Marie Blanche — Principal Boy at Drury Lane (1920) 🇬🇧
Principal Boy at Drury Lane tells of her three ambitions.
It was in her lovely little home at Regent’s Park that I had my chat with Marie Blanche. And even when I was talking to her I couldn’t help noticing that old oak and blue china made a lovely background for a wild-rose skin, framed in warm, brown hair, and eyes for which the fairies must have stolen stars.
You see, Marie, who is Principal Boy at Drury Lane again, has been filming once more, and you who saw and admired her in “The Great Impostor,” may look out for a much more wonderful performance in “The Elusive Pimpernel,” for she’s playing Julia Neilson’s part, and playing it as no one else but Marie could have done.
At least it was a little bird just whispering this very fact that sent me scouting Marie-wards, with a —
“Now let’s hear all about your new film.”
“My new film!” She opened big, blue eyes wider still. “I’m afraid you’re anticipating, Miss Picture Show,” she laughed little silver tinkles. “Stoll’s new film with Maurice Elvey for producer.”
So I tried another tack. Fondling Nick, a sporting fox terrier who is the apple of his mistress’s eye, I asked Miss Blanche to unveil the secrets of her past.
“Please there aren’t any secrets,” she said. “But if you just want to know how it was I became an actress, and why I keep on being one, here goes:
“First of all I’m a daughter of the stage. Way back in the latter part of the nineteenth century, my maternal grandfather, a son of the banker of Ware, became quite famous as a manager and music-hall proprietor in London. He married Cicely Nott, the widow of Pio Bellini, the opera singer, and herself a well-known actress, and my mother, Addie Blanche, was one of their five children.”
“Not Addie Blanche who played at the Lane in Mother Goose when she was four years old, and later on was Principal Girl there?” I asked.
“Yes. The very same. And, by the way, my mother wasn’t the only star in the Adams’ sky that shone across the footlights, but her sister Ada was spoken of as being ‘The best boy the Lane has ever had.’ And it must be true, for she ‘boyed’ there for six years in succession.”
“So now you’re following in family’s footsteps?” I smiled.
Marie just laughed back.
“However could I help it?” Then she told me how much the said family were against her going on the stage. “They were determined to make me a Marie Hall or a female Kubelik. And for a little time I and my violin tried our hardest to please them.”
To go on principal boying at the Lane, to go on starring on the films, and last and greatest of all — to go back to straight comedy are the ambitions of Marie.
—
Film Fun
Not In His Element.
The “stunt” actor had braved every peril, which the imagination of the scenario writer had conceived. But he was nervous and lost when he accompanied his wife on an excursion to the realms of bargains, and, in the enormous building, with its many departments, had become separated from his better-half, the popular little comedy artiste.
For an hour at least he remained lounging impatiently at the junction of many ways, where lifts, stairs, and passages met, and then, tired and angry, he approached an irreproachable shopwalker.
“Sir,” he said to the frock-coated and suave attendant, in tones of righteous indignation, “I’ve lost my wife!”
Back came the reply, with stunning force: “Third floor and over the bridge for the mourning department!”
But the screen dare-devil waited on.
—
Not to be Beaten.
The beauties from all the moving picture studios were holding a bazaar for charity. Past stall after stall went the rich merchant, followed by his valet.
“Ah, Mr. Muchgold,” said a really sweet and charming lady at one of the stalls, “and what are you going to buy? Dear old auntie and I are running this table, and we have home-made cakes, aprons, penwipers, and —”
“Yes,” said Muchgold; “and I’ll buy just one of each. But do you sell kisses at your stall?”
“Oh, certainly!” came the ready reply. “One guinea each!”
“Right!” replied the autocrat. “Then I’ll take a couple — and good measure, please!”
“Aunt,” remarked the fair and dainty damsel, “forward, please! Two kisses for this gentleman!”
For a moment the man of means and money was nonplussed, but only for a moment. Then he turned to his valet.
“Jenkins,” he said coolly, “just take this purchase, please!”
—
Not Appreciated.
The film hero’s soul swelled — at least, he thought it did. His great hobby was painting, and as he was out “on location,” here was a splendid opportunity for him.
“Art!” he quoth, in a thrilling voice, as he stood on the mountain side and gazed on the vast expanse of rushing waters.
He reached for paint and palette, and proceeded, in his own style, to set forth the scene. Heart and mind in his work, he never noticed the arrival of an interested native.
“Ever tried photography?” queried the newcomer, gazing critically at the daub.
“No,” came the irritating answer.
“It’s a good deal quicker,” suggested the native slowly.
“Dare say,” answered the artist.
“And,” said he of the little soul, as he turned away, “a good deal more like the place!”
—
Not Hungry.
Two film actors were discussing the fair sex.
“Look here,” exclaimed one, “did you ever take a girl out to lunch when she felt a little faint?”
“Er — no,” admitted the other reluctantly.
“Well, then, take my advice, and don’t. One day I took Miss Blonde into a restaurant. At first she declined to eat anything, but then she said she believed she did feel a little faint.”
“Did she take anything?”
“Did she take anything? She seized the menu, glanced over it, said she didn’t feel very hungry, and ordered —”
“Well, what did she order?”
“Oysters, lobster cutlets, sweetbreads and peas, chicken, shrimp salad, biscuit glacé, macaroons, coffee, and crème de menthe. It cost me three pounds!”
“Well, you ought to be glad.”
“Glad! What for?”
“Why, glad she wasn’t hungry.”
—
Couldn’t Agree.
William: “Yes, they are exactly opposite in their tastes!”
Harold: “Is that so?”
William: “Yes; if she ordered angel cake, he’d order devilled ham.”
—
Fun for the Children.
“Film Fun,” published on Tuesday, January 13th, is a new Comic Cinema Paper, which will without, doubt become a great favourite with every boy and girl in the British Isles. The series of Pictures in this paper are of living characters. Among the famous Cinema Stars who appear weekly in Film Fun are Winkle, Fatty Arbuckle [Roscoe “Fatty” Arbuckle], Larry Semon, James Aubrey [Jimmy Aubrey], Baby Marie Osborne, Earle Montgomery, Joseph Rock [Joe Rock], Ben Turpin, Charles Conklin [Heinie Conklin], and Slim Summerville. There is a splendid serial entitled “Screen Struck,” and many other dramatic and humorous stories. There are 20 big pages crammed full, and the price of Film Fun is only 1-1/2 d.
—
Charlie’s bird was feeling glum, so the great screen comedian tried to amuse it by making funny faces.
Collection: Picture Show Magazine, January 1920