THE ANSWER CORNER.

Auckland Star, Volume LXV, Issue 285, 1 December 1934, Page 5 (Supplement)

THE ANSWER CORNER.

• REPLIES to inquiries. jig, (Devonport). —Lewis Shaw's address Is c/o Twickenham Film Studios, St. Margaret's, Twickenham, Middlesex. TACK (Onehunga).—Mr. Beaumont Smith would probably be found just now c/o j C. Williamson (N.Z.), Ltd., Wellington ' He is due back in New Zealand from Australia during this week. Tour second question regarding stars' salaries Is not easily answered. Terms depend, of course on individual contracts, but a ceneral Hollywood long term contract allows for 40 working (and paying) weeks. They might actually spend only four weeks in every six at work. Other arrangements for holidays, vacations, etc., are made when longer gaps occur between productions. Colin Tapley has been moving along so steadily that his salary hns probably changed several times He should be getting between £50 and £100 a week. The report as to Katharine Hepburn's divorce from Ludlow Ogden Smith is probably correct, as they have been virtually estranged ever since she "hit" the screen. •i J BURNS (Waitara).—The publication of casts in newspapers takes up costly space, but if a theatre issues a programme vou will usually find tliem printed there. Ken. G. Hall directed "Strike Me Lucky!" for Cinesound Films. Sydney, and Raymond Longford directed "The Man Thaj Could Not Hang" for Invicta Films, also of Australia. I have not the cast of "Strike Me Lucky!" but write to British Empire Films Agency in Sydney. They released the film throughout Australasia. The cast o? "The Man They Could >iot Hang" is: John Lee, Ronald Roberts; John Lee. Senior, A. W. Sterry; Mrs. Lee, Ethel Bashford : Miss Keyse, Olive Sinclair: Eliza Parrisli, Patricia Minchln; Jane Allen, Ethel Gabriel: Kate Farmer, Claire Barnes: Jacques Bertrand. Sam Stern : Ted Meeks, Les. Wharton : Captain Giles. George Doran; Captain Hill, R.N., Leo Starke ; Tim Sanders, Nugent Harrington; Polly Sanders. Bobbie Beaumont: Ned Sawkins W. Newton Carroll; prison chaplain. Herbert »tallard; constable, Alf. Scarlet: Frank Carter, George Randall; prison governor, Victor Fitzherbert: comptroller, Walter Dyer; and Dr. Cahn, Carlton Stuart. KOY WILSON (New Plymouth).—The cast of "The Red Raider" is: Buck Jones. Grant Withers. Marion Shilling, Walter Miller, Richard Cramer. Margaret La Marr, Charles French. Edmund Cobb. ,T. P McGowan, Frank Rice, William Desmond, Monte Montague and the trusty steed Silver. Louis Friedlandcr directed the film and W. C. Tuttle wrote its story. For director and author of The Ace of Scotland Yard" write to Universal Films Agency, P.O. Box 92; i. Wellington. Apart from the stars of "Worldly Goods I have no details as to cast. J" r an y thanks for information wanted by Marjorie and Freda," of Marton, as to casts of "Tell England" and "The Man _V\ ho Laughs;" I pass it on for them Mary Philbin played the heroine, Dea. in The Man Who Laughs." and the cast included Conrad Veidt, Olga Baclanova, George Seigman and Stuart Holmes. It was directed by Paul Leni for Universal in 1028 and was a "silent." In "Tell England" Fay Compton played Mrs. Doe: Carl Harbord was Edgar Doe: Tony Bruce was Rupert Ray, and Gerald Rawlinson was Lieutenant Doon. The film was produced in 1930-31. Once more, many thanks, Roy. With regard to lengths of films, I will probably be able to quote you any specified one, but it is not practicable to publish the figures for all new films in the table at the head of the page. They vary after having been through the censor's hands, and may not be quite accurate until checked.

Paul Lukas, who-will be seen in support of Ann Harding in "The Fountain," can never visit tlie place of his , birth, because he doesn't know where it is he was born on a railway train en route to Budapest.

Just 34 years ago 0. P. Heggie and Henry Stephenson were room mates in Sydney, where both were appearing in the stage play "A Message from Mars." Recently they met at a studio in Hollywood, where Heggie is supporting Annie Shirley in "Anne of Green Gables," and Stephenson is appearing with Marion Hopkins in "The Richest Girl in the World."

