Souls for Sale

[Reconstructed titles]

1
THE EXPRESS DUE IN LOS 
ANGELES TOMORROW RUNS 
THROUGH THE HEART OF THE 
DESERT.

2
THIS MORNING SHE WAS
MISS REMEMBER STEDDON.

ELEANOR BOARDMAN

3
TONIGHT SHE IS THE BRIDE 
OF OWEN SCUDDER.

4
A SUDDEN REVULSION SEIZED HER.
THE LOVER WHO HAD SWEPT HER OFF 
HER FEET BY A WHIRLWIND COURT-
SHIP TERRIFIED HER AS A HUSBAND.

LEW CODY

5
"But the - the moonlight is so pretty."

6
THE REV. JOHN STEDDON
PRACTICES HIS NEXT SUNDAY'S
SERMON ON HIS ABSENT-MINDED 
WIFE.

FORREST ROBINSON
EDITH YORKE

7
"O Hollywood! Hollywood!
Thou movie-mammon that lead-
est our children astray, and
teachest them wickedness!
O Los Angeles, thy name should 
be Los Diaboles!"

8
"What do we really know of this 
man Scudder who has carried our 
little girl off to China?"

9
"I wonder if she married him
because she found the village 
too dull or him too thrilling."

10
"God bless her and guide her
wherever she goes."

11
 Why didn't he call the conductor
and stop the train?

12
SEARCHING FOR A HABITATION
AT DAYBREAK THE RUNAWAY
FOUND THAT FREEDOM ALSO HAS 
ITS DISTRESSES.

13
AFTER DREARY HOURS OF HEAT 
AND THIRST -

14
THE RUNAWAY BRIDE FOUND A
STRANGE BEAUTY IN WAGON TRACKS.

15
"Are you real or a -- mirage?"

16
"Neither. I'm a movie actor."

17
FRANK CLAYMORE, THE MOTION
PICTURE DIRECTOR, WONDERS IF
IT IS A SUNSTROKE THAT HAS
MADE THE STAR VANISH FROM BOTH
THE CAMEL AND THE CAMERA.

RICHARD DIX

18
"Good Lord, Tom Holby, is
there anywhere in the world
you don't find a fan?"

19
"A fan? I never saw the poor
girl before and she never 
heard of me!"

Frank Mayo

20
"Are you better now, Miss -
Miss - ahem!"

21
"Remember Steddon."

22
"I always will!"

23
THE HOSPITAL TENT WAS MUCH 
IN USE THAT DAY.

24
"KOMIKAL KALE - THE KLOWN"
CHERISHED A HOPELESS LOVE
FOR LEVA LEMAIRE, THE SCREEN'S
BEST HATED VAMPIRE.

SNITZ EDWARDS
BARBARA LA MARR

25
"You're the sweetest thing on 
earth, Leva. Is there any hope 
for this poor little old clown?"

26
"My heart is in the grave with Tim."

27
"I'll never forget that night.
I was working in the same 
picture - I saw him burned alive
when his airplane fell."

28
"Well, anyway, I can go on 
loving you, can't I?"

29
THE ASSISTANT DIRECTOR WOULD
DRAG THE DEAD FROM THE GRAVE
IF THEY WERE NEEDED FOR A SCENE.

WILLIAM HAINES

30
"Who was that sweet Lady?"

31
"The wickedest woman 
on the screen."

32
"On the screen, yes.
But off the screen - !"

33
"No smokin' in this depot."

34
WHEN MEM WAS STRONG
ENOUGH, THEY OFFERED HER A JOB
AS AN EXTRA. IT AMUSED THE GREAT
STAR, ROBINA TEELE, TO HIDE THE
GIRL'S PALE FACE UNDER A COAT
OF GREASE-PAINT.

MAE BUSCH

35
"Now your own mother wouldn't
know you."

36
"That seasick camel is a regular 
osteopath."

37
"Isn't she pretty? I made her up."

38
"Why, you're the most beautiful 
thing I ever saw!"

