ACROSS THE FOOTLIGHTS

Taranaki Daily News, 22 November 1930, Page 10 (Supplement)

ACROSS THE FOOTLIGHTS

COMING EVENTS. ■ . / EVERYBODY’S. New. Plymouth. To-nigJit, Monday and Tuesday.—(Fox Movietone Follies of 1930 (all star . '/ cast). • - K November 26 to 28. —‘‘Footlights and Fools” (Colleen Moore), First National • production. November 29 to December 3.—“ The Love- Parade” (Maurice Chevalier), Paramount special production. December 4 and 5. —“The Ziegfeld Follies” (all star), Paramount produe- ■ ' tion. y-. THE REGENT. 1 ’ : ' l,l . T— .fe •' ' ■ ' New Plymouth. " Monday. and , ■ Tuesday. —' 1 “Young Desires” (Mary Nolan), all-talking' production. November 26 to 28.—“ Happy Days” (all . star), Fox Movietone production. November 29 to December 2.—“ Caught '/ Short” (Marie Dressler-Polly Mpr- /? an), . Metro-Goldwyn ’ all-talking • comedy special production. to’! December 3 to , 5.—-“ Evidence” (Paul- / tone Frederick), First National and ; Vitaphone production. r.. ‘FOX MOVIETONE FOLLIES OF 1930. ( "When Marjorie White, featured in *The New Movietone Follies of 1930,” •cored a sensational hit in her first picture, “Sunny Side Up,” many were the sceptical critics who regarded • her mere- ; Jy-as a “flash in the pan.” “She did it once, but can i she do it again?” was' their attitude.’ Fox-Movietone execu- . tiyes, who have Miss White under long- . term contract, thought she could. To •.convince.the critics they put her in the hardest spot-*pyer occupied by any young. actress./toShe was given the leading feminine-"tqle . in “Happy Days,” ■spectacular musical production which presented virtually .every star on - the Fox lot. j To ; survive such competition was a severe test. But Marjorie not only survived, but outshone everyone else in the: picture for her individual excellence. Next, Miss White (the comedienne role in “The Golden Calf,” and with El Brendel, again prodeeded to romp away with the major honours. Again-teamed with the. famous • Swedish character comedian, in this year’s ’ "Movietone Follies” and in a role..made to order for her, she der beyond a doubt that she 'is;, the’greatest, comedy discovery since the adveHli of-audible, pictures. Others in , the vcaSt include Frank Richardson, . Noel• Francis, William Collier, Jr., Miriam Seegar, J. M. Kerrigan; Yola D’Avril,Huntly Gordon. Paul Nicholson and many -’oilier well-known players. In addition- there is a dancing chorus of 30p;beahties and a vocal chorus of 30 trained singers. 'Benjamin; Stoloff dirib'.^cte'd'the’production from the story by .William K. Wells. The Fox: Movietone commences a season' at Every(body’s Theatre to-day at 2 and S p.m. “YOUNG DESIRE.” t ' ' ,'ihe story of “Young Desire,” commencirig at the Regent to-day at 2 and 8 'p.m., shows in sharp contrast the life .of a carnival girl and that of her sheltered sister in a small community. The seamy side of the life of one who lives / by entertaining is painted broadly and vividly./ . Miss Nolan is supported by an exceptionally nbta'ble cast in “Young • [Desire.” Opposite, her plays young William, Janney, who already has made an enviable.record on both the stage and the screen. Another important role .is • played by Ralf Ha-rolde who won wide attention