4 ............... ........... : .-iiii?, M&f:: TODAY'S FILM FEATURES. Sunset Clara Kimball 'The Dark Silence." Star Charlie Chaplin, "The Rink"; Mary Nash, "Arms and the Woman." Broadway Emily Stevens, "The Wager." Peoples Marguerite Clark, "Snow White." Majestic George Walsh, Island of Deelre." Columbia Clara Williams, of Many." "Three THE public undoubtedly believes that the life of the motion-picture actor has been a soft life. The word "soft" is used advisedly and literally. No slang is Intended. The great majority of picture-goers probably think that photoplayers, Mlnerva-like, spring full-armed into fame; that theirs always has been a gentle, unstrenuous sort of life. If they do. they libel many mem bers of the William Fox forces. Mr. Fox numbers among his actors dozens whose careers have been anything but calm and tranquil and gentle. Among the better-known of the William Fox photoplayers in this class are George Walsh, William Far num, Hersehel Mayall, Herbert Heyes, Jane and Katherlne Lee, Walter Law, Frank Morgan, Art Acord, Director Richard Stanton and Assistant Direc tor Jack Kellette. George Walsh, one star of "The Beast" and "The Island of Desire," was counted as one of Fordham's and Georgetown University's best football players. In his day. Walsh is also a splendid wrestler and as hardy a swimmer as there Is in moviedoui, as his work In "The Beast" evidenced. "The Samson of the Screen is the title which William Farnum has earned for his remarkable feats of. strength in the films. Constant training in muscle development has given htm a marvel ous physique. A "Farnum fight" in the Willam Fox photoplays is- ever a bang-up fistic encounter. And It re quires more than a weakling to go tuna fishing, with said tuna running from 400 pounds up. During the four years that Jie was at the University of Minnesota, Hersehel Mayall held the state amateur record for sprinting. Mr. Mayall's most recent appearance in Fox films was in "Sins of Her Parent." It was he who en acted the King in Ince's "Civilization." Thirty years ago this month Mayall made his 11-second record for the 100 yard dash. Today there is nothing notable about such a mark, because of the improvement in track conditions and In physical aids to the runner, but it served as the great intercollegiate achievement in 1886. Mr. Mayall was also halfback on the university eleven. Herbert Heyes was a professional yachtsman before he entered the silent drama, and won many races on the Wil lamette. Height. 6 feet 1: weight. 220; waist. 37; chest, 46. That's Walter Law, known as "Curley" Law when he played center on the fcotball team of Ohio State University. Frank Morgan, who is in the new June Caprice picture, did duty on the baseball, tennis and track aggrega tions of Pawling School and Cornell. Art Acord holds the proud title of the world's champion cowboy. Even Mayall, who comes from Kentucky, can't outshoot him. and there is no one In the country who can outride him. ... Commencing Sunday, January 14. the Sunset Theater will offer an unusual photodramatlc-mustcal attraction. Rich ard J. Jose, the famous contra tenor, will be seen in a six-reel photoplay, "Silver Threads Among the Gold." and will also appear in person at each per formance, singing his favorite ballads. "Silver Threads Among the Gold" is a film version of the play in which Jose was seen at the Bungalow Thea ter in Portland several years ago. The play enjoyed a most successful run. Owing to the high cost of the enter tainment feature, Manager-Owner Jen nings, of the Sunset, will present the show at slightly increased prices. ... Charlie Chaplin has a Boston bull terrier now. Two weeks ago he had a Japanese poodle. Three weeks ago he owned a collie. When he first joined the Mutual forces he was the proud possessor of a fox terrier. Between times he has dickered with all sorts of dog people trying to find a dog with some "comedy sense." "I'm going to lose this Boston ani mal, too," said Charlie, the other day. "He's an austere beast, filled with silly pride, and he's got an uncanny kink in his tail, besides being marked like a cheap horse blanket. "For a long time I've been consid ering the idea that a good comedy dog would be an asset in some of m y plays, and of course the first that was of fered me was a dachshund. That long, snaky piece of hose got on my nerves. I bought him from a fat man named Ehrmentraut. and when 'Sausages' went back to his master I made no