Charles T. Dazey — A Dramatist Who Came Back (1918) 🇺🇸
This is the romance of a middle-aged man who had quit.
What is more tragic than the success who has nothing more to succeed at — the man to whom the fruits of triumph are only ashes?
There are a number of dramatists in that condition in America. Their names are household words; some of them have homes in California and some of them have homes in Long Island, and none of them really has to work. But they are not very inspired, now. Their new "successes" have something of an echo about them. They must be very unhappy — really.
A little over three years ago one of the head members of the set of weary successes was Charles T. Dazey, who, when he dies, will probably have "In Old Kentucky" engraved on his granite because he is the author of the one supremely human drama about a horse-race. Dazey was what Dr. Osier would call an old man — not an old man physically, for he was and is about as lively as they make them: but his hair was gray, he no longer had to earn Tuesday's war-bread on Monday, and theatrical history had gathered him for her own. He was so old that he had a son (now Lieut. Frank M. Dazey, U. S. E. F., France) about to graduate from Harvard. Frank was a pretty bright boy, and all of his father's fellow-dramatists on the stage Olympus thought it was an awful thing that a smart man like C. T. should let his son — college-bred, too — fool around a cheap trade like the motion picture business. For Frank went straight to the scenario department of the Vitagraph company. And he was a success!
Old Dr. Faust, according to the immortal and quite un-Prussian Goethe, got hold of a beverage that turned his clock back to 9 a. m. or thereabouts. Frank's entry into the Vitagraph works had exactly that effect on his father. Here was something new to do in the world!
Frank asked his father about some tricky dramatic points in one or two scenarios; he helped him through the ruts — and all of a sudden the young fellow found that father was hiding out on him, writing a film play of his own! That was the day of the short subject, and the elder Dazey's first few essays, anonymously put out, were two-reelers.
Then came a five-reeler that bore his name. His colleagues of the stage thought he was broke, and lamented his reduction to such a dreadful extremity. But he went right on, the "movie" became the photoplay in just a little while, and then —
For two years Charles T. Dazey, absolutely renewing his youth in the fervor of a new and fascinating creation, has written exclusively, continuously and successfully for the screen.
You know his photoplays. Among them are that heroic Hart vehicle, "Wolf Lowry;" "The Sea-Master;" "The Redemption of Dave Darcy;" "The Mysterious Client;" "Behind the Mask;" "The Midnight Trail;" "Peggy Leads the Way," and "New York Luck."
"Manhattan Madness," which will be reissued as long as there is a demand for the great original successes of Douglas Fairbanks, was written by father and son, together.
Nearly half a dozen of his latest writings, made by various concerns, have not yet been released.
It was no easy thing for the conservative, dyed-in-the-wool veteran of the theatre to turn to the new medium.
Charles T. Dazey wrote his first stage success, a play called Rustication, more than thirty years ago, while he himself was a Harvard student.
After his graduation, with a degree, he wrote a play called An American King, successfully produced by James O'Neill at the old Hooley's theatre, in Chicago.
Katie Putnam was a popular star in 1890-91, and Charles T. Dazey a rising young dramatist. She went to him for a play, and he wrote In Old Kentucky, with what he considered the stellar role of Madge. The manuscript was promptly sent back, with the notation that it was a star play, all right — for a horse. Then began the time-honored premier hard luck of every drama of destiny — nobody wanted it. Finally one Jacob Litt, whose ambitions were his largest asset at that time, took a chance. It made Litt a millionaire, its author independent for life, fortunes for many others, and in ensuing years premier reputations for over twenty young women — among them a hopeful little ingenue named Bessie Barriscale. In Old Kentucky ended its twenty-fifth consecutive season last June. It played forty uninterrupted weeks last year.
Mr. Dazey had other successful stage pieces, but space is short, and mention will be made of but one which is more recently familiar: The Sign of the Rose, in which he collaborated with George Beban.
Mr. Dazey speaks very seriously of what he considers the great evil of the motion picture industry today: the willingness of managers to spend fortunes on salaries and productions, and their unwillingness to pay proportionate prices for the foundation underneath, the story. He says:
"It simply does not pay to put one's best work into photoplays under present conditions. Any good - reel screen play contains the stuff for a stage play or a novel. It is far better to write it in either of these forms, and then, even if a failure on Broadway, picture companies will bid ten times what they would have been willing to pay for an original synopsis, constructed and especially adapted for the screen. At least two of my screen plays I am credibly informed have made for the companies producing them over a quarter of a million each. Whenever a play attains such success as this a fair percentage can and should be paid instead of the few hundred dollars usually given reluctantly and grudgingly.
"One after the other, well known writers like Channing Pollock and others have been driven from the field, or have determined, as in my own case, to write only big special features or serials for which a fair percentage of gross receipts can be secured."
Mr. Dazey, at work on a new photoplay with the trusty little typewriter on which he has personally "ground out" every 'script. Below — a scene from his "Wolf Lowry."
Photo by: White
Stars of the Screen and Their Stars in the Sky (1918)
by Ellen Woods
Nativity of Maurice Tourneur, born February 2nd, in France
Mr. Tourneur has the Zodiacal sign Scorpio on the Eastern horizon at birth, with the Lord (Mars) in his exaltation in Aries, which all indicates that he is and always will be master of the situation, either by might or mind. He is capable in many directions of effort: the mind is penetrating, sharp, and clear; the imagination prolific. He is a philosopher, and is fond of mental battles, in which he is generally victorious. Mr. Tourneur has excellent executive ability; he can govern and lead well. There is a great taste for the military; and if he could stay in one place long enough, he would make a good politician, as he is a "good mixer." I would astrologically advise Mr. Tourneur to look upon the bright side of life. Too much solitude is not good for him, as his mind has a tendency to revert to the past. He must not gamble, take chances in any way, own real estate, nor preach, teach or argue on science, religion, or wife's relations. He should never go into business for himself, but should not be in a subordinate position. He should direct others and be in command. Money has come slow to this native, but by his own making, and he must not expect any legacy on this earth. While Mr. Tourneur is quick tempered, he is also tender hearted and generous.
Nativity of Miss Pauline Frederick, Born August 12th
If the hour 3:30 p. m. as given to me is correct, I would say that Miss Frederick's health has not been of the best, since birth. Her constitution is very weak, partially due to too much study. Her brain is active all the time — if she is not studying while awake, she is dreaming while asleep. In short she is a bunch of intellectuality. To quote a French astrologer of the Fifteenth Century, one Nostradamus, "She is Christian, philosopher, poet, physician, all in one." Miss Frederick was born with the Sun and Venus in the Royal sign Leo, with the sign Sagittarius rising at birth, indicating that she came from a long line of kings, her mother being a queen, her father not of the royal line, but a man of letters (this all means in past incarnation). She should never marry nor go into partnership with any one, for there are likely to be separations, which will be unpleasant. She should guard her health, especially her lungs and throat. She should not attempt to keep house, but should live in hotels. Miss Frederick should let her inspirations have full play. In 1918 and 1919 she will, if birth time is given correctly, take many long journeys by land, one of which in the employ of the government on secret matters. Miss Frederick will also have much money and property left to her.
Collection: Photoplay Magazine, October 1918