THE SCREEN STARS

Stratford Evening Post, Volume I, Issue 89, 24 March 1931, Page 2

THE SCREEN STARS

Clayton Greene, who was in New Zealand with "The Wrecker," has a pari, in the talkie version of "The "Outsider." Harold Huth appears in the role played on the stage in New Zealand hy Maurice Moscovitch, and others in the cast are Norman McKinnel, Joan Barry, Prank Lawton, Mary Clare, Lewin Mannering, Wilfred Shine, Fewlass Llewellyn.

"Sweet Kitty Bellairs"

A versatile cast, all of whom possess the combined talents of acting and singing, make up the all-star list of players in "Sweet. Kitty Bellairs," Warner Eros.' talking, singing romantic comedy of eighteenth century England. Claudia Dell and June ColIyer have Ihe leading roles in "Sweet Kitty Bellairs," which is an adaptation of the sensational stage success of David Belasco, and is built around the astounding conquests of Kitty Bellairs, one of the world's most famous flirts.

Sterling Plans Early this year Sterling Films will begin production on the well-known stage play, "Tilly of Bloomsbury," by lan Hay. The picture, which will be produced at British and Dominions Studio at Elstree, • will have an exceptionally strong cast. Every effort will be made to make this well-known stage play into an even bigger success as a talkie. Louis Zimmerman announces that Sterling will make some five or six pictures this year. All productions are to be spared, in exers, nothing will be spared, in expense or time, to make each one a triumph. * * * Religious Family Carmel Myers, who plays a beautiful adventuress in the "Lion and the | Lamb," Columbia's film adaptation of the E. Phillips Oppenheim's bestseller of the same name, has Rabbis on both her mother's and father's side of the family. It was because her father was a rabbi that she got her first film position. D. W. Griffiths gave her, her first role in exchange for some technical information Rabbi Myers had given him on "Intolerance." ••*.'■* Joan Peers v Joan Peers, who plays the feminine lead in "Tol'able David," the Columbia film adapted from Joseph Heiv gesheimer's famous "Saturday Evening Post" story of the same name, was born in Chicago, 111., U.S.A. She • is the daughter of a theatrical man, and naturally gravitated towards the stage. In spite of her extreme youth she has had extensive stage experience. She appeared in the productions of "Marry the Man" and "Crime." She has played on the screen in "Applause," "Anybody's War," "Around the Corner," and "Rain or Shine." * $ * "The Great Game" "The Great Game" is Britain's first Soccer talkie, and those hardy souls, the football fans, who stand on the "banks" in all weathers, to cheer and "boo" the efforts of their own and opposing teams, also the armchair followers of the game, will be delighted to hear that this film is due for release this year. John Batten, the young and talented New Zealand actor, stars in the film.

Oid English "Old English," the Galsworthy play which proved so tremendously popular when played on the stage by George Arliss, has been maue into a Warner Bros, and Vitaphone production. "Old English" can be compared best, perhaps, to "Disraeli" of last season, which introduced George Arliss to the talking picture world. Incidentally, "Old English" is the first Galsworthy drama to reach the talking screen and no little' persuasion was needed to secure form the English playwright the permission to produce his play as a picture.

Third Time Lucky "Third Time Lucky" is a British Dominion film of the popular farce type. Bobby Howes and Gordon Harker are the chief laughter-makers in this comedy, which is brimful of every essential-that, goes to the making of amusing entertainment. Howes Harker play the parts of two "clergymen." And what "clergymen" they are! Supporting them are Hurry Marsh, Henry Mollison, Dorothy Boyd, Harry Terry, Clare Greet, Alec Feild, and Mathew Boulton. "Third Time Lucky" had a London run at Hie Ambassador's Theatre, ivnd had an extraordinarily successful !."< months' tour. It. is by one of the

.uthoi'H of "The Ghost Train," Arnold Ridley.

