“Of course I have not been working in my picture so very long, but I have noticed many differences in method between the American and English directors. And I must confess that your methods are more thoroughly businesslike than theirs. There is less lost motion over here and more semblance of system in the way that everything is handled. It was positively astounding to find a bulletin in the studio which gave the personnel of each company and charted their movements like a railroad time-table. That sort of thing isn’t done over on the other side – at least, not so far as my experience showed.” — Peggy Hyland
Source: Lillian Conlon (1914)
“Oh, I played in quite a number of large productions in England….I did several other films over there in which I performed some crazy ‘stunts’ like jumping into the Thames and being thrown from a horse, but all that is very silly when it is done just for what they call ‘thrillers,’ and I am very sure that the Famous Players will not request me to do anything like that.” — Peggy Hyland
Source: Lillian Conlon (1914)
“Of course the whole journey is a sort of voyage of discovery for me, as I have never set foot in your country before, and anywhere I look I found some new marvel to behold. I nearly fell overboard gaping at your tremendous skyscrapers – they are the hugest things I ever saw in my life! When I heard all about them, I thought it was mostly exaggeration, but they really beggar description. It was the first ‘disappointment’ I had upon arriving here, for I was all prepared to say ‘I knew they were not so big as they said they were.’ But I was fooled. They were twice as impressive as anyone ever led me to believe them to be.” — Peggy Hyland
Source: Lillian Conlon (1914)
“Your shops are perfectly marvelous. I have been snooping about a great deal since I arrived, and I think that some of your Fifth Avenue establishments are simply – wonderful – they are so very smart. No wonder American women always look so perfectly charming. But there is one thing that astounds me – the extremely friendly attitude of many of the shop-girls. Over in England the shop-girls would never think of talking to one except on matters of business. They never become chatty. But the very first time that I entered one of your stores, as I believe you call them, the girl behind the counter said, ‘Oh, you are English. I knew it the moment you spoke.’ It simply stunned me for a moment, as that sort of thing is almost unheard of with us. But when I recovered from my surprise, and realized that the girl was not in the least impudent in her manner, I must confess that I rather enjoyed the novelty of the thing. That little incident occurred down in Jacksonville, Florida…” — Peggy Hyland
Source: Lillian Conlon (1914)
“You can’t imagine what a beastly time I had at first trying to understand the slang expressions in the studio. I didn’t know what my director was talking about until I memorized the different expressions which you use over here. One of the amusing terms you have is ‘release,’ which I finally learnt referred to placing your films on exhibition. It was a long time before I could get any nearer to that than ‘let loose,’ because I always drew mental pictures of a reel of film popping out of the green tin can win which it is confined.” — Peggy Hyland
Source: Lillian Conlon (1914)
“Really, I am sincerely earnest in my desire to win the esteem and admiration of the American people, and I shall do everything in my power to do so. It is a tremendous undertaking for a girl to cross the ocean all alone with the avowed intention of ‘capturing a continent single-handed.’ and I am very frank to confess that I approached it with fear and trembling. But I am putting my very best into my work, and I fervently hope that I will succeed, both for my own personal gratification and in order to justify the hopes of those who had the faith in my ability to bring me over to your charming country.” — Peggy Hyland
Source: Lillian Conlon (1914)
“All I want over here is my little niche – not anybody else’s. But if I can fill that little corner to the very best of my ability, I shall be supremely happy.” — Peggy Hyland
Source: Lillian Conlon (1914)
