THE TALKIE WORLD

Dominion, Volume 25, Issue 272, 12 August 1932, Page 16

THE TALKIE WORLD

Pars from the Studios Marian Nixon was just about to step on the train for Illinois to visit her sister and an eight-month-old niece when Fox Studio officials ’phoned her to announce that she had been selected for the leading feminine role iu “Walking Down Broadway.” a down-to-tho-minute, down-to-earth romance of America’s most romantic city. James Dunn has the chief male role. It is humoured in Hollywood that Ruth Chatterton contemplates divorcing her English actor-husband, Ralph Forbes. Studio gossips arc linking Ruth’s name with that of George Brent. ® George M. Cohan, most beloved figure of the American stage, has been signed by Paramount to enter talking pictures. Cohan will go to Hollywood shortly to assist in writing and to play the'stellar role in “The Phantom' President,” a musical comedy film romance which Norman McLeod is scheduled to direct. ♦ $ • Mayo Methot, noted New York stage actress, and “Skeets” Gallagher, comedystar of a score of pictures, have been selected by Columbia to support Adolphe Menjou in his new picture, “Murder of the Night Club Lady.” This is the film in which the debonair Adolphe will play the role of a “hardboiled” commissioner of police. 4 £ * Norman Lee has commenced production of a new 8.1. P. comedy starring Ernie Lotinga in the continued adventures of that popular screen character “Josser,” entitled “Josser Joins the Army.” On this occasion Josser accidentally enlists in two services at once, and in the concluding scenes of the film he will be seen as an airman. * * » “The Old Man,” which will be released by Greater Australasian Films, is a typical Wallace thriller. It has mystery, drama, romance, and comedy —all the elements our foremost novelist is wont to entertain us with. It Is set in an old-world manor and a Tudor inn, and goes-from surprise to surprise until the climax comes with the revelation of the mystery man’s identity. It will provide considerable exercise for the talents of our local amateur detectives. • » » Following “Girl Crazy,” Wheeler and Woolsey will be seen in “Hold ‘Em Jail,” a fast-moving comedy centring around the activities of a ■prison football team. Edna May Oliver will have one of her inimitable comedy roles. Roscoe Ates will stutter his way through the merri- ■ ment. Music, will be provided by Harold Roberts and his University of Southern California Band. « • • Paul Lukas is now a Universal star. The first picture he will be in is a big special; entitled “Zeppelin.” The role opposite will be played by Tala Birell, who has achieved such an outstanding success in her first picture, “The Doomed Battalion.” Carl Laemmle expects to make at least four big pictures a year with Lukas. One of the things Jackie. Cooper liked most during the filming of Metro-Gold-wyn-Mayer's ‘‘When a Feller Needs a Friend/’ in which he is co-starred with Charles “Chic” Sale, is the fact that it was necessary for him to make four ‘‘location” trips with the company filming the picture. One of these was a fishing sequence which l required the company to travel about forty miles from the studio to a small lake with the necessary rustic surroundings. As it happened, the lake was stocked with fish, and Jackie was able to catch three small perch. ♦* * ■ “No Greater Love,” a heart-throbbing drama of unselfish love, is. the picture version oflsadore Bernstein’s story “And God Smiles,” which is due for release soon in New Zealand. The cast includes such imposing names as Alexander Carr, Richard Bennett, and Beryl Mercer, as well as the juvenile stars Dickie Moore and Betty Jane Graham. » * » Gertrude Lawrence, one of London’s most brilliant revue and stage stars, is starred in Frederick Lonsdale’s satirical comedy, “Aren’t We All?” produced at the Paramount British Studios, and shortly to be released. Miss , Lawrence heads one of the finest casts tver asembled for a Britili picture, including Owen Nares, Hugh Wakefield, Harold Huth, Marie Lohr, Renee Gadd. Rita Page, Aubrey Mather, and Emily Fitroy. Many New Zealanders: will remember the brilliant stage performance of tins comedy presented by Irene Vanbrugh and the late Dion Bbuccicault.

The following review on Gloria Swanson’s “To-night or Never” which was previewed recently, appeared in the “Daily News” (Hollywood)I “Gloria Swanson seems to have hit the box office a resounding wallop in ‘To-night or Never.’ ‘To-night or Never’ was cheered by a preview audience; that in itself is unusuah . Comments of the patrons strolling out indicated that they considered the show better than ‘The Trespasser’ and incomparably superior to ‘lndiscreet.’” Between pictures Kay Francis, star of “Man Wanted,” a Warner Bros.’ First National Picture, spends her time boating in the Pacific with her husband, Kenneth McKenna, prominent director. Kay acts as chief eook and bottlewasher, while her husband navigates their thirty-five-foot yacht. Chester Morris comes from a theatrical family. His father is William Morris, best remembered for his performances in many Belaseo successes. His mother was a noted comedienne known to theatre-goers as Etta Hawkings. “Chauffeur courtesies” are being mastered by John Gilbert for his new role in “Downstairs,” an Mi-G.-M. production, with Monta Bell directing. During the action he has to fulfil the regulation service requirements, such as tipping the hat when reporting for duty, opening car doors to assist passengers, and polishing the luxurious vehicle he drives in the picture, ft 111 $ Finding himself with thirty idle minutes while the cameras were lining up on the new Marion Davies picture, “Blondie of the Follies,” which he is directing, Edmund Goulding sat down and wrote a song, the second he has written for this production. ft ft ft Lila Lee has been acting ever since she was four years old. , Born in New York City in July, 1905, Lila Lee when a baby was taken by her parents to Union Hill, New Jersey. It was while she was attending kindergarten there that Gus Edwards discovered her and persuaded her parents, to let her try out in' the "Song Revue." Making good at once, she was named "Cuddles.” touring Europe with the Edwards troupe as a star until 1918, when the Jesse Lasky motion picture company discovered her and signed her on a five-year contract. Her latest film is "Radio Patrol.”