Dog-Bites-Man Is News

Auckland Star, Volume LXX, Issue 99, 29 April 1939, Page 7 (Supplement)

Dog-Bites-Man Is News

TO Chum, four year-old wirehaired terrier belonging to Director Walter Forde, goes credit for contradicting the dictum that man-bites-dog is news. Chum is an irw£ parable companion to t 1 orde on all his films, and is probably t lie most film-con so ion* dog in England. Hp js a model of pood behaviour in the studio, scuppering about when the camera is not turning and keeping absolutely still as soon as the silence whittle is blown. In the evenings after the day's "shooting" is done, is an interested, if not critical member of the audience when the previous day's "rushes" are shown. Now Chum ha* leapt into the news l>y suddenly and mysteriously changing his ways. When Walter Forde ww working at, Haling on a new version of Edgar Wallace's "The Ringer"—entitled "The Gaunt Stranger"—Chum, for some inscrutable reason, took a dislike to Nonnie Hale, who plays the Gordon Harker role in this new version. Every time Sonnie got to the crucial part of the scene he vfaa playing, Chum would dash across the studio floor and secure a tight hold 'of the seat of Sonnie's trousers. After spoiling several "takes," Chum wm for the first time in his life banished from the set and not allowed to return. This unaccountable feud, however, did not end there. At the end of the first day that the ban had been in effect, Chum was taken as usual to see the previous day's "rushes." All went well until Sonnie Hale hove into view on the screen. Without any hesitation Chum jumped from his seat barking furiously, and made a valiant attempt to attack the sereen. Now "rushes" are also forbidden him. "The Gaunt Stranger" marks Sonnift's return to the screen as a comedian. It is also the second film t<> be received in New Zealand from the new Capad organisation.

♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ PpTTTC Roach family Is "rrell represented in "Captain Fury." Papa Hal Roach directs, Sonny Hal jnn., assists him, and daughter Margaret gets her first important acting chore. She had to prove herself in other studios before her father consented to further her career.