Male Beauty Market Reaches Lowest Ebb

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 19121, 16 September 1936, Page 9

Male Beauty Market Reaches Lowest Ebb

DUBLIC tastes change so rapidly il. is almost impossible to Tell what type 111 m player will be in demand touiorr.ow, Hollywood directors contend. At present, :i survey shows that the beauty market—in the male division —has reached its lowest ebb. Handsome loading men no longer are in constant demand and are being overlooked in favour of character actors and older players who arc well beyond their,matinee idol dnvs.

Even some neautiful women stars are being passed up while older character players grab the feminine laurels. The era of character stars has brought fame to many players who had visions of remaining forever “undiscovered.” It also has Jed studios to concentrate much more on acting ability rather than on physical, beauty. The present, tendency at; many studios is to sign five character players for every ,nne ingenue or lending man. A large percentage of the longterm contracts are going to the “typed” players. As a result younger players have ceased to rebel against, “heavy” roles and are willing to play Iho deep-dyed villain. They have only to look at. several of the most important and successful pictures of the past year to realise that players are continually attaining stardom through character roles.

Victor McLaglen waited years for a really top spot and then turned the trick in “The Informer.”

Instead of working the customary build-up route, Irvin S. Cobb slipped into a character role and immediately into stardom in his first picture. "Warner Baxter, who had been doing nicely as a romantic player, performed a midstream change to character roles and at once proved his starring ability, embarking on an entirely new career.

Like many character actors, Arthur Treacher always played minor supportting roles. His acting, however, also won him a lead and he will star in a series of pictures based on P. G. Wodeliouse’s English butler, “Jeeves.” John Boles also serves as another example for ambitions voting players.