ACROSS THE FOOTLIGHTS

Taranaki Daily News, 2 August 1930, Page 10 (Supplement)

ACROSS THE FOOTLIGHTS

COMING EVENTS.

EVERYBODY'S. New Plymouth. 1 ' Now showing.—“ Disraeli" (George Arliss te Warner Bros, and Vitaphone all-cliarogue super production. August 6 to 8. —“Hot for Paris” (Victor McLaglenl, Fox Movietone alltalking comedy. August 9 to 12. —“So This is College” (all star), Metro-Goldwyn all talking production. August 13 to 15. —“South Sea Rose” (Lenore Ulric), Fox Movietone production. THE REGENT. New Plymouth. (Formerly The People’s). '(August 2 to s.—“ Dames Ahby" (all star), Universal all-talking comedy special. August 6 to 8. —“Harmony at Home” (all star) Fox Movietone production. August 9 to 15.—“ Three Live Ghosts” (all star), United. Artists super all talking, all laughing special. August 16 to 19.—“ The Night Ride” (Joseph Schildkraut), Universal all talking production. OPERA HOUSE. New Plymouth. ' To-night—“ Love Lies” (J. C. William--son’s Ltd). Monday—“So This is Love” (J. C. Williamson’s Ltd). August 9.—“ Beggars of Life” (Wallace Beery), Paramount production. “DAMES AHOY.” ' Otis Harlan has one of the funniest roles, of his career —that of an old salt *—in “Dames Ahoy,” uproariously funny Universal comedy. The picture deals ■with the hilarious adventures of three “gobs” on shore leave. Glenn Tryon, is starred, the exceptionally able cast including Helen Wright, Eddie Gribbon and Gertrude Astor. William James Craft directed. “Dames Ahoy” will commence at “The Regent to-day at 2 p.m. and 7.45 p.m. “DISRAELI.” -Disraeli.” the gripping Vitaphone • drama , now at Everybody’s Talkies, causes no outcry against “American accent.” No Yankee twang is heard in ■ the .scenes representing No. 10 Downing street, the famous official' home of Bri- ' ti-sh Prime Ministers, or. at Hughenden, Disraeli’s country home. Neither are ■ there any “stage Englishmen,” of the type who in past years either used, to a*ppear .with a topper and monocle and say “what, what, really don’t you know, old chappy, I say,” _or else, “Hi say. where’s the blinkin’ bloomin’ pub ?” ■’ “Disraeli” has a cast that is practically "all English, and English of the truest Sort is spoken. George Arliss, of course, is English, and so is his wife. Florence "Arliss, who plays one of the important 'roles.' Anthony Buehell, George Atkingon, Ivan Simpson, David Torrence, Jack Derry, Henry Carvill. and several, other ’ player.? are all British. - - “THREE LIVE GHOSTS.” . *■ .-“Three Live Ghosts” is not a niys- . ' tcry.etory . but a delightfully refreshing comedy-drama, based on the play by ’.that' name which scored so heavily on the New. York and London stage. The "story revolves around three British ■ soldiers who eocape from a German prison, camp and return to their former haunts in London only to discover that they are. legally dead in the eye's of 'the’Government and ' their ’friends. The “Three Live Ghosts”'are ' Charles McNaughton,''who gives a realistic char-' acterisatioh of “Jimmie Gubbins,,’ a ' Cockney; Robery Montgomery, as “William Foster,” aii American, wanted by the police, and Claud Allister, an English “gentleman” -who is known as “Spbofy” because he has lost his mental faculties due to shell-shock. Beryl Mercer, as “Old Sweetheart,” stepmother of McNaughton, who, between .'drinks, urges him to remain dead until after she has collected the final instalment . of. his war insurance, and Who, subsequently dazzled by the reward offered for the American, seeks to bring about his arrest, unquestionably gives one of the finest performances ever seen on the screen. This is Mies Mercer’s/first screen appearance. She, lias for many years been acclaimed the stage’s, foremost character . actress. Our standing performances are registered by Hilda Vaughn, Joan Bennett, Shaylc Gardner and •Harry Stubbs’ while the. minor roles are excellently handled .by Jack Cooper. Jocelyn Lee. Nancy Price, and . Tenon Holtz. This United Artists! production is coming to The Regent for a season of j£>iw week commencing August 9. “HARMONV AT HOME.” Daughters whose well meaning mothers plot incessantly to get. then! .