Madlaine Traverse’s Varied Expressions (1919) 🇬🇧

Our special correspondent interviews the Fox star for The Picture Show.

I was introduced to Miss Madlaine Traverse on the verandah of the beautiful Hollywood Hotel, situated at the foot of the Santa Monica Mountains, where the tropical palms and flowers of nearly every shade of colour that surrounds the hotel made a worthy setting for a perfectly formed and beautiful woman.

Miss Traverse is unusually tall for a film star, being 5 ft. 9 ins. in height, and weighing 165 lbs. Her hair is a magnificent shade of dark brown, and her hazel grey eyes with black eyebrows and perfectly shaped oval face give her a very striking appearance. Miss Traverse is not married.

After she had offered us some tea, I asked if she would give me some news about herself and her career, to convey to the hundreds of thousands of weekly readers of The Picture Show, and in her own words she told me:

“I was born at Cleveland, Ohio, U.S.A.,” she said, “and my education was given me from private tutors, at home and even whilst I was playing in my father’s stock companies, which I joined at the early age of eleven. At the age of fifteen, I was playing leading lady in the old standard dramas, such as East Lynne, Lady Audley’s Secret, Zoe the Octoroon, etc., and in A Pair of Spectacles, and like comedies. After playing in the principal towns of the United States, I went to England and played the part of Sylvia Simpson with Rose Stahl, in The Chorus Lady, at the Vaudeville Theatre, London.

Knows London Well

I stayed in London quite a while and visited Paris and many other European cities before returning to the States, and then whilst playing in New York as leading lady in the Seven Keys to Baldpate, I accepted an offer to play Queen Sonia in Elinor Glyn’s Three Weeks, and thus made my debut on the screen. I have never regretted it, and feel sure that I never shall. I love my work, and there is something attractive about the acting for the screen that does not occur on the legitimate stage. In my opinion, one becomes selfish on the speaking stage and thinks mostly of one’s own part, but on the screen one is interested in everything that everyone connected with the company does.

Played with Mary Pickford

After the Three Weeks film was finished, I took the lead in Lasca the Enchantess, and The Other Woman, and then co-starred in The Money Master, with Frank Sheridan, and with Robert Warwick in Fruits of Desire, and have since played the lead in The Poor Little Rich Girl, with Miss Mary Pickford, and no end of other productions.

Rides Side Saddle

Here Miss Traverse paused, and I remarked that she could not have much time for pleasure or even exercise, and she said: “Oh, yes, I have. I go in for no particular form of exercise, but natural walking or horse-riding on the old-fashioned side saddle, and I have taken prizes as a horsewoman for that style of riding. Then for my pleasures I have my motor-car, and am considered a good amateur driver. I like golf, and with a good walker for companion, am very fond of hill climbing.”

A Gift from Prince Poniatowski

I remarked on the “samovar” that Miss Traverse had used in the brewing of her most excellent tea, and she replied:

“Yes, isn’t it beautiful? It was presented to me by Prince Poniatowski, to whom I was introduced when I was in London. I am very fond of ancient silver and have quite a collection, including some ancient silverware made by the Incas, some old Spanish silver, and a delightful old silver writing service, Renaissance pattern.”

Miss Traverse asked if we would like to see some of her treasures, and taking us into her sitting-room showed some delightful Vicuna rugs that her cousin had sent her from Peru.

On the walls were some fine old paintings and etchings, and oh my remarking on their beauty, Miss Traverse said:

“Yes, they are beautiful, and I have also some fine Italian enamel and a portrait of myself by Whistler.

“Do you think of visiting England again soon?” I asked. And Miss Traverse said, with a smile:

“I used to go to England every year, but now I am tied by contract. I can only hope to be transferred there some time to make pictures but I love England!”

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Photo captions:

• Enquiry.
• Good-bye.
• Pensive.
• Doubt.
• Her smile of welcome.

Collection: Picture Show Magazine, November 1919