39
 Robina played such impossibly
virtuous sweeties before the
camera that she just had to be a 
bit catty when things went
wrong away from the lens.

40
THE USUAL SHEIK CROSSES THE 
USUAL DESERT WITH THE 
USUAL CAPTIVE.

41
BY NOONTIME THE GYPSIES WERE
AS HUNGRY AS FARM HANDS.

42 [3 consecutive cards; text size increases with each]
"LUNCH!!!"

43
A GLEAM OF LIGHT AND THE VOICE
OF A WOMAN PROMISE THE FUGITIVE
BRIDEGROOM A HAVEN.

DALE FULLER

44
TOO BAD WE COULDN'T HEAR THE 
STORY HE TOLD; IT MUST HAVE BEEN 
A GOOD ONE, FOR -

45
"You pore victim of humin injustice."

46
"Could you lend me a file?"

47
WHEN THE MOVIE TROUPE LEFT THE
DESERT MEM REFUSED TO GO ALONG.
AT THE DESERT INN SHE FOUND A 
JOB HER FATHER WOULD HAVE
CALLED RESPECTABLE.

48
"The Inn closes tomorrow till
next October."

49
THE GLAMOUR OF THE PICTURE 
WORLD DREW THE HOMELESS MEM
TO SEEK HER LIVELIHOOD IN
HOLLYWOOD.

50
HOLLYWOOD, RIDICULOUSLY
ABUSED AND CARICATURED, SEEMED
TO MEM A PARADISE OF HOMES AND
GARDENS AND MOUNTAIN VISTAS 
OF THE SEA.

51
FROM THE GIGANTIC LOOMS OF THE
STUDIOS THOUSANDS OF SPOOLS OF
ROMANCE ARE SPUN TO WARM THE
HEARTS AND BRIGHTEN THE LIVES 
OF THE BILLIONS.

52
MEM HAD NO AIRSHIP. SHE
TRUDGED AFOOT, PLEADING VAINLY
FOR AN OPPORTUNITY AT THE 
FAMOUS PLAYERS LASKY; THE METRO;
THE FOX STUDIOS.

53
THERE WAS NO CHANCE FOR HER 
IN ERICH VON STROHEIM'S 
NEW PICTURE.

54
SHE WATCHED HIM SHOW 
JEAN HERSCHOLT HOW TO PLAY A 
SCENE IN "GREED".

55
SHE RODE A HORSE FOR A DAY 
IN A SCENE DIRECTED BY 
CHARLES CHAPLIN.

56
SHE WAS ONE OF THE FIVE HUNDRED 
EXTRAS FRED NIBLO DIRECTED IN 
"THE FAMOUS MRS. FAIR".

57
CLAYMORE DID NOT SEE HER 
IN THE MOB.

58
SHE SAW HIM AND DETERMINED 
TO MAKE A DESPERATE TRY FOR A 
REAL PART IN HIS PRODUCTION.

59
BEAUTIFUL WOMEN ARE NO
LUXURY TO THE POOR CASTING 
DIRECTOR. HE HAS ABOUT TWO JOBS
A DAY TO GIVE OUT AND ENDURES 
MORE WILES THAN KING SOLOMON.

ROY ATWELL

60
"I'll file you among the beauties
Miss Slade; but there are so many
hundreds of you."

Eve Southern

61
MEM HAD HEARD THAT THE ONLY
WAY TO SUCCEED IN THE MOVIES IS TO 
SELL YOUR SOUL. SHE HAD NOTHING 
ELSE LEFT TO SELL.

62
"Say, are you trying to vamp me?"

63
"I must have work. I know that
I must pay 'the price'."

64
"You poor simp! Selling yourself to 
me wouldn't sell you to the director
or the producer. It's the public you've 
got to sell yourself to - not to us!"

65
"I won't see any more women today."

66
EVIDENTLY SOULS WERE A DRUG 
ON THE MARKET.

67
CLAYMORE'S COMPANY
RETURNING FROM "LOCATION" SHOTS
FOR HIS NEW PICTURE, "CHIVALRY".

68
"She was so sweet and pretty in the 
desert, think what you could make 
of her."

