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About The Omaha morning bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 1922-1927 | View Entire Issue (Feb. 29, 1924)
BEHIND THE SCREEN By SAMUEL GOLDWYN V J (Continued rrom Testerdny.) I have been told by those who have worked with Miss Norma Taimadge on the set that, in contrast to her sister Constance, who is exceedingly evcntempe.ed, she displays many of ♦he characteristics popularly associat ed with a great emotional actress. Gusts of impatience followed im mediately by the most radiant, sun shiny laughter; flurries of annoyance; ripples of amusement—these are the manifestations of a nature which, in the words of one admirer, is "as big and sweet ns all outdoors.” Thorough ly consistent with such a nature is Miss Talmndge's type of generosity. This functions more conspicuously through some concrete human appeal than through official solicitation. Testimony to this is offered by a let ter from Joe Schenck to a friend of mine. The letter, written by Schenck while he and Miss Taimadge were on a recent visit to Germany, records how Norma was followed by a beggar in the streets of Berlin.' Old and emaciated and dirty, he fell on his kne^es beforp the radiant young Amer ican and begged her for help. Miss Taimadge thereupon emptied the en tire contents of her purse into his hands. "It was a nice little gift," commented Miss Taimadge in report ~ ing the incident to her husband, "but it made me liappV to do it, for I never saw a human being so grateful as he was." "And how much did you happen to have in your bag?” questioned her husband. "Oh, it was all of a thousand marks," answered she. Her husband rocked with merri ment. ' "And do you realize that you gave him all of 23 cents?” he said. Miss Taimadge. so Schenck wrote, was aghast at this disclosure of her cramped style in benevolence. "And, pressed as she was for time,” he con cluded, "nothing would do but that she should go out early the next morning and hunt the fellow she had wronged by her 25-cent donation. When she did find him—believe me, he got something real." From a being so swayed by the claim of the moment—a being, too, so' young and beautiful—you would predict perhaps jess stuble domestic situation. Mr. Schenck, one of the flqost men I have ever known is some years older than his wife and, in ad dition to this, he is what is known as a practical type. Yet Miss Tal rnadge s devotion to him is one of the salients in her life. The evening < when she could hardly wait to tell him of her triumph over Clara Kim ball Young is, indeed, indicative of her whole attitude. Everything both in pictures and out, is talked oyer with Mr. Schenck, and her man ner when she is with him reflects always that deep content which an emotional nature feels often in stability. ■ Yet Mr. Schenck represents much more than a mooring for this bril liant personality. Kemembering his efforts in her professional behalf from the moment when he so proudly showed me the bracelet on bis office desk: acquainted, too. with the absolute devotion whirh he has sub sequently given to her career, I often wonder bow It would have fared with Miss Taimadge had this element in her life been lacking. Cer tainly she would have risen by sheer <pree of her talent and her beauty dnd her enthusiasm without any such Concentrated interest. But I very much doubt if her ascent would have been either so swift or so dazzling had this one great constructive force be»n absent. CHAPTER TWENTY. It Is a far cry from the greatest! emotional actress of the films to one | of the world's most infectious come dians. Yet I have set aside chrono- | logical considerations in order to save for last my recollections of a man whose comedy’touches bright ened the Goldwyn lot almost as much as they did the Goldwyn screen. It was Rex Beach and I who brought Will Rogers into pictures. After our approach he confided to ife that he hail been somewhat mystified by the delayed recognition of bis talents on the part of the pic life world. jt"[ tired to think It was funny.” Aii<l lie in hl.s own inimitable way. “Here motion pictures were booming along. They were getting in trained dogs and trained cats and grand Opera singers and everybody in the World but me. I couldn't make it out. ar.d now after all these years you fellows have come to.” Rogers still loves to dwell on these factitious pangs of a slighted