FOOTLIGHT FLASHES

Evening Star, Issue 22619, 10 April 1937, Page 5

FOOTLIGHT FLASHES

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SGREEIMND JOTTINGS Arthur Treacher’s size humped him into butlerdom. The droll comedian, who plays P. G . Wodehouse’s mad. mumbling “ gentleman’s gent,” Jeeves, in ‘Thank You, Jeeves,’ the new Twentieth Century-Fox picture, which is now showing at the State, collided with an overhead microphone on his first picture, sustained a bad bump, and to add insult to in-

the six foot four-and-a-half-inch Englishman replied: “When I was awarded this first butler role, most of my friends proceeded to -warn me of the danger of being typed. So with all I’d heard, I intoned my lines with depression in my soul and boredom pouring out of me. The director, Chuck Reisner, was so amused by my boredom that I did several other pictures with him. I continued to be depressed and bored. It began to be a habit, so when I secured a butler part in a picture with another director, I decided I’d play the part properly. The director wouldn’t stand

jury, lost the part. “ Strangely enough,” he relates, “ I was playing a gentleman. I escorted a lady down some steps in full evening regalia, but the microphone, owing, to my somewhat excessive height, got in the way and I hurt my head so badly that I could not Say my lines. So they gave me my salary and told me they could hot'use' me in-thfe part.' But they offered,, me consolation when they told me They said they-would let me know about another part in a day

for it, so I gave in to depression and boredom until ‘ Jeeves ’ came along.” In ‘Thank You, Jeeves!’ however, Treacher plays a very superior sort of butler. He’s a “ gentleman’s gent ” who knows all about women,, and it is through his wooden-faced, imperturbable antics that, he •, extricates the muddle-headed Bertie Wooster 'from ah hilarious predicament. David Niven plays Bertie Wooster, with Virginia Field the “ lady in distress.”

or two. Sure enough, they called me ‘Love From- a Stranger’ is Ann up and offered mo the role of a butler Harding’s first British picture. The in the same picture, and I worked for history of this production is more 28 days. So I really started playing than usually interesting. The story, these ‘ gentleman’s gent ’ roles. be- an absorbing study in the macabre, cause I was too tall to play a gentle- first appeared in the pages of a wellman.” Asked how he hit upon his known -magazine under the signature particular butler characterisations, of Agatha Christie, the famous writer

Jottings on the people of the Stage and Screen and on the latest recorded Music.

of mystery stories. Made into a play by the well-known actor-dramatist, the lato Frank Yosper, it had a long and successful West End career, with Vosper achieving a big personal triumph in the leading male role. A few months ago the film rights were secured by Max Schach, head of Trafalgar Films, who engaged Frances Marion, Hollywood’s highest-paid scenarist, to adapt it for the screen, and cast Ann Harding and Basil Rathbone for the loading parts. Ann Harding has one of the strongest parts of her career as a typist who is swept off her feet by the wooing of a fascina-

ting stranger, only to find after marriage that she has given herself into the care of a cold-blooded fiend. Basil 'Rathbonei is 'the .sinister husband, whilst Binnie Halo plays the part of the heroine’s best friend. Other members of the supporting cast include Bruce Seton, Jean Cadell, Donald Calthrop, and Eugene Leahy. Rowland V. Lee directed.

‘My American Wife,’ which will open at the Regent on Friday next, shows Hollywood in the role of social satirist, making fun of those charming American heiresses who “ dig ” on the Continent for titled husbands. It is an entertaining comedy, with Francis Lederer as the handsome count from Hungary. Titled gentlemen who marry wealthy American girls know just what is expected of them. In excnange for his title the husband is given an allowance and a job by the family. He has a part to play and is expected to play it—to be seen at the best houses (if they’ll admit him) and in the smartest clothes. Thus, the homecoming of Mary Cantillon and Count Ferdinand to Smelter City is not exaggerated in ‘ My American Wife,’ and for Mr and Mrs Robert Cantillon, of Smelter CityCount Ferdinand, although he _ looks beautiful in his morning coat, is not very much interested in posing as a languid aristocrat. He wants to become a real American. Now, among all the Cantillons is one who has not forgotten that he is ah American—ana proud of it. Grandfather Lafe Cantillon fought Indians as a. young man, and founded Smelter City. Lafe, however, has little time for Smelter City, he lives on his ranch; and, as for Count Ferdinand—well, Lafe is very indignant.

