Robert Conness (1915) 🇺🇸
He isn’t a lawyer. He isn’t a doctor, nor a minister and yet meeting the gentleman you would perhaps erroneously guess that he was a member of any one of those professions.
by Thornton Fisher.
Doubtless, Bob Conness, of Edison, could have filled them worthily had he so desired — and incidentally the pictures would have lost one of its most delightful players. But let’s get down to tacks. I have endeavored to describe your first impression of Mr. Conness, for unless you were acquainted with him it would be hard to discover his profession. But for those of us who know him and have followed his work in the pictures he is conspicuously preeminent as a finished actor.
And when I say “finished actor” I do not mean he is through, for Bob Conness is just coming into his own, though for many years the speaking stage has known him well. During the past years Mr. Conness has played in support of Francis Wilson, Mary Mannering, Blanche Walsh, and with others whose names are distinguished in America’s drama. However, where the stage has played to the thousands the pictures are playing to the millions and blessed be he who has gained the plaudits of that host of insatiable picture fans.
In this respect Bob Conness has gone over “big.” Bob will not admit it, at least no one ever heard him boast of it — he’s a modest chap, is Bob.
I went up to “interview” friend Conness the other evening, but shucks, how can you interview a man who talks about politics, the weather and a hundred other irrelevant subjects. So it wasn’t an interview after all.
Well, any way — one day back in eighteen hundred and dash in the little white farm house that stood on the bank of the Vermillion River up in La Salle County, Illinois, Bob Conness was born. His father was a farmer and there amid the rural beauty Conness spent the days of his infancy. But the family did not remain long in the country and by the time young Robert reached the pin eating age the folks moved to Kansas City.
Bob spent his boyhood and youth in that town and went to school there; in fact, he got one foot on the dramatic band wagon at school when he was a lad of seven.
In a class play his brother was cast as a deaf mute, but just before he ascended the platform, was suddenly taken ill and little Bob, who had absorbed the rehearsals, volunteered to see the thing through and played his brother’s part. On that platform Conness decided to hit the theatrical trail. He became one of the best amateur actors in the city and when he left school went down town and began his theatrical career — ushering in a Kansas City theater where night after night the boy studied the work of the leading actors of the time, Mansfield, Mantell, Drew and the rest of them.
He learned how to graciously bow himself out of the room without knocking over a vase or tripping over a carpet design. He learned the prevailing methods of expediously disposing of the villain and kindred tricks of the profession. However, warm as his affection was for the stage at the time the wages of the most ambitious usher was not likely to land him in the “blue book” and a youthful hunger for an occasional dessert led him to quit the ushering business and he went to work for the Kansas City, Fort Scott & Memphis Railroad, where later he became private secretary to the president.
In the meantime he continued his amateur acting and then the big day came — he joined a regular company, and — made good. He was destined, however, to return a few years later to his old home town and play the lead in stock.
It was only a few years ago and in the most casual manner that Mr. Conness discovered from whom he inherited his dramatic spark. He had made a purchase in one of New York’s large department stores and requested that the article be sent to his home. An old salesman behind the counter who had waited upon him asked the name. “Conness,” replied the actor. The old man, suddenly leaned across the counter and eyeing Mr. Conness intently said: “It could not be possible that you are related to the late John Conness who was once United States Senator from California?”
“Yes,” responded the amazed actor, “he was my grand uncle.”
“Well,” said the old fellow, “I have travelled many, many miles to hear that man make a speech.” For Senator Conness was one of the silver-throated orators of the old political school, dramatic to a degree.
There is no question therefore why the younger Conness has achieved distinction in the spoken as well as the unspoken drama. He possesses a personal magnetism — that oft abused phrase — and a speaking voice of rare quality. No, it is no wonder Bob Conness is a star.
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Fred Jackson to Write for Pathé.
Pathé has contracted with Fred Jackson, author of the New York dramatic success, A Full House, to write a series of twelve stories called The Younger Sons, which will be put into feature films of four or five reels each. This is in accordance with the Pathé policy of securing the highest priced and best known authors for the writing of scenarios.
The Younger Sons will be full of stirring adventure and relate the experiences of the members of an English club called by that name, all of whom are the younger sons of English noblemen, and who by reason of a strange agreement must seek adventure where it may be found. Such stories should provide a mine of photoplay material of the best sort.
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Another Big Star for Pathé.
Melville Stewart has been engaged to appear in Richard Harding Davis’ The Galloper, to be produced by Donald Mackenzie for Pathé. Melville Stewart has probably created and sung more leading roles in Broadway musical successes than any other man. Mr. Stewart is also well known as an impersonator, having recently had a considerable engagement at the Winter Garden, and now “doing” Belasco and the German Kaiser with Ziegfeld’s Follies.
The previous two seasons he was leading man with Trentini in The Firefly. In addition to his splendid voice Mr. Stewart has fine dramatic talent, and Mr. Mackenzie promises great things of him in The Galloper.
Collection: Moving Picture World, July 1915