"East Lynne"

Mrs. Henry Wood's famous .story, "East Lynne," has been made into a talking picture by Fox Movietone, and the production promises to be one of the outstanding achievements of the present screen year. Ann Harding and Clive Brook head the large cast of 5000 persons, which Is engaged in the production, and these names are enough to guarantee a thoroughly enjoyable show. Prominent among the supporting artists are Conrad Naged, 0. P. Heggie, Beryl Mercer, Cecilia Loftus and David Torrence. The film will be shown in Auckland shortly. . THE STAGE "Mr. Cinders" "Mr. Cinders," the musical comedy which Avill be seen in New Zealand shortly after Easter, was interpreted by the following cast during its recent successful presentation in Australia: Josie Melville as Jill, Hindle Edgar as Jim, Prank Leighton as Lumley, Leonard Stephens as Sir George Lancaster, Maidie Hope as Lady Lancaster, Sonny Ray as Guy, Ellen Percival as Phyllis Patterson, Edwin Brett as Henry Kemp, Jack Dunne as Burroughs, Kathleen Fallow as Minerva Kemp, Lai Fallow as Lucy Smith, Eileen Ogden as Donna Lucia D'Esmeralda. The ballets and dances were arranged by Minnie Everett, with William Quintrell as musical director. The play was produced by George A. Highland. The musical numbers and dancing are features of the play, and the settings of the seven scenes "Ere "extremely elaborate. There are no fewer than 21 items in the two acts. These include such popular songs successes as "I Want the World to Know," "OneMan Girl," "On With the Dance," "Spread* a Little Happiness," "Every Little Movement," "Fve Got You, You've Got Me," and others.

f/iARIE DRESSLER, Metro-Gold-wyn-Mayer's universal favourite, wno will shortly appear in that company's "Let Us Be Gay," with Norma Shearer. A large cast support these two stars in this brilliant production, which is predict- . ed a record-breaking run everywhere.

■On the-Spot" In Tony Perelli, Edgar Wallace lias created a figure that is to Action what "Scarface" Al Capono is to real life —a romantic king of crookdom, who is the central character of the stirring underworld play, "On the Spot," in which Frank Harvey is starring in Sydney under the J. C. 'Williamson, L:cl., management. Frank Harvey gives a remarkable rendering oi the role, which is said to stand "out as one of his best performances of the many he has given since he first appeared in Australia in "Joseph and His Brethren' some years ago. Frank Harvey in "On the Spot" will be the J. C. Williamson, Ltd., attrac- , tion at the Comedy Tilßatre, Mel- ' bourne, at Easter. * # Nasty Language St. John Evine, the novelist and playwright, thinks that plays and novels are too full of phrases that nasty litle boys used, shamefacedly, to scribble on hoardings. He considers that at the theatres in London or New Xork one hears words lisped by young ladies that were formerly spokdn only in secrecy by men. He has heard epithets freely used on the stage and prmted in novels that have hitherto been considered suitable for utterance only in back street public houses. He cuttingly comments on i the use of common oaths and blasphemy with as much ease as a comment on the Aveather, but is unable to determine whether the language is blameatfie on the author or is just gleaned from the conversation of the modern young people. The language of uneducated sewermen in moments of extreme exasperation he considers not fit for use on the public stage or in novels. * * * Gus Bluett The noted theatrical manager, Fred Kitchen, who discovered Charlie Chaplin, wanted to train Gus Bluett when he was a youngster, but his father, Fred Bluett, would not leave him by himself in England when the family return to Australia. Later Gus joined his father in vaudeville, and appeared with him in many humorous sketches and turns. His first engagement with J. C. Williamson, Ltd., was in the revue, "Hullo, Everybody," following with appearances in "The Bing Boys on Broadway" and "The Passing Show." His first big success was made with Ada Reeve in "Aladdin," under the J. C. Williamson', !7**r;., management. His latest si\ cess has boon achieved in "Sons o' Guns," at the Theatre Royal, Melbourne, in which he shows u clever appreciation not only of the humorous .side of his role, but also Ihe sentimental.