through his work-in the stage play, “Ths Front Page.” Mae • Busch, who is one of the most popular of motion picture actresses, returns to the )g ®creenXin a strong role. Important parts are also taken' by George Irving and _• Claire/iMcDowell. Lew Collins directed the picture, which is based, on William IR. .Doyle’s sensationally successful stage ■playjPjUalfniva],” Winnifred Reeve and Matt Taylor wrote the adaptation and dialogue. - ■ ' : , . i , “FOOTLIGHTS, AND FOOLS.” Thp entertaining plot of Colleen j'Mbttß’s newest talking picture, “Footlights and Fools,” develops such' compilations that two leading men were 'rptjuired for the cast of this First National and Vitaphone comedy-drama, which -comes to Everybody’s Theatre next Raymond Hackett . and Frederic March were selected by [Producer Jplrh'McCormick fop these conspicuous rotes, and as the story progresses) the opinion of. the audience is divide^."as. . t-o which will be the winner in’.the romance. .Not until the very end otpthte picture .can one be certain whethPjv HaSkUt or March 'i>, the hero. Both ./and March are recent recruits).' from )phe stage, but each has distinguished Almself in talking pictures. regarded as an ex- ■- ceptional actol: because of his portrayals in “The Trial of-Mary Dugan” and “Madame March' attained equal .prominence in “The Dummy” arid “The WildLPaidy.” Others who- play conspicUous'.'rolris are Virginia Lee Corbin, Edward'Martindel, Mickey Bennett, Adrienne d’Anibricourt, Frederic Howard,. Cleve Moore and Andy Rice, Jr. “■Footlights arid" Fools” was directed by William A. Sefter. ‘ r "CAUGHT SHORT.” Marie Dressier and. Polly Moran will foe co-starred in/iMetrcr-Goldwyn-Mayer’s • all-talking' comedy, Short,” with a supporting caM including Anita (Page, Charles Mqrtop, Herbert. Prior, T. Roy Barnes, Edwarq Dillon, ‘Alice Moe, Gwen Lee, Lee’ Kohlmar and Greta Granstedt. The comedy ' team will be seen as Washington Square (New York City) boarding-house keepers who achieve a rapid rise 'from poverty to wealth as a result of dabbling in ’ the stock market, only) to |lqse all when the Wall Street crash’ occurs. A romance between .Miss's Page and Morton has an important share in the plot. The situations of this, comedy are said to be uproariously funny, particularly in the early sequences of T the picture in which Miss Dressier and Miss Moran are. seen in their.-boarding house activities and again later when with sudden acquisition of wealth they attempt to play the “grand ladies.” <TTm Spanish Now,” a burlesque ‘number, written by Dave Snell and Ray Egan will be sung and danced by Miss Drcsslerliri a board-ipg-house party scene while- a second number, “Somebody,” the work of Roy Turk’and Fred Ahlert, will be sung by Charles Morton. ...... “HAPPY DAYS.” “Happy Davs/’ which opens next Wednesday at ’the Regent Theatre, contains beautiful girls, spectacular ’ drills, luxurious- settings, gorgeous costumes, bewildering surprises, tuneful melodies, and side-splitting jokes. The -artists include Will Rogers, Janet Gaynor, Walter Catlett, Charles Farrell, J. Harold Murray, Victor McLaglen, William Collier Senn, Edmund Lowe, Ann Pennington, George Olsen, Warner Baxter A delightful love story is told. One of. the

