Flashes from FILMLAND

Evening Star, Issue 26091, 3 May 1947, Page 10

Flashes from FILMLAND

PERTINENT PARS ABOUT PICTURES t PFOPtE

MASON SCOOPS HONOURS IN ' DAILY MAIL' POLL

Items From the British , Studios ' George Raft is now reported to, be coming to England. But so far there is no hint of his being sighed to make, films here, writes Walter Little from London. He is to make a summer tour of the country's music halls—for £2,500 a week; Jean Pierre Auriiont is negotiating with Britain’s film chief,(Mr*J. Arthur Rank,-to make a film in England this autumn, after completing a French film with his wife, Maria Montez. John Mills has the lead in a new British thriller, ‘ October Man/ and his small daughter, Juliet,‘has ; a part in'the opening .scenes. ’ , ißalph Richardson has been selected for the role of-Karenin opposite Vivien Leigh in ‘ Anna Karenina,’, a. remake of Garbo’s former success,-, which will go into production’ at Shepperton; in April. , ' . Margaret Lockwood has ' started - a new' picture at Shepherd’s Bush. It has .been tentatively, titled “Milkwhite Unicorn.’ None of the other stare -has yet been named. In an action arising out of a separation deed, the noted London danceband leader and theatrical , producer. Jack Hylton, recently had judgment given .against kim ,in the; Chancery; 'Division, Lrindon.' 'The judge said the total payments to Airs the deed amounted to about ”£50',000. He held that Hylton’s“ spendable-m----come ” for 1945 was. £5,316!'

Nearly 2,500,000 British film fans voted in the second national film award conducted during February by the ‘ Da'ily Mail,’ says Walter Little, writing from London. James' Mason and Margaret Lockwood, who swept the hoard in the previous oontest covering the war years up to September, 1945, again took top honours. The No. 1. British film favourite was ‘ Piccadilly Incident.’ Mason had a commanding lead. He polled 194,035 votes. His nearest Competitors were Michael Wilding, Stewart Granger, and'ißex Harrison. Margaret Lockwood,, securing 166,024 votes, or three times more than in the earlier contest, .was followed by Anna Neagle. Anri Todd, and Phyllis Calvert. The year’s 10 best films were selected •as follows: —‘ Piccadilly Incident ’ 1. ‘ The - Wicked Lady ’ 2, ‘ The Seventh Veil ’ 3, ‘ The Captive Heart ’ 4, ‘ Brief Encounter ’ 5, ‘ The Rake’s Progress ’ 6, ‘ Caravan ’ 7, ‘ Theirs is the Glory ’ 8, ‘ The Magic Bow ’ 9, and ‘ Overlanders ’ 10. The costly colour productions, ‘Csesar and Cleopatra’ and ‘London Town,’ failed to classify. ; Wilding and Anna Neagle, who took second honours in their respective classes, were the stars of the film,’ ‘Piccadilly Incident,’ produced and directed by Herbert. Wilcox. ■ John Mills was second male favourite a year ago, when Granger occupied the same third placing as at ’the; moment. Rex Harrison has moved up from sixth to fourth/ deposing Laurence Olivier, and Michael Redgrave was fifth, which place last 'year was filled by Robert Donat. Erie Portman was sixth, Trevor Howard seventh, Sir 'Ralph Richardson eighth, Roger Livesey ninth, and Robert Donat tenth. Actresses were placed as follows, with last year’s award winners given in parentheses •: Margaret Lockwood (same) 1, Alina Neagle (Phyllis Calvert) 2, Ann Todd (Patricia Roc) 3, Phyllis Calvert (Rosariiund John) 4, Celia Johnson (Ann Todd) 5, Patricia Roc (Celia Johnson) 6,. Jean Kent 7, Deborah Kerr 8, Vivien Leigh 9, and Lilli Palmer 10. It was reported to have been an extremely close vote between Ann Todd and Phyllis .Calvert.

