Players Who Count

Auckland Star, Volume LXXI, Issue 17, 20 January 1940, Page 6 (Supplement)

Players Who Count

By--Sheilah Graham

(always as a dignified gentleman). His favourite Hollywood person is Eobert Bench ley. Janet Beecher, of the sapphire-blonde, hair (it photographs pure white), was a famous stage star before coming to Hollywood, for "Gallant Lady/' starring Ann Harding. She makes 10 pictures a year—freelance salary of 1000 dollars a week. Her latest picture was 'Career." Her usual role is that of a mother with a 'grown-up' family.

One of the greatest figures of the English stage and scrcen. Sir Seymour Hir.lis is now giving his services to entertain Britain's troops in France. His latest film is "Young Man's Fancy."

Samuel Hinds appears in 15 pictures a year—his grand total is 150 for ihis 10 years of picture making. I doubt whether ho has ever played a villain — his kindly face confines him to kindlyroles. Typical was his father part in "You Can't Take It With You." Lucille Watson was born in Quebec. 1879. Her best Hollywood role to date was in Selznick's "Made For Each Other"-—as Carole Lombard's difficult mother-in-law. Her first stage appearance was in Canada in 1900. She is now one of "The' Women." Septuagenarian Harry Davenport looks as fragile as an orchid —but ho is strong enough to appear in an average 20 pictures a year. His.first stage play was the 1871 production of "Damon ami Pythias" in Philadelphia. His latest screen role was as Dr. Meade in "Gone. With the Wind." He averages an annual ♦10,000 dollars. X wonder how many people who saw Maurice Moscovitch play the small role of an art dealer in "Love Affair" realised his long acting apprenticeship and stardom. ile was a stage star for 53 years before K.K.0.-Hadio signed him for the father of Margo in "Winterset." His son, Noel Madison, plays leads in British pictures. (Both appeared on the stago in New Zealand a dozen years ago.) Henry Kolker had. 18 years on the Now York stage before he got into pictures, 20 years ago. He has directed pictures as well as acted in them. Ho megaphoned George Arliss in "Disraeli." Ho is usually a higher-bracket villain, a financier or soldier, and he usually dies in his pictures—which average 10 a year. Robert Barrat is another villain who is much in demand. He has averaged between 10 and 15 pictures a year since coming to Hollywood several years ago. Beforo that he had a long character role career on the New York stage. Some of his recent pictures are "The Return of the Cisco Kid," "Union Pacific," "Charlie Chan in Honolulu," "Man of Conquest." He is now playing in "Conspiracy." His freelance salary is around 1000 dollars a week. La ntern-jawed Margaret Hamilton, must be included in this column if only for her amorous spinster in "Stablemates." Her wooing of Wallace Beery j was one of the funniest and best "bits" [ have seen in a movie. Then who will forgc.t her Bad Witch part in that Oz epic?