pleasing numbersMs “We’ll Build a Little World of Oun Own,” by Miss -.ynor and Mr. FarrellAand one of -the most j mirth-provoking is by Victor McLaglen 1 and Edmund Lowe, called “Vic and Eddie.” Others appearing in specialities are Richard Keene and Marjorie Whit- 1 , Dixie Lee, supported by GO beautiful dancers, and Sharon Lynn and Ann Pennington in a number!; called “Snake Hips,” which has a background of gorgeous scenery and 30i screen peaches who sing and dance. “Hrippy Days” is not a revue, for running throughout is a delightful romance. - “THE LOVE PARADE.” Every little while there comes a picture which from the outset Js assured of a long season. One such is ‘‘The Love Parade.” It is a gorgeous musical romance of royalty. “The 'Love Parade,” whieh stars the popular Maurice Chevalier and Jeanette MacDonald, “she of the red-gold hail- and the seagreen eyes,” is an original musical romance. The story is smart and unsophisticated, and brings a new type of picture to the talking screen. Maurice Chevalier is cast in the role of a prince who marries a queen and becomes a very stern prince consort, who refuses, to be ruled according to ancient traditions. Ten popular hits form the basis, for the musical background. Tlie settings are most lavish, and the supporting cast prodigious. NEW YORK STAGE SEASON.AUSTRALIAN PRODUCER’S TRIP.. , ; v .... ■' ' ! •• ! Mr. Frederick Blackman, who is producing the new piece “Sons o’ Guns,” in Australia, for the J. C. Williamson management, 'was recently in America, and found that in New York the theatrical authorities are preparing for one of the biggest seasons known in the history, of the legitimate stage, states the J.' C. Williamson, Ltd., Magazine. He also found that many of the picture theatres in that city had gone back to. silent 'films, that others were again including .stage presentations as part of thq.entertainment,' though these had been banished for a time, and that some'protrramiiies were made up in the proportion of , three parts vaudeville and one part pictures. .“The ,talkies which won success were not musical plays, but dramatic produelions,” said Mr. Blackman, in an inter: view with a representative of the Sydney Morning' Herald,““and having ex-’ hausted the list of plays which, have, succeeded on the legitimate stage, the talkie. managers are finding it difficult to obtain further material. My firm belief is that there has been a great overbuilding of talkie theatres’ throughout the world, and that this problem of ; providing a constant supply of attractions has become serious. In the legitimate theatre it is not possible to secure many pronounced successes in tfoe year; but those .who are concerned, ■in the talkies hope for one a week for' 100 theatres. ■,•./■: '

