FILMS and the STAGE

Dominion, Volume 27, Issue 16, 13 October 1933, Page 14

FILMS and the STAGE

News From The Studios And Theatres

From England and America

Bl.P.’s great revue, “Radio Parade,” • includes in its cast such stars as Florence Desmond, the Waters Sisters, Flotsam and Jetsam, Clapham and D.wyer, and Claude Hulbert.

* 1 ♦ * “Song of the Plough,” a Sound City production, is now completed and enters the cutting and editing stage. Through the very real co-operation of a number of farmers truly magnificent landscape and farm life scenes have been obtained.

Tom Walls and Ralph Lynn arc together again in B. and D’s ‘‘Cuckoo in the Nest”—a delectable partnership, and one that should nover _have been split up. Incidentally, Walls is directing.

Ronald Colman, who has been holidaying in Europe, is expected to star in a British and Dominions talking picture adaptation of Warwick Deepiug’s “Sorrell and Son.”

"Beautv For Sale,” the new Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer feature, is a daring picturisation of the sensational Faith Baldwin novel, “Beauty.” It is a drama of modern city life, with a particularly intimate locale behind the scenes in a fashionable beauty salon.

’ “Moonlight and Pretzels,” Universal’s delightful musical romance, which is due for early release here, is brimful of catchy tunes and spectacular ballets. Tlie story deals with the “show” business, and holds the interest from start to finish. There is an all-star cast. * • * ♦ ■ * When a beautiful woman like Fay Wray agrees to look “fat and forty it’s a considerable sacrifice for art’s sake. Winner of several beauty contests and one of Hollywood’s fairest, Miss Wray,, for the first time in liter career, plays a character role—that of a disillusioned woman of forty-six in concluding scenes of Paramounts “One Sunday Afternoon,” starring Gary Cooper. - !

Romance, mixed with exciting adventure, is the keynote of the Warner Bros.’ picture, “The Life of Jimmy Dolan,” with Douglas Fairbanks, junr., in the starring role, adding another strong characterisation to his already long list of successes. The story deals with a lefthanded prize-fighter who is forced to change his name, abandon his profession, and, practically penniless, becomes a homeless, friendless wanderer in his efforts to evade capture by the law.

Fay Wray, Robert Armstrong, and Bruce Cabot, with a combined weight of 460 pounds, play feature roles m “King Kong” opposite six prehistoric monsters, including five dinosaurs

mid a huge gorilla, whose combined

weight is about 155,000 pounds, ' pr 77j tons. This is 8.K.0.-Kadio s fantastic story of a mammoth ape i brute’s capture through his tenderness toward feminine beauty such as lie had never previously seen. Mr. George Arliss will again have the support of beautiful Bette Davis in his next Warner Bros.’ release, “The Working Man.” The story tells of a business man who helps the orphaned children of his late rival. 9‘ * ♦

Mary Pickford’s new picture, “Secrets,” will shortly be seen in Wellington. The picture has been well received everywhere, and Miss Pickford is said to recapture in the picture much ‘ of the charm that made her so popular in the days of‘the silent pictures. Her performance is greatly heightened, of course, by the work of Leslie Howard. “Secrets” is the story of the love and devotion of a loyal wife who sees her husband through many trying situations to final wealth and political fame. ' •,

The cast of “The Lady is Willing,” Columbia’s British production, now in course of filming at Elstree, includes Leslie Howard, Binnie Barnes, Cedric Hardwicke, Sir Nigel Playfair, Nigel Bruce, W. Graham Btowne, and George Zucco. ’

Charlie Chaplin’s Understudy

QTAN LAUREL, the “dumb” side-kick ° of Oliver Hardy, first arrived in America qn a cattle boat with the Fred Karno Humming Birds troupe as understudy to Charlie Chaplin. When Charlie went into pictures. Laurel failed to get his part. He knocked about the country playing in cheap vaudeville. Finally, he became a director and actor for the Hal Roach studios. He teamed with Oliver Hardy in 1926. He is five feet ten inches tall, weighs one hundred and fifty-five pounds and talks with a clipped English accent. He writes and helps direct most of the Laurel and Hardy comedies. He is shy and reserved and lives very quietly. His favourite hobby is fishing.

Millionaire’s Work in Picture

TpILM ‘extras” worth more than 500,; X 000,000 dollars in their own names, were used in scenes filmed in Chicago for Charles R. Rogers’ Paramount production, “Golden Harvest,” featuring .Richard Arlen, Chester Morris and Genevieve Tobin. Desirous of having the wheat pit’scenes show the traders as they actually are, the officials of the Chicago Board of Trade persuaded the traders to report for screen work in the pit on Sunday. School Teacher to Actress rpHELMA TODD was a 'school teacher x before she became an actress. She was teaching school in Lawrence, Mass., when she was seen by a scout 'for J esse Lasky_jind signed to a film contract. She is the only remaining member of the Paramount' acting school who is still on the screen, She appears in the Pitts-Todd comedies, being co-starred in the series with Zasu' Pitts. Although she is best known as a comedienne, she is also a capable dramatic actress. She is a blonde and has a grand sense of humour. She is fond' of dancing and her favourite sport is horseback riding.

