"LADY OF THE NIGHT."

Press, Volume LXV, Issue 19805, 18 December 1929, Page 7

"LADY OF THE NIGHT."

COLOURFUL FILM, CIVIC. TO-MORROW. Lup« Telex may well be considered one of the next great stars, for personality w»d lire no other screen Sgure of recent years u Uke this young Mexican actress who plays in D. W. Griffith's, new production, "Lady oi tie Night," which opens at the Civic to-morrow. Miss Velez, a Wnnpu Baby Star for 193b, «u born near Mexico City, IS years ago and early in life showed an aptitude for dancing. Her first stage appearance wa-s in a church festival at the capital city where she did a number of folk dances so eiJectively that she was engaged by a professional theatrical company as ballerina. bhe was in Monterey with the Mexican musical comedy, "Ha-ta-plau," when her vivacious talents wtie brought to thi attention of Mr and Mrs Frank Woodyard who placed her under their personal contract and took her to Hollywood. Hal Eoach, the comedy maker, wm the first producer to see possibilities in the girl. After a few appearances in Eoach comedies, Douglas Fairbanks, "who was looking for a madcap type to play opposite him in "The Gaucho," gave Miss Velez her first screen test for a dramatic role. It is eaid that Fairbanks was so impressed with her then that he signed her to play the part before the testa were developed. As a result of her work in "The Gaucho," Miss Velez, although only two months in the country, was placed in the enviable position of being in constant demand by producers. She went to the De Mille Studio and played opposite Eod La Eocque 10 "Stand and Deliver." At the conclusion of that picture, Joseph M. Schenck, head of United Artists, placed her under a fire-year contract to his organisation. Miss Velez thus joins such noted stars as Charles Chaplin, Gloria Swanson, Mary Pickford, Douglas Fairbanks, John Barrymore, Norma and Constance Talmadge, Konald Colman, Vilma Banky, Dolores Del Kio, and Buster Keaton, in producing screen plays for release through United Artists. Miss Velez has lived in San Antonio, Teras. and was educated at the Convent of Our Lady of the Lake in that city. Her selection by the Wampaß as a baby star is in recognition of the work she has already done and will do. There i» an excellent supporting programme of talking, singing, and dancing subjects, including a gorgeous technicolour production, "The Virgin Queen." ■»