69
"There's only one part left. But it's a
comedy part. Get her a costume and 
I'll give her an acting test."

70
"Much obliged, Claymore."

71
"What for, Holby?"

72
"For being so good to that 
nice little girl."

73
"What's it to you?"

74
"None of your damned business!"

75
TRUSTFUL MISS TWEEDY HAD
ACCEPTED SCUDDER'S ADVICE TO 
DRAW ALL HER MONEY OUT OF THE
BANK BEFORE THEY STARTED ON 
THEIR HONEYMOON.

76
CLAYMORE KEPT HIS WORLD AND
PUT MEM THRU A "TEST" - AN ORDEAL
THAT THE MOST EXPERIENCED 
DIRECTORS DREAD AS MUCH AS 
THE ACTORS.

77
"That's nice - very nice."

78
"Comedy is ten times as hard as
tragedy, and must be played more 
earnestly."

79
"The thing to do is to feel the 
emotion. And, for Heaven's sake
don't make faces."

80
"Hit 'em!"

81
THE BIG CLOSE-UPS ARE STILL MORE
CRUEL, ESPECIALLY WHEN THE 
DIRECTOR AND THE ACTOR ARE 
BOTH IN DESPAIR.

82
"Don't try to act funny. Just feel
funny. The camera photographs 
exactly what you are thinking of."

83
"And all I can think of is that 
I'm not going to get this job."

84
IT WAS READY FOR HER EYES THE
NEXT DAY IN THE PROJECTION ROOM.

85
"May I come in?"

86
"You are in."

87
"I didn't imagine that anybody
could be as bad as that."

88
WHEN ONE HAS NOTHING TO LOSE 
BUT BRIGHT DREAMS OF A BEAUTIFUL
FUTURE THE LOSS IS BITTER.

89
"If you could only cry like this for 
the screen! The public pays a higher
price for tears than for smiles."

90
"I'll make an actress of you if I have 
to break your heart and every bone 
in your body."

91
THEY TOOK MEM INTO THE STOCK
COMPANY AT $35 A WEEK. AT HER
FIRST LUNCH IN THE COMMISSARY
SHE ENCOUNTERED T. ROY BARNES
AND ZASU PITTS.

92
IT TERRIFIED HER TO SEE ABOUT
HER SO MANY FAMOUS FACES.

93
KATHLYN WILLIAMS, JUNE MATHIS,
ELLIOTT DEXTER, BARBARA BEDFORD, 
JOHN SAINPOLIS, CHESTER CONKLIN.

94
"Oh, I don't dare sit among the stars."

95
"I'll place you among the stars."

96
THE FIRST "BIT" THEY GAVE HER 
TO PLAY PUT HER IN JAIL -
A REAL JAIL.

97
"I'm a little nervous about coming 
into your nice little prison.
According to some people you
ought to keep us here."

98
There are not a third as many 
actors in jail as -

99
"But when an actor gets into 
trouble, they blame the screen. 
A scandal is fatal to any one in the 
moving pictures."

100
"Beware of a scandal, my dear!"

101
"Don't forget that you're an actress!
Your own emotions must wait!"

102
AS THIS PICTURE WENT AROUND 
THE WORLD, IT WAS MET HALF WAY
BY THE FUGITIVE SCUDDER, WHO
HAD FLITTED FROM CRIME TO
CRIME TILL HE ARRIVED IN EGYPT.

103
HE WAS TAKING TO A CINEMA IN
CAIRO HIS NEXT PROSPECTIVE
VICTIM, LADY JANE, AND HER FATHER,
LORD FRYINGHAM, WHOM HE KNEW
AS A DIRECTOR OF AN INTERNATIONAL
INSURANCE COMPANY.

AILEEN PRINGLE
WILLIAM ORLAMOND

104
SCUDDER COULDN'T READ THE
FRENCH OR ARABIC SUBTITLE,
BUT THE ENGLISH VERSION HELD 
A THRILL FOR HIM.

[Title from film-within-the-film:]
Terence O'Hara
had a kind heart
under his new
   badge.

