The Expressions of Leal Douglas (1920) 🇬🇧

The vampire of the British screen.

There are few British film players who are better suited to vampire roles than Leal Douglas, and although this beautiful actress has not devoted her entire attention to vampire roles, those in which she has appeared have been recognised as highly successful.

Although born in Manchester, Miss Douglas spent the greater part of her childhood in Australia, and, on leaving school, she made her debut on the Australian stage under the management of J. C. Williamson.

In her early stage days. Miss Douglas was closely associated with Annette Kellermann [Annette Kellerman] (the world-famous swimmer who has also starred in films), for they wore both playing in the same show.

The World is Small.

Miss Douglas tells me it was when Miss Kellermann was only an amateur, and the two girls used to spend hours perfecting their strokes and diving.

It was later when Miss Douglas was in Africa, that one day strolling into a picture theatre, she saw her old friend starred in the film.

“The world is a small place,” says Miss Douglas, “and the film world still smaller. I sometimes wonder if I shall ever have the pleasure of playing in a film with my old friend.”

One of Miss Douglas’s earliest appearances on the Australian stage was as Barbara Hare in East Lynne. Other plays in which she appeared were The Brass Bottle, A Lovely Liar, The Dawn of a Tomorrow, and A Bachelor’s Honeymoon.

Her First Appearance.

On completing a long tour through New Zealand and Australia, Miss Douglas formed a company of her own and toured with it through Australia and South Africa. A little later, this talented player arrived in England, and make her appearance in The Three Musketeers, in which she played Milady.

About this time Miss Florence Turner was producing her first British films.

Miss Douglas, being interested in films, obtained an introduction to Miss Turner’s manager, and was given a part in “The Rose of Surrey.”

Following this, Miss Douglas then played in “Thelma,” “My Lady’s Dress,” “The Beetle,” “Deception,” Under Suspicion, “Bleak House,” “Darby and Joan,” and Nothing Else Matters.

In Comedy Films.

Apart from making a special study of vampire and character parts, Miss Douglas has also appeared in comedy films.

She is a keen sportswoman and an expert swimmer. Apart from this sport, she takes a keen interest in rowing, riding, and golf. Miss Douglas devotes the greater portion of her time to film work, but has not altogether forsaken the legitimate stage: for she is at present appearing as the talkative woman in You Never Can Tell.

Frocks for the Film.

Miss Douglas says that dressing for the screen is as important as acting, and make-up frocks that suit me off the screen are hardly any use for my work. Colours that look simply superb often photograph badly. Everything films black, white, or grey, and often the most hideous colours photograph the best under the searching glare of the studio lights.

“In dressing a part there is not only colour, cut, and style to remember, but also the kind of clothes your film character would wear if she were a live person. Wearing the clothes she would wear helps you to feel as she would feel.

A Big Consideration.

A film actress needs more clothes than some people imagine. No frock is ever worn in more than one film, and that often means that an actress has to provide almost fifty each of dresses, hats, boudoir gowns, innumerable shoes, and other nick-nacks, in a year.

“Even girls who do crowd work must be prepared to have at least three or four evening, afternoon, and dinner gowns, besides walking costumes, hats, and other smart clothes and shoes, which they may need at a moment’s notice. “Much depends on how clothes are worn. If they are not quite new. but cut well and worn and carried well, they will screen successfully.”

It was Miss Douglas who brought the fashion of painted gloves into this country.

She recently flew to Paris in search of film frocks, and brought buck with her a pair of long evening gloves, painted with a neat little design halfway between the elbow and wrist. This fashion was designed by an enterprising French manufacturer who specialises in novelties. Another pair had a silhouette of a black cat, in velvet, neatly stitched on to the cloth.

Likes the Motherland Best.

Possessed of a charming personality, Miss Douglas stands 5 ft. 7 in. Her hair and eyes are dark-brown, which are set off by a healthy out. door complexion.

Like many others who have spent many years in the colonies. Miss Douglas is not anxious to return to the land of the Southern Cross. She is determined to settle down in the Motherland, although it is quite likely that she may mako several short trips abroad for holidays.

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If you want to write her, address your letter:
Miss Leal Douglas,
c/o Garrick Theatre,
Charing Cross Road,
London, W.C.

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Photo Captions:

• Suspicion.
• Sorrow.
• Trust.
• Fear.
• Coquetry.
• Contempt.

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(Special to “The Picture Show.”)

Collection: Picture Show Magazine, December 1920