"Personal Appearances" of Film Stars

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 18975, 27 March 1936, Page 13

"Personal Appearances" of Film Stars

THE crowd in front of the groat | cinema raises a cheer. The commissionaires in their brown-and-gold uniforms spring to attention on cither side of the red carpet stretching out from the canopy as the 'big car glides to a standstill. The crowd surges forward against the restraining arms, of a score of impassive policemen as the beautiful film star and her. inuna- ] culately dressed escort step out of the | car. An usherette steps forward,' curtsies, hands the star a bouquet. The J manager leads the distinguished visi-1 tor into the cinema; a few momentslater the curtains rise to a. fanfare of trumpets, and the star steps forward to the footlights to speak a few words to the crowded house. .

Such a scene as this takes place whenever a film star makes a "personal appearance" ,at a big cinema. To the crowd it is a thrill, a "special occasion," when every seat in the house is certain to be occupied, and the. unfortunates who are too late to get in crowd 'he pavements outside 10 deep to catch a glimpse' of their favourite. To the star it is also a thrill; for the film player,'denied in the ordinary way the applause of an audience, at last tastes the reward of her work in the warmth and affection of a great concourse of people cheering her on. Favourite Places

Most stars greatly enjoy their occasional "personals!" .lessie Matthews and Sonnic Hale, for example, confess to a special preference for Manchester, where they appeared personally three times during ]!».'!">. It was there, they relate, that they first came to know'each other—both were appearing in a Cochran show which opened in that city—and there, too, their friendship ripened into love. Both are dear to Mancunian audiences, and are invariably received with tremendous warmth and enthusiasm by the good-hearted filmgoers of Lancashire.

Ann Lee loves the "Shires"; Worcester recently took her to its heart when she made a "personal," and she has the most pleasant, memories of several visits to the surrounding country towns. Yet her favourite milieu' for "personals" is her own county of Kent.

But, while most stars have their favourite districts for "personals," they do not let, their preferences influence them unduly. They are always ready to answer the call of charity; they take very real pleasure in the welcome extended to them by the public at charity functions, civic events, and at the ordinary cinema "personal appearance." Their only regret is that thoy are prevented by circumstances from carrying out a tithe of the invitations sent to them.

DOBERT Donat, like every other actor,' has cherished a. life-long ambition to play Hamlet. Now heis to have it gratified. The moment his West End of London stage engagement leaves him free he is to begin work on a film version of "Hamlet." The script has been prepared by Miles Malleson, who wrote "Peg of Old Drury." It has taken him three years to make an adaptation of the play which will be practical and at the same time ensure that the iridic of Shakespeare's poetry and dialogue ; not lost.