Mickey Mouse's reputation as a piano player is an internationally established fact. He can play his music box in any language, including the Scandinavian. In Walt Disney's latest Mickey Mouse picture, " Orphans' Benefit." Mickey accompanies Clara Cluck when she sings the sextette from " Lucia." Mme. Cluck performs a unique feat in singing this famous operatic aria by herself.' It is usually sung by six persons, __

Greta Garbo never uses any nail polish. Her nails are always well-groomed, shaped perfectly, with no polish of any sort. "Ten-Minute Alibi," the stage success which has had the longest West End run of any play for many years (700 performances), is one of the important films scheduled in an ambitious programme just announced by a British film company. Following her appearance in "The Good Fairy," the adaptation of Ferenc Molnar's stage success which she is scheduled to make as her third starring production, Margaret Sullavan will star in a screen version of the famous Frances Hodgson Burnett novel, "A Lady of Quality."

Edward Everett Horton sings for the first time in "Gay Divorcee" —the movie title under which the famous stage success "The Gay Divorce," will be released. It took all of the persuasive powers of Director Marie Sandrich and Fred Astaire to get the comedian to sing, and now he still declares that "it's a tragic incident in my ( life and I juet want to forget it."

Golf lias a new and serious rival for the affections of Irene Dunne. The star has taken up badminton and has just had a court installed at her Beverly Hills home. The day after it was completed, Irene got up at 5 o'clock to play the first set on tlie court before rushing to the studios for the day's work in "The Age of Innocence." Miss Dunns, one of the elect circle of golfers who have scored a hole in one, has turned to badminton because it doesn't require as much time as the links sport. Golf will be reserved for between picture vacations.

Helen Chandler, who is visiting England to make a British film at Elstree, throws some interesting sidelights on Katharine Hepburn, with whom she played in the film "Christopher Strong." "Katharine Heuburn," says Miss Chandler, "is absolutely tireless, and can work on' and on without either feeling or showing the slightest strain. Often when everyone else, including the director and technicians, are almost droppin"- from a fatigue, Katharine Hepburn wilf five her best performances. She compfetely dominates everyone and everything. She is electric! Miss Hepburn is fearless and outspoken, and if she has any criticism to offer she will tell it straight to your face. As a friend her greatest asset is her frankness. Miss Hepburn I consider to be by far the best discovery Hollywood has made for years and years. She is a great modern star and a typical product of this generation."

A galaxy of blondes, "captured" in 'the jungles of Hollywood, grace the new musical extravaganza "Hawaiian Nights." Its setting is a tropical island in the South Seas, with an unconventional and exuberant population of dancing girls and lithe beach boys. Mary Boland, Polly Moran, Ned Sparks, Sidney Fox and Sidney Blackmcr are in the cast. Fred Astaire has just signed a threepicture contract. This deal not only ends speculation as to Astaire's return to the stage, but definitely sets him as a fixed star of films on the basis of merit, as proven in his first film, "Flying Down to Rio," and even more decisively in his second, " The Gay Divorcee," recently finished at the studios. Capturing the spirit and beauty of the novel from which it was adapted, "The Ago of Innocence" will be seen in the near future starring Irene Dunne and John Boles. Noted as one of the classics of modern American literature, the story deals with the conveijtionridden em that marked the close of the last century, and gives intimate glimpses of life as lived by members of New York's then "Four Hundred." The picture is said to adhere closely to the story of Edith Wharton's Book, which won the Pulitzer prize in 1920. The film marks the first joint appearance of Miss Dunne and Boles since their memorable " Back Street." Reconstruction of 20 years of the V/c----torian era in eleven months' of research, collecting and building on land and sea had to bo completed at Universal City before "Great Expectations," the screen version of Dickens' celebrated novo], could get under way. Henry Hull, Phillips Holmes, Jane Wyatt, Alan Mile and Florence Reed arc featured in this picture, which revealed many interesting things in the course of preparation. Among these was the discovery that Dickens, was a great scenarist and dialogue writer. His own dialogue was used with notably sparse exceptions. The characters, too, are retained unchanged by tho adaptor. Fifty-nine sets, 32 of them erected indoors on four sound stages, have been built. These settings represent interior and exterior scenes m England and France. In addition scenes were shot off the coast of England, near Portsmouth, and close to the shores of the Islo of Wight for the convict ship sequence. With the assistance of Jack Pierce, make-up specialist, and of Director Stuart Walker, Mr. Hull evolved three changes of make-up for Magwich to cover the three periods of his life shown, his first appearance, liis stay in Australia and his return. Francis L. Sullavan and Alan Hale also have important roles in this picture.

