THE LOST STAR.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVII, Issue 67, 20 March 1937, Page 15 (Supplement)

THE LOST STAR.

Ut 7ERY well, Mr. Schlcswig. 11l take' V my talent elsewhere. No oj>ening for me, indeed!" And the woman with the Gavbo face,] the Garho hair, the Garbo eyes and the j repined tJarbo temperament stamped' angrily out of the office, slamming the, do-T behind her. .Mr. Schleswig leaned his burning head on his hand. "What a woman The thirtieth Garbo he'd interviewed that morning! Funny, how these wculd-be; rilm stars got the idea that success was to be obtained by copying tome already famous personality; not one of them dreamed of being original. Typists with Hepburn hair and languorous eyes; foreign waiters with the Chevalier smile and accents to sharpen knives on; female telephone operators who must have m?ido subsi?ril>ers sick with their slobbery imitations of the Mae West drawl; ooalheavers with "voices"; endless streams of fond mothers with their Freddie Bartholomewised offspring. . . . With all these types, and more, Mr. Schleswig was painfully familiar. "Old boy," he had once said to a Hollywood cameraman, "I bet I've got more pictures of Garbo and Gable in my record book than you've taken in three years!" And it need hardly bo said fhat he won his bet. Alter a few seconds' rest he straightened up slowly and took a pull at something lie carried in his hip pocket. Then, popping a peppermint in his mouth to disguise the breath, ho rang for the next one on the list to b© sent in. ♦ » • • "Good morning, Mr. Schleswig." A quiet little man was standing in the doorway, bowler hat in hand. His blue eyes gazed frankly at the seated interviewer, and their slightly quizzical look was perfectly natural and unaffected. "Why, yes, Mr.—er—er—" Sehleswig's eyes roved frantically down the list "Mr. Martin. Won't yon sit down?"

The man did so in an easy manner, ■aid his bowler carefully on kis lap, and wailed for Mr. Schleswig to speak. The latter was agreeably surprised. Here was a man different from the rest. He had been in the room a whole halfminute, and. had not said a word about himself, or produced a single photograph or testimonial. Nor did he look the least bit like any film actor Mr. Schleswig had. ever seen. He was smartly dressed, but not "flashy," or reeking with brilliantir.e, like so many male aspirants were. Yet he somehow impressed Mr. Schleswig there was something about him that commanded interest. However, the interviewer was used to hiding his feelings—his business demanded it. So, leaning back in his chair, his hands crossed on his slightly protuberant middle, he addressed the man opposite in the carefully selected tones he always used to size up his subjects. "I'm afraid there seems to be no possibility of placing you yet, Mr. Martin," he said. ''Maybe there'll be a chance in a few weeks' time, when the" new film gets under way, but not at present." » • • • The man looked hard at the interior f>{ his bowler for a moment, and Mr. Schleswig, for the first time in his experience, felt a brute for having stated things so bluntly. Then Martin smiled and said brightly: "I understand. You are finding it difficult to cast me, I suppose?" Mr. Schleswig thought this over. Such a man was, of course, impossible to cast in the usual type of film—he was neither handsome nor of outstanding physique. Yet Mr. Schleswig realised, with something of a shock, that this man. had at his fingertips that which many famous actors would give their fcoiils to own. I He had a pleasant, unobtrusive personality —exactly of the kind that film companies had been seeking ever since they started. And it was Mr. Schleswig's privilege to see it now—in a man whom Nature had endowed neither with good looks nor imposing stature! For a moment Schleswig was nonplussed. Then a daring idea found its way into his head. If the usual type of film was not suited to his peculiar style, then why not make an unusual one that was? In a moment the idea had over- 1 whelmed him. Why had no one thought, of it before? A* film about ordinary people acted by ordinary people! Aj film without the glamour of famous; names, or the extravagance of thousandpound eets! Something dynamic, soulstirring, heartrending in its simplicity!

(SHORT STORY.)

(By MALCOLM HAZELL.)

j And with Martin—Martin, the Man in Hie Street Film Star, Martin, the People's ldi.l —in the leading role! I » * * * I Mr. Schlcswig could hardly contiol his : cuthii-ia»m. lie would have liked to 'have jumped up, grasped Martin by the I hand, and made a short congratulatory 'speech. He might even have gone so far as to share the remainder of the contents of the little ila*k with him. lie would have to see the ' boss," though, before he could say anything '■about his idea to the little man. He j couldn't do a big thing like this on his • own initiative. So, with a cheerful smile, ! Mr. Schlcswig rose to his feet. . | "I'll see if anything turns up for you i during the next few days, Mr. Martin. i If it does, I'll let you know by post." ij And he stretched out his palm to the j little man. As this lucky-omened one rose to • I shake hands, his bowler hat fell from i i off his knees and rolled out of sight ; under the desk. "Let me get it for you," offered the I interviewer gallantly, and he stooped | under the piece of furniture to do so. "Thank you, Mr. Schleswig," said the \ ; small man politely, when the slightly ''red interviewer handed him back his ! headgear. "I hope you'll find me somet tiling soon. l!rmember, I'll always be ' pleased to take whatever you have." i And he went out. I After he had gone, Mr. Schleswig • I settled himself down in his chair and ''.gave himself up to thinking of his new ' idea. The words "Man-in-the-Street to '■ Film Star'' kept recurring to him, and he saw them on news posters, on hoardings, in headlines, outside box offices, and then scribbled them down 1 on his blotting pad so that he would ' i not forget them. They would be the ? | very words to advertise his new film, if the "bees" would let him make it. • » • • i He was pleased at the thought of ; doing that little chap Martin a good turn, too. He was a likeable little

; fellow, and ought to get on well, with that personality of his. In fact, it was a good idea altogether, this film. The "boss" was sure to agree. Then Schleswig realised that he had forgotten to take tho future film star's address. Never mind, he could get it from the clerk downstairs. He would get it that very minute. "Good morning, Mr. Schleswig, I hope you have got some work for me today. Von know, I " The interviewer looked up eourly and was reminded that the time for meeting with unobtrusive personalities was past. Before him stood a smiling, self-assured, odiously pink effigy of Ronald Colman. "What's your name?" queried Mr. Schleswig gruffly. "Martin —-Montague Martin," responded the other perkily. "Sorry to be so long coming, but I lost my vay on the confounded stairs. Now about that part. I think " He stopped suddenly. The expression on Mr. Sehleswig's face betokened apoplexy, and he was staring fixedly at his desk top. There were two empty places where there had been, but a few moments ago —right up to the time that Mr. Schleswig had 6tooped to pick up the. Man-in-the-Street-cum-Film-Star's hat, in fact —a silver pencil and a gold watch, the only things of value that had not been under cover! And he had said nobody ever thought of being original. ...