Discoverers Of The Stars

Auckland Star, Volume LXIX, Issue 280, 26 November 1938, Page 7

Discoverers Of The Stars

COR every star that appears in • the Hollywood firmament, there at least 10 people who assert? "I am the discoverer." Curio«ty impelled me to discover who t>r what should actually get the credit for the "break" that bricfeed the ladder to stardom for the screen's present front-rank players.

l'lnvwrijfht .Ann Morrison run wtiike attitudes miv time she likes nnci .sav;

"Alone f dirt if,"' in re fere net- to the discovery of ('laudette Colbert. The couple met at a sicial function when Claud ette's monicker was Lily Chauchoin. The playwright said. half in jest : "Von should fan oil the utorjre." To which ('laudette replietf, seriously: "Yes. perhaps I should. Will votf help me jret started?" .A few weeks later with Miss Morrison's aid. Miss Colbert was playing a three-line bit in a Broadway production, "The Wild Westeotts."

BySheilah Graham •—Copyright

Everyone. in. Holly wood, from Central Casting Bureau to Samuel Coldwyu. lias posed as the true Coin mini* f >r (iary Cooper. (iary owes his present screen position to Frank Lloyd. At the time. Gary had appeared in mediocre "horse operas" only. Lloyd decided to take a chance with him opposite Clara Bow in "It." Cot per was disgusted an<l left town vowing never to return. Lloyd wired him that, unless he reported for work immediately, his studio would sue him for breach of contract. Feeling all kinds of a fool. Mr. Cooper came back— and scored a great success.

Darrvl Zanuck has repeated!v Wen hailed as the discoverer of Nimone Simon. It was the former Fox president, Winfield Sheehan. who hhw and signed the French <ri r l j„ j ler naf i V( , Paris. However, Zanuck has not done too badly at the discovering game. having spotted Tyrone Power. playing roles with Katherine Cornell; Don Ameche, whom the "Wahoi wonder-bov" heard on the radio as he was drivi'm* home from work; the Bitz brothers! found by Zanuck in a ]jos Angeles nightclub.

His m(»it famous and newest protege is Sonja Henie. Hie story ..f how I ho skating champion hired a rink and put on a show, then invited Zanuck and impressed him with the 25,< MM> dollars profit is history. No one—■ Zanuck ]>erliaps—knew that, within the

space of a year. Miss Hcnie would be among the first three money makers in pictures. C ar >!e Lombard is a feather brained playgirl who'll never amount to anvtliing in t lie picture business." said Cecil B. de Mille many veals ago to Mitchell I/ci>en. then iii> assistant, now a director. I,ciscn liked Miss l/Oml>ard and gave her a t borough "dressing-down." with tin* result that she acted her age— and became a su-ccess. Ceorgc Haft was spending one of his last <|iiarters on a hamburger and a. cup of coffee when the cafe proprietor—Bob Perry said jokingly: "I'll solve your troubles bv making a film actor out of .you.' Kaft laughed politely, but Perry introduced (Jeorge to director Roland Brown, who secured him parts in "Skyline of Xew \ork" and < *Scarface. w

'■-i.-l't (t| ' nine ycjirs ago Constance Bennett 'wa*s travelling to Europe. A hald-headed man accosted her as she was walking around the deck. hut before ( onnie could say: "Steward, throw this man into the sea." lie slipped her his card on which was printed: "Samuel Coldwyn."' Miss Bennett came to Hollywood hut it was left to Kddie Moulding to give her the lirst film "break."

Kav > ram-is credits her discovery to Walter Huston, who elected Kav from unimportant roles on the New York sta*M* to the screen lead opposite him in "<lentlcmcn of the Press."

Uctte Davis sa.vs she would probably still be rescuing bad swimmers at Cape Cod if Ceorge Alliss had not taken a chance on her in "The Man who I'layed <lod.' Bcttc's stardom is her own discovery —in "Of Human Bondage."

playing the part turned down by all ma jor feminine stars.

Nelson Kddv was discovered via the illness of a noted .|>eratic star wlio was scheduled to give a recital at the Los Angeles Philharmonic au<litorinm. Kddv subst it uted at the last minute, aiul the next day was offered a contract. In the (lavs when Xatacha Hamlmva. wife of Rudolf Valentino, was producing "What Price Beauty."' Myrna Loy was eking out a livelihood its a dance teacher and sculptress. Airs. Valentin, liked Myrna s sculpture, and gave her a small role in her picture. Discoverers in brief . . ..Toan Crawford— by producer Harry Kapf (he "spotted" Iter in the chorus); Freddie

Bartholoinew—l>v l)avi<l Sel/.nick. while in London ]<»<>!<injr for the |>erfect David ] < 'opperlield; Katharine Hepburn—her movie career elates from the time <ieorge ('ukor fought David Selznick's jitdjjment and starred lier in "A Bill of Divorcement"; Clark Cable—by Li >nel Barrvmore. who saw him jterform a« "Killer ' Clears in a lyos Angeles stage production of 1 lie T>ast Mile" and persuaded him to take a screen test: Miriam Hopkins, who accosted a Broadway producer named Hassard Short at ja revue rehearsal and said: "Mr. Short told me to see you about a job in the show." Miriam got the job.