Show how I 1 broke into 1 hem ovies copyright by al C herman by MARY PICKFORD N insignificant little street acar AN car transfer turned mary rick fords career from th the san stage ge to worldwide fame on the screen on her way to a then theatrical tricA I 1 booking agency in the times I 1 square quare ill district strICt mary at her mothers behest stopped in the old bolograph Clo Blo graph studio on four street new ne w york before using the transfer thus in a nutshell you have the story of the rise ase of mary pickford ller her theatrical career began in the valentine stock company in the city of toronto canada where she was waa born her first app appearance arance on the speaking stage was made at the age of five when she took the part parl of a boy in a play called the silver king at t the he age of eig eight ht americas sweetheart went on the road with the rhe little cited schoolhouse ond and at the age of nine mary was starred in the fatal wedding in the part of jessie the little mother when but eleven she was appearing with chauncey olcott in edmund burke to miss pickford belongs the honor of originating the part of detty betty warren in the warrens of virginia a 4 k mary pickford david belasco production which was her first play on broadway from Be lascos management she went into motion pictures but let her tell the story in her own words at this point you see she said 1 I did not think much of the movies at that time la in fact people on the legitimate stage considered it a disgrace to work in pictures but my mother had asked me to go to the Blo graph studio on fourteenth street and try to see mr air griffith although I 1 demurred she insisted and of course I 1 could not disobey cut but I 1 took the precaution to route my trip so that I 1 could make five cents do the work ot of 19 those thosa were times when five cents was always doing the work of ten instead of taking a street car from where we lived to fourteenth street I 1 walked the ten blocks took the car on fourteenth and asked for a transfer the old Blo graph studio was on fourteenth street between broadway and fifth avenue thus when I 1 had bad satisfied mother by dropping in at the studio I 1 could walk back to broadway and use my transfer to ride to the times square and the theatrical district where the booking offices were located 1 I felt certain that in the end it would be necessary to visit the booking offices to obtain another theatrical engagement ga which at that moment I 1 needed very badly imagine my surprise then kihen hen I 1 was ushered into the august presence of mr griffith who after a short talk gave me my first motion picture engagement from such a simple beginning a new figure in world history was born even today few people realize how far into the distant corners of the earth our marys popularity has haa reached her mall mail brings letters in nearly every language furthermore miss pickford Is the only woman oman la in motion pictures who Is socially honored by the real royalties ot of europe when she travels people at every station crowd the platform for a glimpse of her and with all this she Is it a charming wistful young woman happy in the love of et a devoted husband still there are many simple pleasa pleasures res which she has had to do without pleasures which her less famous neighbors neighbor accept as a matter of course you may wonder from this if she Is happy with her lot the answer la Is yes but even the reason for her being happy in spite of missing things which other people enjoy Is in itself a simple thing her work makes others othera happy therein lies her compensation she has learned that service to others Is the one coin that pays the debts we owe our hearts ger gen lee lc |