The film goes its piquant way by showing how Ferdinand wins the old man’s heart and—in doing so—neax-ly loses Mary’s. But it works out happily iii the end. The film has a lot of room for that popular homespun philosophy in which Will Rogers excelled; and the spokesman, of the real 100 per cent, old-time Americans is Fred Stone, who gives a fine performance as Lafe Cantillon. Billie Burke, who must have drunk at the well of everlasting youth, is perfect as the socially-minded mother—a quaint mixture of vulgarity

ingenuousness not altogether displeasing. Francis Lederer is _ ms usual charming self—an entertaining lover, a smart dresser, and (when necessary), an amiable comedian.

The world almost lost Eurico Caruso, perhaps the greatest tenor who ever lived, during the terrible hours or the San Francisco earthquake of 1906. Indeed, the lives of a large number of artists, members of the Metropolitan Opera Company on tour, were endangered on that morning of April 18, almost exactly 30 years ago. These facts came to light during intensive pre-pro-

duotion research work on ‘ San Francisco,’ new Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer production, co-starring Clark Gable, Jeanette MacDonald, and Spencer Tracy, and dealing with ’Frisco of the late Barbary Coast days. The picture is now at the Mayfair. Dui-ing a search for all information and photographs of the Grand Opera House, where Miss MacDonald, as an opera singer, appears during a number of the film’s sequences, a yellowed book of clipping was found in a second-hand book store. Faded

news items revealed that at the time of the catastrophe the city’s opera season had just begun. Caruso, it appears, was asleep on one of the upper floors of the Palace. Awakened by a severe shock, he made his way down six flights of stairs and into the main corridor, where confusion reigned. Two minutes later a reporter found him, barefooted and pyjama-clad, sitting on his valise

in the middle of Market street. “ It instantly recalls the horrors in my own native Naples, of which 1 was reading yesterday,” Carusoiis quoted as having said. “ I have no doubt the earthquake here has some relation to the eruption of Vesuvius.” Olive Fremstad was the heroine of the grand opera forces. Aroused from her sleep, she barely escaped with, her life from St.,

Dunstan’s as it crumpled; but she refused to leave the stricken neighbourhood, and remained the entire day, ministering to the injured and foraging provisions for the destitute. She spent all her money buying food for the sufferers, and when night came she walked to the ferry and crossed to Oakland with other members of the company. A wonderfully-produced supporting picture tells in a_ vivid manner the birth of the great oil industry, the life and habits of the natives of Sumatra, and the immense amount of physical, technical, and scientific effort expended on the production of one of the world’s greatest modern necessities'—oil.

humour which has- distinguished Wodehouse in the field of letters and now provide a wealth of laughter for the world on the screen.

Packed with thrills and excitement, Warner Bros.’ ‘ The Charge of the Light Brigade’ will be shortly at the Empire. The foolhardy attack on the heights of Balaclava is shown with a strength and force that carry the audience with the immortal six hundred up to the muzzles of the Russion cannon and beyond. The picture has taken the charge, even to the bursting of the Russian sheels among the ranks of the brigade, and the fall of men and horses before cannon and rifle fire, and placed it on the screen. The story begins in an expedition to the stronghold of the powerful Surat Khan on the

