BIOGRAPHIES OF THE STARS

Evening Star, Issue 22893, 26 February 1938, Page 5

BIOGRAPHIES OF THE STARS

HO. 8: GWEN MUNRO : Tint life is only lived once to the full by taking chances—dangerous ones, if the occasion arises—is the firm belief of Gwen Munro, the lovely Melbourne girl playing the leading feminine role in ‘ Let George Do It,’ the new Cinesound comedy, starring George Wallace. “ The lives of so inany people run in grooves—narrow grooves of a deadly sameness,” she de-

dares. “T have always had a horror of monotony, and whatever success I have had has been because I have fought hard against it.” Educated in Switzerland and a finishing school in Paris, Gwen returned to Australia to take her place among Melbourne’s young “ socialites.” But the desire for a career, and her zest for the exciting and the unknown, made her take Tier first chance. She entered the Paramount search for beauty contest. It was her chance against hundreds of other lovely Australian girls, but she won. Her trip to Hollywood, the fun of working in an American film, the thrill of meeting famous Hollywood stars, were all wonderful experiences. Instead of returning to Australia_ at the end of her contract, Gwen decided to take another chance and try for stage work in America.

Her experiences, were varied. Stock companies were hard work, buteventually she was offered the feminine lead at the Passadena Playhouse, playing with Leslie-Fenton and Colin Clive. “I was still pretty inexperienced, but I decided to try it. I’m afraid I was a failure. The play was by an Australian, Jim Warwick, and was called ‘ Dear Bill.’ Alter my performance, I’ve always had a sneaking idea Mr Warwick would not have called me ‘ Dear Gwen ’ had he met me. Strangely enough, I only heard recently that his latest play, ‘ Smoke Screen ’ was a tremendous hit in New York. “ But that experience did me the world of good. It effectively proved to me that I had many limitations which could be corrected. And so I worked really hard .after gracefully climbing down to a smaller part. This was with a Russian producer, Byron Foulger, and he taught me a lot. His teaching was a strange mixture - of sarcasm and advice, but I have always been grateful for it.” Back in Australia, Gwen tried to settle down to the social round. Hunting, ski-ing at Mount Buffalo, and flying with her airman brothdr-in-law added to her zest for thrills and adventure. But an offer of a small stage role made her take another chance for a career. Touring with the ‘ Wind and the Rain ’ company, playing the second feminine lead, she received her big opportunity. This led to a screen offer, when Cinesound began casting for ‘ Orphan of the Wilderness.’ When informed that her role of a circus performer called for a bareback riding act, she immediately agreed to tackle the job, although she had no previous experience. When the sequence was about to he “ shot ” after two or three attempts, she trotted around the ring with the ease of an experienced performer. Recently, in her movie career, she lived in a tent for two months on an island off the Queensland coast. The discomforts and dangers she lightly dismisses, although the under-water swimming among the coral reefs and the very real danger of sharks, she admits gave her a few bad moments. When location moved to the jungde growth of the Russell River, she laughingly admitted that there were hundreds of tarantulas and wild pigs crashing through the undergrowth, piaking the night hideous. But even the heavy tropical rain could not dampen her enthusiasm. The thrill of overcoming the dangers and _ difficulties of working in these conditions was her compensation. When told of the spectacular speedboat chase, which will be the climax of 1 Let George Dp It, her first remark was, I hope 1m in that sequence.” For Gwen is never afraid. Like most interesting and talented people she always takes a risk gaily. Perhaps she has the happy realisation that life’always offers fresh opportunities, and absorbing interest to the courageous.