THE--WAGNER FESTIVALS. - OPERA AT BAYREUTH. It has been announced that Toscanini will reside perinanentlj\ in Bayreuth, and it is anticipated that the great conductor, who would. not renew .his contract with La Scala at Milan last year); will accept the mitsical direction, of .the Bayreuth Music Festival not only for 1931, for which he has long been engaged, l}Ut also for the future ones. ■, Almost immediately after the toeath of Siegfried Wagner it was assumed in Bayreuth that negotiations with Toscanini were in hand in order to acquire his permanent services at tho Bayreuth Festival Opera House. In view of Toscanini’s Enthusiasm for the. works; of Wagner it was considered that such an offer -■would ..foe 'in' accord with. ’.liis wishes. For -the- Wagner family this appointment would be the greatest piece of good fortune, after the unexpected death of Siegfried Wagner. There are several reasons for the fact that seats for the festival performances for j this year has been completely sold 0ut—33,500 tickets for the 21 performances, the ordinary highest price of which was £2 10s. One of the reasons is probably that many thousands of 'Americans and English who had been attracted to Oberammergau also went on to Bayreuth. But undoubtedly; Toscanini was also a great draw. Some. of the ticket-dealers were able to dis-! pose. .of. tickets for “Tristan” and “Tannhauser,” conducted ,by Tosca-; nini; for £2O. About 10,000 visitors' were at Bayreuth, among them 3500 foreigners, with a ‘ high, percentage /of Americans arid English. ' _ The performances for which there was' the greatest 'demand for seats were those conducted by Toscanini. ' JOSEPH HISLOP IN OPERETTA. J “FREDERICA” IN LONDON. The Franz 'Lehar operetta, “Feeder-', ica,” at the Palace, London, was- a. triumph for all concerned, and particu-/ larly for Joseph Hislop’ (who toured' New Zealand under the Tait manage-; ment a few years ago), wjio made debut in a performance/.of this nature! in the role of, Goethe. The operetta, based ‘on a romance of. -the poet,! Goethe’s,' early' days, is the ‘supreme' example of a musical play, in which the. delightful - melodies, according to-one.. English'paper, “have triumphed .com-/, pletely over an utterly banal libretto.; Mr. Hislops Gopthe w'as gracefully; complemented by the singing and acting of the Austrian musical cohiedy actress, Fraulein Lea Seidl, as the young daughter of the Sescnheim pastor who gives Goethe up in order that he may continue his -career unfettered. The.singing of the two principals roused unbounded enthusiasm among the crowded audience on the opening night. Fraulein Seidl, in her parting scene with Goethe, became so emotional that; she cried uncontrollably, giving realism to a very tense, dramatic moment. \ era Lennox, as Frederica's flirtatious sister, infused vivaciousness and life into her role. The Viennese actress who faced a first night audience in a strange country, singing and acting a familiar role, it is true, but in unfamiliar language, came through her ordeal well. She has pla,yed the part of Frederica more than 200 times in Vienna, and she confesses that the Lehar music, particularly in the parting., scene with Goethe, always makes her cry. After the firstnight performance’, she told an interviewer that the ordeal of having to sine- English words was so great that at °the beginning of the performance she felt frozen, until, when singing the exquisite song “Why Did You Kiss My Heart Awake,” she felt the great bond of sympathy created.by the music bridge the gulf between the language. The sight of people in the audience with tears in their eyes was too much for the Viennese actress, who burst .. into tears without even a handkerchief to help her along.

