Picture Show (Nov 1919-Apr 1920)

The Picture Show, April Vtth, 1920. THE STARS' DAILY POST BAG The Fame of Being a Film Star Brings in its Train an Enormous Amount of Correspondence TO be a star beloved by millions of people in all parts of tbe world must be a wonderful experience and give to one a sense of happiness and content, yet such fame must essentially bring in its wake a terrific amount of work. The voluminous correspondence that such popularity evokes, for instance, takes up much time and attention. There are so many letters received at the Ince Studios for the artistes that Joe, a brunette-comploxioned Major-domo, is specially engaged for the sorting of them. These letters are of all kinds and descriptions — some pathetic, but most of them amusing. Proposals of Marriage JT is hardly necessary to sny that many pro DOUGLAS McLEAN finds his mail full to bursting point. box posals of marriage find their way to ( screen artistes — quite a goodly number reaching Miss Enid Bennett each day, despite the fact that she is the wife of Mr. Fred Niblo. Most of them are in good faith, the writers being unaware of the fact that she is married, though the fellow who described himself as a lighthouse keeper off the coast of Maine must have written his letter to while away the tedium of a long winter's night. Quito the most ambiguously phrased request for a photograph that Miss Bennett has ever received came from a girl who said : "I am making a collection of tho most notorious actresses. Please send me yours." Letters to Charles Ray are no fewer in number or lacking in the element of ' surprise, although strangely enough the greater number come from members of his own sex. Instead of sentimental alliances, however, business propositions are more frequent, probably because Mr. Ray has been seen so often in pictures a3 a country' boy, who achieves independence and fame through hard work and perseverance. Looking for a Partner. ONE in particular came from a man in Kansas, uho described himself as the proprietor of a general store in a small town, whose business had grown to such proportions that it was more than he could handle. He confided thai his son and mainstay had left him to go to the city, after a bitter quarrel in which the old man had reproached him for his desertion and told him never to return. Touchingly he bomoaned his lot to Mr. Ray, and, of course begged the actor to come and rehabilitate the business as he had seen him do on the scroen, or, failing that, would he write to the son and use his influence in bringing him back to his home town ? No such letters have as yet found their way to Mr. Douglas McLean and Miss Doris May, though, in volume, their correspondence equals that of any other star. So firmly are their names linked together in the popular mind that, should the envelope be addressed to Mr. McLean, the letter invariably refers to Miss May as well. Recently a charming remembrance came to Miss May and Mr. McLean in the form of a collection of fresh-water pearls from a man who had collected them himself. Six were set in a fine chain for Miss May, and four set in cuff Letters from her admirers always give plea links for Mr. McLean. The donor asked the stars to accept them as a sure to PAULINE FREDERICK, and she token of his gratitude for the pleasure that they had brought into his answers them all personally. life by their screen acting. ' Wait a minute, Charles ! Here's some mora letters foi you," comes tha call to CHARLES RAY who is already carrying a large post, many of them from "Picture Show ' ' readers. JOE, the brunette-comolexioned Major-domo sorts the Ince stars' mail. LLOYD HUGHES autographing photographs to send to admirers.