“suitably married” would do well to insist that these parents see “Harmony at Home?' all-talking Fox Movietone picture, directed by Ilami!ton McFadden, which' is coming to the Regent Shortly, leased upon the tremendously successful New York stage play, “The Family Upstairs,” “Harmony at Home”, is the saga of the real, American family. Marguerite Cluirehili. as Louise Haller, falls in love with Rex Bell, who plays Dick Grant.’a young bank clerk. The Story tel’s how her budding romance is’ almo«t blasted through the well-intentioned efforts of mother, Elibabeth Pattersons role, to hasten a weddiim day. William Collier, sour., famed comedian. beads the cast in the father yo’e. “HOT FOR PARIS.” ■ Captain Flagg now strides a quarterdeck.’ But the character remains unchanged even though the puttees have given way to flea boots. Which is to say that Vic MeLaglen is back again in*a boisterous, rowdy comedy, making a bigger hit than ever, .if that is possible. The picture, a Fox Movietone all talker, is “Hot For Paris.” .Fill Dorsay is the hot mama of the, picture, •nd she possesses not only a comely j

figure and a pretty wit but a devasta- i ting Gallic charm, which proves to be irresistible. Then there is El Brendel, the Olsen of “The Cock Eyed World” — could more be asked for? Raoul Walsh, the director again shows his robust | sense of humour and all round ability. ( In fact he also wrote the story. The . story revolves about the exhilarating , adventures of MeLaglen and Brendel on ; shore leave. The former, having won ; the Calcutta Sweepstakes spends mest • of his time eluding those*, whom he mistakes for “cops.” There are several songs in the film, all tuneful, and ' pleasantly sung. “SO THIS IS COLLEGE.” Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer’s “So This is. College,” an all-talking-singing-daneing : picture, can be marked up as another brilliant screen entertainment. College ■ fun and wit, campus capers, five catchy i original songs. a strong touch of drama ! and, last but not least, -the most ex- | citing game of football ever seen on the screen lo draw the picture to a stirring : conclusion, are the ingredients of this j delightful entertainment. Add three j new faces, those of Elliott Nugent, j Robert Montgomery and Sally Starr, all | stage stars whom New Zealanders will ) like immensely, and It is the kind of; show it ia a great pity to miss. j| GOOD PLAYS ATTRACT PUBLIC, \ THE THEATRE IN LONDON. There is little need to talk of a slump in the theatre, writes a corre-. spondent in a recent London journal. Good plays continue to attract, and on the whole it is the -bad plays that come off quickly. There is no cause for anxiety ’because “Journey’s End” is finishing in a fortnight and “The Apple Cart” came off last night. Both have had very long runs. Plays of such different types as “The First Mrs. Fraser,” which has already been seen by more than 300,000 people; “Bitter Sweet,” Mr. Cochran’s revue at the London Pavilion; “A Nteht Like This,”. “The Three Musketeers,” “The Middle Watch,” . “Michael and Mary,” “A Warm Corner,” “On the Spot” and “The Silent Witness” continue to draw crowded houses at every performance, and. “Othello” played to approximately £2200 in its first week at the Savoy. If the “slump” brings down theatre prices it is all to the good? The cheap seats at the Winter Garden for “The House That Jack Built” have given a new long lease of life to that revue, and three other theatres are following suit. Maurice Brown is presenting the Old Vic.' “Hamlet” at the Queen’s Theatre, with seats ranging from Is 2d to 8s Cd; the Strand is to reopen, also' with cheap prices, and Julian Wylie’s musical comedy, “Here Comes the Bride,” is to be transferred to the Lyceum Theatre, where the seats have invariably been . lower in price than elsewhere in the West End, and now comes the news that the Duchess is to reopen with 8s G<l StXtllS* * V “Honours Easy” finishes next Saturday evening, and -on Tuesday, week Alec L. Rea will present at .St. Martin’s Theatre Neil Grant’s' comedy, “Petticoat Influence,” originally done by the Repertory Players on a Sunday evening in March. Mr. Grant, ' who ' is a London journalist' and the author of that excellent play, “Possessions,” tells me that he has considerably altered the second act, which was before a trifle too farcical. Diana Wynyard again has the part of the young wife who