Picture-Play Magazine (Sep 1926 - Feb 1927)

45 ty, But nine out of ten beautiful girls reveal unsusthe beholder into advising a screen career. Underhill "Well, look at that girl over there. Isn't she as delectable as any beauty on the screen? And she has golden hair and brown eyes. Also, have you noticed her teeth ?" "Yes, and I have also noticed her feet and ankles ! When first I began to do motion pictures there was an actress on the screen who was very beautiful three quarters of the way, beginning at the top. Once when we were in the studio we heard the director say, 'Always shoot her just below the knee!' meaning, 'Her feet are so big we can't show them in the picture.' This is absolutely true, and you know directors aren't going to bother with people who have to be shot just below the knees. Look at Gloria Swanson's feet and ankles and look at Corinne Griffith's, and Pola Negri's and Doris Kenyon's and Lois Wilson's." "Yes. indeed," he responded cheerfully. "I shall be delighted to do so." "Well, you know what I mean. Now would you have your blond Venus at the candy counter for your bright particular star ?" Just recently we were delightfuly vindicated and all our theories were turned into facts — plain, unvarnished, uncompromising facts. Famous Players sent out calls for volunteers. "Come and have a film test made," rang out the clarion call. Fortunately some one had the forethought to ask the aspiring, potential artists to send in photographs so that the casting director might learn whether his estimate of the applicants' beauty coincided with their own. From the thousands of photographs received perhaps twenty were selected as having possibilities. As a matter of fact, no face appears on the screen which is any more beautiful than many of these aspirants appear to • be in their photographs. Just look at Anita Pomares, blue-eyed, blonde, with naturally curly hair, and aged sixteen. Was Mary Pickford in the old Biograph days more lovely and trusting ? The answer is, "Xo !" and yet Then gaze on Astrid Lahger, seventeen years old, also blue-eyed and blonde. She is a sort of cross between Blanche Sweet and Corinne Griffith. Xo wonder Miss Even with her height, weight and coloring the same as Colleen Moore's, Germaine Faire discovered that the movie camera had a different conception of her beauty. Photo by Jay L. Hnehlein Photo by De Mirjian Studios Glance at this portrait of Mary Williams and you will not wonder that Paramount hoped to discover another Clara Bow. Lahger was invited to call for a test ! And look at Josephine Paretto. Isn't she the image of Irene Rich, that hunted heroine who has wept so many and such profitable tears on the screen ? And doesn't Mary Williams look like Clara Bow? Exactly. And there is Germaine Faire. If Colleen Moore saw a photograph of her, she would say, "When did I have that picture taken?" She is also the same height, weight, age, and coloring as Miss Moore. And yet, not a single applicant of all those who were permitted to take the test was found eligible to become a member of the Paramount school. And those who saw the screen tests at the Rivoli Theater in X'ew York a short while ago readily admitted the justice of the decision. Now, what is the reason for this? Undoubtedly all these young women went about being called beautiful by everv one who saw them. Every one advised them to drop everything just where it was and devote their lives to making the movies more worth while. Undoubtedlv all these young women have wonderful coloring, and that is a Continued on page 104