Interview

Interview

MM:  Hello Mr. Fairbanks! I know that you’re tired after your show, but do you mind if I ask you a few questions? I’m an aspiring actor, and wanted advice from you on how to get started.

DF: I don’t mind at all son, go right ahead.

MM:  I’m interested to know about how and where you lived.

DF: I was born in Denver Colorado.  Is that how far back you’d like me to go?  I moved around for quite a while once I was working in the industry more steadily.   I did move to Richmond, Virginia to study drama.  Oh yes, then it was off to Manhattan, NY to perform on Broadway.  I do recall coming back to my home town to work on a production, then back to NY.  Hollywood! Yes, then Hollywood was the place I called home.  Santa Monica will be my final resting place. 

You know what it’s like living in the Middle-class section of Denver in the Mid-1880’s.  Mining was the rage back then.  The gold dried up in the city, and then Denver became the supply hub for the new mines in the mountains.  My father had purchased several mining plots in the Rocky Mountains.  My dad found out that my mother was fooling around on him, and he left us when I was five.  I really don’t want to talk about Denver anymore.

MM:  Did you always know that you were going to be an Actor, or was there something that happened that made you go into that field?

DF:  If you were to ask my parents what I was going to become they would have defiantly told you that I was going to be the next mining King after I graduated from high school.  I was actually sent to the School of Mining in Bolder Colorado.  I’m sure it’s no surprise for you to hear that I never graduated.  Before I learned all about the science, art and ethics of mining I found the art of acting. Frederick Ward was who opened my eyes to acting when I saw one of his classic plays.  After that, I decided that I could not be a mere capitalist, I’d be wasting my time.  I was lured to Richmond Virginia where I made my first appearance with Mr. Ward’s acting company. 

Do you see this?  This scar on my face?  I’ve always been adventurous, and when I was a young child I fell off my roof. Yes, that’s what sparked my interest in stunts and acting.  I’m proud to say that I performed all of my own stunts with the exception of the stunts in the move “The Gaucho”. They wouldn’t let me do those because the higher ups said it was entirely too risky, even though I was such an excellent athlete. 

MM: You said that your father left your family when you were a young child, did you have any mentors that helped shape you as an actor?

DF:  That’s funny that you should ask that question.  When I was just about your age I hunted down Richard Mansfield and asked for his advice.  Much like what you are doing tonight, I waited outside the show until he came out.  I’m so glad that I waited.  I waited in the rain and when he finally came out he was more than willing to talk.  I told him that I was in high school and I wanted to be an actor.  Do you know what he told me?  He told me to go home and develop myself. 

I took Mansfield’s advice to heart.   I went home and studied dancing, fencing and different languages.  I aspired to be like Richard Mansfield.  He would walk into a room with a musician and be able to speak music with him, and then walk into a room with a painter and speak that language with them.  I was able to achieve the same goals as my mentor and fit into any walk of life.

MM: When you started the acting world, what was it like?

DF:  When I was a teenager, the theatrical universe was large and getting larger by the minute.  At that time there was more than forty legitimate theaters in New York alone.  There was six top vaudeville houses, and forty opera and extravaganza companies.  That’s not even to mention the four hundred dramatic and touring companies.  At that time, having a dream of touring or being on Broadway was a dream that was within reach.

Funny enough, I was cleaning out some old boxes and came across my employment card from 1903.  The ink has faded, but you can clearly see that next to my signature it has my weekly wage.  It shows that I made $5 a week, so now you can see how far you can go with a little perseverance and hard work. From $5 a week to one of the most famous actors that ever existed.

MM:  Did you fight in WWI?  Was there any other political issues that caused you hardships?

DF: I did not get to fight in WWI, but I did serve my country during that time.  I used my gifts to create created short films in support of the war.  Some people may say that my work was laced with Yankee patriotism and hints of pro-war propaganda.  I also toured the nation in a series of Fundraisers for the Liberty Loan Drive, the Red Cross and the Canadian Victory Loan drive. I wrote a couple books that were very popular with the boys over on the Battlefields in Europe. 

