SCREENLAND JOTTINGS

Evening Star, Issue 20990, 2 January 1932, Page 6

SCREENLAND JOTTINGS

Heather Thatcher, the talented blonde English actress, showed Hollywood something new when she started a craze there for monocles, among women, by wearing one herself with complete success. She is called “ Thatch ” .by her colleagues, and spent a happy time in the film colony with the Wodehouses. * * • • Miriam Hopkins, the Broadway stage actress, who has made a successful entry into talking films, once declined a stage contract to become a screen bathing beauty. * * * # A film has had to be abandoned because Wild West cattle are too well fed. Radio Pictures were about to make ‘Penthouse,’ which introduces a sensational round-up, when it was discovered that no ranch owner in the West would hire his cows for the exterior scenes. The animals being unusually plump owing to. good grazing, their owners were unwilling to have their fat run off in motion picture exercises.

Lorna Moon, or Lorna Low, whose creation, ‘ Dark Star,’ originated the ‘Min and Bill ’ talkie, died in a Californian sanatorium after a lengthy illness a few months ago. She was the daughter of Charles Low, who at one time tenanted the Temperance Hotel, Stricken, in the Buchan area of Aberdeenshire. She emigrated to the States when quite a young girl, and was scenario writer. Battling against illness, she wrote for newspapers as well, and her serials were popular. She wrote her novel, ‘ Dark Star,’ around people found in the North-east of Scotland. Her ashes were brought back from America, and scattered by her father on the rounded summit of Mormond Hill, the spot she loved best in all Scotland.

Kay Francis will shortly start work opposite Frederic March in' 1 The Master Key.’ a dramatic love story recently purchased by Paramount. Lothar Mendcs will direct the forthcoming picture.

Jackie Cooper, who has just finished work in the Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer film, ■ The Champ,' in which lie is co-starred with Wallace Beery, will soon begin work in ‘ Limpy.’ Harry Pollard has been selected to direct the new film from the novel by William Johnston.

Lance Fairfax, who is so well remembered on his recent trips through New Zealand with Williamson’s musical organisations, has changed over to sound pictures. His first feature will be as the leading player in ‘Beggar Student,’ now being produced by the British Lion Corporation at Beaconsfield.

Lawrence Grant, Gustave Von Seyffertitz, and Eugene Pallette have been assigned featured roles in Marlene Dietrich’s new Paramount picture, ‘ Shanghai Express.’ The picture has just gone into production in Hollywood with Clive Brook, Anna May Wong, and Warner Claud heading the cast. Josef Von Sternberg is directing from an original story by Harry Hcrvcy.

Vickie Bmmi,' distinguished Austrian authoress and editor of Germany's foremost fashion magazine, ‘ Dio Dame,’ lias signed a contract with Metro-Gold-wyn-Mayer. Vickie liaum, who began her career at sixteen as Vienna’s star harpist, and has since carved out a world-wide literary reputation, has been engaged to work on the motion picture adaptation of ‘ Grand Hotel,’ the stage success based on her novel of the same title. Edmund Colliding, also recently signed by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, will direct the new picture.