talent, ajid he always adds, "Well, there was a movement on foot for making fewer and worse pictures and so they hired me.” f Certain!'' If his coming Into pic ture activities vs* the result of anv such urge, we vere woefully misled. For his "Jtibilo” was one of the bes» pictures ever produced by the Gold wvn company. - A A uind his selection for the chief character of this story WU1 weaves one of his choicest monologues. "Sam had bought a tramp story," ho re lates “and he was looking around Jie lot one day for somebody who l~Addwter 2~Stir 3~Bake could play the tramp. Well, he hap uened to see me In my street clothes and ho said, ‘There is the fellow to play the tramp!’ "Of course," he adds, "I love to play a tramp—you can act so natural and never have to dress for it." Whether this story Is historically correct or not it does bring out one of Will’s claims to distinction in the Hollywood community. An old slouch hat pulled down over his eyes and some kind of nondescript trousers uncrossed as a child's brow—this is his inveterate costume. Clad In this wise, he used to stand around the [Goldwyn lawn and, surrounded by a crowd of cowboys and extras, would amuse himself by throwing the lariat at our “Keep off the Grass’’ signs. The reader may imagine what a personality like this did for a studio somewhat overcharged, with the artistic temperament. Temperament itself seemed to find relief in those droll remarks with which Rogers meets almost every issue of tho day. Numerous times I saw Miss Farrar and Miss Frederick talking with the comedian, and both gave every sign of an unshadowed enjoyment in his conversation. It was one of the two, I think, who asked Will one day wh 'her he liked pictures as well as he did the stage. "Oh, sure," drawled he with the unsmiling face which always makes his verbal twist the more irresistible. "Why, up to the time I went Into pictures I had never annoyed more than one audience at a time. This is the only business in the world where you can sit out front and ap plaud yourself. Now I was getting lo rthat place on the sta£e where that feature appealed to me.” Incidentally, one of Rogers’ most amusing memories of the stage Im plicates Miss Farrar. I shall let him .■-ketch this with his own pungency of style. "I made one picture Doubling for Romeo," he relates. ‘The reason we made jt was that we could use the same costume that Miss Geraldine Farrar and a friend of hers (at that time) had worn In some costume pic tures—all these Shakespearian tights and everything. I don't say ‘his egotistically, but I wore Geraldine's.” There may be those In the screen world who are overriden by motions, who are played upon by gusts of alternate personal attraction and re pulsion. Not so Rogers. Me is essentially home man. and the first thing Vie did when he came to Holly wood was to invest the savings of years in a house for his family. This residence of Rill's Is on Beverly Hills, and its location imposed upon its owner a heavy social responsibility. "You know,'' I heard him telling somebody the other day. “my prin cipal occupation in California is not making pictures—it is official guide. I live on the same hill as Cncle Doug and Aunt Mary—only I live much lower down the hill than they do—in fact, I live at the foot of the hill in a swamp. It's right at the forks of two streets, and all I do all day long is to tell tourists where Mary Pick ford lives. I will be out in the yard going through my daily work— maybe licking my second kid—when some Iowa car will drive up and say, "Can you tell us where Mary Pick ford lives?" So I stand amt point it out—just point and say. “Mary l’iekford lives right up there.” "You want to know why I came hack to the stage for a while—why. just to get a rest. I was so tired pointing. Now, I have played for every charity affair that was ever held in Los Angeles, and tlielr people are very appreciative, so when I die they are going to give me a benefit and take the money and erect a statue of me with the army pointing toward Mary's and a sign on it. "Mary Pickford lives right up there.” There is nothing waspish about Rogers’ funmaking. Sue)} a quality nf humor as his implies, in fact, a (rue sense of life's values, a very | wise and mellow spirit. Nothing shows this more clearly than a corn ] munication 1 received from him not very long ago. “Dear Sain." It read, "when you first announced that you