HOLLYWOOD 1930

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LV, Issue 17237, 17 April 1930, Page 12

HOLLYWOOD 1930

HOME OF THE MOVIES ATTRACTIONS FOR THE VISITOR (By W. Barringtovi Miller.) Hollywood, liomc of the movies, is one of the chief attractions of .Southern California to the visitor. Even those of long .residence in the city si ill feel the glamor that touches both Hollywood and Culver City, where SO per cent, of the films of the world are made at a eosl of more than 200.0C0.000 dollars annually. . But now that the talkies have come into being a rank outsider has littlo chance of getting inside the iron gates guarded at each studio by a very Cerberus of a watchman —unless lie has a, document signed by one of the. high moguls of the industry. My friends in Los Angeles had made all arrangements for me to see a talkie in the making at Warner Bros.' studio, but as ex-President Coolidge and Mrs. Coolidge were arriving two days later and would probably be afforded special facilities it was suggested I should wait and my friends might be able. to.squeeze me in with their party, and they did. The tour of the studios began with Warner Bros., then included United Artists, where wo had luncheon, ana the Fox Hills Studio, and finished with close-up views of scenes in the making at the Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer plant. And here was a place of especial delight for we met and were taken in hand—■ and initiated into the intimacy of picture making—by Miss Marion Davies, the Metro-Goldwyn star.

Miss Davies was portraying the leading role in "The Gay Nineties." She was attired in the tight-waisted, longskirted, big-hatted costume of-one of the historic "Florodora" sextette, those beautiful girls who sang "Tell Me, Pretty Maiden," years ago in "Florodora." Under thfe direction of Harry Beaumont, Miss Davies and her fellowplayers went through one of the "Florodora" scenes.

With the guests of honor, as they arrived, at tho studio, were the Governor of California and Mrs. Young, Mary Pickford, Will H. Hays, and Mrs. Thomas G. Winter.

After leaving Miss Davies' set the party visited an adjoining stage, whore we met Ramon Novarro. He was making a scene from "The Singer of Seville." Likewise they saw a bib from "The l March of Time"—and Lon Chancy was presented to Mr. and Mrs. Coolidge. _ Everyone showed intense interest in J the spectacles, the colorful bits of life; in this realm of make-believe, the characters wo saw, the stars that shone in this mundane firmament, the confusion j that is always incident— although it I spells system and order to the initiated —the technical terms, tho lights, the megaphoned directions and the swift, sure, execution—all of this and more made- up a magical period in the visit. "FIRST NIGHTS" The. initial appearance of a big movie feature in the larger l Los: Angeles and Hollywood theatres is a might'of skysearching lights, beautiful gowns, curious crowds of "fans," and the appearance of tho stars of the studios in person —come to give the picture and its actors a rousing send-off. Long before the performance begins or the screen elect arrive, the crowd of "fans" gathers outside the theatre. Spotlights and Kleig lights play on the sky and tho theatre—and the naive delight of excited children ripples over the faithful "fans," who never miss an opening night. The stars arrive, in limousine or taxi. A radio announcer broadcasts the names of the arrivals—and in some cases even what they are wearing. The varying dispositions of the screen favorites are never more discernible than on their arrivals at these affairs—-quietly- dignified, bored, simpering, publicity-seeking or childishly delighted—as the frequent applause of their admirers greets them. Inside the decorated theatre, there is more interest displayed in the activity of the stars and their friends, than in the picture. A shop in Hollywood needs only the patronage of a motion picture' star or two to make it. famous. Restaurants, I beauty salons, gown shops and other marts make great inducements to attract the screen favorites, and then exploit him or her-to secure business from tho "commoners." It is usually done by autographed photographs' which adorn counters and walls, picturing the star wearing, eating, smoking or admiring the commodity in which the shop specialises. MABEL NORMAND. Poor little Mabel Normand died during my visit. She had a lot of troublo during the last eight years, but she was loved by everybody. I knew her very well. She had a delightful personality. It was while I was in Los Angeles in 1917 on a visit to Charlie Chaplin that I first met her at a lunch in the garden of Mack Sennett's studio. She was the life of the party, as she always was wherever she happened to be. Her funeral was such as Los Angeles never saw before—not even (I am told) the day they buried the belovod Valentino. Those who heard the service included the men and women who worked with Miss Normand in the days of her stardom with the. old Keystone Co. Charles Chaplin, Ford Sterling, Marie, Dressier, Mack Bennett, Charley Avery —they were all. there. Among others I noticed at tho grave wore Mary Pickford and Douglas Fairbanks. Maurice Costello, who knew Miss Normand in the early days of the films; Constance Talmadge and Betty Compson and countless others who were her "playmates" on the old Keystone lot. While crowds fought with police reserve from two stations, and patrolmen had to establish traffic lines for two blocks around, the film world, from its highest to its most obscure, paid its last tribute to the girl, who, in another dav, had made millions laugh.

Mabel provided a 50,000 dollars trust fund for her invalid mother several years prior to her death. To her husband Lew Cody, who lias money of his own, sho left one dollar. She was rockless with her money and during her life gave away many thousands; still I understand sho left well over 500,000 dollars. . • SOCIETY IN CINEMA LAND. Perhaps a few words about the social side of life in these parts may interest your readers. Society the world over is turning more to hotels and cafes. Hollywood is much the same, so the new leaders in the society of cinema-land are mostly met at "Coconut Grove" al the . Ambassador Hotel, known as the glamorous rendezvous for stars of Hollywood. This resort has assumed a new interest With the present changing character of society itself in (he film capital. Now, in addition to those who frequent the Grove whose names are well known is added a list of singers and song makers: Advent of-the sound-picture has altered society in proportion to the change it has made in the motionpicture industry. Musicians join the group of dancers and merry makers. 01-oiieska leaders here appear to meet

others of like ambitions and interests and to hear another orchestra leader.

You may not realise it if you are among the dancers, but perhaps the music, to,which you are dancing is being played for the first time. A I Jolson is often seen there with his wife, Ruby Keeler, Jack Barrymore and his brother Lionel; perhaps Irving Berlin, coming up from his home in Palm Springs, and Oscar Strauss. To come to another group, Tito Schipa and Lawrence Tibbett with their wives, and other frequenters iof the drove on their nights off are Abe Lyman and George Olson, (he well-known conductors.

Among the younger set whose dancing feet are perfectly attuned are Janet Chandler —and J mention her first for she is acclaimed the best amateur dancer at the Grove— Sue Carroll, Thelma Todd with Harvey Priester, .Marion Nixon, Barbara. Bennett with Morton Downey; Kenneth Harlan, escorting different beauties each night; Lupe Velez, usually with Gary Cooper, but not always—ami Marjorie White, Jeanette Macdonald and Nancy Carroll and her husband James Kirkland, a- journalist. Mention should also be made of ■Adolph Zukor, Jesse Lasky. D. W. Griffith, and Edmund <!oulJing because they also frequent the Grove, though less often.

Others of. note in other circles who dance at the drove are William G. MeAdoo. Lord Cunliffe, and Laddie Sanford, the polo star. One night I was at the Grove Alister MacDonald, the architect son of the. Prime Minister of England, was present as the guest of Charlie Chaplin, Greta Garbo was there that night,

Let me conclude with a quotation from a San Diego paper: "Mr. Gillis, Mayor of North Atterbury, Mass., has arrived in Hollywood to find a wife. It will serve him right if he does."