CINEMA NEWS

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 63, Issue 170, 30 April 1943, Page 6

CINEMA NEWS

(By “Spotlight”)

COL.’S SCRAP BAG. Hollywood, Jan. 13: “More tlian 45,000 pounds of scrap have been donated by Columbia to the various government agencies,” says “Hollywood Reporter.” “The entire amount collected is, from unused equipment on the studio lot and ranch. The scrap consisted of 40,8901bs of iron and steel, ’423lbs of copper, 1121bs of insulated Wire, llllbs of brass, 371bs of lead and 24251bs of rubber.” MARGARET LOCKWOOD. Only a few years ago, a hopeful, young small-part film actress —to-day one of the most dazzling stars on the British screen. That, briefly, is the success story of Margaret Lockwood.

The biggest “break” of Margaret s initial years in the film industry came early in 1939, when, after starring in a number of successful British productions, Twentieth Century Fox handed the young actress a lucrative contract calling her to Hollywood to play a leading part in the Shirley Temple picture. “Susannah of the Mounties.” Now, after returning to England to star in “The Stars Look Down” and “Night Train to Munich,” Margaret is now under the banner of Twentieth Century Productions in “The Girl in the News,” which will be released by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures Ltd., at the St. James Theatre. Margaret Lockwood was born in Karachi, India, and came to England at an early age. Her father was chief engineer attached to one of India’s biggest railway concerns.

It was in her later, days at school that Margaret gave 'tip much of hexfree time to local amateur theatricals. She played all sorts of parts in all sorts of productions which were put on at local halls, and this led to hexmaking her ifirst public appeai-ance in a charity performance of “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” at the Holburn Empire. STAR AND STUDIO GOSSIP. Mickey Rooney has been declared physically unfit for the Army. . . Linda Darnell and Marta O’Driscoll simultaneously down with measles . . . .

Maureen O’Sullivan will retire from screendom if nothing really outstanding comes along. Seventy-seven year old Dame May Whitty has signed a seven-year pact with Metro, “Madame Curie” to be her first under the new termer. Actress has had 60 years, on stage and screen.

William Holden returns to Fort Worth as 2nd lieutenant and public relations officer after serving his apprenticeship at Tarrant Field

Phil Reisman Jr., son of RKO’s foreign sales chief, has enlisted in the Marines ... Pioneer scenarist Frances Marion, who has “Anna Christie,” “Dinner at Eight,” “Big House,” and other memorables to her credit, has returned to Metro under an editorial assistant pact. Stuart Erwin and June Collyer are doing a touring vaudeville act . . .

Plea from an R.A.F. boy in South Rhodesia to Warners for stills wound up “ .... and please, no fashions unless they’re bathing suits” . . . ,

Douglas Drake, Columbia, contract player who enlisted in the Army .six months ago, has been discharged due to injuries received on service. Actor will test for a role in Col.’s “My Client Curly.” Lieut.-Commander Robert Montgomery (that new title follows his part in ,a recent raid carried out on the Japs in the Solomons) is fighting off a bout of jungle fever . . . Carmen Miranda has just completed a six-week campaign of camp shows. . . . Suffering James Gleason recently downed for 10 days, with ’flu. . . .Week’s feat —Alfred Hitchcock packing his wife and self into his diminutive Austin .... Funny story: Ginger Rogers, nose aglow and hair all tumbled, looking at a coloured cover portrait of herself and sighing, “Gee, I wish I looked like that.” Script of “Black Swan” calls for a mighty sword battle between George Sanders and Tyrone Power, waged ail over a ship and even up the rigging; for eight days the pair fought it out with no mishap, but when it was all over, Sanders tripped on a cable, skinning his nose, knee and elbow

F. 8.1. have arrested an 18-year-oltl youth who penned a “Death Threat” letter to Betty Grable. . Not generally known that Joan Crawford keeps a room reserved in a Hollywood hospital for immediate use of anyone she may hear of in unfortunate circumstances; latest occupant was the wife of a film worker called into the army; Joan is at present working on M-G-M’s “Above Suspicion,” co-starred with Fred MacMurray.

Walter Pidgeon is the proud possessor of a regulation ten-gallon Mountie’s hat. it was presented to him on his recent Canadian bond-selling tour when he was made an* honorary member of the North-West Mounted Poli'ce

Charles Laughton finds that his Victory Garden has double advantages One-quarter acre in area, it keeps him plentifully supplied with peas, beans, potatoes, tomatoes, and broccoli. In addition to its patriotic and gastronomic value, Laughton finds that an hour of hoeing is the best metiiol he has yet found to memorise lines for the next day’s shooting.

Following the completion of his latest Hollywood assignment of writing 14 new songs for Paramount’s Bing Crosby-Fred Astaire musical “Holiday Fun,” Irving Berlin will arrive back in New York shortly.