Picture Show (May-Oct 1920)

25///, 1920. 13 that Rule tne Destiny of Tkree Generations THE PROS AND CONS OF FFLM ACTING. INTERVIEW WITH MARY JERROLD. A1 T the Haymarket Theatre the other evening, I met that distinguished actress and charming woman, Mary Jerrold, and within two seconds of our meeting we were deeply immersed in a film discussion ! Mis? Jerrold is. of course, both by profession and inclination, above all else, a stage artiste ; but that does not prevent her taking a genuine interest in pictures, all the same. She has made three so far: "Disraeli," "A Sinless Sinner," and one for the Zodiac Co., the title of which she couldn't recall, though she told mo that it is a screen version of Mabel Barnes Grundy's popular novel, " Candytuft— I Mean Veronica," in which she plays the mother to Mary Glynne's "Veronica." This film, I believe, is still unreleased. kin the Spirit of a Beginner. D ISRAELI," my initial film, in which I appeared with Dennis Eadie, did not seem such a novel experience as you might think," Miss Jerrold said, '• for I had already played in the stage version. But ' A Sinless Sinner ' was a little different, for that was my first taste of a film play acted by a film company, and I just put myself in the hands of the producer in the spirit of a beginner. I think so much depends upon the producer and his patience. Mr. Herbert Brenon was very patient, and so were all the others. Indeed, I was particularly struck by this quality which characterised the whole cast, and realised how easily some little detail might wreck the whole picture if it were otherwise. " Mr. Brenon, by the way, said that he considered that we had artistes in this country quite as good as those playing in American films, but that unfortunately we — especially those of us on the stage — did not take film work as seriously as we should. I am quite of his opinion, and now plainly see that stage people will have to regard film acting more seriously in the future." Miss Jerrold had already met Marie Doro, the heroine of " A Sinless Sinner," when the latter was playing on the stage over here some years ago,; but the picture referred to was her first introduction to Marie Doro, tho film star. " She looked astonishingly young," Miss Jerrold said. " She appeared as a school girl in part of the film, and really she looked one, even among nil the little girls we had at the studio. Miss Doro is a great student of makeup, and thinks you can alter the appearance and the shape of your face to any extent you please, by its careful application. I was much interested in some of her theories, especi. ally as screen make-up is munh more subtle than that required for the stage.'' Nervous Before the Camera. STRANGELY enough, Miss Jerrold, accustomed to large audiences as she is, feels nervous before the eyes of the camera ! " I am usually nervous at stage rehearsals," she confessed, " but the camera makes me feel like that all the time ! " Miss Jerrold dislikes, too, the various ittle phases of film acting which most legitimate players find tiresome or awkward— the lack of words and continuity of action, and tho consequent difficulty of " losing oneself " in a part — though she thinks music must be an emotional aid — and she misses most dreadfully her audience with their laughter and applause, and even their sniffs at a tearful moment ! But — she does find quite a number of advantages attached to film acting. The very fact of hating to do things on the spur of the moment, A8 it were, is, she considers, beneficial to nervous persons while a medium of dramatic expression which demands no " lines " is a positive boon to good actors with bad memories ! And then there are the advantages of openair work, and all the variety picture-making offers. Miss Jerrold thinks, too, that for a girl whose talents have a somewhat limited scopes — an ingenue type, for instance, who cannot fill any other role with tho same success — film acting is an ideal profession, in view of the fact that the reign of most screen stars (unless they be geniuses) is comparatively sbort in any case, while their salaries are usually far in advance of those the stage offers. M' Her Film Favourites. [ ISS JERROLD frequently attends the. pictures, and greatly admires Mary Pickford, whom she considers a genius, in that she accomplishes so much without, the aid of words, and succeeds *<> marvellously in bringing the spirit of youth to the screen — and Paulino Frederick, whose films she never misses if she can possibly help it. " Pauline Frederick is & great artiste," she remarked, " and it was her acting which really converted me to films ! " The one and only Charlie has, of course; provided Miss Jerrold with many a hearty laugh, especially (she does not mind owning) as the sea-sick one in " Shanghied ! " Asked whether she thought of appearing in any more pictures. Miss Jerrold told me that at present she had no plans in view, but that she hoped to make some more, films in the future. Not, however, while playing at the theatre. May HjEnsCHEL Clabke. MARY JERROLD. (Photo: Claude Harris.) Starlets. \Yisdom from a woman weighs less with a man than a bunch of pretty ribbon tied in her hair. * * * Loving a woman never satisfies her ; you've got to make love to her. » * * ' Faint purse never won fair lady. » * » Some men are always up and doing — others.