Mind and Heart of Perennial Youth

NZ Truth, Issue 1186, 23 August 1928, Page 6

Mind and Heart of Perennial Youth

OLD age overtakes most of us, but few know the art of keeping gracefully m step with Father Time. We fight advancing years—and get hurt m, the process —when we might keep them longer at bay, by a friendly recognition of their inevitable march. ' ' To say that Barrie Marschel is a veteran of the theatrical world does not necessarily imply that he is burdened with years. Barrie wasn't born yesterday, but he has the mind and heart of perennial youth. Which is not at all surprising when you consider that he is steeped m the atmosphere of the movies. How could it be otherwise when the very essence of his daily business is the exploitation of the ever-joyous themes of youth, love and romance? ' . . , From general manager m New Zealand, of the Metro-Goldwyn concern, Marschel has advanced to the control m New Zealand of a company which is to give the public, pictures of a real, downright British flavor. Something, m fact, of more wholesome British sentiment and less nauseous sex appeal. Originaily educated for the Bar, Barrie early succumbed to the footlights, A tall, majestic presence and fine, resonant voice, might have brought him fame as a pleader, had. the Thespian art not caught his young fancy. His ambition was to give good, cheap entertainment to the masses, rather than shepherd prodigies and geniuses round the country for the delectation of highbrows. The dour city will remember Barries sixpenny "pops" of a quarter of a century ago. Always a dash of local color m his shows. And Barrie could .d.o it, too; for he was a versatile artist and could write his own libretto and paint Princes Street realistically enough to deceive the earliest pioneer. Ajax may have carried the Atlas, but Marschel once carried the Octagon on his back. '■■.•■. Verse is also a part of his equipment. He gave us that bright little war-time poem, "The Kid from Timaru." His Saturday "pops" and lantern shows of long past da"ys may never have netted him a fortune, but they were. solid preparation for the great days m the approaching era of the marvellous movies. ' A genial, chap he is, who, m adversity or prosperity, has clung to the sunny aspects of life and, forgotten all its drabness. And now he is set upon capturing all British hearts with pictures of a genuine John Bull setting. l.