THE MAJESTIC

Southland Times, Issue 25314, 18 June 1935, Page 5

THE MAJESTIC

Npw Showing: “Murder in the Clouds" (Lyle Talbot, Ann Dvorak, Gordon

Westcott). * Wednesday: Double Programme. "There’s Always To-morrow" (Frank Morgan. Blnnle Barnes. Lois Wilson, Elizabeth Young, Alan Hale); “Secret of the Chateau” (Claire Dodd. Jack Larue. Osgood Perkins, George Stone, Clark William). Saturday: "Babes In Toyland” (Stanley Laurel, Oliver Hardy, Charlotte Henry, Felix Knight, Florence Roberts). Coming: “The Merry Widow” (Jeanette Macdonald, Maurice Chevalier); ‘The Man Who Reclaimed his Head” (Claude Rains, Joan Bennett, Lionel Atwell); “Home on the Range” (Randolph Scott, Evelyn Brent. Jackie Coogan); ‘‘Enter Madame” (Elissa Land!, Cary Grant. Lynne Overman); “Wings in the Dark (Myrna Loy. Cary Grant, Roscoe Karns, Hobart Cavanaugh).

Commencing to-morrow at the Majestic theatre, “There’s Always ToMorrow” contains a story just a little different from the ordinary. The answer to the first line of that famous old English ballad “Where are you going my pretty maid?” will have to be changed as far as Binnie Barnes, beautiful English actress featured in this picture is concerned. Miss Barnes, once a milk-maid on Finchley Manor Farm near London, was Hollywood bound soon after the completion of her part opposite Douglas Fairbanks in his “The Private Life of Don Juan.” Her excellent portrayal of Catherine Howard in “The Private Life of Henry VIII,’ with Charles Laughton, brought her to the attention of American theatre-goers. Carl Laemmle. jun., anxious to have her appear in “There’s Always To-morrow,” her to rush to Hollywood—and the trip over sea and through air was completed in six days. The story by Ursula Parrott, pictures two years in the life of a typical American father of five children whose sole function seems to be that of a “meat ticket.” In addition to Mr Morgan and Miss Barnes, the cast includes Lois Wilson, as the wife, Louise Latimer, Universal’s latest importation from Broadway, Elizabeth Young, who won distinction with Garbo in “Queen Christina,” Robert Taylor. Alan Hale, Maurice Murphy, Dick Winslow, Helen Parrish and the noted New York comedienne, Margaret Hamilton. The picture is one of the most wholesome of the year, deriving its sparkling, buoyant humour from the counterplay in a typical American home. The film reunites three of the memorable family of “Seed,” Miss Wilson, Helen Parrish and Dick Winslow.

That worn out gag, “I don’t want a book—l have one,” may have been funny once, but it becomes serious business in “Secret of the Chateau,” Universal’s thrilling French mystery screenplay which also opens tomorrow at the Majestic theatre, with Claire Dodd, Clark Williams, Alice White, and Jack Laßue in the leading roles. In the production, a dozen different people are trying to get possession of a book, an original of the Gutenburg Bible, printed about 1450 A.D., valued to-day at anywhere from £50,000 to £lOO,OOO depending on how much you like books and how much money you have in the bank. Two persons are murdered, the book is stolen and everyone is suspected before the mystery is exposed and the secret of the old chateau is cleared up. In the production, in addition to those mentioned above, are George E. Stone, Osgood Perkins, William Faversham, Ferdinand Gottschalk, Alphonz Ethier and DeWitt Jennings. It was directed by Richard Thorpe, master of action and mystery screen plays.

The production of the screen version of Victor Herbert’s immortal operetta, “Babes in Toyland” which comes to the Majestic theatre next Saturday with Laurel and Hardy in the stellar roles, taxed all of the physical resources of the Hal Roach studios and in addition swamped several motion picture supply concerns with a deluge of orders for extra electrical equipment, stage properties and other accessories essential to the filming of such a mammoth spectacle. Despite the fact that the Culver City plant of the Roach studios is conceded to be one of the best equipped in all filmland, it was found necessary to rent and purchase hundreds of extra sun arcs and other electrical lamps and to lease additional generator trucks in order to supply the vast amount of illumination required to light up the mammoth sets used in this feature picture. No other motion picture of recent years required the services of so many independent workers as did “Babes in Toyland.” The picture was twelve weeks in the making and for each of the more than three hundred players appearing in it, there were at least two men working’ “behind the scenes,” so to speak.

And now Miss Ann Dvorak, Hollywood’s only feminine bacteriologist, is building herself a lovely glass-roofed laboratory adjoining her ranch, where she can indulge in her germy hobby without disturbance. In case she tires of pet germs she has also a delightful hothouse where she can horiculturize to her heart’s content.

Frank Shields, the American tennis champion, accomplished the impossible by sneaking on to the Garbo set the other day. He secured a large flashlight bulb and rushed up to the watchman outside Garbo’s stage. “Let me in, quickly,” said he, “I’ve got to get this thing inside in a hurry. They’re all waiting for me in there.” The watchman,. thinking him to be a technician, opened the doors. Inside, Shields deposited himself in a comer with the flashlight bulb still grasped firmly. Finally an alert assistant director sensing the presence of a stranger on the sacred territory, came over and asked if he could help. The champion admitted that he had just been wanting to see the great Garbo at work, and told them who he was. After receiving compliments from the crew on his ingenuity, he was gently but firmly removed.

Merle Oberon has played her- last siren role, and from now on will play the parts that Sam Goldwyn picks for her. Sam decided that the vampish parts, will definitely limit her field, so intends to change her Oriental makeup, her coiffure and her personality, and give her more pleasing characters to portray. Evidently Merle thinks he is right, as she is obeying orders without any objections.

According to Hermes Pan, the inventor of the dance, The Piccolino, which Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers will execute in “Top Hat,” his invention will probably become as popular on the ballroom floor as the present foxtrot and rumba, as it is decidedly easier to do than the previous carioca and continental.

Jack Holt has come of age. He has now been 21 years a film star, and he has celebrated the anniversaiy by coming out with a sequence of amusing reminiscences of the silent days.

There was one actress who was unable to laugh and cry at the same time, so she used to hold a chopped-up onion in a handkerchief to her face and get a property man to tickle the soles of her feet.

Another star was unable to register grief when his (screen) wife left him. So his valet twisted his arm for him until it hurt.

One of Myrna Loy’s quaint policies is a habit of moving about every six months. She is now staying at the exclusive Beverly-Wilshire while shopping around for a new home.

If you have been wondering what has become of Joan Crawford, here’s the latest. She has asked for and been given that grand gentleman, Woody van Dyke, as her director in her new film, “Claustrophobia,” which is being adapted and screen “played” by Gottfried Reinhardt and Joe Mankiewicz. We can safely assure you that the title will be changed before long.