Virginia Pearson — Her Power of Expression (1919) 🇬🇧

Virginia Pearson — A temperamental Queen of the screen who has her own recipe for health and beauty

Virginia Pearson comes from the famous Kentucky family of Calloways, a family well known in the middle and far west of the States. She was born in Louisville, and spent most of her young days there, until the theatre called her to New York.

She is an ardent worker in the film world, as she adds scenario writing to all her other work, and, having acted for many years, she knows all the vagaries and limitations of the camera.

A Noted Beauty

One glance at the large photograph of Miss Virginia Pearson (the famous Fox Film star) is enough to tell us that she is a noted beauty. She is more than that in the ordinary sense of the word, for one of the most striking features is her wonderful physique; there is that subtle suggestion of “quiet strength” that will accomplish great things without making any fuss, the majesty and strength of the lioness as she sits in repose, but, all the same, impresses you with the fact that there is a good deal more behind than stillness. This quality is generally found in people of great dramatic power, and this personality is generally the making of such plays. Combined with a regular passion for active, outdoor life, she has the first essentials for beauty and health, and you cannot have the former without the latter.

In spite of these facts, she does not allow herself to get slack, and imposes beauty hardships on herself that not many women would follow. She uses very little make-up (if any) when she goes before the camera, and none at all when she is off the stage, as she absolutely scorns rouge and other “makeshift colourings.”

Her Beauty Recipe

On rising, she has her morning cream bath and massage; the cream is allowed to stand overnight, and has rose leaves or lavender soaking in it; the latter is a wonderful brain stimulant as well as a most refreshing perfume. After that she goes for her morning ride or walk, and she is often in time to see the dawn. She then has a steam bath and a vigorous massage with olive oil, including features and entire body.

At night, before retiring, which is often after midnight (she evidently does not observe the law of getting beauty sleep before 12), she undergoes more vigorous treatment — her nails are manicured and polished, the scalp treatment, and the hair well brushed, and the pores of the skin thoroughly cleansed.

When not engaged on studio work she spends most of her time outdoors, and this accounts for her healthy appetite. She is compensated for all the hardships of beauty treatment by being able to eat whatever she likes and whenever she likes it, without having any fear of the results.

Good Ideas on Dress

She has very sound ideas about dress; she advocates beautiful simplicity in her ordinary gowns, but on the screen she will not spare any expense to get dresses to suit the character she represents, as she rightly contends that to play a part well you must get in the right atmosphere, and the correct dress for this is halt the battle. She says that if women would dress more sanely, they would be happier and healthier; for instance, she scorns summer furs, and discards hats whenever possible, as many American ladies do. And no doubt that accounts for the many lovely heads of hair seen out there.

Watch for The Liar when it comes to your town if you want to see this beautiful actress, who has been described as a “good, kind soul in an exquisitely beautiful body.”

A Special Hobby

The making of a very unique form of jewellery is one of her pastimes.

She has an old Italian formula that tells how to make a decoction in which flowers can be soaked, which crystallises them, and so preserves them. Gold dust is sprinkled on the blossoms, and they are then attached to the shoulder or arm with sticking-plaster. It gives a very pretty effect as well as a mysterious one, as everyone is curious to know how they are made.

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Virginia Pearson — who claims that her clothes give her her moods. White will make her cold and hard, and black depresses her. Soft rose and violet shades she says are the most useful colours for her work.

The next photo-plays we are to see her in, after The Liar, are Buchanan’s Wife, a film version of Justin Miles Forman’s successful novel, and The Love Auction.

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Photo caption:

• Renunciation
• Her Smile.
• Amazement.
• Inquiry.
• Interest.

Collection: Picture Show Magazine, June 1919