SCREEN SUCCESS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22612, 2 July 1935, Page 7

SCREEN SUCCESS

PERSONALITY AN ESSENTIAL BEAUTY ONLY SKIN DEEP VIEWS OF AMERICAN VISITOR Shades of Greta Garbo, Constance Bennett and Nonna Shearer! An American (no one else would dare do it) has said that the most beautiful women in Hollywood are in the choruses. The greatest figures in screenland, the giants who set the seal on their success by achieving that worshipful merit, “box office pull,” are not beautiful, handsome or heroic, according to this particular authority, who discussed the matter with a Daily Times reporter yesterday morning. And just to clinch the matter he proceeded to quote at break-neck speed a long list of names, among which it was passible to be sure of the following:—Lionel Barrymore, John Barrymore, George Arliss, Marie Dressier, Jaaiet Gaynor, Kathleen Hepburn, Joan Crawford, Zasu Pitts, Edna May Olliver, Alison Skipworth, Maurice Chevalier and Laurel and Hardy. The subject arose a discussion of things generally in Hollywood, the source of information being Dr A. L. Lewis, of the film colony, who is at present on a visit to Dunedin in search of screen types for comedy sound films which he intends to produce in Australia and Great Britain. Dr Lewis has a more than Hollywood-wide reputation as a personality expert, and as such is a firm believer in the pari; played by personality in the success, not only of screen artists, but also of ,the great figures of the theatre. He claims to have discovered the fascinating little Janet Gaynor, and takes to himself some of the credit for the training of such

other well-known screen players as Alice White, Jobyna Ralston, Lita Gray (Mrs Charlie Chaplin), Sally O’Neill, Molly O’Day, Karl Dane and Buddie, Marie and Gertrude Messinger. He is the author Of several books on personality building, and self-expression, one of which, “You,”, has had a wide circulation in New Zealand. ,V 'Dr Lewis is just concluding his New Zealand search for screen types, and is very optimistic concerning his prospects of “ contacting some good material in the Dominion.” It was while discussing the attributes for which he was looking that he introduced the question of beauty as a factor in success. From his remarks it was obvious that he subscribed unreservedly to the old saw that beauty is only skin deep. Everything depended on personality, he said. Audience appeal was the Alpha and Omega of a screen career. The picture-going public probably could not say what it was that actually appealed to it in good players, but it was something much more than mere appearance. Apart from the fact that all the players in his long list were good performers, it would be very difficult for the average person to say why they had tremendous “ box office pull ” or to analyse their success. The reason for this was that an unusual combination of elements was necessary to screen success. Mere facial attractiveness and a beautiful figure were not enough. Dr Lewis said that all moving picture producers were for ever on the look-out for new screen types. The public seemed to have insatiable appetite for new names and new characters. For that reason the talking screen, in his opinion, offered unparalleled opportunities to those who possessed the necessary qualities and talents. These essential attributes, however, were generally unrecognisable to the layman, and were frequently passed over by skilled and experienced picture executives. It was in hope of finding something new that he had come to New Zealand. Speaking of the motion picture industry, Dr Lewis said that the demand to-day was for good comedy films. People would rather laugh than cry at any time. “You know this old world of ours has not had much to laugh at lately. The laugh’s been on us, with no audience to do the laughing. That is why comedy relief folk are in demand at the present time. He had dedicated himself to providing comedy amusement and diversion through all available channels —the screen, the stage, and the radio. In doing so he was simply taking the. line of least resistance as there was medical evidence to prove the fact that whereas it required 56 facial muscles to produce a frown only 14 were employed in developing a smile.