   Tom Holby.

105
IN THE MEMORY OF SOME POOR 
SOULS, EVEN A CALAMITY IS A 
LUXURY. MISS TWEEDY'S NEAR-
HUSBAND HAD BEEN CRUEL, BUT 
BEAUTIFUL!

106
"Bless you, my children!"

107
"Let the darling live. He may take
out some more insurance in an 
imaginary company."

108
THE SECOND GIRL WHO GOT AWAY 
FROM HIM LEFT HIM NOTHING BUT 
THE HOMELY SOUVENIR OF THE FIRST.

109
THE WORST BLOW WAS TO 
SCUDDER'S PATRIOTISM. FOR AN
AMERICAN CROOK TO LET A 
FOREIGN CROOK DOUBLE-CROSS
HIM WAS ALMOST TREASON.

110
THAT VERY NIGHT MEM WORE
HER FURS DECOLLATE AT ONE
OF THE FAMOUS THURSDAY NIGHT
HOPS AT THE HOLLYWOOD HOTEL.

111
MANY OF THE FAMOUS MOVIE 
STARS DANCE THERE UNTIL THE
HEATHENISH HOUR OF ELEVEN
THIRTY, UNLESS THEY ARE TOO 
TIRED TO KEEP AWAKE SO LONG.

112
A CONVEY OF MOVIE MOTHERS
ALSO WILLIAM H. CRANE
AND K.C.B.

113
MEM HAD A BAD CASE OF 
JAZZ-FRIGHT.

114
CLEANED OUT IN EGYPT,
SCUDDER MADE HIS WAY HOME
AS A STOKER.

115
IT WAS REALLY LEVA'S HOME, BUT 
MEM'S PRESS AGENT OVERLOOKED 
THAT SLIGHT DETAIL.

116
MEM HAD ADVANCED BIT BY BIT 
UNTIL SHE PLAYED A REAL PART 
IN A SENSATIONAL DRAMA OF 
SOCIETY.

117
"Didn't you know that these night 
scenes are bitterly cold? Where's 
your wrap?"

118
"That child's doing pretty well, she
has the Great Lover winging, and
the director jealous."

119
"And the star's nose out of joint."

120
"If all the women who have your
pictures on their bureaus could
see me now, they'd mob me."

121
"Holby, I'd be much obliged if you'd
leave that nice little girl alone."

122
"What's it to you?"

123
"None of your damned business."

124
SHE RUINS A THOUSAND DOLLAR 
GOWN RATHER THAT RUIN HER
PRICELESS SOUL.

125
ROBINA TEELE'S NEXT PICTURE
WAS GOING TO BE AN ENORMOUS 
PRODUCTION: A "SUPER SPECIAL"
OF CIRCUS LIFE.

126
SHE HAD TO BE MERRY UNDER 
A SWINGING DOME LIGHT 
WEIGHING MORE THAN THREE 
HUNDRED POUNDS.

127
"It will be months before she walks 
again - if ever she does."

128
THE DIRECTOR MUST ACT
QUICKLY. THE NEW PICTURE WAS
COSTING THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS
A DAY, AND FOUR RIVAL STUDIOS
HAD CIRCUS PICTURES IN
PRODUCTION.

129
"The picture can't wait for poor 
Robina. YOU'LL have to take 
her place."

130
"Me? - In the place of a big star -
in such a big picture?"

131
"Robina got her first chance 
the same way."

132
MEM HAD CLIMBED TO DIZZY 
HEIGHTS INDEED.

133
"Answer these and autograph a 
few thousand more photographs 
for me."

134
"Brave man! You show your 
love letters to me!"

135
"They like the actor, 
but the man loves you."

136
The greatest dangers are never
in the shooting script.

137
KNOWING HOW HER PARENTS 
HATED THE MOVING PICTURES, MEM
HAD KEPT THEM IN DARKNESS AS TO
HER CAREER. SHE NEVER DREAMED 
THAT HER FAME HAD ALREADY 
REACHED HER HOME TOWN.

