How A Star Is Born

Auckland Star, Volume LXIX, Issue 142, 18 June 1938, Page 7 (Supplement)

How A Star Is Born

By Guy K. Austin

HOLLYWOOD. NEW faces! That is the perpetual cry of Hollywood producers. To-day it is more insistent than ever. The reason? To a large extent economy. Ihe day of the fabulous Hollywood salary is gone for ever. Many of the studios have under contract players drawing huge weekly pay cheques they do not earn in box-office"returns. Most of these contracts were made when times were good and looked like remaining that way for ever. One by one famous names are being dropped when option time —calling for a large increase in salary—comes round. Studios think it is better to try to build up new stars whose contracts now are written at figures that remain within bounds, even over a course of seven years. So it is new faces—new namesnew stars.

A certain studio is investing an enormous sum on building Arleen Whelan to stardom. It is worth it from their point of view. The salary she receives is but a fraction of what many famous stars are paid. A year ago Arleen was a Hollywood manicurist earning £:\ 10/ a week! One morning, fpiite by chance. Bruce Humbeistone. a Twentieth Century-Fox director, found himself in the tonsorial parlour where Arleen worked. His professional eye saw immense possibilities in the young redhead. He suggested to Darryl F. Zanuck that the girl be given a screen test. I'ntutored in any form of dramatics the first venture before the camera was solely for photographic test. The result was promising.

Arleen was signed up on a beginner's contract at a nominal salary. Then began an intense coiirsc of training for future screen honours. The studio felt it had found a girl in whom it could safelv invest thousands of pound*. Screen tests alone often run into an aggregate of fIo.OOO. Then there is salary during the training period, often more than six months, during which time the girl receives about £20 a week. The salarv of the dramatic coach, music, singing."dancing and other teachers total about £-20,000 more. Then the studio pays all the costs of the expensive beauty treatments, hairdressing. massage and so on. And constantly additional : crecn tests are made to discover the exact form and style of personality liiat brings out the subject best. One of the most costly items on the account of star building is that run by the publicity department. Still photographs are taken by the hundred and distributed by the thousand at ">d a piece. 'i'hen there are special trips here, there and everywhere with chaperon, publicity man and cameraman.