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Hawera Star, Volume LIV, 27 February 1935, Page 10

New Arliss Film. If George Arliss, now en route to Hollywood after Having completed his English debut film, "The Iron Duke,” accepts an invitation extended to him before he left, he will appear as Dr. Livingstone, in a film dealing with the life of the famous explorer. It has already been announced that Mr Arliss is to return to Shepherd’s Bush Studios in 1935 to make further English pictures. The decision to offer this role to Mr Arliss was reached following the result of a nation-wide competition in which members of the public were invited to choose the famous characters to be "brought to life” by the great actor.

"There is an angle to the Livingstone story jvhich should prove particularly acceptable to American audiences,” remarked Mr Michael Balcon, who will produce the film. "This is in tkc strong American associations of Stanley, who succeeded in finding Livingstone in the heart of Africa, and who was second protagonist in the famous "Dr. Livingstone, I presume?” incident.

McHugh’s Trick Dice. Trick dice arc added to Frank McHugh’s trick laugh in “Merry Wives of Reno,” the Warner Bros, picture, which screens finally at the Grand Theatre to-night. The sequence depicts a party in a Reno hotel room and Frank, in the course of a friendly little game of “African golf,” throws a seven that number of times in succession for the benefit of the camera. Margaret Lindsay, Donald Woods, Glenda Farrell, Hugh Herbert, Hobart Cavanaugh and other members of the cast gathered about to watch the experiment. Throwing a seven with dice is a real accomplishment for any player in the game of galloping dominoes. Imagine, then, throwing it seven times in a row!

Difficult as it was, Frank succeeded and while he was later accepting credit for his masterful handling of the dice, following the photographing of the scene, along came Pat Malley, property man, to reclaim the precious “bones.” While McHugh fled', Pat explained that the dice were perhaps the best loaded dice in Hollywood.

Tho Croaking Frog. During the production of “The Little Giant,” a First National picture which will commence a two-night season at the Grand Theatre to-morrow, Edward G. Robinson was fighting against time in order, to finish tho .picture in time to be at the bedside of his wife in New York before the stork arrived.

And tncu oue day while work was being rushed, a. frog began to croak on an adjoining set which abounded with foliage. The frog's g-r-r-r-rump i^olimit'd plainly on the recording instrument. The company waited and Robinson fretted while property men tried to locate the frog. But ho could not be found. While Robinson impatiently fretted over the loss of time. Director Rev Del Ruth had a happy thought. Knowing that frogs do not like light he hail the electricians turn a flood lamp on the garden scene. Mr Frog quietened down immediately and the shooting went on.