Why “Stars” Rise and Fall

Manawatu Times, Volume LIII, Issue 6667, 21 July 1928, Page 8 (Supplement)

Why “ Stars” Rise and Fall

Why some stars live so long,.'why others fail so quickly, is a double question put' to me wherever I go, writes; Samuel Goldwyji} tlie American film J producer, : in- “Tlie Daily Mail.” I can, answer this . question by saying that film stars succeed, for exactly the reason that men' who head big businesses succeed; how to concentrate and- to conserve the talents God has given them. Mary Plckford is a charming I woman and a, great actress. She Has' Beauty. Slie has personality. ;(Sfie -has "acting ability.. But she-has stayed on while other female, stars of, beauty, personality and'ac ting ability have; descended to 1 oblivion.' 1 Mary Pickford has needed'because; she ..has the, type of mind ' and will which " would -have fdhght through to • success in-anything she might have attempted. If she had not gone. into acting she would .have been •one’; of ; our modern efficient, highly capable business, women execuShe has • mental force 1 behind her. personality, her : beauty, her- act-ing-ability. : - - • ;

;. -.Mary ; PickforiThas 'also subceeded and kept success because, she knew how to, bear it, : . The quick eclipse of idahy stars is proof that it takes tar "fereater» qualities -to, 1 survive fortune thantit does to face faihire; . Another reason, why many stars have failed lies ; in the extraordinary rapid growth of the Industry .itself. Pictures have gro'vn so fast that young players cannot Realise that they cannot,keep pace, ’* . .. -> • y • ■ i The hardest thing In .'the world is to make a young-player ‘‘go slow.”

In the old days of the stage an apprentice to the stage “carried a spear” for three years before he; . was. considered graceful and self-possessed enough to be a "walking:jtentlemah" aid; to. speak his flrst-'lines. -.To-day screen players make an accidental success in a sniall part. Immediately tifey over-estlihate their: btra\'ahillties and disaster, is the result. pniess— ~

Samuel Goldwyn, Famous Film Producer, and Dominating, Figure in Industry Answers an Interesting Question ...

And in that unless lies the work of the producer. When 1 have been asked the' question as to ' what in my judgment Is the most essential need of your Engfilm makers, I have replied “good producers.” The producer is_ the man. who must recognise the value of a good story, of attractive film personalities.' He can be compared to an expert chef in a great restaurant. He it is who assembles just the right quantity, of each commodity, who mixes, them together and adds the necessary condiments to “flavour -to American producers who have succeeded have done so because their careful study of all angles of a manysided problem have made them accu-rate-in-their judgments as to just what story and personal values, are required for a successful photo-play. Patience is perhaps the most import-ant-lesson I have .learned in 12-years as a producer—patience, and the instincts as to when and how long to take a chance. • v I feel that your British producers may not be sufficiently patient, that (they should have more faith in the personalities they offer to the public. A producer rises to success in proportion to- the number of successful personalities he discovers, develops, and keeps. I myself have seen. a. great wealth of potential material besieging your casting office doors. Some of these you use—for one picture! Why not take a chance? When I brought Vilma Banky to America she -was unknown. It was no easy matter for me to convince her first director that she was the’ right type for the story he was to make, but today she is one of our biggest stars. She succeeded in her first picture, but more do not. Ronald Colman struggled -for years. He was very obscure, until his first chance came in “The White Sister.” Patience and the taking of a chance have paid-divi-dends in this case. Mere opportunity is not- enough to make a star. , The pfpducer must take, infinite pains to study every detail of his player’s appearance. In presenting an V.ldol for public affection, that idol inust appear at his or her best, i Miss Banky no longer is struggling upward.- She has arrived. But I have not relaxed my vigilance to the slight-

est degree. As with ■ “The Dark Angel," her first picture, we spent weeks int advance of every new picture making tests -of her make-up, her clothes, her style of hair-dressing, so also 20 • different styles of coiffure were, tested before we found the right one for “Two Lovers.” In the case of Ronald Colman in the same picture we discarded an entire outfit of costumes because/ when photographically tested, they submerbed his personality. V./ 1 ."- . v I see in many of our younger American artists great promise. Charles Rogers, who played opposite Miss Pickford in “My Best Girl,” Charles Farrell and Janet Gaynor of “Seventh Heaven,” Gary Cooper, who was one of my own finds, Joan Crawford, Lupe Velez, Fairbanks’s new leading lady, Ruth Taylor, and Gilbert Roland are all marked for success. And I am counting on great things from Walter Butler, ■ rechristcned Walter Byron, the young British actor whom I signed while in London. Mr. Byron will have an immediate opportunity in the male'lead opposite Vilma Banky in “The Innocent.”

Let me repeat again that the greatest genius in a producer lies in finding, developing and keeping personalities. You really cannot blame an American producer for securing a proraising young player, because he is willing to gamble on the young man for five years, when the producers of his own country will Only take a chance from picture to picture. This applies with equal force to Writers, directors, cameramen, all types of technicians. In figuring the expense necessary to build a big British film industry you must make proper allowance for developing manpower. Hollywood has become a great film centre, not; because it has overpowering physical advantages, but because ; 40,000 trained people live within a-short distance of the studios; ■ Hollywood has an advantage in this great reservoir of people. That advantage can be minimised if British producers will adopt a policy of creating such a reservoir for themselves.