kick. "The second dog whs a Pomeranian, picked up by Miss Purvlance, who had him clipped where he ought to have worn hair and left him with whiskers wbere he didn't need 'em. 1 got sick of having 'Fluffy Ruffles' around me, so I traded the 'Pom' for Helene Ros son's poodle. That moon-eyed, snuf fling little beast lasted Just two days. "What I really want Is a mongrel dog. The funniest 'purps' I ever set eyes on were mongrels. These studio beasts are too well kept. What I want la a dog that can appreciate a bone and Is hungry enough to be funny for I . I his feed. I'm watching all the alleys and some day I'll come home with a comedy dog that will fill the bill." It is only when the camera, comes into active competition with the imag ination of a writer of fairy tales that the ingenuity of the motion-picture producer Is taxed to the limit. When work was begun at the Famous Play ers' studio on the adaptation of the Grimm Bros.' "Snow White," for the Paramount programme, in which Mar guerite Clark is to star Christmas day. It was the occasion of numerous con ferences between J. "Searle Dawley, the director in charge, and H. Lyman Breening, his photographer. The problems under consideration were the best methods of presenting upon the screen the maglc and the necromancy which had been so easily described in the story. After careful study of the photographic difficulties Involved, it was decided that Miss Clark could be shown undergoing all the discomforts to which the unfor tunate Snow White was subjected by the cruel queen. The magic comb and the poisoned apple will do their near-deadly work, and the magic mirror will reveal the fact that Berthold did not kill Snow White according to the queen's com mands. The transformations of the ugly lady-in-waiting into the beautiful queen, and the other machinations of the witch have been mastered by the camera, and It is confidently hoped by the producers that Snow White will lose nothing by her leap from paper to celluloid. Clara Williams' second appearance as a star on the Triangle programme is In a drama by C. Gardner Sullivan, chief of Thomas H. Ince's scenario force, en titled "Three of Many." Miss Williams has been featured in a number of Triangle-Kay Bee plays during the past year. Her work in "Hell's Hinges with William s. Mart. In "The Market of Vain Desire" with H. B. Warner, and In "Home" with Bessie Barriscale and Charles Ray, showed talents of such an exceptional order that she was made a star in the production of "The Criminal," recently seen on the Triangle programme. In this play much comment was aroused by Miss Williams' remarkable imper sonation of an Italian girl. Critics who reviewed the picture in many cities remarked that it was hard to believe that she was not actually an Italian. In the new play, "Three of Many," she again appears as a daughter of sunny Italy, but this time in a role of an entirely different character. Instead of an immigrant, she Is a girl of edu cation and culture, who has come to the United States and become a trained nurse in one of New York's hospitals. Mary Nash, who plays the role of Rozika, the heroine of "Arms and the Woman," has had an Interesting career. She was born In Troy, N. Y., and comes I of theatrical stock, for her father, ! Phillip T. Nash, was identified with the j B. F. Keith theaters for many years. "Preferably," she says. "I like a' part to have a dash of humor in it. I I first went into musical comedy, taking Marie Doro's place in 'Tire Girl. From Kay's.' The next season I Joined Ethel Barrymore's company, playing a round of interesting 'second' parts in reper toire. That engagement gave me my most valuable training ivid experleence. "I had been playing In Clyde Fitch's 'The City' Just before 'The Woman" was considered. David Belasco sent for me and asked me to read the role of the telephone girl. "I was terribly scared, and the more so when I found that my audience con sisted solly of Mr. Belasco and Mr. Dean, both sitting prominently In a darkened auditorium. "I kept saying to myself. 'Don't be frightened. Beiasco Isn't God, you know,' but It was grilling work. "When it was over Mr. Dean said. 'We can't accept you.' My hopes fell. 