blunders .divcriingly into diplomacy. Frank Allenby and Robert Holmes will also appear; with ’Sir Nigel. Playfair as the Cabinet'Minister and Jane Millican as his wife. John Hastings Turner is the producer and the settings have been designed by- Laurence Irving. A week* later “The Command to Love,” which had a preliminary run at the Arts in February, opens at Daly’s Theatre. Yvonne Arnaud will play Manuela, Ronald Squire appears as ‘Gaston, and Isabel Elsom has the part of Marie Ann. Others in the cast' are Julian Royce, H. 11. Hignett ’ and Frederick Culley. HEART-THROB PLAYS. “EAST. LYNNE” REVIVAL. The popularity ..of old-fashioned .melodrama, not- only in the small provincial .towns, but in London itself, seems to be increasing by leaps and bounds (writes a London theatrical critic). I spent' a thoroughly entertaining couple of hours in a suburban theatre one night recently watching the heroics of that- great favourite, '“Tod” Slaughter, in “East Lynne,” and the composition of the audience was significant. I had not seen Mr. , Slaughter since the good old days at the Elephant and Castle Theatre, and the number of obviously West End playgoers pouring into this suburban house last week prompted me to join 'them. Mr. Slaughter is a very clever man. He aiid his company play “East Lynne” and the other old “heart-throb” dramafc with the utmost gusto, and the most deadly seriousness, with generous helpings of incidental music , thrown in—3o° that .the more sophisticated section of the audience is unable to resist the temptation to support the pit and gallery, in their hearty cheers', lliSnClS, 3.1K1 l)OOSrf . Yes, they really booed that archvillain with* the saucy eyes, Sir Francis Lcvison, while if the number of people in evening dress did not actually cry during Little Willie’s death, they at least pulled out pocket handkerchiefs! I am sure that Mr. Slaughter and his company would be the last to resent this gentle “leg-pulling”, in which large sections of his audiences indulge. After all, ho is doing a genuine service by giving modern playgoers an opportunity of seeing these amazingly funny melodramas, just as Simon Ord is do'ing with a different school of Victorian Crania at the Kingsway. And as the combination of people who take this sort of thing dead seriously with those who come frankly to have a quiet laugh behind their Cheers and hisses results in full houses wherever these “heart-throbbers”.are played nowadays, I repeat that Mr. Slaughter ' is a very

RING IN THE NEW. MEGAPHONES DISCARDED. With the arrival of talking pictures, the old-time movie director, who wore white riding breeches with . mirrorpolished puttees and shouted bitter words through a megaphone at his awed co-workers, has vanished. In his place appears a new type of director, who dresses in comfortable old clothes, fraternises with everybody on the set and speaks in. whispers. Mouta Bell, who recently completed directing “Young Man of Manhattan,” a Paramount alltalking dramatic play, featuring Claudette Colbert and Charles Ruggles, is an example of the new order. While his assistants are making final adjustments on lights and cameras, Bell spends his time rehearsing with the cast each bit of action and dialogue. He listens attentively when anybodys makes a suggestion and grins with delight when a new bit of “business” is invented, to enliven the scene. During the sound filming, he recedes into the background while the actors go •smoothly through their parts. “Young Man of Manhattan,” which was filmed at the Long Island studios of Paramount, is adapted from the year’s best-scliing novel by Katherine Brush. The large supporting cast of stage players includes Norman Foster, Ginger Rogers and Leslie Austin. KARSAVINA’S LIFE STORY. IMPERIAL RUSSIAN BALLET.' Tamara Karsavina, the famous Russian dancer, second only in importance to Anna Pavlova, who was her senior during her novitiate, has written her memoirs. She calls them “Theatre Street.” J. M. Barrie - has added a preface, and the book is said to be the vivid outcome of a fine and sensitive mind, and a highly cultured woman. Karsavina was a member of the Imperial Russian, Ballet, and she describes the discipline for its children, as strict as a monastery, and a good education other