SCREEN CELEBRITIES

Greymouth Evening Star, 29 August 1929, Page 6

SCREEN CELEBRITIES

CANNOT GET CONTRACTS.

SAN FRANCISCO, July 27. A veritable slaughter of many of the highest priced stars of cinema inHollyAvood has struck terror* into the hearts of those remaining in that meteoric held of endeavour, and Adolph Menjou , one of America’s foremost motion picture stars, has left the United States because he can no longer get Avork. Tire actor, famous for his screen portrayals of the sophisticated and the Avell-dressed- man-about-toAvn, suddenly has found the door of every motion picture producer in the United States closed to him, he says, and professes he knoAVS no reason for the attitude.

He has hastily travelled from Hollywood, the hub of the cinema industry in California, to NeAV York, but after six Aveeks trying to connect Avith a position he Avas unable to persuade any of the movie kings to enlist his labours. His visit to NeAV York and his quest there was not altogether unlike that of thousands of others in the city’s army of unemployed. He Avent the rounds from one picture company to another, but Avas politely turned away each time. It Avas a difficult situation to understand, as Menjon told it —as difficult as perhaps it Avould be to the millions of American motion picture enthusiasts Avho had praised his characterisations on the screen.

“I am sure I can offer no explanation,” the actor said in New York just before sailing for Paris. Menjou and his wife, the former Katherine Carver, also well-known pictures, had been living in two single inexpensive rooms during his futile search for work. “It would hardly be the talking pictures, which have forced others, including the famous German star, Emil Jannings, to retire from pictures. The last picture I made was a talking production, and box office figures show that it was as well received as almost anything I have ever done. My contract expired on May 30, and the picture was released 30 days later, but in spite of its success I could not get another contract with my employers under any consideratinon. After reaching 'New York, Menjou said, he- approached a rival producer, one of the largest in the field, who expressed surprise at the incident, and who seemed greatly interested in signing the actor. * “But when I went back two days later,” Menjou said, ‘I was told that the company did not wish my services.” . , The suggestion that Menjou’s tale of hardship might be a cleverly-concealed publicity stunt naturally presented itself, but according to box office principles this is not the sort of publicity that is usually termed favourable, either to the star or to the producer. The actor said he would seek work in the French studios, then, if equally unsuccessful there, would try those in England and Germany. He is not “broke,” he said, having some money tied up in real estate, but he needs funds. Miss Carver, he said, was considering returning to the screen should circumstances make it necessary.

Writing from Hollywood on this subject of dismissal of leading cinema stars, Monroe Lathrop in the “San Francisco Chonicle,” says: “Adolphe Menjou, walking around looking for - a job (at his price) is just a symbol of the great Hollywood slaughter. Aid dressed up and nowhere to go, Menjou and others couldn’t reconcile themselves to the new movie conditions. “Paramount seems to have taken the lead in the paring process and telling the stars that the good old days are over. In succession it let Thomas Meighan, Pola Negri, Emil Jannings, James Cruze, Fred Thomson, Bebe Daniels, Victor Fleming and Richard Dix go before Menjou. They were valuable, but not at the price they set upon their services. “Warners followed suit with May McAvoy and Colleen Moore, and Universal with Reginald Denny. Miss Moore got 12,000 dollars. Will Fox parted with Tom Mix and saved 10,000 dollars a week. Thomson got 10,000 and Negri; 8500 dollars. The prevailing situation was shown by the Menjou negotiations. He got 3000 dollars, asked 5000, and was offered 2000 dollars. • “Producers are finding that they can sell talkies without the magic of a celebrity’s name. ’’