AMERICAN FILM COLONY IN LONDON

Dominion, Volume 29, Issue 225, 19 June 1936, Page 16

AMERICAN FILM COLONY IN LONDON

“0 REETINGS, salutations and bless you.” writes an American film correspondent to her Hollywood employers. “Here r*um at the end of my visit to London. And what a visit it was—tophole, ripping and too, too divine.” I sailed on the Normandie to see what it feels like to be on a million dollar set at sea. It really was a thrilling trip, especially when I had Edward Everett Horton for a sailing companion. Eddie was en. route to the Twickenham Studios to play in English films, but he was l far more excited at the prospect of indulging in his favourite hobby, antique shopping. I just wish you could have seen the Sheratin cabinets, Queen Anne tables, stained glass windows, highboysand whatnots that he unearthed in ye olde antique shoppes of Surrey and Sussex and had shipped back to his ranch estate in Van Nuys.

No wonder poor Mi's. Horton, Eddie's seventy-six-yea r-young mother, was moved to exclaim, “One more piece of furniture in the house and we’ll be arrested for trespassing 1” The first night of my arrival in London I rushed to the Savoy Grill, the aftertheatre rendezvous of all London, but it looked more like intermission at a Hollywood party to me! There, at various ringside tables, sat Walter Huston. Douglas Fairbanks, jun.. Laura La Finnic, Richard Dix, Madge Evans. Loretta Young, Virginia Cherrill, Eugene P.illette, Jean Barker, Maurice Chevalier and the Bramwell Fletchers.

Table-hopping from one to anther, I discovered that Laura La Haute aud Doug, jun.. had just returned from Monte Carlo, where (bey had been shooting location exteriors for “Water Nymph,” a Warner Brothers’ release. Laura, as you know, is now a permanent resident of London since her new husband. Irving Asher, is production chief of the Warner Brothers studios in Teddington. A delightful fellow. with an uncanny eye for discovering talent, he already has been responsible for importing to Hollywood such fair finds as Baity .Sybil Jason. Errol Flynn. lan Hunter and Henry Mollison Of course, his importing Laura to London, makes it hard on us folks at home,

but then she is so happy that it wouldn't be quite “cricket” for us to complain. Doug, jun., too, looked better and seemed happier than I had ever seen him. Perhaps it’s because he’s l still a “G Man,” and by that I mean that, despite all gossip columnists to the contrary, lie still only has eyes for Gertrude Lawrence.

But “Geo” isn't the only attraction London holds for Doug., jun., You see, young Doug is essentially “top hat, white tie and tails,” and he belongs in Die atmosphere of a sophisticated, cosmopolitan centre like London. He is enormously well liked and is invited into more royal enclosures than any Other "commoner,” lint never once do you hear him boast.

"The only fly in my ointment is Hollywood’s misinterpretation of my living here.” Douglas told me one afternoon as we sat chatting over the teacups in his lovely home in Chelsea. “I’m not being traitorous to Hollywood by working in London and more than Leslie Howard, Herbert Marshall and Charles Laughton are being traitorous to England by working in Hollywood.

“I still have my home in Beverley Hills 1 and my pictures have American release and American backing. If this be treason, make the most of it! No. Hie only reason I've chosen to make pictures in England is that, for me, it happens to be more feasible. “In Hollywood. I'm just an actor whom everyone has known since I was in knee breeches. That's l fatal when you want to be taken seriously. And I want to be taken seriously. My name is in electrics now, but the fuse may blow out, and then whore am I? In the producing end, I hope. That’s why 1 am laying the groundwork now. Hollywood wouldn't give me the opportunity, so 1 came to London, whore I've established enough confidence to promote my own company.” “Does that mean you are remaining over here indefinitely?” I wanted to know. "Not necessarily. A really good role in Hollywood, a radio contract, a Broadway play may tempt me back any time lint until one. or all of them, comes along. Douglas wiii remain in London as America's Ambassador of Good iVill.