Las Vegas Age

By BOBBIN COONS

HOLLYWOOD. Mar. 5.-If anyone should scour Hollywood's screen ranks in search of record-holders in various types of roles. Alec B. Francis would be decidedly in the running for championship honors in the delineation of aged fathers. priests and ministers.

This veteran trouper, who has been in pictures 18 years, has been the screen father of so many stars that, questioned without warning. he would probably have difficulty in remembering them all. And in more than 35 pictures he has worn the cassock of a priest or the subdued attire of a minister.

The reason, of course, is apparent with one glance at his venerable, kindly face, his snowy hair his whole appearance of serenity and gentleness so often required for priestly and paternal roles.

Nearly A Vocation

Whether or not an instance of fate's anticipating in real life an actor's later dramatic characterizations, Francis once, in a period of youthful religious fervor, had his mind set on the holy life as a vocation. He undertook the requisite studies in Ireland, but soon realized, he says, that he was not among the truly "called" and resigned. That was before he went on the stage in northern England, at the age of 21, to begin the long and interesting career as an actor which eventually led him to the screen, first in the east, later in Hollywood.

Francis, although latterly committed by directors to serious roles. shares the traditional weakness of dramatic actors for comedy characterizations. He would like nothing better than to essay a comedy part, and one of his favorite screen performances was that in the humorous role of the attorney in The Gold-Diggers several years ago.