were going to write this book of memories I must say it didn't create much of a stir in movie circles till they learned what memories were. Then when they found it meant truths, every body, including myself, commenced to get leery and wondered if you were going to remember everything. Now, I don't know what you are going to put into this catalogue of yours, but I do hope for the salvation of the infant industry you don't tell all— especially not what some of my pic tures grossed. s "But if you've got to say some thing about me, say this—they were the two happiest years of my life that I spent on the old Goldw-yn lot. We had some great troops there in those days—all of them good fellows. There was Miss Frederick, whom everybody liked that ever met her Ijked; Miss Madge Kennedy, than whom we have no sweeter character of stage or screen; Mabel Normand, the 'kidder' and good fellow, friend of every soul on earth, wrhose quiet and not seen charity has helped many a poor mu! in need; Tom Moore, as good an Irishman as ever lived, and not stuck on his looks either. "Also <eny this; I made in the two years I was on the lot 12 consecutive pictures—all with one director, Clar ence Badger. That, I think, Is a record—to be with the same director. And if there Is anything worth whlie in any nf them. It was certainly due to his efforts, as I am no actor. But he is patient, capable, and the finest man I ever met.” I have saved this communication because nothing else could reveal more forcibly the tolerance, the modesty, and the quick appreciation of anything good in us frail mortals Which form the source of Will Rogers's ever willing humour. (Continued in The .MornJrur Bee) Wife’s N c w Lighting F a «1 Keeps Her Husband Worried. "I'm worried about my wife." said Mr. Smith to his friend, Mr. Jones, as they rode into town tho other morn ing on the 8.08. "Ideally worried. I'm afraid her inind is failing." "Dear me! Dear me!" ejaculated Mr. Jones with great f-’ellng. “You don't say. What's the trouble?" "Well, you know our, house; old fashioned affair and ail that. Recently at the oft expressed wish of my wife I had it wired for electricity.. But last night when t came home I found she had removed the fixtures from the dining and living rooms and had installed in their places sconces in which burned candles! Candles. Mr. Jones, randies; Sow do you wonder I'm worried?" Jones smiled reassuringly. "There's nothing to worry about, Drother Smith,” said he. "Tt's ju-t a new fad of the women's. My wife has done ijio same thing.''—X. T. Bun FURNITURE BARGAINS We have many complete suites and odd pieces at exactly V2 PRICE. Get your share of these bargains Thursday and Friday at the State. Terms to Please—No Interest DOWN ^11 S A L E J 8-piece dining room suite, C| ffl g §Tff| walnut, period design, at | w | ■ yy Special 4-piece walnut bed- j §L room suite. VuUa I V Velour living room suite, A4 AA Cft «loose cushion spring con- ^ I #11 jlj struction. " ■fcVaVW SPECIALS $14 Steel <£/* QP I Bed .ipOev/O $8.00 07 Spring .«J)0.0 # $15 Cotton tf*»7 0*7 Mettreia .*P * •'5 • $6 Dining <t 1 QC Room Chair .... «PI*W $6 End d»0 7E ) Jabl. .« . . . .$2.69 FREE Pair of Beautiful Torchlcrea worth $10 with each purchase of $2ft or more. FREE Beautiful ttrirfte I.imn worth $20 with each 1 purchase of $50 or j more. FREE Mahogany Lib r«rt Table worth $30 witli eachfpurrhaae of $100 or mora. CLIP OUT THIS COUPON Bring (his coupon to our store. It is good for One Dollar on any purchase of $10 or more. EXCHANGE DEPT. Turn In your old furniture at highest prices on new furniture at lowest prices. Liberal terms arranged to suit your ronveni* ence. Phone JA clcson 1317. BROOMS 35c STATE FURNITURE CO. 14th and Dodge Don’t Accept CheapLove Substitute Pe-,r Miss Allen: I'm in love with a man l almost hate. He's perfectly fascinating, a friend sighed. And all the girls are crazy about him. Hut he seemb to prefer me. That flatters me, but it keeps me on the jump all the time, for I know If I don’t play up and keep him amused and stimulated. I'll lose him. I don’t trust him, but can’t do without him. And I’m dreading the day when he it turn from me,to another girl. He's out tor a good time, and he tells me to take the pleasure of the moment and not worry about tomorrow. But I believe that if I play the game right I'll get him to propose. Would you marry a man you don’t trust? —JEAN. Never! I