Chats with the Players — “The Rosemary of the Movies” (1915) 🇺🇸
Rosemary, the beautiful little blue flower, an emblem of fidelity, constancy and remembrance! Surely the angels who blessed “The Rosemary of the Movies” with such a sweet name knew that she would personify all these beautiful traits. In any event, Rosemary Theby’s thousands of admirers, who have been following her career in the four years that she has been acting for the screen, think so.
And while I chatted with her I could not help wondering what was so fascinating, so bewitching about this olive-skinned, beautiful actress. I know now. It was the wholesome, simple, sweet and unaffected simplicity of the “rosemary”, which radiated from her personality as perfume from this beautiful flower.
“Tell me, please,” I asked, “about your experiences in becoming a screen actress.”
In her simple, characteristic manner Miss Theby proceeded with her story.
“About five years ago I left my home in St. Louis and came to New York, as many other “Western girls have done and are doing, for that matter, to seek fame and — mayhap — fortune. I studied at the Sargent School of Acting for a short time, and then completed a course of individual instruction in pantomime with Madame Alberti. For about a year I worked very hard, intent upon making a success of my studies. Then I thought I was quite ready for a start on the stage. And so I followed in the weary footsteps of the hundreds of ambitious young people and made the rounds of the theatrical offices — for two whole days. By that time my poor heart was as heavy as lead, for everywhere I was asked, ‘What experience have you had?’ And when I replied that I had had none, the ‘Can’t use you’ was the invariable rejoinder.
“On the third day a kind friend suggested that I apply at the Vitagraph studios. At first I demurred, thinking that in so doing I would defame my ambitions. But necessity is the mother of most decisions, and, of course, I went. I was engaged to play small parts and remained with the Vitagraph Company for about one year, gaining excellent experience and training. I was eventually promoted to play leading roles. Later I joined the Reliance Company until about fifteen months ago, when I was engaged to play leads opposite Mr. Myers by the Lubin Company in Philadelphia.
“I can assure you that the past year has been the most wonderful and gratifying of my career. Somehow both Mr. Myers and myself feel that our work blends and that our success with the Lubin Company has been due in a great measure to the thoro understanding of our methods. Every day the mail brings us lovely letters from unknown friends complimenting us on our work, and it is this fact, coupled with the ambition to always improve, that makes picture acting such a delight in spite of the little rough places that will come up in our wonderful profession.
“As to our latest engagement, we are looking forward eagerly to the future with the Universal Company and expect to do some big things. We have just finished a splendid drama, entitled ‘Accusation.’ I think it will please our movie friends. Did you like ‘The Bride of Marblehead’? We took all the exteriors in Maine and had some very thrilling experiences. Yes, I trembled when I committed that awful ‘murder’! When I’m not posing, I’m rehearsing,” she went on, “or when not rehearsing —”
But by this time I realized that a busy movie actress has just so many moments for a mere interview — and no more.
A. K.
Collection: Motion Picture Magazine, April 1915