than dancing was provided. Their clothes were plain unitorms like charity school children. . Half the book is devoted to her early stages of study and preparation for the stage. Her parents were very 'poor. and tb« struggle was always great to keep beauty in the home. ’ j The youthful Tamar shared the honours of the Russian Ballet When Diaghileff took it to Paris, and she was the partner of the remarkable Nijinsky, and shared Iris laurels. Eventually she married an Englishman, and settled in England, but not before she had conquered .London as the premiere dauseuse of the Russian Ballet. Pavlova . was never her rival. She had her own ballets a Her that first Paris season. She went through . the Russian .revolution, ami found herself in a position of lighting the Soviet for the life of her small sou. Afterward, when Karsavina was resident in England, her. brother fell into the hands of the Russian Cheka. lie was forced to tell the names of - his' foreign correspondents, and his sister's name thus came up. At. that the commissar wheeled in- his chair and said. “You are the brother of 'Karsavina? Gizelle is her best part, don’t voir think?” As they talked ol the dancing, star the conviction was forgotten; “Tell her to come back,” said the commissar. “Tell JiQr she will be received with honours.” The book will, repay the reader, as it is probably the most sparkling as well as the most comprehensive account yet written of the fortunes ..of the Russian Ballet and the Russian renaissance of dancing. “MR. CINDERS.” ELSIE .PRINCE RETURNS. : The fact that one jiad ,to wait rather long for it to unfold itself made the plot of .“Mr? Cinders” all the more diverting and delightful - when one did begin to. pick up the thread at Her Majesty’s' writes a Sydney critic of the latest J.C.W. production. The story of Cinderella is retold in this joyous*musical comedy. Jim, the poor relation, is left behind to console himself with the company of the housemaids when the Merton Chase party crocs off to the millionaire’s ball. But an invitation is afterward found for Jim, and the pretty housemaid follows along in her limousine. Into an atmosphere of 17th century frillfl and flounces and furbelows arrives Jim, posing as a celebrated explorer on the strength of an article he has read. Then comes the transformation of the pretty housemaid into the daughter of the house, and the discomfiture of the wicked aunt and the disagreeable cousins. It is all very fairy-storyish 'Hindle Edgar, as Jim, is a new comedian from England, and was - very definitely a : big success.. Elsie ■ Prince received a rapturous welcome on her reappearance at, th.e. head, of an excel-

lent cast. The chorus was more a feature of the show than ever, and contri-. buted much to the pronounced success of the performance. . . > .j

THREE HAMLETS. CRITIC MAKES COMPARISONS. Seldom have three Hamlets been seen in London within a month —and three such very different, Hamlets! (writes E. A. Baughan, a London dramatic critic). Two of them, John Gielgud and Alexander Moissi, are actually playing in neighbouring theatres —the Queen’s and the Globe. A comparison of the three suggests itself. From a theatrical point of view, Henry Ainley’s recent performances of Hamlet were the most magnificent. He has a wonderful stage presence, and a voice that sings the music of Shakespear’s verse with a beauty that falls on ears, as balm after the raucous tones of the talkies. You might even hold that this sudden Shakespeare fever is a reaction from the talking film. It is certainly an effective reply for those who have minds to hear. But, however you may view Ham- : let, and the fascination of Shakespeare’s conception is that he has many sides, mere beauty of elocution and romance .of bearing will not do. Hamlet must not be a burley handsome prince who feigns madness for the sake of theatrical effect. Nort is it clear, as Goethe thought, that Shakespeare sought to depict a great deed laid upon a soul unequal to the performance of. it. That is, in the main, the interpretation of Alexander Moissi, the most recent of the three Hamlets. He is physically a very ordinary Hamlet, but with the distinction of a curious supersensitiveness. He has no emotional strength, and in moments of stress