Hollywood’s adaptation of the P. G. Wodehouse comedy ‘Piccadilly Jim,’ comes to the Empire shortly. An exceptional all-star cast adds to the merits of the story itself, and the direction by Robert Z. Leonard, who directed ‘ The Great Zeigfeld,’ is superb. Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer has taken Wodehouse at his face value and it proves to he a gold mine of mirth. They give his original story visible and audible life, but otherwise it is unchanged, Robert Montgomery is ex-

cellent in the title role. Madge Evans is a lovely lady opposite him, and Frank Morgan, also of ‘ The Great Ziegfeld,’ appears as his father, an actor in love with a woman of high social station in London. Billie Burke, widow of Florenz Ziegfeld, makes her first screen appearance under her new M.G.M. contract and-plays a truly delightful role. Eric Blore and others

north-west frontier of India. Then follows the increasing threat of Russia; hanging over both the Far and the Near East. Errol Flynn is convincing as the man who changed retreat into advance. He is ably supported by the beautiful Olivia de Havilland, as a Scottish girl, whose hand is sought in marriage by two brothers. She is betrothed to the older (Flynn), but during the absence of her fiance fighting on the frontier she falls ifa love with the younger brother (Patrick Knowles). Struggle as she may, she cannot subdue her love, and when she discovers that both her lovers have been ordered to the front to fight against the Russians in the Crimean campaign, she breaks downi and confesses to her betrothed the real state of her feelings. For the battle scenes 15,000 extras wore required.

Irene Dunne -will sing the music of Jerome Kern in Paramount’s ‘ High, Wide, and Handsome,’ as she did in the memorable ‘ Roberta.’

in the cast keep up the pace. The story carries from London to New York v.a a transatlantic luxury liner, with »> odehous© comedy and romance evident at every turn. Montgomery plays the part of a young caricaturist who unwittingly lampoons the family of the B ir * l° vcs in a series of cartoons that amuse the world. The ensuing complications provide ,t]ie .vein of

For the first time on or off the screen Gene Raymond wears a moustache in his current R.K.O. Radio picture ‘ Walking On Air,’ coming on Wednesday to the Grand, in which he is co-starred with Ann Sothern. The advent of the moustache on the Raymond upper lip aroused _ a storm of controversy among his friends and co-workers until the actor announced that he will go by a majority opinion of fans and friends. If they like him better with a moustache than without, he will cultivate one in earnest. Approximately 10 different types of moustaches were tried before a decision as to size and shape was reached. The type finally decided on was small,, upturned, and slightly waxed at the ends to fit the character of a French count, whom Raymond impersonates. Director Joseph Santley made the final weighty

decision. Jessie Ralph and Henry Stephenson have featured parts.

t Marie Ouspenskaya, who, played in Dodsworth,’ has been given a com tract by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. * * * *

Gertrude Michael, and Jack Oakie aro to be teaimed by Radio in a comedy-* mystery called ‘ Super-Sleuth.’. • ' * *' •

Duke Ellington and his band wall bo featured in the new Marx Brothers picture. Ellington himself will play an acting part in the film.

Henry Wilcoson, now making Paramount’s t Souls At Sea,’ recently purchased his third ranch in San Fernando Valley, just outside Hollywood, and presented it to his wife, Sheila Barrett. His ranch property now totals 666 acres.

20th Century-Fox are planning to make a film about Scotland Yaird, following up their recent dramatisation of ‘ Lloyds of London.’ * * * * William Powell has been taken out of the leading role of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer’s ‘ Espionage,’ and the part now; goes 1 to Edmund Lowe. * * * ‘ * Don Ameche, who played Alessandro in ‘ Ramona,’ has been given the lead in 20th Century-Fox’s ‘ Fifty Roads to Town.’ It is' a comedy-drama. J. Farrell MacDonald has just been added to the cast of Warner’s ‘ Slim ’ — which will be the I,oooth film he has appeared in. He has been on the screen for 30 years. * ♦ • ♦ _ The formation of a new film distributing company. Action Pictures (N.Z.),' with headquarters at Christchurch, has been announced. The company’s first presentation, ‘ Crimson Romance,’ will be previewed by the trade next month.

There were high jinks, lots of fun, and an even greater amount of hard work at the Eastern Service in Astoria, Long Island, while Ben Hecht and Charles MacArthur were shooting scenes in their new film satire. Paramount’s release, ‘ Soak the Rich,’ which comes on Friday to the Octagon. For one of the scenes showing the exterior of a multi-millionaire’s Long Island country home, one of the largest and most elaborate sets constructed in recent years had to be built. The set covered nearly half of the main stage, and showed the front of a mansion, a spacious stone terrace with stairways leading down to the lawn, landscaped with evergreens and trees, and divided by a gravel driveway, the whole being surrounded by a high stone wall. In front of the terrace was' a large goldfish pool, in which a bomb exploded, after being thrown through a window from the millionaire’s library.

