Picture Play Magazine (Mar-Aug 1928)

68 Must They Become Americans? Vilma Banlcy promptly became an American when her success was assured. that you wish to become a citizen of the United States." He had not then played in "What Price Glory," but most likely bis ideas about such a rule coincided with the thoughts of a tough marine ! However, a chance came. He went to Canada to make a picture. After it had been completed, and the rest of the company had returned to the States, Victor stayed on. "Have you been to England and back already?" he was asked at the City Hall, where he went on his return to Los Angeles. "No, gentlemen," he replied. "I came back in the Canadian quota and want to apply for my citizenship." And this time Vic got it ! To-day, Victor McLaglan is an American — or soon will be — while his wife remains English. She refused to go to the trouble to which her muscular husband resorted.' Reginald Denny looks more American than many a native. Yet he is, or rather was, English. Mrs. Denny, recently applying for divorce instead of citizenship, stated as one of her grievances that her husband had become "too American" — whatever that is. Until recently, a wife shared her husband's nationality, no matter what it was. Marriage made her a subject of his country. But intricacies of rule and regulation are more than confusing. To-day a foreigner, even though ,'s'he marries an American, must also apply for American citizenship, for marriage no longer grants her automatic inclusion among the citizens of this country. Constance Talmadge became a Greek when she married her first husband. Connie could not bear the idea of remaining a Greek after her divorce, so she decided to become a citizen of her own country again. Then she fell in love once more — this time with a British subject. And her marriage to him made her British, too. Now that she is divorced, she will have to apply a second time to be made an American citizen. If Connie keeps marrying and divorcing foreigners, she may revert to her own nationality in the twelfth attempt. Alice Terry travels about Europe on a British passport, for her husband, Rex Ingram, is English. They are both in London at present, but if they return to America they must come on a visitor's passport — or wait until they can enter in the quota. Antonio Moreno, a Spanish subject, was less lucky in getting his Americanization papers. The law states that after first applying for citizenship, the person must not stay out of the country for more than six months at a time. Picture-making abroad, and various rules and regulations, upset all Tony's plans. Time and again he was put back, unable to get his papers. Recently he became an American citizen at last. Tony's personality is more American than Latin. Theodore Kosloff is in a quandary regarding his application for citizenship. During the war, Kosloff firmly maintained that he was a Russian subject and therefore exempt from the draft. He refused to take out naturalization papers then. Lateiy he has been trying in vain to file an application. He is now denied citizenship, because he refused to take advantage of it during the war, when he was advised to do so. Charlie Chaplin's nationality, like everything else in his life, seems to give him plenty of trouble. During the war the English became aware that a famous person named Chaplin belonged to them. They said be ought to come over and join their army. But Chaplin remained in America. Americans said he ought to take out his American papers, as all his fame and fortune had come from the opportunities given him in this country. But Charlie never budged. Chaplin has been in the United States for the last fifteen years. He is still English. Whether he will ever Continued on page 100 Joseph Schildkraut lost no time in applying for his citizenship papers.