ROSE GOES ON
Chapter Fifteen
March 1917
"Mrs. Dawson! Mrs. Dawson, wait a
moment!"
Rose turned as one of the assistant directors
came hurrying up to her, breathing hard. He had been running all over the lot,
searching for her.
"Yes?" Rose stopped and turned to
face him, a bit impatiently. It was growing late, and she was eager to get home
to her son.
"Mr. Hinesdale would like to speak with
you before you leave."
Mr. Hinesdale was the director of the moving
picture Rose was currently acting in. He was planning upon starting a new
picture soon, one about Broadway, and Rose had submitted her resume to him,
hoping that she might be cast as one of the chorus girls he was looking for.
She had always loved dancing, though she had done little of it in the past few
years. Still, she had thought it was worth a try, so she had applied for the
role of a chorus girl.
"Where is he?" she asked, looking
around. The assistant had obviously traveled all over the filming area before
finding her.
"In his office. He wants to see you
immediately."
Hinesdale was something of a maverick, not
settling down to work with any one studio. Instead, he moved from company to
company, making a variety of different films and employing different actors.
His goal, Rose had heard, was to found his own moving picture company, but so
far that dream had not been fulfilled. Still, he was one of the best directors
she had worked with, even if she caught only a few glimpses of him.
Nodding, Rose turned and headed in the
direction of Hinesdale’s makeshift office. Since he never stayed with any one
studio for long, he had no permanent office with any of them. Instead, he set
up working space wherever it was available--in an empty warehouse on the edge
of the lot this time. It was a long walk, but Rose made it in record time. If
only she could get the part she wanted!
Hinesdale’s secretary sat at her desk in
front of the cordoned off area that served as the director’s working space.
Engrossed in typing, she hardly looked up when Rose came into the room.
"Yes?" she asked after a few
minutes, looking up at Rose.
"Mr. Ledesma told me that Mr. Hinesdale
wanted to see me."
"Rose Dawson?"
"Yes."
"Go ahead. Mr. Hinesdale is waiting for
you."
Rose hurried into Hinesdale’s office, her
heart pounding with both anticipation and nervousness. The role that she wanted
wasn’t big--it certainly wouldn’t make her a star--but she wanted it anyway. It
seemed like forever since she had really had the opportunity to dance. She had
done a few small dancing parts, and had gone out dancing with a couple of young
men, but it never been as much as she wanted. She knew that the chorus girl
roles included dancing; the audition notice had specifically said so.
"Mr. Hinesdale?" Rose stopped in
front of the desk where he was working furiously, editing this and that in the
script for tomorrow’s filming.
"Mrs. Dawson. Have a seat." He
gestured to the wooden chair beside her.
Rose sat down, looking at him expectantly.
She tried not to hope too hard that she would get this role--if she didn’t
expect much, she couldn’t be disappointed--but the hope was there, nonetheless.
"Mrs. Dawson, I would like to speak with
you about your performance today."
Rose’s heart sank. She knew she shouldn’t
have gone against the directions the extras had been given, but the scene had
been so much fun, and the atmosphere so stimulating, that she had spontaneously
begun to dance. It had been a crowd scene, involving a group of people watching
a parade of returning soldiers from the Civil War. She had not been the only
one dancing--a group of female extras had been instructed to do so--but it
wasn’t what she was supposed to have been doing. She was supposed to watch the
soldiers go by, then run out and hug one of them--her "sweetheart",
returned safe and sound from the war.
Mentally, she kissed the prospect of being
cast as a chorus girl good-bye. Hinesdale was one of the best directors around,
but he was also one of the sternest. He demanded perfection from everyone,
including himself. Occasionally, he let the actors make their own decisions,
but usually he ruled the scene with an iron fist. Rose doubted that her
spontaneous dancing had raised her in his eyes.
"I took note of your dancing during one
of the takes of the parade scene," he started. "Not exactly what you
were told to do, but skillful nonetheless."
"Uh...thank you, sir," Rose told
him, surprised at the indirect praise. She wished he would finish his lecture
quickly and let her leave. It was after dark, and Christopher would be waiting
for his mother.
"That take was the one we chose to
use," he told her, surprising her yet again. She had expected that it
would be thrown out.
At least I’ll be in that scene, she thought, suddenly realizing that her spontaneous
behavior might get her fired. Being fired by such a well-known director would
be a major set-back to her career. I can always go back to waiting tables,
she remembered, knowing that the restaurant would take her back if she wanted,
but a career as a waitress wasn’t exactly what she had had in mind when she
came here. If that were her only prospect, she might as well have stayed in New
York City, where she would be near to the people who had become her family.