'Unless,' he continued, 'you sign a three years' contract with us.' I did with alacrity. f The favorable comment Miss Nash re- I ceived for her work as the unfortunate nerolne in Clyde Fitch's posthumous play. "The City," was as nothing to the enthusiastic praise lavished upon ner wnen 1 ne woman was produced. She played Wanda Kelley for 351 con secutive performances in New York. Despite all the famous parts she has played, she enjoyed her work In "Arms and the Woman" most of all because It marked her first appearance before the camera. "At first." she said, "It was very hard for me to act without an audience, but then I realized that the eye of the camera was really the composite eye of a vast number of people who would see me on the screen. In my imagina tion I could hear them applaud me, or. If my work was not good, their silence told me that I must do better." ... Emily Stevens, who plays the part of "Diamond Daisy" Doyle in the Met-ro-Rolfe photoplay "The Wager," be longs to an old theatrical family. She is a niece of Mrs. Minnie Maddern Fiske and a daughter of Robert E. Stevens and Emma Madders, both of whom THE SUNDAY OREG are prominent In the history of the American stage. Born in New York City. Miss Stevens made her debut on the speaking stage with Mrs. Fiske, taking- the part of a maid in "Becky Sharp." She remained with Mrs. .Fiske for eight years, and during this time the great actress took a personal Interest in her dramatic training. Miss Stevens made her first dfstlnct Impression on the stage in "Leah Kleschna," In which she filled a promi nent role, and the critics and public hailed her as another Mrs. Fiske. The following season she played the lead ing feminine role in "The Devil," in which George Arliss was featured. Next she won great praise In "Septi mus." Her latest achievement on the spoken stage is the stellar role in "The Unchastened Woman," which was the sensation of Broadway during the sea son of 1915-16. ... A famous old-time actor, Edgar M. Kimball, and his wife, who was pro fessionally known as Pauline Mattern. has a daughter three months old who showed dramatic tendencies, evidently. This daughter was named Clara. In one scene of a play they happened to be playing in it was necessary to have a baby carried on. The long arm of circumstance willed that her mother was the character that had to carry the child on the stage, so of course she could think of no other baby that I was fitted to assume the difficult part or Keeping quiet. She began life si lently, and it is perfectly evident that One of Her Newest and Best CLARA In THE DARK SILENCE at Sunset And New Year "A LA CABARET!-' ONT AX, PORTLAND, DECEMBER 31, 1916. -Jt the star of "The Dark Silence" will . soon renrh the ninnnrle of her career' in the silent drama, unless somo one perfects talking pictures. When less than three 'years old Miss Young made her first hit. It was an Impromptu affair. She was traveling with her mother and father, who were with a repertoire company playing the leading roles In "Hazel Kirke," that old friend of all amateurs. During a performance little Clara Kimball Young toddled on the stage with a plaid shawl wrapped around her. Her appearance i was so ludicrous that the audience and the company were convulsed, and upon being questioned, little Clara proudly lisped that she wanted to become an actress. More to please the child than anything else. it was planned that Mara should be given a few lines In I "Peck's Bad Boy," with which the com pany was to close their week's engage ment. Accordingly it was arranged that this tot was to enter and ask the shop keepers for "two bars of Santa Claus soap," for which she was to pay and then exit. The storekeeper foolishly remarked to her, after the child had spoken the first line of her career, that he would give the soap gratis if she would sing. It was the opportunity of the child's life. She went down to the footlights and sang until her mother had to come from the wings nd drag her Teluctantly off. ... Metro's releases from January 1. 1917. I to March 19, inclusive, embraces a num- ber of Important feature productions KIMBALL the Keystone with well-known people in the leads and in the supporting casts. There are a dozen pictures in all this period of time, as follows: January 1, "Vanity." with Emmy Wehlen as star; January 8, "A Wife by Proxy." with Mabel Taliaferro as star: January 15. "The White Raven," Ethel Barrymore; January 22, "The Promise," Harold Lockwood and May Allison: January 29, "The End of the Tour." Lionel Barrymore; February 5. "The Weaker Sex," Mme. Petrova; Feb ruary 12, "One of Many," Frances Nel son: January 19. "Threads of Fate," Viola Dana: January 26, "The Belle of the