matter shows a great deal of thought and. some real honesty. . "Of course, I could imitate others, but it would show. Imitation always does show. You hear on all sides that this or that actress is trying to imitate the work of Swansdn, Gish, Negri, or some one else, "and invariably the concluding remark is, 'But she missed fire.' "I suppose;there are dozens of reasons for this. But the only one I can see is that a person with one mental make-up can't imitate the personality of some one with an entirely different mental make-up. That's why there has never been a second Valentino. And just think of the people who've tried to imitate Mary Pickford. Where are they? "And as another proof of my point, take the case of Mary herself. People love her in the type of part that she has made famous and that suits her so well, but the minute she stops being herself she isn't so popular. So that's what I'm going to tryto be — myself. If I haven't enough personality and individuality as myself to attract people, then I'll give up. "It may be that I'll have to wait a long, long while before the producers believe enough in this ambition of mine to attempt to popularize me in the particular kind of parts suited to mv personality and whatever talent I may have. Just the same, I ; have a feeling that my chance is coming, and I'm praying that it will be soon. Of course, I may be all wrong, and it always sounds conceited for a person to talk about what they think they are good in, but I did like my part in 'The Chorus Lady.' It just fitted me and I think I fitted it." Of course, it's a little early to begin to prognosticate about this effervescent but earnest little miss, for though she has been in pictures for three years and a half, she hasn't had much opportunity until just recently to show what her personality really is. Now and then, however, she displays quite a depth of appeal, and in her light, insouciant moments, when her gay camaraderie is in full swing, there's a kind of underlying note of pathos that's guaranteed to arouse your sympathy immediately. It seems not unlikely, in fact, that Miss Livingston is in a fair way to display individuality, and if her ambitions are achieved, who knows but that there may some day be a "Margaret Livingston type ?"