Clarence Brown has been set' to direct ‘Maria Walewska,’ Gaa-ho’s next picture, in which she will co-star with Charles Boyer. Brown has already directed Garbo in six films.

Harry Cook, the young man-who sued 20th Century-Fox for £IO,OOO after he had appeared in a shot taken in a street for jme of their films, has settled his claim out of court for £l4.

A 1 Jolson has once more announced that he will not act again, hut will concentrate'on producing. He will consequently not appear in Bowery to Broadway,’ , the subject previously chosen for him.

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William Powell’s very considerable rise in popularity in the past year or two is now going to bring him the equivalent in cash. Tt© is due for what Hollywood calls a '“raise.” His present Metro-Goldwyn-iMayer contract for 10 pictures at al)out £30,000 for each film he makes expines in May, and rival producers are offering him as much as £40,000 a time in the hope of luring him away. The probability is, however, that Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer themselves will meet his figure, fortified by the knowledge that they will get it back through the box offices.

Three famous football stadiums were used in filming the fodtball sequences of ‘ O’Riley’s Luck,’ Paa-amount’s exciting romance of young love and college football, which begins on Friday at the Octagon. The njadn action was taken in the famous Papadena Rose Bowl, whore the annual New Year’s Day East-West classic is played. Here the famous “Trojans” of the University of Southern California worked out for almost a month getting the necessary action and thrills of a real bigtime football game. Another game was played at the Coliseum in Los Angeles, where the Olympic Games were held in 1932, and still another was played at U.S.C.’s famous Bovard Field. In all of these games Tom Brown, Larry Crabhe, and Benny Baker participated, with real zest ana vigour. Both Tom and Larry are in love with beautiful Eleanor© Whitney in_ ‘ O’Riley’s Luck, and it’s a tensely exciting football game in the famous Rose Bowl which decides who gets the girl.

Hollywood makes a brave show 1 in the year’s high salary, list compiled trom income tax returns published by the United States F Congress. While William Randolph Hearst has the biggest salary in Uie United States—£loo,ooo —Mae West heads the film colony with £96,166. Marlene Dietrich is second with £73,600, Bing Crosby third with £63,781, and Charlie Chaplin iourth with £62,000. Other well-paid stars ars; —Warner Baxter £41,600, Joe B. Brown £34,687; Janet Gaynor £33,914, Stan Laurel £31,253, Paul Mum £30,000, Eddie Cantor £30,000, James Cagney £29,423, Irene Dunne £29,16b, Charles Boyer £25,889; Bred Astaire £25,575, Harold Lloyd £25,000, > Katherine Hepburn £24,014, .John Boles £23,483, Kay Francis £23,033, Ronald Colman £21,600, Claudette Colbert £20,000, Anna Sten £19,360, Miriam Hopkins £17,250, Barbara Stanwyck £16,166, Ginger Rogers £14,896 'Slnrley \ Temple £13,999, William Powell £13,'333, Ann Harding £12,000.

44 Fans ” who send their letters to George Fprmby’s private address must be very surprised when they receive spch a prompt reply from the star. They have Peter to thank. And Peter is not exactly a secretary, either! He is an 44 outsize ” in Alsatians, and a great, pet in the Formby household. When the “ fan mail ” arrives it is received at the Preston home, where it is immediately readdressed and carried to the post office by Peter. Although the dog carries the letters to the post office m his mouth, they arrive at George Formby’s London hotel very much intact. Seldom are there any teeth marks on the letters. When George is at the studio for a produc-, tion Peter often is seen wandering around the set, waiting for his master to finish up for the day. Formby s latest production is 4 Keep Your Seats, Please,’ in which he co-stars with Florence Desmond, his partner in that previous comedy riot *No Limit.’ ‘ Keep Your Seats, Please,’ is the funniest treasure hunt ever filmed —a veritable feast of fun. The story tells of a Lancashire lad who is left a fortune by an eccentric aunt, , bit has to find it in a set of seven chairs, which have been sold separately to as many buyers. The picture is full of hilarious episodes with doctors, prima donnas, tram conductors, and goats, all doing their bit to provide a thousand laughs for the whole, family. Florence Desmond, playing the role, of Flo, George’s friend in troubles, proves that such team work as seen in ‘ No Limit ’ can be repeated, and her delicious funmaking during her efforts to help George find his fortune is perhaps her best work to date. The funniest picture' of this or any year—you will hardly keep on your seat for laughing when * Keep Your Seats, Please,’ comes to the St. James on Friday. § « ♦ t