138
"We don't need no more extras today"

139
"I recognized you by the pictures
you sent Mem."

140
"Why, that's my mother 
and father down there! 
How did they find me?"

141
"Say! What's the matter with choo?"

142
"Promise me solemnly you won't 
tell anybody here I'm married."

143
"I have my reasons, and they're 
good ones! Promise!"

144
"But what on earth brought you 
out here?"

145
"We came to take you home -
and none too soon."

146
"They think they are in a madhouse."

147
"I wish I might call you mother."

148
"I warn you that I hope to be your 
son-in-law."

149
"But she - what does my daughter 
say about it?"

150
"She always says no. But I never
marry my co-star until the last reel."

151
"Your charming daughter will soon
be an actress you can be proud of!"

152
"An actress to be proud of?"

153
"As Oliver Herford said to
Bishop Potter: 'Actresses will happen
in the best regulated families'"

154
"The only thing that could hurt her 
career would be an unfortunate 
marriage."

155
THAT AFTERNOON WHILE
MARSHALL NEILAN WAS DIRECTING
CLAIRE WINDSOR, RAYMOND 
GRIFFITH AND HOBART BOSWORTH
IN A THRILLING SCENE.

156
"You'll find your daughter on 
the next set."

157
THE BAFFLED FATHER WENT BACK 
TO HIS PULPIT BUT MEM'S
MOTHER STAYED WITH HER.

158
HOWEVER GORGEOUS OR
TROUBLED, THE MOVIE FOLK
MUST RISE EARLY WORK
LATE AND FACTORY HARD

159
THE PICTURE WAS NOW READY 
TO MOVE OUT TO THE COMPLETE 
CIRCUS ERECTED ON THE STUDIO 
"LOT".

160
TO MAKE THEIR FACES AND
BODIES AND SOULS INTERESTING TO
THE WORKADAY WORLD THAT 
BUYS THEM BY THE YARDS, THE
TOILERS OF THE SCREEN ENDURE 
EVERY HARDSHIP, EVERY HAZARD, 
NIGHT AND DAY.

161
ONE NIGHT WHEN MEM STAYED 
HOME ALONE TO CATCH UP ON HER 
GROWING FAN-MAIL, SHE FOUND 
ONE LETTER THAT STARTLED HER.

162
SHE RUSHED TO SHOW THIS TO
HER MOTHER, FORGETTING THAT
SHE HAD GONE OUT WITH LEVA.

163
"Where's my wedding ring?"

164
"I threw it away."

165
"I didn't know then... but some
intuition warned me that you were a 
beast and now I know that you're a 
murderer and there is a reward on 
your head."

166
"Then aren't you afraid of me?"

167
"I love you... I love you."

168
"And I LOATHE you!"

169
"I'm sure you prefer the kisses of
your lovers on the screen."

170
"I get paid for taking their kisses.
That's part of my work."

171
"Give me up and get the reward 
and earn a little money honestly."

172
"I am honest. I worked like a 
dog for those."

173
"Your salary pays for pearls?"

174
"They're not real."

175
"Is there anything about you that
is real? You - actress!"

176
"The money I slave for is real."

177
"I'll give you this - and more if you 
let me earn it. A scandal would 
ruin me."

178
"Your dear public wants to be 
fooled into believing you as
innocent as the parts you play."

179
"You're my wife. You belong to me!"

180
"I don't belong to you - or anybody.
I belong to myself."

181
"If you come near me I'll drive 
this into my heart."

182
"Don't! Don't! I've killed other 
women but I can't bear 
to see you die!"

183
"I'll go, but not far. I'll be watching
you and these men that hang around
you, and I'll get you back if I go
to the chair for it."

184
MEM KEPT HER SECRET FROM 
HER MOTHER, AND DREADED TO 
GIVE CLAYMORE HIS ANSWER
THE NEXT EVENING.

185
"I love you, Mem!"

186
"That's wonderful!"

187
"Then you'll marry me?"

188
"Impossible."

189
"Tell me what's in your heart."

