STRONG, SILENT WAN

Evening Star, Issue 23349, 19 August 1939, Page 5

STRONG, SILENT WAN

BUT HE GAN CLOWN ON OCCASION Laurence Olivier has been variously, described by his intimates. Some call him tall, dark, and handsome. Others say that he is as mercurial as the month of March. Being a reticent person, he merely states that he takes his acting career very seriously and that,, his private life is astonishingly barren' of highlights. Samuel Goldwyn obviously thinks he’s a first-rate actor—for the, producer selected him to play one of the “ fattest ” roles of the year, that of Heathcliff in the first screen; production of the great Emily Bronte classic, 1 Wuthering Heights.’ _ Olivier comes of theatrical parents,; He was born in London and educated in the public schools of England. His first stage experience was r in his 'parents’ tonring company. Later he joined the Birmingham' Repertory Company; and stayed with that notable group for two years. His first hit was in the name part of a production known as ‘ Harold,’ but this was a stepping stone to his personal triumph as Captain. Stanhope in the London production of ‘ Journey’s End.’ His picture successes number ‘ The Perfect Understanding,’> ‘ The Yellow Ticket,’ ‘ Westward Passage,’ ‘I; Stand CWdemhed, , ' i * Fire Over England;’ ‘ The Dprorce of Lady

X,’ in which he also starred with Merls Oberou, his , co-star, in ‘ Wuthering Heights.’ Olivier is the strong, silent type, without ever, appearing unsociable. And yet while on Hie set, in , the midst of the strongest dramatic scene, he will' suddenly clown. When he blows up on a line he makes.faces at the, camera and surrounding crew. It is,- he' says, to relieve his own tensions and-to keep him from over-playing that he. indulges ill moments of horseplay and attitudes of making himself ridiculous. When actors applaud it , must be good. Hundreds of “ extras ”, jammed in the senate galleries in ‘ Mr Smith Goes to Washington,’ Frank Capra’s current Columbia production, ro§e, cheered, whistled, and stamped when James Stewart and Claude Rains concluded brilliant debate scenes for the picture. No movie script could contain % situation more terrifying to Marian, Marsh than one which actually occurred when, she was four years old, living in Trinidad, in the West The actress, who is one of the principals in ‘Missing Daughters,’ Columbia’s new drama, featuring Richard Arlen and Rochelle Hudson, was chased by an alligator I ‘ My Son, My Son,’ Howard Spring’* best-selling novel, has been bought by Producer Edward Small for-. the sum. of 50,000d01. Published in England under the title of ‘Oh Absalom,’ this book has sold 5,000 copies weekly. Dealing with two fathers and their sons and the rising fortunes of the fathers, the story is laid in the last half-century. A newspaperman of the ‘ Manchester Guardian,’ Spring became famous with the success of this unusual novel, Small has cabled him an offer to come to Hollywood to adapt his story for tba screen. ' « * « * Graphic contrast between the wooden era of 70 years ago and the current steel age is to be found in a display of farm implements in the general store scene in Hal (Roach’s ‘ Elephants Never, Forget.’ Prominent in the doorway and in the show windows are butter churns, tubs, kegs, and various kit. ohen utensils—all of wood. Even more surprising reminders of the> past are , rakes with wooden : teeth, and . threepronged forks for pitching ioned entirely of wood. Another relio of ■ a bygone day having a conspicuous ■ spot is a rack of buggy whips. Wesley Rnggles will encounter no shortage of horses when he films ‘ Arizona,’ starring Jean Arthur, in the novel’s locale near Tucson. Arizona, the forty-eighth ahd Aztec State, could justifiably be called the Horse State. Originally there were no horsCs on this continent. Cortez first brought them to these shores. Many escaping north through Mexico have bred wild to tlia present day.- Untamed Arizona mustangs roam the mesa in thousands, and are considered the strongest, hardiest quadrupeds-in the West.