I had a small problem with censorship during the making of The Three Musketeers.  Oh yeah, there was the Robin Hood censorship issue as well.  I just wanted to make really great films.  That was the bottom line, I wanted to make great films.  Taxes is another topic that caused me some grief.  I didn’t want to pay them.

MM:  Looking back over your entire career, what do you feel are you major accomplishments?

DF:  I have quite the list of credits on my resume.  Really successful films such as: Robin Hood and The Three Musketeers, the Mark of Zorro and the thief of Bagdad.  I could go on and on about all of the films and characters I played.  My son, Douglas Fairbanks Jr. was one of my greatest accomplishments.

I’m also very proud to say I created the Motion Picture Fund.  It was setup to assist actors who felt hard times.  It helped provide financial help to actors who weren’t working but still needed to pay their bills.

My wife Mary Pickford and my main man Charlie Chaplin founded the United Artist.  We were so proud to release our first film His Majesty under that company.

Being on Broadway will always be one of my greatest accomplishments.

MM: Are you a tortured soul? Was there anything bad that happened to you that made you a better actor?

DF:  People deal with issues and death in different ways.  My wife Mary went on a downward spiral after the death of her mother.  In private and public, Mary had become a drunk.  This embarrassed my wife greatly, and I did what I do best, write a film.  Mr. Robinson Crusoe was wrote and produced to help me cope with my wife’s addiction.

I am a very positive person, not one to dwell on problems.  I seek to better myself and my craft.  I worked hard, and am very proud of the work I accomplished, and all of my hard work made be a better actor. Nothing other than determination and the drive to be on Broadway was the fuel I needed.

  

MM:  Was there any roadblocks you encounter during your career?

DF:  Mary and I had our issues with the IRS.  We didn’t’ pay our taxes, and the government was not pleased.  At one point, we decided to file our income taxes separately instead of jointly.  This was our idea on how to pay a lower rate on the majority of our income.  The Government didn’t’ like that and decided to close the loop-hole that we found.  California now stated that both the husbands and the wife’s income has to be claimed by the husband.  This means that I had to pay the taxes on both salaries.

I think I touched briefly in a different question of yours but censorship was another hurtle that I had to jump in my career.  Since I didn’t have a choice of the matter, and I only wanted to make successful films, I decided that I would eliminate certain “colorful” episodes in my films before the government cut them for me.  I would eliminate the issues carefully and cautiously rather than the alternative.

MM:  Why do you think you are a successful actor?

DF:  The worst thing that happens to you… may be the best thing that happens to you… if you don’t let it get the best of you!  You need to believe that you are the best actor out there.  The world is full of strong successful men who started out as weaklings.  Beethoven was deaf when he wrote some of his music, your handicaps are your benefits in disguise.  When you struggle to overcome an obstacle you develop a strength that will enable you to be more successful.  This is how I have lived my life.

You also have to treat your body with respect.  Too much sweets and candy slows you down.  You can’t afford to lag behind everyone else in these fast moving days.  In order to function properly every human requires regular and healthy food.  Eat regular, sleep regular hours, exercise and you are on track to a great start.

MM:  How did you impact the world?

DF:  I am the man who made short films hip and cool.  I could go on and on about the different films I made or produced.  Did you know that the character we know as Batman was based off my portrayal of Zorro?

To all the young men that wanted to grow up to be an actor, I wanted to be their role model.  I’m known as the king of Hollywood and one of America’s most famous actors. Although I may not be the tallest or most handsome man, I can still beat Valentino.

Bibliography

The First King of Hollywood the Life of Douglas Fairbanks

Douglas Fairbanks: In His Own Words

With the Movie Makers

A Life on Film

United Artist: The Company Build by Stars

Mary Pickford, America’s Sweetheart

Motion Picture Directing

King of Comedy

Douglas Fairbanks and the American Century

Star-dust in Hollywood