Season," Emmy Wehlen; March 5, "The Secret of Bve." Mme. Petrova; March 12, "The Beautiful Lie." Frances Nelson; March 19. "The Hidden Spring." Harold Lockwood and May Allison. Besides this dozen Metro has another New Year's offering to the public in its stupendous serial. "The Great Se cret," with Francis X. Bushman and Beverly Bayne as stars. . . "What has become of Charles Rich man?" has been the cry of the movie fans. "And Dorothy Kelly?" "Why haven't we seen Dorothy Kelly In an age?" The answer Is In "The Secret King dom." For both Charles Rlchman and Dorothy Kelly e starred by Vita graph In this big Lours Joseph Vance serial, which begins Its showings soon. They are the hero and the plotting ad venturess, respectively. In a rapid-fire series of episodes that tell the story Productions YOUNG of the fight In America for a crown abroad. working many months in this pro duction In Brooklyn, in New York, in Texas, in New Orleans, on Long Island Miund, on trains, oil steamboats and sailing vessels, on tugboats and fer ries, on roofs. In elevator shafts, in the stokeholds of steamers, on horseback and afoot, has kept them occupied so that they could not appear in lesser re leases. But now they are coming back. ... The claims in favor of Federal cen sorship set forth by Congressman Hughes were answered by a statement from D. W. Griffith, who has long led the fight against censorship of motion pictures in America. "While one may admire the persistency of these advo cates of National censorship." said Mr. Griffith, "the same cannot be said of the methods pursued by the proponents of this measure. The Washington dis patches are calculated to spread a wrong impression that the real men In the motion picture business are In fa vor of a National censorship. The facts are directly contrary to this. "Personally I feel sure that a farther spread of censorship laws would kill the motion picture business. We men who are In the midst of the work have learned from bitter experience that censorship Is a hampering blight- t would call your attention to the rec ord In New York City, where there Is no censorship of any kind. The con trol of our places of public amusement Commencing Today! is a police function and there are ample laws to take care of any emergency that may arise. Any one who cares to Investigate the situation will find that the theaters of New York are kept as decent and clean as any In the coun try, and are a marked improvement over the theaters in other states and municipalities where censorial laws are in operation." FAIRY TALK TO BE AT PEOri.l S "Snow While." With MnrKU'rit Clark. Will Bfl Attraction. One of the most charming pictures that has ever been seen at the Peo ples Theater will appear at that photo playhouse commencing today, when Margueflte Clark stars in the Famous Players adaptation of the beloved fairy tale. "Snow White." A surprise in store for many of his admirers is the presence of CrMghton Hale as Miss Clark's leading man. It is frequently contended that the motion picture screen falls in its ef forts to adapt stage successes, as It loses many of the effective points of the stage plav. In the case of "Snow White," the producers believe that they have refuted this contention. "Snow White" will be remembered as the hero ine of the beloved fairy tale by the brothers Grimm. Those who are blessed with good memories will recall that there is much magic wrought in the picture by the witch Hex. Whereas the theater is restricted in its ability to reproduce these magic spells and in cantations it Is very easy for the mo tion picture producer to depict any thing that he wishes through the me dium of trick photography. Therefore Miss Clark, who scored a tremendous success In the stage version of "Snow White" at the Little Theater a few seasons ago, will have an opportunity of demonstration to fllmdom the supe riority of the motion picture version over the stage play. It will be femembered that Miss Clark starred In the stage adaptation of the Grimm brothers' tale under the personal direction of Wlnthrop Ames at the Little Theater, where the de lightful play remained for two seasons. Mr. Ames very kindly placed himself at the disposal of the Famous Players In so far as his experience with the stage production was concerned, and loaned the producers all the costumes which were used In the stage presenta tion of the story. Realising how Important the seven little dwarfs would be In the picture.