Picture Show (Oct 1920 - Apr 1921)

u; January 1st, 1921. UDIOS. AND GOSSIP ABOUT YOUR OWN STARS ROLAND MYLES as Piers Evesham, and CAPT LEOPOLD as Eric Denys in " Bars ot Iron " — Stoll's film version of Ethel M. Dell's noveL g scene in this splendid photo-rlay. which Hiss White takes the part of Avery, wife nd Myles and Madge White can be seen m this film. and is supposed to throw his full weight of seven teen stono upon me. I was prepared to run back, and when 1 was balancing I warned him not to push, as there were horses behind me. However, accidentally Mehaglen gave me a terrific push, I lost my balance, and instead of missing the horse, as 1 fell, I went straight between his hoofs. It was sheer lack the horses didn't trample upon me." ."The Fox and the Hut." MISS MADGE WHITE was taking part in a magnificent and realistic ball-room scene, with a big band and all the setting of the real thing at Stoll's Studios, Surbiton, when I saw her the other afternoon. " I loved all the outdoor scenes of 1 Bars of Iron,' " she confided to me. " I faced the camera for the first time in that play, and I thoroughly enjoyed every moment of my work. In one scene where, as Avery, I try to keep the fox away from the hounds. A fox had been kept in the hut, with some one to look after it, until it became accustomed to its surroundings. Before the incident was filmed, the fox was taken out on a cord, for a run. It was necessary for the success of this particular incident, that the fox should run straight into the hut, when the hounds were supposed to be in ' full cry.' " At the critical moment, before filming, the fox was released from the cord, and to our great 103% instead of making for open country, lie camo straight into the hut. which was exactly what we wanted him to do." Divinely Fair and Versatile. MISS MADGE WHITE is wonderfully fair and versatile, and amongst many varied parts she has played in musical productions are " Brie a Brae," and " Oh, Joy ! " and she has also made a name in pantomime. " I like film work enormously," she said. "Of course, one misses one's audience, but one cannot, on the other hand, say one likes the stage better than the screen, they aro both so fascinating ; one likes each for each ! "' This Christmas," she added, "I am playing principal boy t o Gabrielle R a y's principal girl, in ' Mother Goose,' at the Royal Theatre, Manchester. One gets very enthusiastic audiences in the North. I am looking forward to it tremendously." 'Varsity Trial Eights. MAJOR ERIC LANKESTER is one of the latest recruits to the film world. " 1 am extremely fond of screen work," he confessed not long ago, ^ and I am also very fond of old furniture," *&nd he pointed to somo exquisite specimens in his room. He was surrounded by all kinds of trophies, cups for rowing, and cups won for regimental shooting. Major Lankester may easily be summed up as a real sportsman. " At Cambridge," said he, " I used to row a great deal. I rowed in the 'Varsity Trial Eights, and I've travelled in the West Indies, in America, in the Canary Islands, and in Spain. As I am a very keen fisherman, I found Norway particularly attractive. And, of course, I've ridden all my life." Mind Over Matter. MAJOR LANKESTER served in the Honourable Artillery Company during the war, and he went to the front in the September of 1914. He was in the firing line for eight mouths. He was severely wounded during ono of the very dark days of the war, and after fifteen or sixteen hours he was carried to the base hospital. Then he discovered that it had been decided that his arm was to be amputated. But Major Lankester would not hear of it — and MAJOR ERIC LANKESTER. 15 fortunately for himself, his sfrcnglh of mind was a triumph over matter, for his wounds healed. He was mentioned in despatches for his gallantry While serving at tho front several Limes. Patches of Emotion. MAJOR LANKESTER took up screen work last June, and his first leading part was that of Sir Boverley Evesham in " Bar3 of Iron." Previous to this he had done a certain amount of work in amateii r theatricals. "A friend said to mo one day, ' You show your feelings too clearly on your face, patches of pleasure, and of ill humour I ' " This gavo mo an idea," Major Lankester laughed. "I thought of the screen, and now it has completely enthralled ■ne." OLGA CONWAY. Grand Opera. • " I SPENT two years and a half in Germany," 1^ said Miss Olga Conway when I saw her not long ago, " and I only reached England two days before the outbreak of war. I am passionately fond of music," she added. *' I used to play the violin, but I gave it up for singing. Unless one plays tho violin perfectly, it is best to leave it alone." Miss Olga Conway has a contralto voice ; she was with Sir Thomas Beecham in light opera and grand opera. She played in " Madame Angot," at Drury Lane. And when she is not singing, she does film work. She played in "-Chances of Life," " Unmarried," and Beyond the Dreams of Avarice," and lna Rose in " Bars of Iron." Stoll's Famous Producer. MR. F. MARTIN THORNTON, the famous producer, who is now responsible for many of Stoll's great successes, is an enthusiast over his work. " As far as the actual art of tho screen is concerned," he told me, " 1 believe that the most, convincing form of screen portrayal conies from the person who cannot help being natural, and who responds to the directions of the producer, and simply lives the episode he portrays. " As a producer, I find some people are moro responsive than others in their ability to do this. When casting for the production, I endeavour as far as possible to secure a prototype of the character in the story from actual life, so that all that is required for the delineation of tho character is his own personality, providing physically he looks what he ought to be on the screen. " In this way," Mr. Thornton continued, " I find we get realism, if actual life is constructed, and the natural mannerisms of the person so cast. Very often the artiste has had no stage experience, and possibly (j/^ little screen experience, so he completely follows the instructions of the producer, and responds to his ability, to grasp the realism of the atmosphere of the film. "Bars of Iron." AN Ethel Jr. Dell story in Stoll's Eminent British Authors' Series, produce! under the solo production of F. Martin Thornton. The production is a triumph for the producer. The setting of the scenes are exquisitely beautiful, typical of English hunting life, which must make a strong appeal to everyone ; and especially to exiles from the old Country alt over the world. Edith Netean. F. MARTIN THORNTON.