MODERN DRAMA. AN- ACTOR’S. OPINIONS. ' ‘ ' • 1 ■' • ■ ■ '■“Spoken drama ..will-never be ' ousted by- any other' form" of entertainment. The public must sbe' the living artist, and have an opportunity of ■' enjoying or decryino- his Or her Work,” said Mr. Leslie Hofland to a representative of the Christchurch Press; ' Mr. Holland has been brought to ■ Christchurch by the J. C. Williamson ; firni for the special purpose of playing the role of Ichabod Bronson in the “Belle of New York.” , , ■

Mr. Holland was in Christchurch six years ago with the “Maid of the Mountains,” in; which Miss Gladys , Moncrieif was starred. He is fully au fait with all the movements of . theatrical artists, who are dear to the hearts of New Zealand theatre-goers, and , he states that that very popular panto-’ mime “dame,” Arthur Stigant, will probably appear in New Zealand at Chrismas. time in a . new role.’ Mr., Holland hhs’ been associated with the “Belle” for the last four or five years. His stage career commenced at the age of 17 years, and he has much London experience. For some time he was with stack companies, and eventually drifted into musical comedy. “One thing I like is good British speech,” he said. “The American talkies can never compete with real Eng-ish diction. I have been offered various parts, but-1 may s®y that it is always a delight ■ to get back to New Zealand, where there’ is no dialect- and where good English is spoken. There is. wo doubt , that the talkies are here to stay, but they will never oust the lines, .spoken from the stage itself.” . Referring to modern music, Mr. Holland said, that he did .' not approve of the “modernisation” of old masters. “After all,” he said, “the old melodies have stood tlie test of time, and they are as popular to-day as ever they • were.? _ > ; . . • / .? /.’..: PRIEST .AT HOLLYWOOD. STRANGE LIFE STORY. A Budapest newspaper' related the strange career of a Hungarian priest who made a pilgrimage from America to Budapest to take part in recent festivi'tics. • ' . ■ ■ ■■ . Dezso „ yoinich was the son. of a. ' wealthy nobleman living in Bacska, and after dojng military service in a Hussar regiment he."'astonished his- family by deciding to'become a priest. He concluded 'theological' studies at Inns-, bruck, and after the death of the prelate of Szabadka succeeded to one of the richest,, parishes m pre-war Hungary. >■' The young priest became very popular in Szabadka, and at■ the end of the war was made candidate for a “Vacant bishopric. By the treaty of Trianon, however, the territory, became Serbian, and as it remained ainder the jurisdiction of the Hungarian Cardinal of Kalocsa, the clashing of national interest made life rimjuppbrtable for the clergy. .Father •Voinich laid aside- his cassock, and travelled to America, . where he received an engagement with the Paramount Film Company at Hollywood. When the .film in which he was to play t he leadirig part , was . about to . be photographed, Father ' Voinich disap-, peared, aiaLwas not heard of again for years, until he was discovered in a small 'Hungarian American village, filling the 'position "of” p apish''“pTiest.' . ' . '■ •; : . ' : ' : i ' . ■ . SONGS- BEFORE DIALOGUE. P REPAR ATIO^.OF'‘'HONE):.” ■ ■• When a musical talking picture is about to 'be made, which domes; first,-; the “book’”- or the ln mbst.cases it is the “book”, which comes first, but in' the case, of "Honey,” Nancy Carroll’s, /second.'-starring production, the ■■ songs were composed long before the dialogue: was written. “Honey” is inspired by the stage success, “Come Out’of the Kitchen.” Sain Coslow and W. Franke Harling were given a .200 word synopsis of the play. This acquainted them, with the plot and setting of the production. They were >also informed about-the cast of “Honej'.’,’ , Coslow and Harling then wrote four original songs for “Honey.” Three of the songs were inspired by the setting of the story, two of them by the players in the cast. The major love-hit of the production was written around and for the personality of Miss Carroll, the : star. ; • ' ’ ’ ’ ' 1 '•■'■ i After the songs- were' completed and approved,.-they were handed, to Herman J. ’ Miinkiewicz, . wlipl wrote the screen play and the, dialogue to ■ fit.' ‘‘Tliri procedure, followed in. preparing ‘Hon / for production is. the ideal piethbd of writ--iug a jiiusical romance,” commented Mankiewicz'recently. “The songs do not interrupt the flow‘of the story because they are an' integral part of it.They are as important in telling the story of the picture as the dialogue is,” —;i; / ■’ /' . ■ ■' . ■' ■■■■(- , \ THREE BIG PICTURES.; JOHN WAYNE’S PROGRAMME. ' John ■ Wayne, the’'handsome former University , of ' Southern California athlete, who was selected by Raoul Wafch to head .the cast of “The Big Trail,” now in its third month of production in Wyoming, has been given another big advancement by the Fox Film, Corporation. Wayne will be featured in “No Favours. Asked,” from the story by Paul Leicester Ford, with Alfred Worker directing,- it has been announced by studio officials. Dixie Lee,' Warren Hymer, Noel Francis and George CorcoYari ‘also 'are' scheduled' ‘to appear in’ this' production. In all, Wayne, will, appear before the caiii'c’ra and microphone in three pictures during, the present year, “The Big Trail)” ' “No Favours Asked” and “Wyoming,” which A. F. Erickson will direct. Mae Clarke, Nigel Barrie, Joyce Compton, Tommy Clifford, and Rex, the famous,Aorse, will appear in this filni based on Max Brand's story “Alcantraz,” Willard Robertson is slated to write the screen story and dialogue. BEST ENGLISH ACCENTS. , NOT ALWAYS FROM ENGLAND. The best English accents are sometimes those that do not come from England. Director William A. Seiter learned thia while filming “The Flirting Widow,” First Nation and Vitaphone c'hiedy of au English family’s attempt to marry off its daughters. Dorothy Mackaill and Basil Rathbone, players, were both born under tlie British / flag and had stage training in London;' Their English speech, which the American calls "English accent.” was realistic, but not nearly as good for the microphone as that of Claude Gillingwatcr, who was born in Missouri. Leila Hyams,,born in New York City, spoke dialogue with the accent of a Londoner, outdoing other members of the cast who were born in England. Miss Hyams and Gillingwatcr are the only non-British born persons in the company. "The 'Flirting Widow,” is from A. E W. Mason's play, “Green Stockings.”

