NOTES AND JOTTINGS

Manawatu Standard, Volume LVI, Issue 202, 16 July 1936, Page 10

NOTES AND JOTTINGS

Luise Rainer has been given a new long-term contract by a leading firm. Three Men on a Horse,” the amusing American racing comedy, has gone to” Brisbane after a very successful season in Sydney. Walter Fordo has signed a contract to' direct an all-colour musical film. C. B Cochran will supervise the production. Jan Kiepura's brother is making his film debut in an Austrian picture. He acts under the name of L'ladislaw Uadis. “Rio Rita” will bo revived, by request, later in the year in Melbourne, with Gladys Moncricff once more ir.the title role. Ericli Pommel - , the German producer who made “Vaudeville” and “Congress Dances,” is to begin his first English picture shortly. It will bo called “I Serve.” and will deal with the life of Queen Elizabeth. Flora Robson will play the Queen.

Ray Bolger, a new York stage : dancer, lias been signed to appear opposite Eleanor Powell in her next musical film, “Born to Dance.” Good progress is being made with rehearsals of “The Maid of the Mountains” by tlie Invercargill Operatic Society. Greta Garbo, who is now making : “Camille,” will have Charles Boyer as her leading man in her next film, “Beloved, ,r based on the novel“ Marie Walewska.” Henry Fonda has been signed to appear in a comedy called “Reno in tlie Fall.” It is possible that his exwife. Margaret Sullavan, may play opposite him. The two have recently finished working together in “The Moon’s Our Home.”

Cecil Kcllcwn.v, the well-known comedian, is in “The Gipsy Princess,” the musical play now running in Sydney.

A picture soon to be released in the Dominion is “Forget Me Not,” starring Beniamino Gigli, considered to be the world’s greatest tenor. The beauty of the great singer’s voice is admirably recorded. The story of the film aims at simplicity and achieves greatness.

For “Orphan of the Wilderness,” the title is perhaps a little misleading, as most of the action takes place in a large travelling circus where we follow the romance of Gwen Munro and Brian Abbott. Miss M unro is Austra.lia’s most recent discovery, who gained recognition through the medium of a “Search for Beauty” contest, and Brian Abbott also is an Australian.

Elizabeth Bergner aiid her directorhusband, Paul Cziuner, have been signed to a five-year contract. The combination will make throe pictures for release at the new Korda studios at Denham. The first of the trio will he Sir Janies Barrie’s “The Boy David” ; the second • George Bernard Slmw’s “St. Joan”; and the third. Jack London’s “Little Lady of the Big House.”

Bichard Crooks, the American tenor, is not only a cultured gentleman, speaking several languages fluently; a wonderful singer with a tenor voice that has won lor him a premier place in the New York Metropolitan Opera Ho line and in the world’s other opera centres; he is also a great naturalist and revels in the out-of-doors. He loves sports, games, fishing. idiooting, golfing, motoring and is a qualified aviator as well as being a very able exponent of most forms of sporting relaxation. His visit to Australia and New Zealand is being undertaken by arrangement with Messrs J. and N. Tait, in fulfilment of a promise, and in accepting the present tour, the athletic singer did so with the object of seeing as much as possible of the two countries on this, his first visit. Nothing delights him more than to get away from fbo cities into the open spaces. Mr Crooks will he commencing his New Zealand season at Auckland on September 19. and wijl make as comprehensive a tour of the centres anil provincial towns as is possible. Already Messrs J. C. Williamson’s headquarters has been inundated with inquiries for seats for the famous tenor’s recitals.