merton of the movies-第11章

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nd　those　who　sat　upon　it　along　the　dull…toned　walls　appeared　depressed　and　unhopeful；　especially　after　they　had　braved　a　talk　through　the　little　window　with　someone　who　seemed　always　to　be　saying；　〃No；　nothing　to…day。　Yes；　perhaps　next　week。　I　have　your　address。〃　When　the　aspirants　were　women；　as　they　mostly　were；　the　someone　back　of　the　window　would　add　〃dear〃　to　the　speech：　〃No；　nothing　to…day；　dear。〃

There　seemed　never　to　be　anything　to…day；　and　Clifford　Armytage　spent　very　little　of　his　waiting　time　in　this　room。　It　made　him　uncomfortable　to　be　stared　at　by　other　applicants；　whether　they　stared　casually；　incuriously；　or　whether　they　seemed　to　appraise　him　disparagingly；　as　if　telling　him　frankly　that　for　him　there　would　never　be　anything　to…day。

Then　he　saw　that　he；　too；　must　undergo　that　encounter　at　the　little　window。　Too　apparently　he　was　not　getting　anywhere　by　loitering　about　outside。　It　was　exciting；　but　the　producers　would　hardly　look　there　for　new　talent。

He　chose　a　moment　for　this　encounter　when　the　waiting　room　was　vacant；　not　caring　to　be　stared　at　when　he　took　this　first　step　in　forming　a　connection　that　was　to　be　notable　in　screen　annals。　He　approached　the　window；　bent　his　head；　and　encountered　the　gaze　of　a　small；　comely　woman　with　warm　brown　eyes；　neat　reddish　hair；　and　a　quick　manner。　The　gaze　was　shrewd；　it　seemed　to　read　all　that　was　needed　to　be　known　of　this　new　candidate。

〃Yes？〃　said　the　woman。

She　looked　tired　and　very　businesslike；　but　her　manner　was　not　unkind。　The　novice　was　at　once　reassured。　He　was　presently　explaining　to　her　that　he　wished　to　act　in　the　pictures　at　this　particular　studio。　No；　he　had　not　had　much　experience；　that　is；　you　could　hardly　call　it　experience　in　actual　acting；　but　he　had　finished　a　course　of　study　and　had　a　diploma　from　the　General　Film　Production　Company　of　Stebbinsville；　Arkansas；　certifying　him　to　be　a　competent　screen　actor。　And　of　course　he　would　not　at　first　expect　a　big　part。　He　would　be　glad　to　take　a　small　part　to　begin　with　almost　any　small　part　until　he　could　familiarize　himself　with　studio　conditions。　And　here　was　a　bunch　of　stills　that　would　give　any　one　an　idea　of　the　range　of　parts　he　was　prepared　to　play；　society　parts　in　a　full…dress　suit；　or　soldier　parts　in　a　trench　coat　and　lieutenant's　cap；　or　juveniles　in　the　natty　suit　with　the　belted　coat；　and　in　the　storm…king　model　belted　overcoat。　And　of　course　Western　stuffthese　would　give　an　idea　of　what　he　could　docowboy　outfit　and　all　that　sort　of　thing；　chaps　and　spurs　and　guns　and　so　forth。　And　he　was　prepared　to　work　hard　and　struggle　and　sacrifice　in　order　to　give　the　public　something　better　and　finer；　and　would　it　be　possible　to　secure　some　small　part　at　once？　Was　a　good　all…round　actor　by　any　chance　at　that　moment　needed　in　the　company　of　Miss　Beulah　Baxter；　because　he　would　especially　like　such　a　part；　and　he　would　be　ready　to　start　to　work　at　any　timeto…morrow；　or　even　to…　day。

The　tired　little　woman　beyond　the　opening　listened　patiently　to　this；　interrupting　several　times　to　say　over　an　insistent　telephone；　〃No；　nothing　to…day；　dear。〃　She　looked　at　the　stills　with　evident　interest　and　curiously　studied　the　face　of　the　speaker　as　she　listened。　She　smiled　wearily　when　he　was　through　and　spoke　briskly。

〃Now；　I'll　tell　you；　son；　all　that　is　very　nice；　but　you　haven't　had　a　lick　of　real　experience　yet；　have　you？and　things　are　pretty　quiet　on　the　lot　just　now。　To…day　there　are　only　two　companies　shooting。　So　you　couldn't　get　anything　to…day　or　to…morrow　or　probably　for　a　good　many　days　after　that；　and　it　won't　be　much　when　you　get　it。　You　may　get　on　as　an　extra　after　a　while　when　some　of　the　other　companies　start　shooting；　but　I　can't　promise　anything；　you　understand。　What　you　do　nowleave　me　your　name　and　address　and　telephone　number。〃