his voice rises to a toneless shriek. His .strength lies in the quick self-communion of the soliloquies. That Hamlet of half-tones j is not the Hamlet Shakespeare drew. And what was the Hamlet that Shakespeare drew? Whole volumes have been written on the subject, - but most of the criticisms have been invalidated by the refusal of the writers' to recognise that Shakespeare was a man of the theatre, and wrote to please his audiences. In Elizabethan days madness was a safe card to play. Elizabethan plays are full, of it. But Shakespeare, being a greater dramatist than any of his contemporaries, knew that a real jnadrnan is not a proper figure for tragedy. Hamlet is never absolutely mad. His scenes with Horaiio, .'the man w.hom he most admires mainly for ..possessing qualities opposite to Ins own, /plainly' prove that his mind, worked normally when he could free himself of the obsession that he was an instrument of vengeance, the slave of destiny. . . - An actor must take the text as his guide, and it ia truer than most commentators think that the part playa itself. To make Hamlet’s madness a mere cold-blooded, calculating method of " hiding his intended vengeance is absurd, ‘\vhat • young man,_ grieving for the sudden death of his father, and shocked by the gross haste of his mother’s “incestuous” marriage, would not have his' mind disordered by the appearance' of his father’s ghost, confirming tlie vague suspicions he had already formed? A? the late Lotus Calvert., wrote, “Put yourself in his place.” • ' ’■ •- .■ - • • If Hamlet -had been a mature and I unscrupulous man, of action, .bis course would have been . easy cnpiigh. The j only obstacle in .the ..way. of his • ven-, geanco would have-been his love for his mother and his desire hot do hurt her. To a young' man? of. -Hamlet's sensitiveness and habits of introspection, the sudden slaying of his mothers hvsbanil could not have seemed a small thing. Does- it argue such a very weak nature, as Moissi depict?, that he could not bring himself to slay the king in cold blood? The Hamlet of my imagination is just a young prince of sensitive nature, and yet of strong .emotional impulses. He is a poet, as most of Shakespeare <? characters are, and though he has all the impulses, to kill, he cannot fit action to them. ' J Because John Gielgud gives full expression to the text, and presents a young ’man faced for the first’ time in his Life with tragedy? he has been able to portray the most consistent and bright and merry, and the audience enjoyed it immensely. ' ■■ Hamlet I have seen. He may lack this or. that quality of the great Hamlets of the past, but he makes youth, inexperience, and sensitiveness rather than weakness of will the real oostacles to Hamlet’s vengeance. I think that if John Gielgud were a foreigner, all London would acclaim his Hamlet. Above all, he has youth, and the technique to express it, and a Hamlet who is not young does not explain himself.' •

MAKING TALKING FILMS. USE OF MICROPHONES, There are .three major system of film voice reproduction. Briefly, these are: Tlie film on which the music or voice is photographed directly; the use of a record which is operated in synchronism with tho motor of. the projection machine; and the third system which /s not operated in synchronism but is manually operated by a trained expert. The first system is probably the most interesting of them all, for it is here that sound waves are turned into light and then back to sound waves after passing through apparatus as electrical waves? The entire success of this system depends upon a little device known as the photo-electric cell. This photo-electric cell is sensitive to light rather than t’ pulsations/of electricity. The tube itself is entirely enclosed in an opaque covering except for a small .window through which a beam of light is directed. When there is no light the cell, has the property of conducting full electrical impulses, but as the light gains in intensity, the current drops, off accordingly until, at full brilliance, there is no flow at all. . Its response to each graduation of light is instantaneous. ° Sound is picked up by the microphone and is amplified in a device which is almost exactly’ like the; ones used for radio purposes, except that it is larger and incorporates much finer apparatus than is usually found in such devices. These instruments represent just about the highest : 'degree of manufacturing skill. If there are several microphones to be used, each will have an amplifier: and a control bv means of which the /operators can handle.the situation trom outside ..the. “set.’’ All of these amplifiers then feed into a “mixer” panel | where there is usually another amplifier, Land the resultant of. this device is then brought .to a device .which operates, something like the mechanism of,an ordinary dynamic; loud speaker, except that instead of reproducing sound; the vibrations cause a highly polished, metal surface to move .in exact ; accordance with tlie'impi;ises. ■ ; . ■ A ray.' of light reflected from . this polished surface, is photographed on the film together with the action of the picture.. iThe entire musical or. audible pdrt of the film -is concentrated • into' a. strip on the edge of the film; .this strip being only one-eightli'of an inch wide. It is called the sound track, and when: the' film is developed ' and ! the prints made, each one will have-.the music or voice printed with it as a'-part of the film itself . • ‘.I ' FEW NEW PLOTS. ■ COMEDY DRAMAS..LEAD. • Remarkable . facte emcrg.e-.fi um a detailed survey of American film production' during 1929. ..Out of 293 pictures made’ .by , ten leading companies, the survey shows; only>ll4 were'based bn original stories. For the rest 10G were' adapted from stage .plays, 53 from novels and 30 from magazine . stories, •writes an English commentator. If there iwere: aiiy: doubt of the importance" of the theatre to 'the cinema industry these figures dispel it. A classification of the ..various’ types of pictures.. made.' clear ’ that there were 35 musical, comedies made, these heading the . list of.the various categories. The next largest number of pictures of any single ..type made, is 29. the “society drama” total. After this, in order, come:— , ’ Society comedy dramas' 2<J Sophisticated city life draimas 21 Outdoor and Western dramas 21 Mystery dramas : .... .... 21 . Sex dramas I,‘J comedies ' ........... ■ ” City life comedyi dramas ...... I*3 ■ “Crook”-dramas' 15 ' i '-y" ..■ ’ . ■'•? . ' - Only seven histprieal dramas were : nfa.de, and only?tw'o;>horse-racing films;There were eight ; bpefbttas and five war stories. . y '-' ?, .. > .. ' It is estimated that ? before tiic 293 plots for these pictures were finally selected more than 5000 manuscripts were read, while some 50,000 were submitted to producers, but • were never read at all. Only two authors had five stories accepted. They - were George Abbott and Wallace Smith. .Several had four stories filmed, among them being Guy Bolton, noted musical comedy author, and Fannie Hurst. The largest number of . films produced by any one company was 54, the Metro-Goldwyn-Maycr were the studios responsible. First National came second with 42, and Fox third with -40. Paramount had 39 features during the year. .Warner Brothers, ,3.4,' and Universal, 33. . Dramas of. various kinds . totalled ■ 101; musical Nfilms of different- types -numbered only.. 48.■ There, were 19 straight comedies. . , • ; ;

A VIOLIN VOICE. MASTER OF UNSPOKEN WORD. It is remarkable how the art of the really great actor dissipates and eliminates language barriers, writes Alan Parsons in the Daily Mail. One felt it witji Lucien Guitry—one felt it again at the Globe Theatre, where C. B. Cochran and Maurice Browne presented the famous German actor, Alexander Moissi. I beg no one to deny himself the rare treat of seeing, this splendid artist on account of knowing little, or even nothing, of the German language, for such is the quality of his acting, that his every intonation is crystal clear—his appeal is universal. The play chosen was Tolstoy’s “Der Lebende Loichman,” or “The Living Corpse.” Fedya’s tragedy is one, of weakness, of vacillation and procrastination. He has neither the will, to return to his wife Lisa, who loves him, nor to set her free to marry her admirer, Victor. We see him going steadily down the hill in a cheap restaurant with an open bottle of wine and a revolver by his side. But he cannot make up his mind to do the deed—with w terrible cry