EARLY FAILURES

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXI, Issue 21396, 20 October 1934, Page 12 (Supplement)

EARLY FAILURES

CAREERS OF PRINCIPALS MAE WEST REBUFFED The history of several screen principals shows that their careers at first looked most unpromising. When Clark Gable first went to Los Angeles all he could get \lks extra work. He finally succeeded in being given film tests by Fox, First National and Universal. These were not considered satisfactory, and Clark decided to return to repertory. ? Mae West had a similar experience. Charles Walsh, brother of Raoul W tlsh, the director and actor, was so impressed by her when he saw her on Broadway that he made a test at his own expense and submitted it to various studios. .He had to try several (Fox even refused to run the test through) before he could find one company which would do business. Francis Lederer lost a chance of stardom for different reasons. When he was still associated with Bernhardt in Berlin, and had made a few films for Ufa, he came into contact with Lillian Gish. She was in Europe, consulting Bernhardt about a silent picture, in which he was to direct her in Hollywood. Lederer was offered a contract and _the leading male part. However, talkies arrived, silent pictures were thrown suddenly out of date, and the Czech actor could not speak a word of English. The film was never made.

Even Warner Baxter could not at first impress either Hollywood or New York with his possibilities as a screen star. After a great deal of stage work he tried Hollywood once without success. It was after he had returned to Broadway that he was engaged by Paramount to play opposite Justine Johnson in " Sheltered Daughters," at

their Long Island studio. However, this leading role did not bring Baxter a contract or other parts. When next he went to Hollywood it was as a "bit" player, and he had to work his way up to stardom. Fredric March made his screen debut as an extra in "Paying the Piper" at Paramount's New York studio. He was also an extra in " The Devil," starring George Airliss, " The Great Adventure," with John Barrymore and " The Education of Elizabeth " with Billie Burke. Ann Dvorak, who went to school in Hollywood, tried to get extra work in the summer holidays, but was told r that she was too young. When she did get into the' studios it was as a dancer. At the age of fifteen she was a member of the chorus in The Hollywood Revue.'' She may be remembered as the native dancer in " Son of India." It was not until " Scarface " that Ann, backed by Karen Morley, succeeded in convincing Hollywood that she could act as well as dance. In some cases the stars themselves refused the chance of film work when it was offered to them. Robert Montgomery might have entered pictures in the pre-talkie era. Indeed, he was signed for a Vilma Banky film, but as a stage actor, he decided that he did not like the screen, and cancelled his contract. With the coming of sound he changed his views. Maurice Chevalier missed two chances of making his screen debut; once in. British pictures, and later in a Mar.y Pickford film. While he was playing with Elsie Janis in " Hello, America,", he was tested for British films. As camera and other technique was not so advanced then, the result of the test made Chevalier positive that he would never be a film actor. Later,, when he was playing at the Casino de Paris, he met Douglas Fairbanks and Mary Pickford. Mary pressed him to try pictures and offered him the lead in one of hers. However, he was bound by his Paris contracts and had to refuse.