Friday February 24, 1956
Mirror, Only Human by Sidney Fields
"Quick Maturity: When she was 15 Lillian Gish was hired to play the part of a mother with small babes in D. W. Griffith's melodrama, "The Mothering Heart." The film studios were then on 14th Street near Hearne's department store. Griffith always rehearsed his cast for several weeks before he started shooting. After the first rehearsal he concluded sadly that the beauteous Lillian just wasn't mature enough to play a mother with babies.
Lillian rushed to her sister Dorothy and, after putting their heads together, returned to the set, Lillian mincing about under Griffith's nose. He took a second look, decided she appeared much older somehow, and put her in the cast.
And what did the Gish girls do to make Lillian grow up so suddenly? They simply walked into Hearn's and equipped Lillian with a pair of substantial falsies."
Comment: Victorian minded Griffith and eternally virginal leading lady Gish learned at the making of this film that Motherhood must be realistically portrayed. It wasn't a case of "sex sells" but "Motherhood sells." Lillian played a young mother in "Way Down East," directed by Griffith in 1920, but by that time physically looked the part. It wasn't a case of "sex sells
Lovely photograph of Lillian (L) and Dorothy Gish before DW. Uncredited.
Jim Patterson, Editor
www.LDGish.blogspot.com
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