〃Yes；　ma'am；〃　said　the　applicant；　and　supplied　these　data。

〃Clifford　Armytage！〃　exclaimed　the　woman。　〃I'll　say　that's　some　warm　name！〃

〃Well；　you　see〃he　paused；　but　resolved　to　confide　freely　in　this　friendly　seeming　person〃you　see；　I　picked　that　out　for　a　good　name　to　act　under。　It　sounds　good；　doesn't　it？　And　my　own　right　name　is　only　Merton　Gill；　so　I　thought　I'd　better　have　something　that　sounded　a　little　morewell；　you　know。〃

〃Sure！〃　said　the　woman。　〃All　right；　have　any　name　you　want；　but　I　think　I'll　call　you　Merton　when　you　come　again。　You　needn't　act　with　me；　you　know。　Now；　let's　seename；　age；　height；　good　general　wardrobe；　house　address；　telephone　numberoh；　yes；　tell　me　where　I　can　find　you　during　the　day。〃

〃Right　out　here；〃　he　replied　firmly。　〃I'm　going　to　stick　to　this　studio　and　not　go　near　any　of　the　others。　If　I'm　not　in　this　room　I'll　be　just　outside　there；　on　that　bench　around　the　tree；　or　just　across　the　street　where　you　can　see　through　the　gate　and　watch　the　people　go　through。〃

〃Say！〃　Again　the　woman　searched　his　face　and　broke　into　her　friendly　smile。　〃Say；　you're　a　real　nut；　aren't　you？　How'd　you　ever　get　this　way？〃

And　again　he　was　talking；　telling　now　of　his　past　and　his　struggles　to　educate　himself　as　a　screen　actorone　of　the　best。　He　spoke　of　Simsbury　and　Gashwiler　and　of　Lowell　Hardy　who　took　his　stills；　and　of　Tessie　Kearns；　whose　sympathy　and　advice　had　done　so　much　to　encourage　him。　The　woman　was　joyously　attentive。　Now　she　did　more　than　smile。　She　laughed　at　intervals　throughout　the　narrative；　though　her　laughter　seemed　entirely　sympathetic　and　in　no　way　daunted　the　speaker。

〃Well；　Merton；　you're　a　funny　oneI'll　say　that。　You're　so　kind　of　ignorant　and　appealing。　And　you　say　this　Bughalter　or　Gigwater　or　whatever　his　name　is　will　take　you　back　into　the　store　any　time？　Well；　that's　a　good　thing　to　remember；　because　the　picture　game　is　a　hard　game。　I　wouldn't　discourage　a　nice　clean　boy　like　you　for　the　world；　but　there　are　a　lot　of　people　in　pictures　right　now　that　would　prefer　a　steady　job　like　that　one　you　left。〃

〃It's　Gashwilerthat　name。〃

〃Oh；　all　right；　just　so　you　don't　forget　it　and　forget　the　address。〃

The　new　applicant　warmly　reassured　her。

〃I　wouldn't　be　likely　to　forget　that；　after　living　there　all　those　years。〃

When　he　left　the　window　the　woman　was　again　saying　into　the　telephone；　〃No；　dear；　nothing　to…day。　I'm　sorry。〃

It　was　that　night　he　wrote　to　Tessie　Kearns：

Dear　Friend　Tessie：

Well；　Tessie；　here　I　am　safe　and　sound　in　Hollywood　after　a　long　ride　on　the　cars　that　went　through　many　strange　and　interesting　cities　and　different　parts　of　the　country；　and　I　guess　by　this　time　you　must　have　thought　I　was　forgetting　my　old　friends　back　in　Simsbury；　but　not　so；　I　can　assure　you；　for　I　will　never　forget　our　long　talks　together　and　how　you　cheered　me　up　often　when　the　sacrifice　and　struggle　seemed　more　than　any　man　could　bear。　But　now　I　feel　repaid　for　all　that　sacrifice　and　struggle；　for　I　am　here　where　the　pictures　are　made；　and　soon　I　will　be　acting　different　parts　in　them；　though　things　are　quiet　on　the　lot　now　with　only　two　companies　shooting　to…day；　but　more　companies　will　be　shooting　in　a　few　days　more　and　then　will　come　the　great　opportunity　for　me　as　soon　as　I　get　known；　and　my　different　capabilities；　and　what　I　can　do　and　everything。

I　had　a　long　talk　to…day　with　the　lady　out　in　front　that　hires　the　actors；　and　she　was　very　friendly；　but　said　it　might　be　quite　some　time；　because　only　two　companies　on　the　lot　were　shooting　to…day；　and　she　said　if　Gashwiler　had　promised　to　keep　my　old　job　for　me　to　be　sure　and　not　forget　his　address；　and　it　was　laughable　that　she　should　say　such　a　thing；　because　I　would　not　be　liable　to　forget　his　address　when　I　lived　there　so　long。　She　must　have　thought　I　was　very　forgetful；　to　forget　that　address。

