Show How E Broke irato M A 0 the movies movies copyright by hal flat C herman it by GLORIA SWANSON WAS never screen struck I 1 did inot 1 not think of the movies as a road to fame and fortune and I 1 spent no weary weeks at the studio gates wait ing for my chance an impulse or perhaps it may bet ter be called a hunch was cespon sible for my introduction into motion pictures my old interest in acting had been confined to school plays the first ap bearance pe arance I 1 ever made was as a child of seven when I 1 had a singing role in a benefit performance at key west fla where my father an army of fleer was stationed I 1 do not remember whether the benefit was a brilliant success certainly my part in it could not have been exceptional on another occasion in porto rico I 1 was the leading lady of an operetta given by my school I 1 had been told since that my natural talent was the subject of numerous comments but I 1 paid little attention to the remarks of 0 my elders I 1 only knew that I 1 en joyed doing such things later I 1 returned to chicago to finish my schooling in the city of my birth one day my aunt suggested 4 a visit to the old studios up to this time I 1 had taken no particular in t gloria swanson terest in motion pictures but I 1 wel corned coined the opportunity to visit the stu dio in order to satisfy my natural curiosity I 1 was then fifteen years old once past the gate of the studio I 1 was fascinated it was all so new to me so different and arid then came the hunch almost without realizing what I 1 was saying I 1 expressed a desire to appear before the cameras A A director or some one who stood near by heard me my first appearance was not as an extra but as a bit player after that I 1 was given further bits ks time went on I 1 became more fascinated and made the most of every opportunity to learn all there was to learn in three months I 1 was made a stock player which meant that I 1 was guaranteed four days pay each week at 3 25 a day whether I 1 worked or not consequently I 1 was given more interesting parts to play I 1 was cast for a bit in charlie chaplin chaplins s first picture his new job but after about a dozen rehearsals of a single scene charlie fired me he was quite right I 1 was terrible later I 1 appeared in george ades ade s elvira farina and meal ticket my breaking into the movies had been quite simple but I 1 quickly dis covered that the business of remain ing in the ranks while hundreds clam ored for admittance called for plenty of hard work and I 1 have worked very hard ever since that time on leaving I 1 decided to journey to california after two weeks in los angeles I 1 went to mack sen sell nett at the keystone studio and was signed for a picture following a brief rehearsal then I 1 made one p at universal mack sennett offered me a contract and I 1 held out for 75 a week with an increase of 5 or 10 every three months or so he agreed to pay the amount and the contract was signed I 1 appeared in a number of sennett comedies being C 0 starred with bobby N ernon but dur ing my work there for a year and a half I 1 never was cast in a bathing beauty picture the general belief that I 1 once was a sennett bathing girl Is erroneous I 1 left the sennett lot for a starring contract with the triangle company which enabled me to make progress in more serious roles next I 1 appeared under cecil B demolles DeMl lles dl di and then came the lengthy star ring contract with famous players in 1928 1926 1 I became an owner member of united artists and a independent producer sadie thompson la in the st lent screen version of rain was one of the most popular of the plays made under this arrangement more recent ly I 1 have appeared in several picture pictures made in england service |