THE ANSWER CORNER.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVII, Issue 115, 16 May 1936, Page 5 (Supplement)

THE ANSWER CORNER.

REPLIES TO INQUIRIES.

fcILM FAX (Te Awamutu).—All your three players—Robert Montgomery, Franchot Tone and Janet Gaynor—are to be found at Culver' City, Hollywood, U.S.A. JOSEPHINE (Glen Eden). —Your list is far too long to use. Janet Gaynor was born Laura Gainer and married Lydell Peck, a lawyer, from whom she is now divorced. ftICK BROWN (Grey Lynn).—'"Ben Hur" was first released at the Strand Theatre on December 10, 1027, and its season closed on January 31, 1925. With synchronised sound effects it was revived at the Majestic in March, 1932. I have no details concerning the release of "Metropolis" at the Regent. "A Midsummer. Night's Dream" is under release at present in the city. ire. (One Tree Hill). —Jean Muir was' stated recently by a London paper to be the tallest film star, but her height was not published. She tells the world that she is unmarried, aged 23 and takes a candid 7 in shoes, but has not revealed,- ' to my knowledge, her weight or height. Jeannette Mac Donald and Elizabeth Allan are both sft Oin In height. Ronald Colman was born in Richmond, Surrey, England, on September 9, 1801. Richard Cromwell has been seen in "'The King of Jazz," "Tom Brown of Culver," "Are These Our Children?" "This Day and Age," "That's My Boy" and "The Lives of a Bengal Lancer." IL.F. (Auckland). — Addresses: — George O'Brien, Movietone City, Hollywood, U.S.A.; Frances Dee, c/o . Radio Pictures, 780, Gower Street, Hollywood; Victor Jory, c/o Columbia Studios, 1435, North Gower Street, Hollywood; Eugene Pallette, Frank McHugh, Hugh Herbert and Otis Harlan, c/o Warner Bros,, Burbank, California; Roland Young, c/o London Film Productions, Denham, Bucks., England ; Douglas Fairbanks, jun., c/o Criterion Films, c/o London Film Productions, Denham, Bucks.; Mary Brian, c/o British and Dominion Films, Boreham Wood, Elstree, Herts.; Ralph Lynn, c/o Gaumont-British Film Corporations, Shepherd's Bush, Lime Grove, London. Adolphe Menjou is free-lancing in Hollywood, while tJrant Withers and Merna Kennedy are under contract respectively to Republic and Celebrity, two independent companies in Hollywood. fctOONRAKER (Bayswater). — "On the Friendly Road" was finished only last Saturday. This week-end the musical director, Mr. Sam Raymond, formerly of Auckland, and now of Christchurch, will arrange the music which he wrote for the film. The film is to be given a private ehowing in the immediate future, afterwards being offered for release to the local exhibitors who should—if all goes according to Hoyle—release it within aacouple of months at a city house. It was made in and around Auckland —in the "Waitakere Ranges, Northcote and certain Remuera and Mount Eden residences — by the New Zealand Film Guild from a play by George Altier, a local author. Mr. Rudall Hayward, maker of the halfdozen pictures which can be truly described as New Zealand films, was camera director, with Jack McCarthy as assistant. Mr. Jack Baxendale, builder of IZM radio station, was sound engineer, and Mr. Gerhard Diedrichs his assistant. The production is 8000 ft in length, and is a talkie. Mr. Robert G. - Simmers sings a theme song, "On the Friendly Road." The cast is as follows: —"Uncle Scrim,' the Rev. C. G. Scrimgeour; "Bill," the sundowner, Stanley Knight; McDermitt ("Mac"), romantic male lead, John Mackle ; Mary, his wife, romantic feminine lead, Jean Hamilton; Stevenson, an irascible old Scotsman, James Swan; escaped convicts, Arnold Goodwin and Harold Metcalfe; policeman, Alan Leonard; Hpri, Wharepaia; chief - tainess, Kahu; Harry , and Alec (McDermitt boys), Neville Goodwin and James Martin; little girl, Philippa Hayward; also Gladys Swan, John Bell, Roland Medland, lan Moir, Ethel Rae, Fred McCallum—and "Taffy," the terrier. SNOOPY (Auckland).— The first movie ever shown in Auckland was a 75ft depiction of a man walking over London Bridge, shown by Carl Hertz as part of his magic show. Then in 1901 West's "Our Navy series, made.by the Warwick people, were first to be projected per medium ol electricity. Several other local am touring companies presented films, but the first "movies" of consequence were shown by West and Hayward. These included "A Trip to the Sun" and A Trip to the Moon," shown iji His Majesty s Theatre in 1906. Made by the Lumiere brothers, they were about 7Ooft in length With them was the first comedy, 'ine Lost Child." It initiated the "chase type of film, which later became so popular. "A Trip to the Sun" and A Trip to the Moon" were hand-coloured. Films of up to 2000 ft were shown until "The Birth of a Nation," and the Mary Pickford dramas brought the length of a picture up to 5000 ft, and gradually to the modern average of 7500ft~just iw times longer than Hertz' "epic." As much as 400,000 ft has been "shot" fora present-day picture—witness Klsenstein s banned "Thunder Over Mexico." This was reduced to 18,000 ft before being released in New York. Players in ' Queen Christina" were Greta Garbo, John Gilbert, C. Aubrey Smith, lan Keith, Reginald Owen, David Torrence, Gustav von Seyffertitz. Those in "Counsellor-at-Law" were John Barrymore, Bebe Daniels, Doris Kenyon, Onslow Stevens, Melvyn Douglas, Isabel. Jewell, . Thelma Todd. Mayo Methot. In "His Double Life, Roland Young, Lillian Gish, Montague Love, Lucy Beaumont and Lumsden Hare •were starred, while the cast of "Going Hollywood" (released locally as "Cinderella's Fella") consisted of Marion Davies, Bing Crosby, Stuart Erwin, Fifi D'Orsay, Ned Sparks, , Patsy Kelly and Bobby Watson.

