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THE TRUTH ABOUT THE MOVIES
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out my name. But he HAD noticed me and that made me happy. A few weeks later Maurice Tourneur's assistant, Scotty Beal, gave me a "bit" as a newsboy. In Mr. Tourneur's next picture I played a bigger "bit."
Small parts followed "bits." Slowly but surely I was being noticed by all the directors and their assistants, until at last John Griffith Wray picked me to play the part of Young Chris in "Anna Christie." The company went to Catalina Island on "location" and I worked a whole week for that picture, the longest period I had worked in one picture in my screen career. When the picture had its first showing in a downtown theatre, I invited my friends to see it with me. Imagine my dismay and the humiliation I suffered — for when the picture was released my entire part had been cut out.
It's darkest just before the dawn. My dawn was in the form of a stern-faced man, Finis Fox, for he gave me the part of Allan Hilborn, the young evangelist, playing Mae Busch's son in "The Woman Who Sinned," an original story from his own pen. It was the biggest part I had ever played. Immediately after that I worked for First National in their big picture, "Sundown." I be gan getting fan mail at this time and it helped a lot in dimming the heart breaks of my early struggles.
My advice to those who seek screen careers and come to Hollywood to try their luck is to be ready to face two or three years of the most heartbreaking times of their lives. Keep in mind the few hundreds who have made good and of whom we read daily and of the thousands that we hear nothing about. I am sure that most of them will prefer their comfortable homes with their families and friends than the struggles, bitter disappointments and loneliness they meet trying to get into pictures.
Before venturing to Hollywood screen aspirants would do well to first try some stock company near home to find out if they can act or not. If one makes good on the stage there is a possibility of screen success.
The best advice I can give is to respect that ideal of you that the public holds dear in LIVING CLEAN and THINKING CLEAN.
Don't get discouraged. It is often the last key that opens the lock !