AUSTRALIA’S OLD THEATRES. CHANGES SEEN IN SYDNEY. “The Whizz Bangs” are whizzing at th j Grand Opera House, Sydney, and reviving memories 'of war. They ate mainly ■ old entertainers of the .Great War who wore khaki and entertained th troops behindi the lines. The proceeds are going to distressed soldiers r :d sailors in this city, says a Sydney writer, and the show is worth the money and the cause is worth three' times that. .".■■■ . Mayne Linton, at the Grand Opera House, “went broke,” but kept smiling. He means to try- again. , His shows would . open on Saturday .at the matinee, play that night and Monday night, and then close down. Then he’d spend the rest, of the week rehearsing something else for the following. Saturday. One fears that the day of the Grand Opera House is over. It is too large, too draughty, too uncomfortable arid not gaudy enough for the taste of th-j; day. Several ornate and luxurious “picture palaces” are around the corner from it arid the local crowds go there . instead. All this is just as (well for the real theatre and the revival of interest in the real stage. As much as anything else it is the discomfort of the old "theatres that has turned away their audiences, and it is more than time these ancient mausoleums went up in snioke and cleared the way for newer and brighter playhouses. The Palace is just about to go. From the actor’s point of view it should have been condemned long ago. There is no more uncomfortable theatre back stage in Australia, and a veritable death trap in case of danger. The underground dressing rooms have no means of getting ho'nest air into them, and they form a network or dirty old helps in H‘ e ground. The auditorium is now' going to‘be turned into a miniature golf course, and that’s to the theatre. ■ “ATTA GIRL.” 'ENGLISH COMEDIENNE. ; *A Lancashire lass has captivated New York, with her definite comedy tai-, ents, allied to a magnetic personality, combining a fuzz of red-brown hair and curiously attractive eves. She is Graeie Fields, the English comedienne, who made her debut in America to. a- New York audience that filled the Palace Theatre. Miss Fields has won success bevond her dreams, and her reception was bewildering to the lass from Lancashire. Her ‘winning modesty has completely captivated New York.’She sang half a dozen songs, alternating comedy with tragedy, including “The Man with a Couple of Drakes,” “A Cottage for Sale,” and “The Co-op. Shop”; the Lancashire idioms puzzled -the New Yorkers less .than -Miss Fields expected; they seemed to know all about “Co-op. Shops.” A tempest .of, applause fol-' lowed her first appearance, and Graeie had to stand, a nervous girl, accepting the homage of Ariiericails for several minutes. The boys in the gallery thought She was A cable from her income tax collector read “Atta Girl.” Despite her “smash hit,” Miss Fields confessed to a feeling of home-sickness for England. . She cannot be tempted, by ideas of.talking pictures, when a voice inside, her. keeps calling “C'Qom whoam, lass!” • I ■ KEEPING THE FLAG FLYING. GUY HASTINGS IN SYDNEY. Guy Hastings, the popular actor, who will be remembered for his; dramatic work in : “The Ringer,” Maurice Mcscovitch’s Edgar Wallace play, and later : in a proponent role in the Williamson cqllege play/ "Young' Woodley,” has 'been playing; at the Bijou Theatre, Sydney, in "a mystery drama, “9-4.5.” The Australian Comedy Company presented the play, which lias a most unusual commencement—the, revolver shot on which the theme pivots taking place before the curtain rises, and startling the audience with its unexpected incidence. This type, of draina has a big appeal, and the, company has been playing to good, business. Rutland Backett as Inspector Nixon and Guy Hastings as Robert Clayton had the chief roles, and were ably assisted by Marjorie Carr, Norman Lister, Brett Randpll, Dora Mostyn, Marion Marcus Clarke, Elma Gibbs (here is “Whirled ,into Happiness,” “Cradle Snatchand “Lombardi, (Ltd.”), Reginald Roberts, the former Williamson singing star of musical comedy fame; Darcy°Kelway, and Barry Egan. DANCERS’ LEGS BLACKED OUT. THE SUPER-SENSITIVE CENSOR. While . everywhere . else in Austria a German film entitled “I Have Loved Only You” was being screened without attracting any special attention, the public of the out-of-the-way province of! Vorarlberg was amused to watch a dancing scene in which only the heads of the dancers were visible, while the lower part of the screen was just a black space. The reason foF this was that the authorities of Vorarlberg had found a special way of censoring legs. They took some objection to a scene in this, the first talkie shown in the kinemas there. In this scene some scantily dressed girls perform a dance; but this sort of thing could never be allowed iir Vorarlberg. While in the silent films it was easy to cut out any scenes which the Vorarlberg. authorities considered offensive, this is impossible in a talkie without destroying the unity between sound and picture. The Vorarlberg authorities therefore decided to paste pieces of material across the lower part of each picture in the dance scene. DAVID BELASCO PLAY. . “LADIES OF LEISURE.” Taken from the stage sensation of David Bclasco, “Eadies of Leisure” is considered by motion picture critics of America as one of the best 10 pictures of tho year. It was directed by Frank Capra and contains a cast the equal of which has not been seen in any one picture previously. Barbara Stanwych plays as Kay, Arnold, Lowell Sherman as Bill Standish, and Ralph Graves takes the part of Jerry Strange. In addition to these three first-rate stars are also many 'well-known silent and talking screen favourites, Marie Prevost, Juliette Compton, George Fawcett, Johnnie Walker and Nance O’Neil. The story is one which gives this great team of artists plenty of' scope for the display of their talent. Jerry Strange’s father had made the name famous as a railroad builder, but Jerry couldn’t interest himself in anything but art. He converted the top floor of a skyscraper into a studio. With this setting as a background the director has made a picture that has called forth the unanimous approval of the trade and public Press of every country where it has been shown.