190
HE WAS BAFFLED BY THE 
TENDERNESS THAT SOFTENED 
HER REFUSAL.

191
"I can't offer you much except hard 
work and the privilege of being
torn to pieces by the critics."

192
"But I'll build your soul to its
height - and sell it for you to
the world, if you'll let me."

193
"I'm proud to have you love me,
but you mustn't - you mustn't."

194
"Kill me! Don't harm him!"

195
"Well, what are you going 
    to do with me?"

196
"Turn you over to the police."

197
"No - no - think of the publicity -
the newspapers!
You said yourself that scandal was
fatal to an actress!"

198
"You don't want me to turn this 
thug loose?"

199
THE WEATHER IS ALWAYS PLAYING
HAVOC WITH MOVIE PLANS, AND ON
THE NIGHT OF THE FINAL SHOTS A
REAL HURRICANE THREATENED TO
WRECK THE ARTIFICIAL STORM.

200
"If that storm breaks as bad as it
looks it will carry our tent to hell
and gone! And turn our picture
into a tragedy."

201
"Get inside and set up and shoot
what you can while you can."

202
"This is a wind machine. 
We use it for making a storm."

203
"Keep away from that propeller!
Do you want to get cut to pieces?"

204
"That's the thug who -
He's after Mem again!
Find him!"

205
"How many times have I told you 
never start that propeller without 
a guard around it!"

206
"Push the thing away. We will soon
have more wind than we need!"

207
"Keep on cranking no matter 
what happens!"

208
"Honey, I hate to send you out on 
that fractious horse, but we've got
to finish the picture tonight."

209
THE PROBLEM OF LIGHTING THE 
IMMENSE TENT WAS SOLVED BY A
POWER PLANT, FURNISHING 
3,600 AMPERES.

210
IT FURNISHED AN INVITING MARK 
FOR THE LIGHTNING.

211
THE CIRCUS WAS PLUNGED INTO 
DARKNESS AND THE HUNDREDS OF 
EXTRAS INTO PANIC WHEN 
SUDDENLY...

212
"Keep grinding till it gets too hot for 
the cameras. I'm going after Mem."

213
"Tom! Tom! Tom Holby!"

214
"Set up your cameras and shoot
what you can, we may use it in 
the picture."

215
"A mirror! Give me a mirror!"

216
"I've played my last part."

217
"Tim! Tim!"

218
WHILE THE DIRECTOR WORKED 
TO SAVE LIFE AND HIS PICTURE,
HIS CREW MANAGED TO SAVE THE 
MENAGERIE AND THE SIDE-SHOW
TENTS FROM THE FLAMES THAT
CONSUMED THE BIG TOP.

219
"You're not my wife -
Where is my wife?"

220
THE FIRE AND THE SUPPOSED
DEATH OF MEM TURNED SCUDDER
TO A FIEND. HE LONGED TO VISIT
REVENGE UPON THE MAN HE 
BLAMED FOR HER LOSS.

221
HE CHOSE A MOST TERRIBLE 
WEAPON.

222
SEEKING AID FOR LEVA, MEM
RUSHED BLINDLY TOWARD THE
WIND MACHINE.

223
"I was never right -
head or heart..."

224
"... but I did one right thing -
for you."

225
"You were never - really
my wife - don't tell - I won't!"

226
"Go take care of that poor 
devil who died saving Mem."

227
"I've thought up a scheme for a 
final fade-out with the fire in the 
background."

228
"It's a terrible thing to ask, Tom,
Mem darling, but can you play
one more scene?"

229
"Anything - anything -
you want me to."

230
"As long as it's only acting, Tom,
you may put a little more love 
into the scene."

231
THEY ARE ONLY PLAYERS, AFTER 
ALL; BUT THEY MEAN WELL AND
WORK HARD, SPINNING PICTURES
FOR THE AMUSEMENT OF STRANGERS.
AND THEY CAN NEVER KNOW, UNTIL
IT IS TOO LATE TO CHANGE,
WHETHER THEIR TOIL WILL WIN
THEM CENSURE OR APPLAUSE.