can't think of any way of inviting misery than by marrying a man In whom you have no confidence. Love is built on faith. So indeed are all the big, vital things of life. Wait for real love. Don’t accept cheap substitutes because they are "attractively packaged." You don't buy an inferior brand of goods be cause you like the way it is done up —and if you do, you know perfectly well that you aren't going to be sat isfied. So if you take some substitute for the love which satisfies your mind as well as your heart, you are bound to get tired of the ribbons and the tinsel paper in which your bargain Is decked and want something real beyond the pretty wrappings with which you let yourself be fooled. K. F.: f'andy, hooks and baskets of fruit are the' most frequently given steamer "bon voyage" presents. A great feature of the crossing on large steamers is the masquerade dance. For this occasion a fancy paper costume or a gay cambric Plerette suit and a mask make at tractive steamer presents for young people. For the older person make a pad ded back rest for the deck chajr. These aic easily' made out of a piece of chintz—18x36 inches—and padded with a thin cotton lining. Few peo ple would think of taking them along, but they make deck chairs far more comfortable for those who sp* nd most of their time there. For men the best present Is proh-1 ably a generous supply of their fa vorite cigars or cigarets, the latest book on their particular hobbies or some good sea yarns. And if you want to Rond an ultra smart present, boxes of made to order Egyptian cigarcts, with the initials or mono gram. ran be had in quantities of 100 or more. • Candy rather goes begging on ship board, but if you want to send it, lemon drops, candied ginger, candied fruits or tofTee keep better and taste better than chocolates or bonbons. O. E. S. Chapter Observes 50th Anniversary Vesta chapter, Order of Eastern Star, celebrated its 50th anniversary last night at the Scottish Rite cathe dral. This, the oldest chapter of the order in Nebraska, was inaugurated on February 27, 1874, by Robert Mor ris of Illinois, founder of the order. Two of the charter members are liv One of the little cakes that Iten bakes— ITEN’S Nut Cremes First is a small vanilla cake on which is heaped smooth, ten der, snowy-white marshmallow —then ground nuts on top of the marshmallow—and all cov ered with delicious nut-creme icing. About 26 little cakes to the pound. Try Iten's Xut Cremes for dessert —with coffee or tea—for putting in i lunches—why not today? See the lien Cookie Display at i'our Grocery Safe Milk I For Infanta, Invalid a, L Children, i The Aged Digestible—No Cooking. A Light Lunch 9HT Aroid Imitation* - Subctituta* % Friday is the Last Day of Our Unusual Sale of t Roper Gas Ranges A Leap Year Special, for One Day Only I Balance in •mall | monthly payment* with your ga* bill. These Terms and Price for Friday Only cdown If You Are Going to Need a Range Within the Next Few Month* BUY IT NOW and Let Ua Hold It for Yea Regular $70 Value. Regula- A tion aize with full aize cooking top — a beautifully finiahed t fully guaranteed Range, for thia day only— Gas Department Metropolitan Utilities District 1909 Howard AT lantic 5767 Be Well And Happy - and you have Nature's Rrratest gift. Nature's rmcdy < N) Tablets) a vegetable laxative, Iona a he organa and relieves Constipation, Biliousness, Sick Headaches. renewing that vigor and good feel me so accessary to being well and l/sed far Orer JO Tears I Chips off the Old ft* JUNIOR*—Little N?» 1 The seme — In one third de-res. I I randy costed For children an t adults. La B«I4 By V.ur Oru||l*t mmm I s Eruptions On Shoulders, Neck and Face, Itched and Burned. *'My trouble began with red apota breaking out on my ahoul ders, neck and face. They itched and burned causing me to acratch and irritate the affected parts. The eruptions scaled over and my cloth tng aggravated them. My face was diafgured, and the troubla kept getting worse. “I began using Cutlcura Soap and Ointment, and after using three cakes of Cutt'.ura Soap and one and a half boxes of Ctiticura Oint ment 1 v s completely healed." (Signed) Misa 1‘aullne Mills, R. I*. If. A, Quaker City, Ohio, June 15, 1023. Ctiticura Snap,Ointment and Tal cum are all you need for every-day toilet and mu aery purposes. r,„M Milk AtMrwa "eia.