Production officials at RKO Radio studios are wondering if a new comedy cyale will not be started by the forthcoming comedy starring Joe E. Brown. ‘ When’s Your Birthday?’ now, in production under the guidance of Davis L. Loew, deals with the hitherto untouched field of astrology, and presents the comedian as a professional soothsayer in a midway concession, The hilarious possibilities of the subject seem to be unlimited, and Brown himself is authority for the statement that he has never before delved into anything which seemed to give greater scope for comedy situations. “No matter what is to happen,” said the “ wise-cracking ” Joe E., perpetrating a terrible pun, “ it seems that the stars planet I” * * • * John Wane comes to the screen in what is for him an entirely different kind of story. He plays the part of a boatswain in the United States Coast Guard in Universal’s ‘The Sea Spoilers,’ which comes to the Strand on Friday. As Bosun Bob Randall, in temporary command of the Government cutter Niobe, Wayne is on the trail of a gang of rascally seal poachers who have also kidnapped his sweetheart. Wrecks and storms, secret wireless messages, conflicts in the seal pirate leader’s dungeon, all enter into the proceedings before Bob gets his man and his girl, amid bursting shells from the Coast Guard fleet. Nan Grey plays his sweetheart who risks her life for his love. entered films two years ago in ‘ Firebird,’ following with roles in ‘ The Great inpersonation’ ‘ His Night Out,’ ‘ Sutter’s Gold’ and '•* Dracula’s Daughter.’ Lieutenant Mays, Coast Guard officer, who, with his aeroplane, is captured by the poachers after a terrific battle, is portrayed by William BakcwelL

Running up the comedy scale from amusing to uproarious, and containing a tender love story with a new approach, 1 The Luckiest Girl in the World, coming to the Strand on Friday, features Jane Wyatt and Louis Hayward. The picture relates the misadventures of a strong-willed heiress who shares kitchen privileges with a dashing young cavalier. The lively dialogue sparkles with gay humour, and the sprightly situations keep getting funnier as the story unfolds. Jane Wyatt’s refreshing personality and excellent acting are revealed to splendid advantage in the title role. Jane tells papa she wants to marry a moneyless tennis player, and father asks her to prove she can live on a limited income before she takes the final dive into matrimony. Off Jane goes to the city to prove she is right. Then she meets the aforementioned cavalier, in the person of Louis Hayward. The fun becomes faster, more furious, and boils over when Nat Pendleton adds his nbtickling antics at a private detective who couldn’t trail his own shadow. The narrative bubbles along to a hilarious climax under the expertly humorous direction of Edward Buzzell, who has turned his comedy talent to good account in filming 1 The Luckiest Girl in the World.’ Jane Wyatt proves her right to high ranking in this laughrousing production, and Louis Hayward gives an outstanding performance. Every member of the cast delivers a smooth per tray ail. The picture is made more enjoyable by Eugene Pallette’s work as the millionaire father, Catherine Doucet’s interpretation as the mother, Phillip Reed as the penurious tennis player, and Viola Callahan as the landlady who dispenses kitchen ’ privileges. .