' Fairbanks, father'and son. are to make a film at Elstree, England, “Zorro and Son” or “Zorro Rides Again” it will be called, and Douglas Fairbanks, .sen., will appear as Zorro, the Californian bandit, whose escapades he made popular in the silent film “The Mark of Zorro.” Fairbanks, jun., will take the role of Zorro’s son. - 1 ' '■

Cast-of “Southern Maid” JgEBE DANIELS has taken Nancy Brown’s place in the title role of the 8.1. P. film, “The Southern Maid.” Nancy was given the role of the Maid’s mother, in the prologue, but now that, too, has been given to Bebe, and Nancy has been allotted the part of a Spanish singer. Harry Welchman has the romantic role opposite Miss Daniels, and Morris Harvey, is the Spanish-America magnate. When the stage show of “The Southern Maid” was presented in Wellington, Gladys Moncrief and Claude Flemming took the leading roles. Most (Versatile Woman WEST has proved to Hollywood . that she is the most versatile woman in America. The star,/ who wrote the script for her first starring vehicle, has always'written her'own stage plays, has published l two novels, authored the lyrics for several of. the songs composed by Ralph Rainger for her latest picture, and, besides, turns out sketches and material for .other performers in her spare time.

“Adventure on the Lido” is the title of a screen story which has been written specially for Alfred Piccaver, the English opera singer. The film is to be produced in English, German and French versions, at Venice and in Austria under thf direction of Richard Oswald.

Once a Social Secretary • \ TTAY FRANCIS was born in Oklahoma City but when four years old her mother, Katherine Clinton, an actress. placed her in a private school at Ossining, New York. Later she entered Cathedral school in Garden City. She studied secretarial work and became social secretary to Mrs. W. K. Vanderbilt. She also filled the same posts for . Mrs. Minturn. Pinehot and Mrs. Dwight W. Morrow. After a tour of Europe she decided to go on the stage, first appearing in a modern version of “Hamlet.” She later appeared on Broadway in “Venue,” “Crime” and “Elmer the Great” among other productions. Her, first picture work was in “Gentlemen of the Press.” Her success was instantaneous and-she was given a picture contract- Since then she has appeared in numerous outstanding successes, and has come to be looked upon as one of the best-dressed women on the screen.

Vera Pearce in the Limelight

QUNYA BERETA, the opera singer of ° “That’s a Good Girl,” Jack Buchanan’s new film, is played by Australia’s own Vera Pearce, who scored a success in the same part in the original stage version of this; show at the London Hippodrome in 1928. Vera Pearce has recently begun to build up a screen reputation as considerable as that which she enjoys as the result of her work upon the stage. Her appearance with Jack Buchanan in “Yes, Mr. Brown” was marked by one outstanding sequence—that in which she shared with the star the honours of a joyous burlesque dance. She was recently seen in Wellington in “Just My Luck” as persecutor of Ralph Lynn and obstacle-in-chief to his wooing of her daughter. Nqw she appears again, most welcomely, as'the large, jealous and vociferous opera- singer who chases Jack Barrow (Jack Buchanan) across the Alps with loud cries of vengeance and a stiletto. Miss Pearce’s last stage appearance in Wellington was as principal boy in the J. C. Williamson pantomime “Dick Whittington,” with Arthur Stigant as Dame and Pauline Bindley as principal, girl. Pat Hanna for London / ■ ■ ■ PAT HANNA is understood to be conX tempkiting a visit to England to help put over his two films, “Diggers in Blighty” and the just-completed “Waltzing' Matilda.” The latter is to be released in England under the title of “Soldiers Don’t Care.”

Telling the World p ETTING savages to act in the movies has its obstacles. Ward Wing, director of “Samarang,” romantic spectacle of life among the pearl divers of "the Indian Ocean, wanted to use the Sakai tribe, reputed to be cannibals. They live on snakes, rats and monkeys and an occasional tiger. Only, one man could be found who could speak the

Myrna Loy is taking the place of Jean Harlow as the heroine of “Bombshell,” the story of a Hollywood star. Certain incidents of the story, it was felt, might liave been taken to refer to well-known episodes of Miss Harlow’s own career if she had played the part.

Sakai language, but he was Chinese and knew no English, so a Malay who spoke Chinese was found, but he. in turn, could not speak English, so Wing had to tell an English-speaking Malay what he wanted. The Malay would tell the Malay-speaking Chinese, who would tell the Chinaman, who would tell the Sakais! This lengthy procedure had its difficulties, for by the time so many people had translated Wing’s directions, they were sometimes entirely different. ,

Gateman Tells Mannerisms of Film Players

“AT AC,” one of the best-known of the " L ’ JL Hollywood studio gatemen, never has to look up from his desk to identify the stars entering the studio. Each has his or her own mannerisms, and “Mac” can identify them without difficulty merely by sound. Maurice Chevalier, who walks to the studio from his Los Feliz home, strides in jauntily, smiling and beaming on everyone.