There　is　some　great　scenery　around　this　place；　including　many　of　the　Rocky　Mtns。　etc。　that　make　it　look　beautiful；　and　the　city　of　Los　Angeles　is　bigger　than　Peoria。　I　am　quite　some　distance　out　of　the　centre　of　town；　and　I　have　a　nice　furnished　room　about　a　mile　from　the　Holden　studios；　where　I　will　be　hired　after　a　few　more　companies　get　to　shooting　on　the　lot。　There　is　an　electric　iron　in　the　kitchen　where　one　can　press　their　clothes。　And　my　furnished　room　is　in　the　house　of　a　Los　Angeles　society　woman　and　her　husband　who　came　here　from　Iowa。　Their　little　house　with　flowers　in　front　of　it　is　called　a　bungalow。　The　husband；　Mr。　Patterson；　had　a　farm　in　Iowa；　six　miles　out　from　Cedar　Falls；　and　he　cares　little　for　society；　but　the　wife　goes　into　society　all　the　time；　as　there　is　hardly　a　day　just　now　that　some　society　does　not　have　its　picnic；　and　one　day　it　will　be　the　Kansas　Society　picnic　and　the　next　day　it　will　be　the　Michigan　Society　having　a　picnic；　or　some　other　state；　and　of　course　the　Iowa　Society　that　has　the　biggest　picnic　of　all；　and　Mr。　Patterson　says　his　wife　can　go　to　all　these　society　functions　if　she　wants；　but　he　does　not　care　much　for　society；　and　he　is　thinking　of　buying　a　half　interest　in　a　good　soft…drink　place　just　to　pass　the　time　away；　as　he　says　after　the　busy　life　he　has　led　he　needs　something　to　keep　him　busy；　but　his　wife　thinks　only　of　society。

I　take　my　meals　out　at　different　places；　especially　at　drug　stores。　I　guess　you　would　be　surprised　to　see　these　drug　stores　where　you　can　go　in　and　sit　at　the　soda　counter　and　order　your　coffee　and　sandwiches　and　custard　pie　and　eat　them　right　there　in　the　drug　store；　but　there　are　other　places；　too；　like　cafeterias；　where　you　put　your　dishes　on　a　tray　and　carry　it　to　your　own　table。　It　is　all　quite　different　from　Simsbury；　and　I　have　seen　oranges　growing　on　the　trees；　and　there　are　palm　trees；　and　it　does　not　snow　here；　but　the　grass　is　green　and　the　flowers　bloom　right　through　the　winter；　which　makes　it　very　attractive　with　the　Rocky　Mtns。　standing　up　in　the　distance；　etc。

Well；　Tessie；　you　must　excuse　this　long　letter　from　your　old　friend；　and　write　me　if　any　company　has　accepted　Passion's　Perils　and　I　might　have　a　chance　to　act　in　that　some　day；　and　I　will　let　you　know　when　my　first　picture　is　released　and　the　title　of　it　so　you　can　watch　out　for　it　when　it　comes　to　the　Bijou　Palace。　I　often　think　of　the　old　town；　and　would　like　to　have　a　chat　with　you　and　my　other　old　friends；　but　I　am　not　homesick；　only　sometimes　I　would　like　to　be　back　there；　as　there　are　not　many　people　to　chat　with　here　and　one　would　almost　be　lonesome　sometimes　if　they　could　not　be　at　the　studio。　But　I　must　remember　that　work　and　struggle　and　sacrifice　are　necessary　to　give　the　public　something　better　and　finer　and　become　a　good　screen　actor。　So　no　more　at　present；　from　your　old　friend；　and　address　Clifford　Armytage　at　above　number；　as　I　am　going　by　my　stage　name；　though　the　lady　at　the　Holden　lot　said　she　liked　my　old　name　better　and　called　me　that；　and　it　sounded　pretty　good；　as　I　have　not　got　used　to　the　stage　name　yet。

He　felt　better　after　this　chat　with　his　old　friend；　and　the　following　morning　he　pressed　a　suit　in　the　Patterson　kitchen　and　resumed　his　vigil　outside　the　gate。　But　now　from　time　to　time；　at　least　twice　a　day；　he　could　break　the　monotony　of　this　by　a　call　at　the　little　window。

Sometimes　the　woman　beyond　it　would　be　engrossed　with　the　telephone　and　would　merely　look　at　him　to　shake　her　head。　At　others；　the　telephone　being　still；　she　would　engage　him　in　friendly　talk。　She