-ws nw iM'Ih. r*r* w ¥w4»» 44. Mm lUa'd tom • 4 « r> •» • '• mfs* Try our b»w SKMim SU«fc. lrg and were present last night. Mrs. Sarah Jenson and Mrs. August.! Lemm. The chapter has now 1,100 members. The anniversary celebration last night opened with a program. An nddress of welcome was delivered by Mrs. Winifred Wallace, Omaha, and a response on behalf of .the state officers present by Mrs. Ida Bum Stead, grand worthy matron, ot Lin coln. A history of the chapter was read by Dr. Kleanor Dailey, past worthy matron. Headings were given by Mrs. Anna Simpson, first grand matron. After the program, local and state officers received, and the rest of the evening was devoted to dancing and cards. The order is devoted to social and Iienevolent purpose*. This year It has contributed more than 11,000 to the support of the Masonic home. A pretty ceremony was the cutUfirJ of the birthday cake of the ord« which measured SO Inches by "; Inches. This was preceded by a pra er offered by Mrs. Augusta Baer, Lincoln, grand chaplain of the ordea. * ' ' . , T Feb. (29)Twenty-ninth —the Day That Pleases Because It’s Leap Year’s —the ZERO Hour in Merchandise —the Last Day of the Last Month of Winter We Use It as the Last Chance for Stock Clearing We Have Gathered These Close-Out Lots in Groups Directly in Front of Elevators on Each Floor * FLOOR BELOW- ' "| 500 Pairs of Ladies’ Shoes »n u,.. i«f 0vers from our winter clearance s.-'-* Low Shoes Suede Oxfords and Pumps Low Heels High Heels F! iua; * FLOOR BELOW £-r/% 95c Beacon Bath Robing, yard.. 35c Fancy Voiles, a yard.. • • ... ..«i nn $1 95 Embroidered Pillow Cases, a pair...|a.u $7.50 Wool Mixed Blankets, a pair. $10.00 Wool Blankets, a pair.. $6.75 Beacon Bath Robe Blankets, each. $1 00 Fancv Bath Towels, each..ci AO $1.50 Bath Mats, each.. • * 5A,UU MAIN FLOOR Front of Elevators 4 a . , , . , . c Ti»»n «n.1 Wcmrn * U'*..1, •. | C loc Handkerrluels, Whit. .oi.™ u . Our Stock of Silverware, plated. /C 50c Mon Amour Face Powder.• • ... ..’*w* * 7q Bulgarian Wool Trimmings, 4 to 12 indies wide.-SC •Tcwclrv. up to $1.o0, .««*..«* c*«r.... hm.™ ( a 11.1/ -p^iro Women’s Neckwear, mussed from handling .2 rrice *5.0" Fancy lather Hand Baga. , : ■■ -• • ■ ■ Wool Dress Goods, sold to $2.50. yard.^7, Wash Dress Goods, sold to $1.00, yard.- ££ Mexican Market Baskets.. • • ..29c* 49c' Women’s Silk and,Fabric Gloves, Gauntlets.. Buttons, cards of 2 to 12 buttons, each..■ Silks, a great gathering for all purposes, yard.. Men’s 50c Lisle Socks, good colors..~'2C Men’s $1.00 Wool Socks,-small sizes.joe Odd Lots Night Shirts, Underwear, etc., each.oOc Women’s Underwear, all shapes, sold to $2..»0. each . oOc Women’s Silk Stockings, sold from 95c to $1.3*>, each .69c SECOND FLOOR ret.: sx 20 Children's Sweaters (2 to 10 years)... ..$ 8 1.00 25 Girls’ Gingham Dresses (3 to 16 years) .J «j.00 $ l.oO 30 Children’s Scarf Sets, some with hats .* $ 1.00 1° Girls’ Dresses, white and colored (8 to 1<> years') > » 8 o.OO 7 Children’s White Dresses (2 to 6 years).‘ l'L £ 2.00 5 Kiddies’ Coats (1 to 3 years)..>.| J 7 Junior Winter Coats (sizes 14 to 16).^-0. 8 o.OO 7 Women’s Winter Coats... .^9.00 $2o.00 6 Women's Winter Suits.. . * *.J*j9.W 82o.OO 15 Women’s Cloth Dresses...$.>9.00 S20.00 100 White Aprons, tic-on and bib models, close out.25c and oOc 50 Black Sateen Office Aprons, close-out price.75c 50 Bungalow Percale and Novelty Black Sateen ...„ 20 White Uniforms, Indian Head, sizes 16 and 36.>1.00 23 Gray and Gray and White Uniforms, 16 to 44.81.00 100 Bungalow Aprons, percale and gingham.$1.00 100 Figured Cotton Dust Caps, 2 for..5c Odd Lots Children’s Hats, Caps. Infants' Dresses, V ool Knit Leggins, Skirts and Knickers.25c* 50c. $1.00 Nipht Gowns and Envelop** of fine rain 130 sook. Corsets, Semi-Elastin Girdles. Fancy l*ie00s F.nndcau Brassiere*, For- $1.00 sclcfte* and Ncthcralls, choice Outing Flannel Night Gowns, Slip overs. 230 Muslin Envelopes. Corset*. Ferris Waists, Pieces Semi-Elastic Girdles. Bandeau 50c Brassiere*, choice... . Bandeau Brassieres, Boudoir Cape Saul . tary Aprons and Belts, or . Pieces choice . &DC THIRD FLOOR Quaker Tuscan Net Purtains, $3.00 numbers, each .$1.75 Kdgings. Insertions ami Fringes, big variety,yard. 5c Window Shades, hand oil opaque and Luxor, each.50c Slumped'Pieces Art Needlework, each......25c \VnoI Knitting Yarns, halls and hanks, ea< h.2-5c “Mah-Ohaing" the great game, Friday, set .$2.95 Stationery, 72 sheets paper, 3 pkgs. matched envelopes .......49c