Mae West makes a grand entrance, with that mineing walk she has made famous on the screen. v

Gary Cooper is almost noiseless in his slow movements, and hardly speaks above a whisper.

' Jack Oakie boils through the door in a frenzy of heavy footsteps, waving anils, and “Hi, Boy!” The Four Marx Brothers usually arrive singly,. and quietly. Claudette Colbert is never in a hurry, and is never without a smile. Bing Crosby enters quietly, talks in a husky whisper, and goes straight to his dressingroom. Jack La Rue clatters through the gate like a noisy schoolboy instead of the suave, sleek gangster he often portrays on the screen.

A burial service shown from the point of view of the corpse is a gruesome screen effect which has been devised by Cecil B. De Mille in his new film, “This Day and Age.” In a graveyard scene, the camera was placed in the grave, the episode being terminated by the throwing of earth on the lens.

Most Unusual Film

TTNIVERSAL’S “Invisible _ Mau” is U arriving shortly to join the weird cavalcade of characters who have stalked with terrifying steps across the silver, screen. With Universal’s filming of H. G. Well’s fantastic tale of super science, the scientist who blends his body with the ether to upset the rhythm of the universe, the ultimate in screen' sensational dramas will b.e

Out of her new £28,000 contract Gracie Fields lias decided to donate £5OOO to build a new wing to the orphanage at Peaceliaven, which she gaie several years ago for the children of variety artists.

reached. “Jack Griffin,” Wells’s elusive character is being counted on by Universal to provide this year’s sensation. He is a medical scientist who is the victim of his unholy dscovery. R. C. Sherriff, who adapted the Wells tale for the screen, has built this unique chara'cter into a definitely starring role, and'Claude Rains, who plays it, is said to have plenty to do, although not often before the camera. Universal continues to keep secret the mechanics of this most unusual film.

The movie, as well as the play, must go on. And little Cora Sue Collins has proved herself a brave “trouper.” She has a part in “Woman in the Chair.” Having broken her arm roller skating, the splints were removed each time she went before the camera. And no one in the sjiidio knew it.

Sunday Night Concert

On Sunday evening next a concert will be held in the Grand Opera House, at which the principal performers will be artists from the Ernest Rolls Revue Company, which for the past two weeks has been delighting Wellington audiences with spectacular musical revues. Miss Jennie Benson, a comedienne of note, will be heard in vocal numbers, including the song “Aren’t Women Wonderful,” made popular by Miss Sophie Tucker. Miss M. Doran, who possesses a remarkably fine voice, will render vocal selections, and Miss Thelma Trott will include the charming number “Trees” in her repertoire. Mr. Colin Crane will 'be heard in “Lily of Laguna,” “01’ Man River,” and other songs, and Mr! Albert Batchelder’s contributions will be popular piano items. The artists will be assisted by the 2YA orchestra, which, under the conductorship of Mr. Leon de Mauny, has been specially augmented for the occasion.

Grecian Royalty at Studio

PRINCESS HELEN , OF GREECE, accompanied by her two daughters, the Princesses Irene and Catherine, visited Sound City on August 31. They arrived at 3 p.m. and did not leave until 7.30 p.m., proof of their thorough enjoyment of their visit. Norman Loudon, managing director of Sound City, received the Royal party. They made a tour of the exterior lot and watched scenes from two productions being shot, one from a picture being' made by Twickenham Studios, and the other, “Song of the Plough,” a Sound City production. After tea the party witnessed a performance of “Doss House” in one of the projection theatres. They showed very great enthusiasm over it, and expressed marked appreciation.

The Rise of Anna Neagle

THE big sensation of the London pieX ture season has been the phenomenal record put up by “The Little Damozel” at the Plaza Theatre, where more than 50,000 persons paid for admission during the first week. This total exceeds by some thousands the previous best attendance at a picture show in the same period. Miss Neagle, who was so well liked in the “Flag Lieutenant,” subsequently leaped into fame in “The Little Damozel,” after which she was selected as the star of Noel Coward’s “Bitter Sweet,” and of the film version of “The Bohemian Girl.” She is now regarded as the foremost actress of the British screen.

More Australian Features

AMONG the Australian films listed for release are Pat Hanna’s new film. “Waltzing Matilda”; “A Ticket in Tatts,” the George Wallace comedy, which Efftee is now completing; “Dear Old London,” which Claude Flemming directed for Efftee in London; "Two Minutes’ Silence,” a McDonough production ; and Sir Charles Kingsford Smith’s picture, “The Old Bus.” There will also be another Barrier Reef series, while Universal has an option on the distribution of “The Secret of the Skies,” which has just been tinislied at!St.>Kilda. Beaumont Smith has recently completed “The Hayseeds, which is a great success.