of “Ich kann nicht” he flings the pistol away. AH he can do is to leave - a note saying that he has killed himself.'Lisa Marries Victor; .and ■ is' prosecuted ..for bigamy, an informer handing over Fedya, the living corpse, to . the police. -After making an/.impassioned speech to the court attackino- the divorce laws, he finds t his lost strength of mind,, and a revolver shot sets Lisa free. A ■ story more than usually steeped in’- Ruiteian gloom, but tense and dramatic, and a gripping study of a neurotic, weak-willed man. Herr Moissi’s performance is superb throughout. One has perhaps been apt to think of the German tongue as . sibilant and not naturally beautiful, bur. he plays upon it as on a violin, ana it at once' becomes eloquent and musical. His elocution is perfection—every syllable is .given its fullest value, and his voice has a peculiarly warm and caressing quality; with a pianissimo which carries to every, corner of the theatre —sometimes he seems to intone rather than speak' the words. . Hte rare outburts of passion are terrine. It is this golden-voice that-naturally appeals mest strongly, but he is a master of the unspoken word.-who can exprccte , volumes with a wave of the hand or a toss of the head. In a word, th?'man is a supreme artist. If I have any criticism, to make it is that lie invested Fedya with much more sense of humour than, that melancholy man can ever have possessed. . Herr Mo.ksi is supported by a very fine company, which gives so notable an exhibition of team-work that it would seem invidious to mention one name , rather than another, but I limed “specially the Lisa of Charlotte Schultz. The production ia most attractive, showing what diverse and striking effects can be obtained by clever lightintr and vei’v si-mplilied scenery. I seem to sense the genius of Reinhardt in the way on a dark stage great pools of bright light are concentrated on the players. ZIEGFELD PLANS TALKIE. • PRODUCER IN HOLLYWOOD. Florenz Ziegfeld arrived in Hollywood • with his wife and daughter recently. . Every woman, it seemed, got suddenly dissatisfied with her wardrobe, her figure, and everything else concerning her personal charms. “Yes, there are a lot of the girls I started in the show business doing well in Hollywood, I see,” said Ziegfeld at a party held for him at the Samuel Goldwyn studio. ' “There's Marion Davies. * I remember when I told Marion she was getting a little plump,'and she said, ‘Yes, I know, Mr. Ziegfeld; I’m going to lose a little weight and go into pictures. -You just wateh me.’ And she certainly has gone far.” ’ In answer to the old question about just what does the most for a woman, her natural beauty or the setting. Ziegfeld answered: “There . is no question that beauty is in the eye of the beholder. By that I mean that a beautiful woman has' to be dressed and displayed to advantage by someone who can discern just what is her sort of thing, just what is most flattering to her. . “Certainly there are many beautiful women in "Hollywood. That is easy to sav,- for I see all around me all the girls from the New York shows an 1 . ° stage who have come here for talkies. I am anxious to get to work on this filming of my show, .‘Whoopee. The only way to make a screen show of a stage show i? to .photograph it as it is done on the stage.” (What a lot Mr. Ziegfeld is going to find out if he thinks that! comments a Hollywood writer). . ■_ “1 may become interested in producing other things in films. It all depends. 'My present arrangement is

to work on ‘Whoopee,’ nothing more. Then we shall see.” “How about Patricia, the 14-year-old daughter? Does she have stage aspirations yet?” “Not so far,” eaid the famous one. •Tier most earnest ambition at present is tc be head nurse in a dog hospital. “It is thirty-seven years since I have been as far west as Los Angeles,” reminisced Ziegfeld, “though you know my wife, Billie Burke, was out here in some Ince productions about fifteen yeans ago.” This refers to “Gloria’s Romance,” made ae a serial, with the beauteous 3jllic, preceding the birth of the little Patricia, who now returns ac a 14-ycar-old. • The Ziegfelds'.have taken a beach.house for the summer,; while Papa Zicrgy will bo in Hollywood ninkuig-.-.-. “Whoopee” with Samuel Goldwyu.