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About East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current | View Entire Issue (April 2, 1921)
i MILTON SILL 1 7'. Popular Leading Man Tells Unique Human Interest Story Regarding His Past Connections With a Famous Play and Its Author. ONCE la while, an Actor ukt mor than the ordinary mount of Interest tn th part he is to play. He feels Inspired. Ha feeli that ha la to do Something great cr than ha baa aver done the greatest thins be has never done. Milton Sills' portrayal of the title role tn George Melford' production ' of William Vaughn Moody's great play, "The Faith Healer," la one of these cases. Mr. Sills haa played many great parts, but no role in his entire career either on the stage or as a screen actor, has ever meant so much to him as the role of "The Faith Healer." His love for the play and reverence for the author are unusual and quite extraordinary. There ta genuine romance back of his portrayal of this role. It was thus that ha expressed himself on the subject: Opportunity Arrives. "At last I am to do The Faith Heal er.' This play has been In and out of my life for the past thirteen years. On two occasions I almost played it on the stage, but fate intervened. Again, some time ago, I made all preparations to produce it on the screen. But my preparations were never completed. And now, here I am, all made up and ready to work, and it seems that at last I am really to play The Faith Healer,' If sqoiething strange doesnt happen again to prevent I won't be at all surprised if I wake np and find I have been dreaming." He was sitting on the Set where Uncle George Melford had already be- gun filming of soma of th scenes tn the picture, dreamily smoking his pip and in a perfect reminiscent mood. He was dressed in overalls, such as are worn by th sheep herder, an old fad ed shirt and abort leather boots bis make up for the title part A 1 A Sees Fran "The IfJWwS" I ' , - A sweet-faced, middle aged lady who was sitting nearby studying the scena rio, came over and held a little con sultation with him about a .certain point in the story. After she had re tired, he turned to me and remarked: "Mrs. Moody Mrs. William Vaughn Moody, the widow of the author of the play, and I, are collaborating on (he scenario for the pcture. That was she who just came over a moment ago. It la a labor of love for both of us, and I truly believe that we two, of all the people in the world, are best fitted to write this scenario, for we know the mind of the late author and his very thoughts and alms the very inspira tion which prompted him to write the play better than any two other per sons. A Striking Coincidence. . "This is not my first acquaintance with Mrs. Moody. I have known her for twenty-one years. That Is the de lightful part of our work together. Mrs. Moody was one of my teachers when I was attending high school at 17 years of age. That was before she became Mrs. Moody. Her name at that time was Harriet C. Brainerd. It is a most striking coincidence that later, when I attended the University bf Chicago, Mr. Moody was one of my professors in English. Knowing Mrs. Moody as I did, I came to know Mr. Moody Very intimately this being after their marriage. I used to go around to the house every day or two was Just Ilk a member of the fam- lly. I thought a great deal of Mr. Moody. I held the greatest reverence and respect for him and thought then and still think that he was one of the greatest poets and playwrights we have ever had. "I was still attending the University 0 Kaitk Healer" f , 4 mrv ihf ) x jam If ' x. j : S P i WITH JVXLTCUYyJZLLiJ OWiJCEMftElO FOJ2 T&Z PJZQDOCTfQTf of Chicago, studying for my Ph. D. de gree when William Vaughn Moody wrote 'The Faith Healer." Mrs. Moody sent over to me the first penciled draft of the play, that I might read it, as I was very much interested in the play from the very moment that Mr. Moody be gan writing it. The moment I read the play I loved it. I kept the manuscript In my desk a few days and then re turned It. I also had in my possession a manuscript copy of 'The Great Di vide,' another' play he bad just writ ten, and which has since been conced ed to be his masterpiece. Decides Upon Career. "Some time later I obtained my Uni versity degree and was granted a fel lowship In a society of philosophy. Right Some still call it "flllum!" A heaving movie star. chest never made a "The Heart of Africa' in five grip ping part has been pronounced full of strong atmosphere and local color. Osmun Lifes blames a prominent Adam's apple for the fact that he has failed to reach stellar roles in motion pictures. Percival Ramsbottom, whose work in "No Mother to Guide Her," was ao strongly praised by all the critics, is disappointed In motion-picture life. There Is no opportunity to pose in ho tel lobbies. During th death scenes In the third reel of "Lost in the Snow," the Buck eye Block Stringed Orchestra, espe cially engaged for the evening, got the .wrong cue sheets, and played two MTEHSSTM V . i - . t . v , V A But It was not long before I had made up my mind to go on the stage. I re signed my fellowship and was soon getting along fairly well in theatrical' work. "It was in the beginning of my sec ond year on the stage, when one day I received a wire from Henry Miller asking me to come to' New York to consult with him regarding an engage ment At the time I was making fifty dollars a week and as my engagement was about to'termtnate, I left Immedi ately for New York. Arriving in the metropolis, I found that Messrs. Mil ler and Moody were Just about to pro duce The Faith Healer.' They fairly swept me off my feet by asking that I play the title role. This bad first been suggested by Mrs. Moody who had Off the '41 I verses of "A Hot Time in th Old Town Tonight" Worthlngton Rotzman Cok,- who wore an oil-cloth cape and carried a leaky torch In th Blaine campaign, is a candidate for a censor of motion pic tures. Mr. Cook believes that motion pictures are only In their infancy. The Doorknob Film Company's wlld anlami