VICTOR JORY IN ENGLAND

Southland Times, Issue 23179, 21 April 1937, Page 9

VICTOR JORY IN ENGLAND

Prefers Heavy Roles

The late king of the fairies is having a busy time at Elstree. Victor Jory, who, covered with spangles and astride a black charger made a manly Oberon in “A Midsummer Night’s Dream,” is in two Associated British films at once.

Victor Jory was brought to Australia to become the stalwart hero on a station in “Rangle River,” the first picture to be produced in that country by an American company in conjunction with National Studios, and from Australia he went to England. He puts on a dark suit and a snarl and goes on to the set of “Bulldog Drummond at Bay” to threaten John Lodge, playing the captain. Then he skips off, changes into a Ruritanian uniform and a sneer and does his best to make Otto Kruger, the king of “Glamorous Night,” look small. Jory, 6ft lin, and well muscled, prefers playing heavies to the succession of gentlemanly leading men Hollywood has recently given him. When making “Rangle River” he had to use a stock whip in a fight, and he now claims to be able to snick the ash off a cigarette held in the mouth of a victim 20 paces distant. There have been no volunteers at the Elstree studio for cigarette holder. Victor Jory was horn in Dawson City, Alaska, his father having been lured to the gold rush. Young Jory learned to use his fists early and, in the early part of his stage career, when he could not earn enough money by acting to live on, he used to box professionally. He often had a curtain-raising bout, which began at 7 p.m., and he had to be at the theatre at 8, so he tried to finish it off quickly. “But I wasn’t really any good as a professional fighter,” he says. The record of his villainies at Elstree so far is a big one. He has, among other things, thrown Hugh Miller to his death through a window, banged Barry McKay on the face when he was held by two soldiers, beaten up Richard Bird, and violently assaulted John Lodge.