Photoplay Magazine Cover — page 69: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

There I found some studios. No one knew my kind friend, ever, and there was a sign which said “No Casting.” rtheless, I went to the studio every day and asked for my friend and for work. Finally the casting director said: “Oh, go to Hollywood,” or words to that effect. Hung , penniless, my watch gone, my cuff links gone, my shoe leather going, I went. “How?" you ask. To him who will there is a way, Always hold that thought m mind, Keep saying it over and over to yourself. Eventu- a@ily you will attract attention. The elect know no failure. I will pass lightly over the method in which I pro- ct ured money for ain ye ha Reo Money is a t some procure one ra some another. remember this: never y anything which is liable to come out later and hurt your following with the “And so I reached Holly- 1 ood, that great fairyland i where dreams come to,— ‘the ks to Mack Sennett. Limmediately started vis- ‘iting the studios. le Possessed of an imposing hysique, due to early Pl loughing on the Dakota rairies, and a rhythmic ier e, due to the Childs’ f deavor, I had the advan- age, perhaps, of many who go y to Hollywood. But the patemen whom I inter- Viewed little suspected the stunts of which I was capable or the chest expansion under the tattered flannel shirt. Soon I was again penniless, home-sick, foot-sore, hungry, Unshaven, and almost incoherent—but always well-mannered, had parted with everything but my integrity and appendix, “and I couldn't afford to part with that. I became a bit discontented, but never disheartened. , = 5 ~~ ry — rw TT was now four years since I had left my home for success 4 in the realm of Art. Finally I got a letter of recommendation from the man who ‘conducted the Choosy Chow lunch room, for whom I had per- : Bo ed certain services. It was addressed to a casting director, who had owed the Choosy Chow for meals for several years. ‘I took it to the casting director. He glanced a it then glared at me and exclaimed char- acteristically— "What! Another rotten old dun?” When he saw what it was he became more rentee). He looked at me intently, studied my profile in different lights, inspected my teeth, looked at my tongue, and then struck “Me so violently on the chest I nearly bit it off. I seemed to please him, for he smiled and Have me a card to fill out. ~The questions were: ee Where Born. Parents in case of acci- ent. Color. Nationality, Height. Ward- robe, Names of children, wives, ete. If ani- ma I, what tricks can it do? Where last hired? ? Do you Swim, Dance, Ride, Drink, Shoot Craps, Sew, Paint, Yodel, Read and Write, Wear Dress Clothes, and Use the Tooth Pick Properly? To all of which I answered, “With a little dining I could.” The casting director seemed impressed. He lid that they had all the stars they could use it present but if I came back later, or leit fn) y telephone number, I would get something a ntually. As I thought it would take him longer to get me by telephone than to come I came back, I came back every day »" *Possessed of an imposing physique, duc to early ploughing on the Dakota prairica’ Photoplay Magazine 69 At the end of the seventh year my great chance came. The casting director tald me to report the next day for a big ball- room scene in a super-special-spectacle de luxe, APPEARED early, carefully dressed in tan shoes, checked trousers, pink shirt, blue collar, red necktie and felt hat caught up on one side with a Roosevelt button. I had been studying harmony in dress from Tom Mix. When I arrived before the casting director he demanded that I wear dinner clothes “But these are my dinner clothes,”” I said, “I mean evening dress,” he bellowed. “These also,” I said, He swore, I tried to get through the gate. He knocked me down. I got up and smiled at him. “T can take hard knocks,” I said. “I'll make good yet.” This impressed him. He kicked me out of the studio. Such are the little disap- pointments one has to ex- pect in the movies. To make matters short, at the end of ten years I met a director in a cafe and told him I wanted to work. He said I couldn't expect to make a living right at the outset, not for six or eight years more at least. I said: “I don’t expect to, but I'm game to stick.” Seeing the stuff I was made of he told me te come around the next day. “What wardrobe shall I wear?’ I asked, trembling in every limb for fear he would want evening clothes. But he didn’t seem to be a slave to convention. “Nothing at all,” he said. “Nothing?” I stammered, a trifle uncertain, yet joyful in the realization that I could qualify, “Your part will be that of a cannibal,’ he explained, Miss Razehcll’s new production, ‘Take It or Leave It.” “Tit take it,” I said. In the morning I debated whether to undress for my part at home or at the studio. I finally (Continued on page 08) ce years, — “IT leaped upon the villain and commenced poundin thie on dhe head” OmMmIGchbooks