HOLLYWOOD IN PERSON.

Auckland Star, Volume LXI, Issue 15, 18 January 1930, Page 5 (Supplement)

HOLLYWOOD IN PERSON.

GOSSIP OF. THE STUDIOS.

(By- MOLLIS MERRICK.)

HOLLYWOOD, December 16. Village loyalty is more than a phrase. Producers who think nothing of stealing ideas from one another stand by when the cry of the brotherhood goes out "Hands off that player"—or author — means just that. No other studio in the colony will touch an employee who has gone against the unwritten laws of Movieland. That those laws include subservience to producers is well established. But it is a subservience better paid for than the slavery of other places. They don't all flock here for the climate —brochures to the contrary.

Back of the ■ mysterious failure of a beautiful Broadway blonde is perhaps one of the most interesting tales of the local clan spirit. Although the blonde came to the village heralded as one of the accepted of Manhattan, and has unquestioned ability in a line much sought by studio executives, she :went "floppo" so far as a contract offer was concerned, and has hied her back to the White Way at a smaller salary and far more sophisticated audiences. The blonde's entry into Movieland was as the heralded fiancee of a young director. The love-at-first-sight romance was the tale on which pulchritudinous damsel built her standing in a village so full of beauty that a goo'd homely gal is a relief. (That observation is made by an |honest woman—visiting males don't feel that way at all.) The lad'in question had been tacitly engaged to a young woman in the colony —sister to a powerful executive in the

motion picture industry. The girl had seen him through some up-hill days —had been a loyal friend and adherent until j the association ripened into something recognised by close friends of the fourletter plague. Imagine the embarrassment of everyone concerned when the news of the big romance drifted back to Cinemaland. There was tli§ usual fluttering and excitement.. But through it all the girl behaved like the thoroughbred she is. She congratulated the man and was very friendly to the beautylf she had much resentment she certainly hid it admirably. Perhaps the light had begun to dawn. -~ A triumphal entry was made by the newly-engaged ones. And they sal; them down for offers from local executives. At least the man did. The blonde came here under contract to a leading studio, and was put on the waiting list while a suitable vehicle was sought. The search drew out into weeks and weeks, with the wedding date drawing nigher and nigher. Finally came the ceremony, and a noticeable absence of those professionals who go to make up the cream of the colony's elete. The dear public which had gathered on street corners and in adjacent gutters to view the spectacle was invited into the church. It was one of the best breaks for the kerbstone gang in local history. ,

To make a long story short, the studio did not exercise its option on the blonde. It bought her out on the picture which ■was supposed to be made on the original option. Nobody ran after the husband. But as it. is the fashion to be too busy to- honeymoon this season, the usual story that "both bride and bridegroom would hurry back to their work at the studio after a one-day honeymoon," went forth., Finding the village obdurate they returned to the East Coast, where a different set of politics reigns, and perhap3 a different policy. There is quite a bit of sentimental exchange occurring in Hollywood, but the technique seems more subtle. The ex-fiancee hasn't lost any ,sleep. Nor- did her smiles ever grow

slack, even for a moment. It may be a happen-so that producers all were lackadaisical -when it came to a Broadway blonde—but the fetish for loyalty one to another stands. It's open season for theme-songs and plots; but when it domes to lese majeste, that's different.

Tampa, Fla.. is the spot chosen by Henry King to make an all-talking picture. It will be done entirely on location, and two of the most sought-after players in the ranks have been taken to Tampa for the production. Lupe Velez and Jean Hersholt ate the choice of this executive, who has one of the big hits of talkie history, "Alibi," to his credit. The sound picture made entirely on location would naturally follow as the novelty of a season where studio sets and parlour comedies have been the order. The characterising feature of "Alibi" was its adaptation of local atmosphere for the exigencies of the plot. Most of the larger studios scornfully leave street

shots to the enthusiastic but financiallyembarrassed Poverty Bow-itea. The moneyed producer sends an expert to photograph the street and has it duplicated in the studio.

Georges Carpentier and Leyla Georges have burned their old bridges behind them, so to speak, with the aid of the facial surgeon, and are facing the Boul proudly displaying brand new proboscii.

Type is the great cry in an industry where thousands of. every imaginable kind of human being are required during the course of a week. Despite the hue and cry. for genuineness in characterisation, although real grand-dukes, princes, millonaires, tramps, soldier-of-fortune, society giris, adventuresses and what not are here in infinite number, seldom is the actual person cast in the role he plays in life. Young scions of vast fortunes are hustled into rags, with the joyous assurance that they have "ideal hobo faces." Dukes often receive jobs—as down-and-outs. Society girls find themselves standing in the ragged rows of the French Revolutionary mob or characterising five-and-ten girls, while blondined babies are putting on Park Avenue airs—or rather what they believe to be such airs.

The junior Doug. Fairbanks continues the most versatile juvenile in the colony. He progresses dizzily from film to legitimate, via the local theatres. At present he is playing in a village stock house and drawing tourists and villagers as well. v. .

Joan Crawford, in private life Mrs. Fairbanks (in case there is anyone left who hasn't had this drummed into them), is now a star, with the release from grind which the new system allows. Four or five pictures a year are turned out, and the time between is free. Which means, if you know anything at all about movies, that you can study languages, voice culture, dancing, fencing, eurhythmies—any little thing you can think of to improve your status with the powers that be.

Doug, and Joan are said still toi)e out of favour with Doug pere. But they seem idyllically happy for all. that. Mrs. Fairbanks accepts far more of life's responsibilities than the ioyous Joan ever thought of taking. She's on the stage with Doug., jun., when he's rehearsing. Her criticism counts with him—she knows a thing or two about drama. Then if she's not working ehe's

there in one of the front rows at night to give the performance life. She circulates through the lobhv during the entr'acte, which doesn't do any harm at all with the tourist following. One of the cleverest little ladies in movieland Mrs. Douglas Fairbanks, jun.—nee Crawford. j