Picture Show (Nov 1919-Apr 1920)

s Tht Picture Show, December 20</i, 1919. JUST ME. ConliZl 6from and buret into tears. My rage was so great that I pounced upon the poor leading man and entered into a free-for-all fist fight. I guess the poor fellow had to defend himself, and, of course, wo_ wrecked the performance so badly that they had to ring down the curtain ; but I . didn't cease pounding poor old Monto until I was dragged away by a couple of stage hands. Believe me, I felt humiliated enough during the rest of tho performance of that piece, and I didn't have much inclination to play Springfield again. One of the performers who had been in the company the season before, had taken out a repertoire company this year, so I wrote asking him for a job, to which he answered that I could have one most any time I wanted to join them. I then contrived to get myself fired from my printing job also, and after a few weeks' idleness, sprung the surprise on father that I could get a job with the " All Star Stock Company " at fifteen dollars a week. This was a lot of money then, so ho let me go, and I joined the company in Memphis, Tennessee. I made the trip alone in a day coach (in those days I didn't know there was such a thing as a Pullman car). It was my first train trip a'one, and I bought no end of candy from the butcher boy, arriving in Memphis very late at night with a pretty weak stomach, 'j The All Star Stock Company " was a travelling company playing one week in each town, a different play each night. I played not very important parts in that company under the name of Mazie Hall. Between the acts they put on singing and dancing turns, which were called " specialities." I was, of course, at every performance compelled to trip out in one of these. Now, I always had a good, clear voice that could ■ arry a tune in a way, but it certainly was devoid of music, and my dancing — oh, that was awful. But still I danced. The red, white, and blue dress went fine when I sang patriotic numbers, but the only thing that would furnish an excuse for the short fall skirt was that I do a skirt dance for an encore. It's a good thing that I bad the American flag to protect me through this spasin. Even that failed in one town. A Poor Company. THE whole company were none too clever, and when we struck one town in Mississippi— Natchez by name — dancing was cut out of my stage career for ever. It was Thursday! and we had been playing the town Binee Monday, and by the way, were_not much of a success. Hence, it seemed that this night some Qf the audience came armed. I don't know whether the plot had been framed up against me or not — anyway, this was my red, white, and blue night. It certainly turned out blue for me. " The Grand Old Rag " had gone very well, and a goodly bit of applause burst forth. Then J started to dance. I heard something land on the stage behind me with an awful smack, followed by a lot of giggling in the front of the house. But on I danced ! As I gave one extra high kick some article was thrown on to the stage and landed under my one foot that was resting on terra ji m a. This gave me an awful bkid, and I landed in a sitting down position with a terrible tnud. Then came another missile whizzing over my head. Horrors ! They were throwing rotten eggs at me. Oh, the mortification I suffered that night, for I was taking myself very seriously in those days. This company lasted about two months, then f-t landed down in South Carolina. However, I had saved up nearly sixty dollars, which teemed quite a fortune. It was in Charleston, South Carolina. I was stopping with a private family, as in those days about five dollars per week for room and board was the absolute limit. Consequently the hotels were beyond me, and I always stayed in boarding-houses or privato homes. This family was very nice to mo. The father was a purser on a passenger boat running from New York to Cuba, and he came homo for, several days while I was there. i4ow to go back to Springfield would have put an awful hole in my bank-roll, so I was all for jetting a job that would not cost me railroad fore to reach. Jfe fold me that ho would get me a job as stewardess on board his boat. Wonderful ! I ' onld go out on to the ocean and sec. a bit of the world. (Another Splendid Instalment Next Week.) FLORENCE TURNER QUIETLY tho news has filtered through from America that Florence Turner will once more appear on the screen, this time in a scries of comedies. . It will be welcomed by many of her old admirers, who havo missed this clever lady's work for some months past. Miss" Turner was one of tho pioneer film players. She " joined up " with Vitagraph in the infantile days of that company's career. When she becomes reminiscent, she will tell you — with her big black eyes brimming with fun — how she was sometimes leading lady, sometimes the typist, and at others she found it necersary, if only from an hygienic view -point, to mako a tour of tho offices and studio with a brush and dust-pan ! She was the only lady member of the staff, and her " Producer," although his primary object in being there was to produce, also combined the duties of stage manager, carpenter, and leading man, But tho, Vitagraph Company of America was a healthy infant, both from an artistic and commercial point of view, and in a few years it was the best-known and largest producing concern, and numbered amongst its players some of the most popular and highly -paid artistes. Florence Turner comes of artistic stock. Her mother was a well-known actress ; her COMES BACK TO FILMLAND. grandmother, too, was "on the boards," besides which, sho has a sprinkling of Italian blood in her veins. Not only in dramatic and serious roles has she proved herself a consummate artiste ; eho is a true comedian, and has found the secret of making you laugh, the while you aro not at all certain that the next moment she won't be making you weep. It is doubtful whether any films, either British or American successes, had — or still have — the triumphant existence which has been the lot of " My Old Dutch," " A Welsh Singer," and " East is East," three of Miss Turner's greatest achievements, all evolved whilst she was leading in her own company in England. As Mifanwy, the little shepherdess with the golden voice in " A Welsh Singer," she gave a splendid portrayal of a dramatic and strenuous role ; as the little Cockney mate of the little Cockney man — played by Albert Chevalier — in " My Old Dutch, " she reached the summit of her art, for even whilst you were wondering how much longer your physical capacity for enjoyment would allow you to appreciate her quaint antics and sterling humour, she was switching you off, en route for the discovery that you had a big lump in your throat. G. A. With ALBERT CHEVALIER in " My Old Dutch. In "A Welsh Singer." DOUGLAS FAIRBANKS. DOUGLAS FAIRBANKS, the popular screeii actor, is now president of his own motion picture producing company, -which is, of course, a part of the United Artistes combination, more frequently termod " the big four." The great athletic and smiling star is a native of Denver, Colorado, and he claims 1884 as his year of birth. Douglas's parents thought at one timo that he would go in for opera, but his tastes changed as he grew up. He was educated at a military academy, studied mine engineering, and afterwards went to Harvard College. First Worked in Wall Street. FOR a time he worked in Wall Street, America's great financial thoroughfare, but in 1901 he decided he could earn more money on the stage. He succeeded in obtaining parts in " The Pit," " Two Littlo Soldier Boys," *' Frenzied Finance," and • Officer 660." Douglas Fairbanks began his screen career in 1916 with the Fine Arts Company in "The Lamb." His other cinema plays include " The Habit ot Happiness," "The Good Bad Man," 'Flirting With Fate," and 'Manhattan Madness. From California He Sends You Best Wishes for Christmas and New Year. He is liked best in parts that give him oppor tunity to display his extraordinary agility. His Very Latest Picture. THE very latest photo -play in which he appears is "His Majesty the American. This is his first '■ Big Four-' release. In height Douglas Fairbanks is five feef, ten inches, and he weighs 165 lb., " all muscle." Ho has black hair, and brown eyes. " If you will forco yourself to smile "until ten o'clock in the morning, you will automatically smilo all day " is one of Douglas's favourite maxims. Ho loves the open air, ho likes his bed early, and is not a frequenter of cafes. He follows the rule of all athletes, and keeps himself physically fit. Life is a Moving Picture. AT almost any time of the day he is sr.ro to be doing something that has in it action and spirit. Life is a perpetual moving picture to him. He exercises regularly,, and his daily rout me always Includes a few minutes boxing, wrestling , and swimming. " Douglas wishes, through our Studio Cong pendent, to convey to all his friends who n ! The Picture Show, his best wishes for a Merry Christmas and a Happy and Prosperous N> ■. iTear. 1