Darryl F. Zanuck added another star to his roster with the announcement that Maurice Chevalier had been signed to star in the elaborate film version of the " Folies Bergeres de Paris."

Roger Pryor, Mae West's leading man in her third starring film, "The Belle of the Nineties," received a bulky package which disclosed that he had gone in for gardening. Opened, the box revealed a dozen bulb plants, with an unsigned note reading: "I hope they come up some time."

A Hollywood studio will shortly produce "Piccadilly Jim," a novel by P. G. Wodeliouse, as a comedy with music. Robert Montgomery will be the leading character, while Marc Connelly and Robert Benchley have been engaged to write the screen adaptation. Work on the new film is expected to start soon. Montgomery is now playing opposite Ann Harding in "Biography of a Bachelor."

Pity the Hollywood kiddies. At evei v preview, sidewalks before the theatres are crowded with determined mothers dragging little ones all done up in biief organdies, and with hair a la fehirley Temple. These children are bleached golden and curled to a fare-you-well, little nodding heads on slender necks that are being jerked awake by the hand that rocks the cradle and is now itching to rule the cheque book.

Timeliness comes into its own at the Walt Disney studios, with actual "shooting" started on "The Dognapper," latest of the Mickey Mouse productions. The story reveals the hair-raising experiences of Minnie Mouse' Pekinese, Fifi, who is "dognapped" by "Peg-leg Pete," arch villain from across the railroad tracks. Besides Minnie, prominent roles are played by Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck, who," as police, undertake the rescue of Fifi.

One of the strongest teams of writers yet assembled in England lias been gathered together to collaborate on the script of "The Scarlet Pimpernel." They are Robert Sherwood, who wrote, amongst other plays, "Reunion in Vienna"; Sam Berman, who wrote "Biography"; Arthur Wimperis, who was responsible for the dialogue in "Henry VIII." and numerous stage and film productions; and the Baroness Orczy, creator of the immortal Sir Percy Blakeney. Sir Percy will be played in the film by Leslie Howard.

Miss Mary Ellis, the New York actress, has been discovered by Hollywood —as a result of her work in London! No film offers came to her while she was playing leading parts on the American stage. Last year she was the star of "Music in the Air," at His Majesty's, and lately was heroine of the British film, "Bella Donna." One major company, after seeing this picture, has signed her on a long contract. This will not start until after the run of the play "Josephine," at His Majesty's, with Miss Ellis in the role of Napoleon's Empress.

To Pert Kelton goes the • honour of wearing the first of the strapless evening frocks seen at a smart Hollywood night club. Whalebone sewn cleverly into the bodice removes all cause for alarm. The effect is said to be quite dramatic.

"The Count of Monte Cristo!" What magic that name conjures for lovers of phantasy and fiction, in the immortal story of Alexandre Dumas. It means for millions of readers of the famous story a treasure house of memories, of thriils and adventure at the high tide of swashbuckling courage and rich romance in the dewy depths of moonkissed nights. It has been turned into a talking picture in which Robert Donat takes the part of the Count and Elissa Landi plays his sweetheart, Mercedes.

as my chief comedian. Mr. Sterling refused to renew liis contract and I had to find a new comedian. "I remembered having seen an English comedian in 'A Night in an English Musichall.' When I spoke to him of films he was sceptical, and when we offered him £25 a week —an enormous salary in those days—he thought we were trying a cheap trick to get him to work for a few weeks. Reluctantly he agreed. It was Charlie Chaplin. "Later we were making a film called 'Mabel's Strange Predicament.' Mr. Chaplin was told to go to the dressingroom, to put on the first clothes he could find, and to get on the set at once and be funny ... or else! "The trousers he borrowed from 'Roscoe Arbuckle, the shoes belonged to Ford Sterling, and the coat and hat were used by a midget. "Mr. Chaplin began to paint on a moustache, but we yelled at him so much, and he was in such a panic, that he came rushing out with the moustache incomplete. "That was the actual beginning of the most famous character in films. He was born in a panic."