“ You can’t improve on Nature,” is a belief which has become fixed in the public mind through years of repetition, supported by much evidence _of Nature’s superiority over the artificial. When the film ‘ Yellowstone ’ was started, Universal Studios accepted the idea that the majesty and beauty of Yellowstone National Park were perfect, without any man-made improvement. There was no attempt to gild the lily, or bedizen the wonders of the garden spot with Hollywoodian gadgets of any description. Nature itself, without coaching or supervision, provided the splendid settings of ‘ Yellowstone, the mystery film coming on Wednesday to the Grand. - All the impressive grandeur of the park has been captured by the camera to give the story a of astonishing photography. Most of the natural scenic wonder spots of the park feature importantly in the film. Much of - the action takes place at Granite Rock and in the Teton Mountains, Punch Bowl, Mount Washburn, Tower Falls, Yellowstone Lake, The Pinnacles, Golden Gate Canyon, Grasshopper Glacier, and Avalanche Peak. The beauty spots that lure tourists from all over the world can now be seen in this . city at the Grand. Camera crews scoured the park thoroughly to get the maximum photographic results. They spent weeks filming the area, which is 62 miles long and 54 miles wide. ‘ Yellowstone ’ concerns a buried treasure hidden in the park by bandits some 20 years ago. The drama has a love theme woven through it. It is further heightened by the conflict between a band of desperadoes who were notorious in the early 1900’s, and a gang of modern “ hijackers.” The cast includes Henry Hunter, Judith Barrett, Ralph Morgan, Alan Hale, Michael Loring, Andy Devine, Monroe Owsley, Raymond Hatton, and Paul Harvey. » *-•*;# : The Royal Canadian Mounted Police rule the Canadian North-west. Numbering 2,500 in all, from the Commissioner to each constable, they are the national police and serve directly under the Minister of the Interior. Since they are the'only organised force of law and order in various territories they have even greater authority than America’s Federal forces. Their code is a strict one, according to Bruce Carruthers, who acted as technical director during the production of Zane Grey’s ‘ King of the Royal Mounted,’ Twentieth Centufy-Fox release, coming on Wednesday to the Grand, with Robert Kent starred and Rosalind Keith and Alan Dinehart featured. Despite the lawlessness of much of the northwbods land they are called upon to police, murders are extremely rare. And despite the suggestion of the famous slogan “ a Mountie always gets his man,” they are trained to prevent, a man- from becoming a criminal in preference to .catching him after he has become one. Although airplanes and other mediums of mechanical progress have eliminated many of the hardships which Carruthers faced during his period of service, the Mounties still resort to dog teams in many instances when patrolling the territory. It was Carruther’a last duty that paved his way to Hollywood. In the dead of winter while helping to fight a fire in Dawson with the temperature at 60deg below zero, water filled the rubber boots he was wearing and not only froze, but also froze both his legs so badly that for several months it was, thought he would never walk again,’ Being forced to a warmer climate to recover, he chose Southern California. Soon after his recovery was complete, studio officials sought him out to secure his technical advice on films of the Mounted Police. In addition to ‘ King of the Royal Mounted,’ Carruthers has assisted in the filming of several other Hollywood productions.

Walter Abel, appearing opposite Gertrude Michael in RKO Radio’s 4 Second Wife ’ at the Grand on Wednesday, made his first theatrical adventure during his high school career at Herron Lake, Minnesota. Footlight minded, he went to New York to study at the American Academy of Dramatic Art, and upon his graduation Henry Miller gave him a part in the road company of 4 Come Out of the Kitchen.’ Then he played in 4 Forbidden,’ and spent a summer in stock in Detroit with Katherin Cornell and Guthrie M'Clintic. Returning to New York he became assistant stage manager of 4 Wake Uip, Jonathan,’ joined the Theatre Guild, spent a summer as dramatic counsellor at a boys’ camp and attended the University of Wisconsin. He returned to New York and joined the Provincetown Theatre. He has the distinction of attending Harvard, Yale, Pennsylvania, and the University of Chicago. His Broadway stage career has been auspicious, his last important footlight role being in 4 Merrily We Roll Along,’ RKO Radio imported him to Hollywood for the role of d’Artagnan in 4 The Three Musketeers,’ and he has appeared in the same company’s 4 The Lady Consents,’ 4 Two in the Dark,’ and 4 The Witness Chair.’