FILM FAN (New Lynn).—Cast of the silent film of "Captain Blood"—Captain Blood, .T. Warren Kerrigan; Arabella Bishop, Jean Paige; Colonel Bishop, Wilfred ' North; Jeremy Pitt,. James Morrison; Mary Train, Charlotte Merriam; Don Diego, Bertram Grasby; Lord Julian Wade, Allan Forest; Governor Steed, Templar Saxe; Lord Wllloughby, Henry Barrows; Judge Jeffreys, Otto Matlesen; Corliss, Otis Harlnn ; Wolverstone, Jack Curtis; Captain Hobart, Henry Herbert; Admiral van der Knyler, Robert Bolder. By Vitagraph from Sabatini's novel.

SHUCKS (Mount Eden).—Here is all about Card Stone: Born February 1, 191 1, in New York City, one of five daughters of Fred Stone, comedian ; educated at l< orest Hills, Long Island; studied dramatics, voice and dancing under well-known teachers; can also ride, swim, shoot, sing, draw, paint, handle a motor boat and use an aquaplane; height, sft 3}in; weigh*, 1181b • grey eye 3 and auburn hair; almondshaped face;"her pets are "Keno," a dog, and "KIM," a cat. A niece of the novelist, Rex' Beach, she made her stage debut in 1083 and her film debut in 193j in "Freckles."

MICKEY (Raetihl).—Sure is ages. Kegarding the Marx brothers, it was Chico all right who played that piano solo in a N?ght at the Opera." The eldest of the five Marx brothers, he early developed talent as a pianist and as a youth left the family to support himself by playing and working in cafes, orchestras, theatres and music stores. In their other films the MarK brothers Lave numbered four—Chlco, Harpo, Groucho and Zeppo. The fifth has been dubbed Gummo. "Fats" Waller is not under contract, to my knowledge. His first film was "Hooray for Love," for R.K.0., but he was in "The King of Burlesque for Twentieth Century-Fox more recently. Therefore, Movietone City, Hollywood, should find him. I have not heard any film stars' comments on "A Night at the Opera," but look for them in magazine reports of the Hollywood or New York previe.w.

Bill Powell was lately seen signing autographs for 200 Missouri students at the famous Cocoanut Grove, while his companion, Jean Harlow, looked on, completely ignored by the autographists.

Grade Alleirs brother threatens to sue his sister, alleging that he was compelled to leave his job in San Francisco by reason of the "ribbing" he received when Gracie spoke in a radio broadcast of "my crazy brother."

Margot Grahame, England-bound in June, eays she has received an offer of £7000 for eix weeks' work in a British studio. Some change from the days when the blonde lass was peddling her appeal and acting ability ui vain round the London studios.

When Shirley Temple lost her two front teeth last summer, she was rushed to Palm Springs and kept in seclusion in order to hide the accident from her "fans." Her only playmate was a guard, with whom she "played a daily game of marbles. This went on until the two new teeth had put in a successful appearance The guard was then taken off the payroll and sent home, to further the recovery of his shattered knees and nerves. He is said to be working on a magazine article titled "Shirley Temple Cheats at Marbles!"

"Whom the Gods Love," based on the life of Mozart and his wife Constanze, had its world premiere at the Theatre Royal, in Manchester. Manchester appreciated the honour of its first film world premiere, and turned up in force. To crown the success, the film, originally booked for one week, has been retained for a second. Other provincial towns are to have similar world premieres, since Basil Dean lias declared his intention of living the provinces the opportunity of eeeing first-class films long before the normal three to six months after London has tired of them. Ihe English provinces have for long groused at the time which usually elapses between the London and provincial releases. This new arrangement should pacify them.

A lrfe replete with warlike adventures, both on and off the ecreen, qualifies McLaglen for the title-role of Damon Runyon's tale "Professional Soldier. Following a life of actual and hazardous soldiering in many lands, McLaglen won his first warrior role in "Beau Geste. Then followed his unforgettable portraits in "What Price Glory?" "Captain Lash," "The Cockeyed World" and "The Lost Patrol," while in "The Informer" he scored a personal triumph. During the Boer war McLaglen had his baptism under fir© as a member of the Life Guards. He was under age at the time and misrepresented his years in order to enlist. Later in the World , War he re-enlisted and served on the Mesopotamian front, where he took part in virtually all the battles with Turkey, being rewarded for his services by an appointmert as Provost-Marshal of-the ancient capital of Bagdad. It was not until after the war that McLaglen essayed acting, and from an inconspicuous start in a London production his rugged physique, vitality and acting ability has earned him the leading position he holds to-day.