| Show Gossip A boat Screen Stars Stories Films Being M ad What Happens to When F Face ace Gets Old h he e Has a Great Future in Character Roles and I Must Turn to Them Unless She Wants to Retire From Says Louella O. O Par Par- sons I t By Louella O. O Parsons I I t happens to the slender pretty who can no longer look a camera amera man an In the eye and register sweet sw et 16 when 16 when the creep her tired eyes and the lines one by byone byne byone one one ne make male her mouth look old and she shein k fastidious director dl- dl di director can in no longer please a rector ector nor an audience demanding realism If It she is only 40 years ears old perhaps I 35 30 she doesn't care to retire from fromI I active service with a badge pinned to her her frock announcing Disqualified from studio use by age She knows she can act just as well as she ever did I better perhaps because experience is on her side Why then because a I cruel camera tells the truth must she bow to the Inevitable and make malte room for tor a younger star She need not retire 1 If she is ver ver- Many 1 scenarios call for mature stars In these plays she fits nicely but if she sho has done roles all her life older leads are not to her liking ilk lik ing either If fluffy ruffles the simple simple sim- sim I pIe maid from the country and the i child sweetheart are beyond her age limit and strong dramatic parts have no charms for her she is indeed facing a a. a serious problem unless she can can do character parts Ah here is where the chance to be versatile comes in If she is a good all aU around actress pile phe can do character leads Many ac actresses actresses actresses ac- ac tresses tresses realize what a world of ot opportunity opportunity opportunity there is in doing these roles for forthe the screen If It one can fit Into any part the there e Is always alwa's a place waiting In the studio Every Player Cant Can't Be Hero Sensible girls and boys bos must know that every player cannot be a beautiful beautiful ful leading lad lady and a handsome hero The leading lady and her partner must have the support of the company and since every character is not the lead there must be heavies comedy roles and character parts Sometimes if the studios are full of ot players who do do only straight parts there Is generally generally generally gener gener- ally a hurry up call caU for the regulars who will don any costume at any time These people are in constant demand Now that many of the players are begInning beginning be- be bej j Inning ginning to understand a character actor actor ac actor ac- ac ac- ac tor has three chances to any oth other r actors actor's one to act in pictures the tables tables ta tables ta- ta bles are turning and the players are aro announcing themselves In their applications applications applications as suited to any character One reason our Mansfield l of the movies Is sought by so many companies companies companies compa compa- nies is his versatility He has played every even of part from the murderer in The Avenging Conscience to Edgar Edgar Edgar Ed- Ed I gar Allan Poe in The Raven His character parts are especially fine Not ot always does Henry Walthall play heroic roles Often he is the most despicable character ever thrown on the screen His ability to handle any rind kind i of role is his chief claim to fame v Speaking of ot character parts I re- re Eleanor Blanchard who was wasat at ut for some five fhe years She is s now with the Equitable after a year ear or two in the Lubin company Miss Blanchard is a capable actress who can jean by a simple twist of ot the wrist be bea bea beh h a a society matron or an old hag living in squalor In those days day's there were no no regular companies the tho people played in any picture In which they Were ere cast Miss Blanchard on one a da day did did every stunt she could invent to to I bring a laugh into a corned comedy the next I Iday day she would do an emotional lead j that would wring tears out of a stone I When asked as she frequently was what was her position In the company she would say My position Oh I am character woman do everything I can to help the directors Nover Never Fear Loss of Work Some fine spirit you will all agree especially after taking into consideration tion Miss 1 Blanchards Blanchard's ability Now every I player la er is labeled and appears in his particular kind of role Character parts for character leads Juveniles and for juvenile leads and so on If you rou can create a clever cleyer character character character charac charac- ter part you ou need never fear tear the sting sUng of complete dismissal There will bea be bea a a. place for you in every studio where pictures are made Do you ou remember Alice Washburn For many years she did comedy leads for foi l Edison dison She was considered one of the cleverest comediennes and best character women on the screen She retired about two years ago from pictures pictures pictures pic pic- tures and took herself herselt to a cozy little farm in Oshkosh Just a few weeks ago a letter ca came e from Miss v Washburn Wash vash ashburn ash ash- ashburn burn announcing her decision to come back She has joined Frank Daniels Daniel's company at the studios and will endeavor to coax smiles as she shedid shedid shedid did in the bygone days das George Fawcett is one ono of the best examples of ot character actors I know He lie has a face that is absolutely unique in its adaptability to certain portray portray- als As a stern old man who has forgotten forgotten forgotten for for- gotten how to laugh he is too funny for words Mr Fawcett is always getting cast as an old grouch a veritable veritable veritable able bear when in reality he is one of the kindest and most gentle men menI I have ever over met He Is with Selig just justat at this time while they are filming The Crisis The late John Bunny and his side partner Flora Finch gave us some never to be forgotten examples of celluloid celluloid cel cel- cel- cel comedy sketches thinks so well of these films that they are aro reissuing them after a three years' years lapse of ot time Alkali Ike whom Augustus Augustus Augustus Au Au- gustus Carney a few years ears back made one of ot the popular folks folls In Is also slated to return shortly in some of his pictures In enumerating the players who have immortalized a special character in pictures we must not not forget forget Theodore Roberts Mr Roberts is one of ot the best all around players on the screen scree He is Lasky's pride If It there is a photoplay calling for a hot tempered rascal Theodore heodore Roberts is at once pressed into service I If a Southern colonel a military officer a gambler a doctor a statesman or a musical genius is wanted wante Mr l Roberts is se selected se- se For a character that requires marked characteristics the director knocks on Theodores Theodore's dressing room As one of oJ them cheerfully remarked lie He is the boy who always knows what we want How many of my readers leaders cherish a sneaking sneaking- fondness for William S. S Hart of the Triangle studios an Ince lace player play play- er Many of you ou are ready to wear your heart on your sleeve and announce announce announce an an- boldly that William Hart is your favorite How do I know Principally Principally Principally Prin Prin- because some som of you have confided confided con con- to me your preference for this creator of virile Western roles William Wil Wil- liam llam Hart is called a character actor because every role he plays is distinguished distinguished distinguished distin distin- by its characteristics Ha gives- gives variety to those Western roles There is an occasional parson a bandit bandit ban ban- dit a miner and other typical Western portrayals In each cach we get an atmosphere atmosphere at atmosphere at- at of the West Vest that lives In our memory Copyright 1916 by J J. Keeley |