drama was almost ruined by scratches on the negative. It is always canning season In motion-picture land. Sylvanus Q. SmUcker has announced bis candidacy for president of the Or der of United Movie Fans on an Inde pendent platform when interviewed at his bungalow at Walnut Grove by jwur correspondent. " Mr. Bmucker was discovered in the attic practicing on a B-flat cornet. He said In part: "If elected, I promise to abolish Il lustrated songs and do away with arti- S0- visualized me in the part and thought I was the most fitting person for the role. I wanted to do the part, but I wasn't quite sure that I could do full Justice to It The responsibility was a pretty big one and I had too much respect for Mr. Moody to take a chance on a masterpiece like this on, not being entirely sure of myself. So I begged off, wired New Orleans, found that the stock company I had been with had closed, and cam to the embarasslng realization that I was out of work. But th news that I bad been offered th title role of 'Tb Faith Healer' had spread and that very sam evening I received an offer over the telephone, accepted at a hundred and fifty dollars a week and soon began the engagement In the best part I had Reel (S Sf ficial flowers in all movie theaters. The throwing of pie dough must be cur tailed to reasonable bounds, and I would suggest that onion sets be sub stituted for many movie scenes, thus cutting down profiteering. Wall-paper patterns used recklessly, crimson ram bler beards, and the pouring of coffee Into saucers in banquet scenes must and shall be eliminated. The use of the expression "screen" is strongly ob jected to by the Confederation of Former Bartenders, snd this reform will also be Inaugurated should I be chosen by the .electorate." It was while recording secretary of Hodrarriers' Union No. 22, thatsir. femucker was chosen to represent his state as a motion-picture sensor, and bis record in cutting out ail the more intense and exciting episodes in the films attracted wide attention. Mr. Smucker eats with a fork, tucks hi napkin under his chin in the good bid fashioned way, plays in Stamm's Pythian Band, and never misses a Chautauqua session. REVELATION up to that time. I also received five year offers from all the big managers In New York, including Belasco, Shu be it, Brady and Frohman. So, al though I didn't play "The Faith Heal er' at that time, it was through that "play that I went to New York and , mad the biggest advance I had yat made. . Asked Serosa Time. 'The following season, Mr. Miller again sent for me to play The Servant in the House.' Ha told ma that they had never yet produced 'The Kaltb Healer,' but were going to In the near future and again asked nie to play the part This time I thought I was capa ble of tha wonderful part and would hav gladly acepted. but I was under contract with Belasco for three years, and thus wasn't free to fill the engage- ment So again, fat had prevented me from playing this Ideal part which would have affoxdo ma tha greatest of pleasure and happiness. Later, Mr. Miller played the piece himself. "Over a year ago, tha play again came into my life. I planned to moke it as an Independent production for the screen. But my associates backed out and again I gave up hope of ever playing 'Th Faith Healer.' "When I signed contract a tew months ago to play In three George Melford produc tions for Paramount, imagine my sur prise and pleasure when Mr. Melford told me that one of these productions was to ba 'Tb Faith Healer.' "At last t wa to do my favorite part. But would something happen again as had been my misfortune in th past? I had been taught by past experience not to bank my hopes to soon, so I didn't allow my enthusiasm to rise to a very high pitch, fearing that again I would b disappointed. But it was not to be. This time It Is a reality. I bare on my make-up and even now I am playing 'The Faith Healer.' Working Together. "Mrs. Moody was engaged to com out and help with th scenario. She didn't know that I was to play th title role, and I didn't know that she '5 - ? ' i . '. ' ''.'0 t 1 !"- i I," I... A Fsvorlt With t" a $ I ' : - friTnrt-r--ri rm if was to work on the scenario. One day we met on the lot She was delighted to learn that at last I was to appear in tha play. In its screen form, and I was In turn delighted that she was ta help with the scenario, knowing that in this way Mr. Moody himself would be well represented in the plcturiia tlon of one of his greatest plays. And then they asked me to collaborate with Mrs. Moody upon the scenario, and nothing on earth could have pleased me better. It was a reunion with on of my beet friends, tha widow of aa author to whom I had played the part of hero worshipper, and to work on tha scenario bf tha play which bad been so closely associated with my life and my career, was Indeed labor of iort Mri- MoodJf t ta. tlmataly Mr. Moody's entire point of view In regard to th play, and I ant sure that th scenario of the picture is Just aa It would have been bad Mr. Moody himself been her to writs it My work in connection with this pic ture Is the realization of an ambllton cherished all through my professional lifetime." Aids In Scenario Work. Mr. Sills is not new to scenario work, having, ow. several occasions been a moet important figure in th development of the scenario for cer tain big film productions. For The Honor System," a picture which was accounted one, of his greatest screen productions, and In which he played the leading role, Mr. Sills is credited with the principal work In th prep aration of the scenario. Th first George Melford production in which he appeared was "Behold My Wife!" a plcturizatlon of Sir Gilbert Parker's novel, "The Translation of a Savage," and In which Mr. Sills played th prin cipal male role. The cast of The Faith Healer" in cludes other celebrltlas. Ann Forrest plays Rhoda Williams, Charles Ogl Is Matthaw Beelar and others are Loyola O'Connor, May Olract, Fontain La Rue. Adolph Menjou, Edward Vroon, Robert Brower, John Curry, etc. Mel vin M. Riddle. the Children. ji f i