As a play Belasco’s. name was a guarantee as to its quality, while as an alltalking film it has actually gained, according to competent critics, by reason of the exceptionally strong cast of actors.

BOYS AND GIRLS DANCE. “CHEER UP AND SMILE.” . Getting paid for dancing to good music was one of the pleasant surprises whieh came to some college boys and girls employed for atmosphere during the filming of sequences in “Cheer up and Smile,” a Fox Movietone drama of college and night club life, in which Dixie Lee, Arthur Lake and Olga Baclanova are 'featured. The picture con-, tains scenes showing a dance and entertainment in a college gymnasium, as well as festivities in a New York night club. Among the undergraduates appearing in “Cheer up and Smile are fourteen members of the University of California football squad. MOVIETONE PERSONALITIES. NOTES ABOUT THE STARS. Joan Bennett has been featured ton citoit special productions during the first year and a half of her career on the audible screen. Donald Crisp’s father was a court physician in Buckingham Palace-for 28 years. - Barbara. Leonard speaks seven languages, and is considered the linguistic queen of Hollywood. George O’Brien is unmarried and he is devoted to his parents, with whom he lives at Malibu Beach, 30 miles from Hollywood. Louise Huntington was educated at Wellesly College in Massachusetts and at the University of Texas. George Brent was a- member of the intelligence unit oi the rebel Irish Army during the years of 1920 and 1921. Lois Moran is one of the best cooks Hollywood, an art she learned in Paris while a member of the ballet L’Opera. SLANG OF TWO CONTINENTS. A PLAYWRIGHT’S MYSTERY. f ' Master of the slang' and the current colloquialisms of two continents, Clifford Grey, of the, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer staff, is one of. filmdom’s interesting characters. Grey has had successes with musical coriiedies in both' England and America. “There is just one seciet to writing for countries of differing customs and accent,” he says. “You must become while you are writing completely a. citizen of that country. I’or example, production of ‘The Three Musketeers’ and ‘Sally’ I shut my- mind to al the familiar expressions and habits of mv life as an Englishman. On the otner hand, therefore, when I work in London on such rev,ues as 'The Bing Boys on Parade,’ or ’Yes, Uncle, I have to foiget all expressions as ’kid, knock cm dead/ etc., etc. I must return completely to the English point of view. An absolutely free and opeu mind must be maintained by any man who wishes to skip from nation to nation in creative endeavour.” “GREYHOUND LIMITED.” A RAILROAD DRAMA. roaring passenger train, monarch of the rails, thunders at full speed through Monte Blue’s latest production for Warner-Brothers, in which he plays the role of a locomotive engineer and which takes its title from the train itsc]f_.“The.’Greyhound Limited.” This fast-moving melodrama _ brings to the screen all the strange fascination of railroading, and a story that crashes swiftly from, one climax to another. _ The cast supporting .Monte Blue in this exciting production includes Edna Murphy, Grant Withers, Ernie Shields, Lew Harvey and Lucy Beaumont, and was directed by Howard Bretherton.

VOICE AND PERSONALITY. INFLUENCE OF THE TALKIES. Are the talking films destroying the mystery and fascination of a woman s personality on the screen? One may well ask this question. Miss Dorothy Mackaill, the English film star, when on a visit recently to London from Hollywood, expressed the opinion that Greta Garbo’s voice, was apt to give a wrong impression of her “wonderful personality.”

Where a feminine star formerly enraptured film-goers by the g a “°“ r . . a pretty face and wonderful clothe., her spell is now broken ul ? less sh ® Ca ’ produce a soft alluring voice to match her personality. A number of American stars, such as Evelyn Brent, Marion Davies, and Gloria Swanson, nave retained their womanly charm «“linpaired bv the necessity of .speech, butsuch favourites as Janet Gaynor and Clara Bow have undoubtedly lost by .it. It i, ; a fact that the womanhood of the screen now speaks most alluringly from England, and British ' films are slowly, but. surely, coming into their own.

A MARK TWAIN MASTERPICE. NEW R0L1? FOR WILL ROGERS... Although Will Rogers has only just, started his Fox Movietone production of "Liglituin’.” his next picture has? already been set by the studio' odiem*Rogers finally is to. do the masterpiece by Mark - 1 - ... nccticut Yankee? • It.lias, long. Rogers’ desire to , that he Is to do it for the taixm screen he «•. highly . elated- ■■ • Butler, who is nd« , Desylva, Broun and Bendery" comedy Imagine, , * * •■ *.