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BILL HART
"Stage stars arrived in Hollywood in droves, all at fancy
stipends, and the only one who made good was Douglas Fair-
banks. He received $2,200 weekly, made a smash hit in his
first picture, 'The Lamb,' while Bill was still getting $400 a
week from Tom Ince. I recall that Bill's picture, 'The Disciple,'
a five-reeler, followed 'The Lamb' in New York, and it only
cost $8,000 to make. It was also a big hit, so even the wily
Ince had to do something about his one great star, or wind up
behind the eight-ball. Bill had a stubborn streak of loyalty
a mile wide, but he finally woke up to the fact that a tre-
mendous fortune was being made out of him, while he was
barely getting by.
"After weeks of wild bidding, Bill stuck by Tom Ince
and settled for a raise of $8,000 a week from $400, though a
rival organization offered $10,000.
"These figures should give you a rough idea of what a
Klondike Hollywood was in those days, and why the four
first great stars-Bill, Doug, Charlie and Mary-made more
money for their backers and for themselves than anyone has
since in motion pictures.
"Coming in to lesser fame with Bill in his pictures were
such players as Dorothy Dalton, Louise Glaum, Bessie Love,
House Peters and Robert McKim. I must add that Bill Hart
made one discovery who became famous. He was a young
actor getting fifteen dollars a week, and he attracted Bill's
attention in a small role in 'Hell's Hinges,' which was one of
Bill's best westerns. Bill insisted on giving the boy the part
of his younger brother in . 'The Apostle of Vengeance,' which
Ince fought tooth and nail because it was the best part in the
picture. He threatened Bill with loss of salary if the boy
failed, but Bill stuck to his guns.
"The boy was Jack Gilbert!
"When Bill Hart started on his own producing-starring
contract with Famous Players-Lasky, he broke with Ince,
although Tom collected fifty-fifty for two years. Bill leased
his own studio in Hollywood, located on the comer of two
streets with very romantic names-Bates and Effie.
"Mack Sennett had originally built it for Mabel Normand.

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