Picture Show (Oct 1920 - Apr 1921)

10 The Call of the Blood. I HAD a very interest ins: chat the other afternoon with Ivor Novello. who is playing a leading part in the Alliance Film Co.'s production, " Carnival." lie told me that he hid some excitine experiences in Sicily, when he \va3 playing in " The Call of the Blood," with Phyllis Neilson Terry. " It is a really beautiful film," said Mr. Novello, " but I was ne irly strangled. In the scene of the fight at Taormina I acted with one of the original Sicilian players. When he got hold of me by the throat, bis Sicilian blood warmed up to the occasion. He threw me into the sea from about three hundred feet, and I bore the " mark of his fingers for a fortnight. Picture Shota,M )TmUok& SLotd" StescA> \ Kj, LATEST PLANS OF PRODUCERS. STORIES FROM* TH1 IVOR NOVEi.i.u. Keep the Home Fires Burning. I HAVE lived in a musical atmosphere all my | life," Ivor Novello confessed. By-thebye, I suppose you know he is the son of that brilliant authority on voice production, Madame Clara Novello Davis. " Before I knew a note of music," Ivor Novello said, "when I was asked what I was doing at the piano, I answered • ' Making up new tunes.' " Ivor Novello told me a curious story about bis famous patriotic song, " Keep the Home VireS Burning." " I wanted to do quite an entirely different tune," said he. " I was playing lirst one tune and then another on the piano, and yet I was not satisfied. I turned to my mother and exclaimed suddenly : ' I think it ought to be like this,' and 1 commenced to hum, . Keep . the Home Fires Burn . ing.' Guilbert Ford came along and finished the words, and I wrote the music that became so popular' in about ten minutes. It is estimated that every officer and every man has at 01 e time or another sang that song. 2,000 letters ! 1HAVE had over two thousand letters from all sorts and conditions of people th inking me for ' Keep the Home Fires Burning,1 Said Ivor Novello ; " but it has its tragedy. Pod? Guilbcrt Ford was killed in a London ;i ir raid ! " Mother and Son. IVOR NOVKI.LO also wrote the music for " Theodora & Co.," " Arlette " and " W ho'* Hooper ! " Madame Clara Novello Davis is a very beautiful woman, and she is adored by her son. She is now teaching New York to sing. "1 went with my mother to see 'The Call of the Blood,' " Ivor Novello .said. " When the tight scene was shown on the screen sho burst into "floods of tears. She caught hold of my band and exclaimed : " ' You aro there, darling— it's not true ! ' " It took a long time to reassure her. ' Mr. Novello ended. " But she's wonderful, simply wonderful ! " An Enthusiast. ONE cannot be with Marjorfa Hume for three minutes without finding out her secret — she is an enthusiast. She does no:, say, " I love my work," because it appears to bo more 'or less the right thing to do ! Watch her charming, mobile features, and her eyes light, up when she tells you that she likes being at the studio better than anything else in tho world, and that she is perfectly miserable away from it !. " There is something about a studio that really gets hold of one," she told mo the other afternoon when I had tea with her in a charming room hot a hundred miles away from the Marble Arch, a room crammed with beautiful, rare old MARJORIE HUME. china, and curios — to say nothing of two contented cats, who slipped milk from a saucer, before a cheerful fire The whole setting gave one a delightful " homey " sort of feeling. Welsh Blood. NOT only is Marjorie Hume one of our most brilliant cinema stars, but she is also an accomplished musician. Perhaps she owes something of the latter art to her " Welsh blood " V Tucked away in the .Welsh mountains there is a spot which is just as much home to her as London ! The Star With Many Talents. MARJORIE HUME has played in comedy, musical romcdy, and in Revue. With Gladys Cooper and Dennis Eddie, she played in " My Lady's Dress," also in the revival of " Milestones," and " Tho Man Who Stayed at Home." She also played in " Autumn Manoeuvres," and in the provinces she took Gina Palerme's part in " The Dancing Mistress," ond Gertie Millar's part at the Hippodrome. Miss Hume understudied Unity Moore for nine montbs at Daly's Theatre, and she remained tor rive years. She deputised for Gabrielle Ray, Unity Moore, and Mabel Sealby. She took the latter's part in " The Maid of the Mountains," and I expect many of my readers will remember Marjorie Hume's beautiful voice and graceful acting in that great success at Daly's. " After ' Maid of the Mountains,' " Marjorie Hume told me, " I played in ' Betty,' then later in ' The Happy Day.' I started ' walking on ' in pictures, we used to go down to the studios for fun in those days ! I walked on in ' The Greatest Performance.' " Ellen Terry's Eye for Talent ! DURING the film i n g of ' Tho Greatest Performance.' " Marjorie Hume told me, " Ellen Terry took rather a fancy t o in e, and she singled me out to do bits with her. Then I played in a screen play with U cor so Robey, a war film called, ' Doing His Bit.' For -a year I was understudying and rehearsing, then I was offered the juvenile lead in Mary ( 'holmondly 's book, ' Red Pottage.' I played the lead in 'His House in Order,' and ' La Poupee,' and a fortnight before these two films were trade-shown, they were burnt ! " I played in Stoll's production, ' The KeepCT of the Door,' taking the part of the Mad Girl, which really gave mo my chance," Marjorio Hume smiled, for I go mad. try and kill somebody, and end up with a thrilling death bed scene. From a film point of view, that play did me moro good than any tiling;" she declared. " After this I played in a film for the London Film Company. I did two films for Fred Paul. ' Lady Tet ley's Decree,' and the ' Duchess of Seven Dials.' Then I played the lead in another 8 toll film, ' The Sw indler,' under the direction of Maurice Elvey. Scarlet Kiss ! FOR a time, after this," Marjorie Hume continued, " I did no film work, until I took a part in Fred Goodwin's racing picture, ' Scarlet Kiss.' It^vas after thisthat Mr. .Milton Hoffman offered me a contract with the Famous Players -Losky, if I would leave the stnge, and 1 consented to this arrangement. The New Studios ! AT the Famous Playcrs-Lasky Studios, Islington, I played the lead in ' Tho Call of Youth.' and ' Keeping up Appearances.' I was a little disappointed that I PARDOE WOODMAN.