Butch Jenkins Is ; Hollywood's Problem Child Devising ways land means, -to. < keep “ Butch ” Jackie Jenkins busy and amused when he is not in front, of the cameras, is gradually developing into a couple of tnan-sized jobs.' : Currently, the' 'freckled-faced ’ boy star is in M.G.M.’sSummer Holiday, musical version of ‘Eugene.O'Neill’s * Ah, Wilderness.’. While he is in front of the'cameras much of the time, thero are- moments when,. unoccupied, ;he tests his acrobatic'skill by climbing-.to stage catwalks, some 50ft above: the floor, or emulates young Tom Edison by engaging ; in electrical research via the sound equipment., \ » } It is the total . "elimination of, such dangers that prompted'everyone, of the set, - from Director - Roub'eri Mamoulian to the prop, men, to'engage, in devising; games—nice, quiet gamesr-as;-an outlet for the boy’s ; surplus energy- and always vivid imagination'. 1 - * Agnes 'Moorhead thought' she- had scored a ringer when . she • gave Butch a wood-burning set. All- was- fine until he started to etch his initials:on' sqme of the furniture on the set.- Parchesi, checkers, and other; games of that sort were scorned and rejected as sissy ” when suggested by crew members, A hall arid bat proved ideal out of ; dobrs, but only for a brief time, as Butch is allergic to remaining in one (pjace more than a few minutes. To Director Rouben. Mamoulian goes credit fpje the most 'effective .solution thus far'. It worked every day.for.' a week—arid the film’s' ’ -cast,; together with Mamoulian, is keeping ‘fingers crossed. ■ ■■' _ . . r The device is simple. A iriiniatrire canvas .chair identical with tthe -chairs of the other stars ; and across the back the name of “ Butch Jenkins,” lettered in flaming red. _ This-has .appealed to Butch; It: is a full-fledged star’s chair, and, so- far all the kihg’s horses cannot pry him away from it when he is not actually before the camera.

' Smithy ' Has Successful Preview in New York

The Australian Society of New York held a most successful preview of the ‘Smithy’ film in commemoration of •Anzac Day. The film was enthusiastically received by a-distinguished audience of 1,000, including the. American Ambassador to Australia, Mr Robert Butler, representatives of the American, British, and Australian armed forces, Consular 1 and civic dignitaries. Mr Nick Pery,. managing director of Columbia Pictures (Australasia); and' producer of' ‘ Smithy,’; was delighted with tliri/reception of tlie picture’s first public showing in. America.

Fan Favours Flannel, Nighiies For Ann Todd

Ann Todd, recently back from Hollywood, attended a London reception in a hat Hollywood fashion experts designed' for her, writes Walter Little from London, Based on the old smugglers’ headgear, it wits made, of pink wool trimmed with sequins and artificial pink roses. Incidentally, pirates’ stocking caps are all the rage among British teen-agers these days. Ann Todd was also startled' one night' to , find a voluminous old-fashioned 1 flannel nightgown laid out on her bed. It was air-mailed by a zealous fan in Australia, who thought the star bright be glad of it in the freeze up. During ; her few months in Hollywood 1 , Miss Todd, it is revealed, earned about £112,000. Margaret O'Brien for London Popular little Margaret O’Brien, aged 10, is reported to have packed her bags in preparation for her jaunt across the Atlantic to work in London on 1 Secret Garden,’ a film to be made from Francis Hodgson Burnett’s novel, : writes Waiter Little from London. She earns £3,125 for each picture, won an Oscar award in Hollywood as the best child actress of 1946, and is one of the screen’s best-loved stare Of the moment.

1 Peek-a-800 Returns With Peacej A significant event in the reconversion of Paramount to a peaceful world, Veronica Lake, who abandoned her peek-a-boo bob in the .early, daystof the war because factory workers : who imitated, her kept getting their, hair caught in machines, has reverted-to her original coiffure for the-current ‘ Saigon.’ Paramount feels, apparently, that American womanhood ; has: .returned to the-home, where hair in the ham and eggs is not a serious threat to the national existence. . ' - Amber Blonde Craze Linda Darnell’s amber .hair for ‘ Forever Amber ’ has already'started a blonde : craze. Before she" even started work in ,the picture, 'which Twentieth Oentu'ry-Fox is making'; in teehnicolour from the Kathleen -Wjnsor novel, she received several hundred letters from girls wanting: to know her “ dye secret.” ■ Rhe'doesn’t even kgbw it hereelf. Studio experts, who dyed her heir in nine easy stages, over - * three weeks’ period,, are not telling.