NO PLACE FOR AUTHORS

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

NO PLACE FOR AUTHORS

HOLLYWOOD CRITICIZED Mr Hugh Walpole, who recently returned to England from Hollywood, vows that no offer in the world would ever tempt him to return there to work. He spent two years in Hollywood writing for American films. “For every single day of a period of six months,” he said, “I.was absolutely exasperated. Though I was being paid a high salary, I had nothing whatever to do. That state of affairs is suicidal to any author or artist.” Among the films with which Mr Walpole was connected in a literary capacity were Kipling’s “Kim,” “Little Lord Fauntleroy, “David Copperfield” and “Romeo and Juliet.” “Worse than inactivity, if possible,” Mr Walpole continued, “are the periods when there is so much work to be done that any author is liable to be driven to insanity. It is impossible in those circumstances to be able to turn out good stuff. “I would advise any young unknown author to go out there and try his luck. There is so much opportunity. But for an author who has already made his name, and has acquired the habit of living comfortably and working consistently, it is not the place. The life and methods for such a person spell -murder to art.”