HOLLYWOOD IN PERSON.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIV, Issue 17, 21 January 1933, Page 5 (Supplement)

HOLLYWOOD IN PERSON.

GOSSIP OF THE STUDIOS.

(By MOLLIE MERRICK.)

HOLLYWOOD (Calif.), Dec. 23,

Speculation as to what will be the new picture cycle is at an end. Suspense on the subject is over. We are "moving" into the zoo and wild animals, and their trainers and their trials and tribulations is the subject of greatest interest to-day in Hollywood. Jesse Lasky started the ball rolling with "Zoo in Budapest." To his chagrin a rival company came back with the announcement that they would shortly make "Death in the Zoo." On the heels of it all comes an announcement that Clyde Beatty, the most famous lion and tiger trainer of them all, will arrive shortly in Hollywood, and haß been signed to work for them in their picture "The Big Cage.'*

If Wall Street bankers continue to watch the books of Hollywood studios, we may come to the British method of making pictures and the method employed on the Continent for some of the "movies" which often represent more artistry than those made in Hollywood under the excellent working conditions which this community affords. Cuts in salaries made only a scratch on the Hollywood deficit. Salary cuts of 35 per cent causcd some studio retrenchment, it is true, but could not make a marked halt in the steadily mounting losses.

Box-office stars are not accepting further cuts these days. I know of two cases where established stars have refused to do "the sporting thing" and take further lessening of their pay cheques, preferring to finish out their contracts with their present companies and gamble on the future. Kay Francis did not have to accept less "wages than of yore; in fact, she received the increase which licr contract originally called for, and returned to New York all smiles and satisfaction. Where, then, will the next retrenchment come from?

At the last moment "Taloo" Bankhead has decided to go to New York, and all her friends dropped in to say "good-bye," for the present, anyway. It seems that all sorts of complications arose over a contemplated contract, and so it was laid away for the time being.

With all her lips and downs out here, nobody lias more good friends than Tallulah Bankliead, and all of tht;n are very sorry to see her leave. She has her choice of several good plays, according to naiso rumour (personally, I don't think there arc several good plays in the world to-day), and will do one of tliera this season in New York, later accepting a London offer which lias been made to her.

Sir Harry Lauder told the motionpicture industry what ailed it when William Morris, jun., gave a receptiou in his honour, and the moguls of the "talkies", were assembled. Asked for a speech, the venerable Scotsman gave one —and one calculated to make the hair curl. According to Sir Harry, when the "movies" have been making a product which will entertain two or even three generations—as Sir Harry has—they can consider themselves good; and until then —and up to then—tlicy needn't think at all.

Josef Von Sternberg, who made "Shanghai Express," will do 110 more work for Paramount and with the lovely Marlene. "Hurricane," tlic picture for which "Von" went far afield to get shots of wind storms, has been thrown out. I understand that the studio asked "Von" to use his influence with Dietrich in order to effect harmonious working conditions with Rouben Mamoulian, who will direct the next Dietrich opus. And I also hear' that Von Sternberg is not going to Germany, as he has said, but would like to sign up with a certain Hollywood studio with which he is having a financial flirtation at present.

"Son-Daughter," which is just finished, is said by the producing company to be one of the outstanding "hits" of the season. They feel that Helen Hayes will make a new record for popularity in this Chinese idyll, and that Ramon Novarro as the young student has one of the great roles of his career.

The six most important things in the making of a motion picture are, according to Frank Borzage, who has just been signed to direct Helen Hayes, Gary Cooper and Adolphe Menjou in "A Farewell to Arms," the story, the performance of the players, the direction, photography, sound recording and fashions.