"I was actually rather impressed with
your skill as a dancer. I saw you in another moving picture where you danced,
but you were only on the screen for a moment, blending in with the rest of the
crowd."
Rose nodded, remembering the scene and the
film. It had been a low-budget production of Romeo and Juliet, one that
had done amazingly well in the theaters. She had enjoyed working on it,
although the familiar story brought back memories of her own lost love.
Fidgeting slightly, she looked across the
desk at him, wishing that he would hurry and say whatever he had to say, and
let her go. She could hear the sounds of people outside, arriving to film a
night scene, and wanted to be off the lot before she got in the way.
"Mrs. Dawson, the reason that I called
you in here is because of your dancing."
Rose groaned inwardly. This was it. She was
about to be fired.
"I received your resume for a chorus
girl role in my next picture, and that, combined with what I saw today, is
enough to convince me." He stopped, looking at her.
"Ah...convince you of what, sir?"
"I want to cast you as one of the
dancers in Lights."
Rose’s heart leapt. Was she about to be given
what she had hoped for?
"Lights? Is that the title of
your new moving picture?"
"Tentatively. I have been auditioning
various actresses for this role, but thus far I haven’t one that suits. I have
been working my way through the applications, looking for the best actress for
this role. Yours, I must admit, was not on the list of people I planned to
audition, but your performance today changed my mind. I was considering you for
a chorus girl role--"
"Are--are you going to cast me as a
chorus girl?" Rose asked, interrupting him. She could have bitten her
tongue when she said this. It was never a good idea to interrupt an
interviewer.
"No, I don’t think so. I’ve pretty well
filled the chorus girl roles. Your dance experience was sparse, to say the
least."
Rose was growing confused. If he didn’t want
to cast her as a chorus girl, what did he want? That was the role she had
applied for.
"Sir...I’m not sure I understand."
"Mrs. Dawson, after watching your
performance today, I have another role in mind for you, if you’re
interested."
"Why...yes, I’m interested. What is
it?"
"There are five main dancers in
supporting roles, besides the star. The character I have in mind for you has no
lines, but she does appear throughout the picture. Your main job would be
dancing, although there are also some dressing room and street scenes. It isn’t
the biggest role, but I believe you are suited for it. Filming will begin in
May, all done locally. There will be both day and night filming required, but
you’ll usually know ahead of time what I have planned. I am aware that you have
a child to care for--Mr. Ledesma informed me of such. However, you will be paid
well, and you can even bring your child with you if there is a caretaker
available. What do you think, Mrs. Dawson?"
Rose was stunned by her sudden success--and a
little suspicious. "What do I have to do to get this role?" she
asked, eyeing him distrustfully.
"You need to sign this contract. Feel
free to read it over first."
Rose quickly read over the papers, finding
nothing objectionable in them. "You won’t be requiring anything
other...services?"
"You mean a few turns on the ‘casting
couch’?"
Rose nodded, looking him straight in the eye.
She wanted the part, but she wasn’t willing to sleep with him to get it.
"No, Mrs. Dawson. I can assure you, I do
not choose actresses for their skill in the bedroom. Such things are not to
my...interest."
Rose nodded, suddenly remembering a rumor she
had heard about Hinesdale--that he might prefer men to women. The thought was
oddly comforting. At least she could be sure he wouldn’t demand more of her
than she was willing to give. That is, if it was true.
Shrugging to herself, she decided that it
didn’t matter. Whether he preferred men or simply didn’t use the casting couch
as a way of choosing actresses, he wasn’t likely to bother her. Reaching for a
pen in the holder on the desk, she quickly signed the contract. "You have
yourself an actress, Mr. Hinesdale." She pushed the signed papers back
across the desk.
He nodded. "Wonderful, Mrs. Dawson. You
will receive further instructions in the mail." When Rose’s eyes
involuntarily sought the clock on the wall, he added, "You may go
now."
"Thank you, sir."
Rose practically skipped out of the
warehouse. It was her first big role. In the months since she had come to
California, she had sometimes despaired of ever getting anywhere in her chosen
career. Of course, she had quickly learned that many would-be stars never had
any success, but she wanted to be one of those who was successful. She had been
extraordinarily lucky, she realized, as she set off down the darkened streets
towards home. In just a few short months, she had gotten to a point that many
people never reached, even after many years of work.
Hugging herself excitedly, Rose hurried on
her way, eager to share her good news with her friends and neighbors.