The Moving Row of Magic Shadow Shapes

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXXVII, Issue 19668, 9 December 1933, Page 11

The Moving Row of Magic Shadow Shapes

OMAR KHAYAM

“Queer People,” the sensational novel attacking Hollywood, is to be filmed next spring by Howard Hughes, who stopped his arrangements for making the picture two years ago in deference to opinion in the film city. Mr. Hughes, who is visiting London, is the millionaire producer of “Hell’s Angels” and “Sacrifice.”

Frances Dee, under contract to R.K.O. Radio, is the latest screen

artiste to step out on loan to 20th Century Pictures. She shares feminine honours with Judith Anderson opposite George Bancroft in “Blood Money,” which Rowland Brown is directing. Chick Chandler and Blossom Seeley head the supporting cast.

John Boles plays the Red Shadow in Warner Brothers’ brilliant operetta, “The Desert Song,” which has been reissued and is due for early release, and other important roles are enacted by Carlotta King. Louise Fazenda, Myrna Lay, John Miljan, Johnny Arthur, Marie Wells, Jack Pratt, Edward Martindel, Robert E. Guzman, Otto Hoffman, Agnes Franey, and others. The film presents the popular show in its entirety.

Seventy-two sets —a record—were constructed by workmen for “The Good Companions.” Careful research

in taste and furnishings made each of these a perfect framework for the action. Of the 100 speaking parts in "The Good Companions,” the most important are taken by Edmund Gwenn, John Gielgud, Jessie Matthews, Mary Glynne, and A W. Baskcomb. Richard Dix has been signed by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer for the leading role in "Forever Faithful,” a story of modern city life. Charles Brabin will direct the film with a cast including Madge Evans, Una Merkel, Stuart Erwin, Isabel Jewell, and Raymond Hatton. Bruce Cabot, new screen luminary, who has the masculine lead in Paramounts “Disgraced," opposite Helen Twelvetrees and Adrienne Ames, wanted to be a cowboy at the age of 14! He ran away from school and decided to become a cow-puncher, but his parents tracked him down, took him home, and put him in a military school. Armed sentries watched the gates to make sure that his ambition did not return. Herbert Marshall. Mary Boland, Lionel Atwill, May Robson, Elizabeth

Allan. Ralph Forbes, Lucille Gleason, Robert McWade. will soon be seen in M.-G.M.’s latest release, “The Solitaire Man,” a drama of life among Continental crooks. The mysterious “Sisters G” appear in one of the famous dance sequences of “Kiss Me Again.” from Victor Herbert’s “Mile. Modi'te." They are sen- , Europe, and their presence In this pic- ; ture marks but their second appearance in America. Sophisticated but * not blase, they took the capitals of j are Carla and Eleanor and they arc j twins. Their father was a colonel in 1 the German army, and when they started to dance several yoai after th war it w • • and heads of Governments of what ! had previously been enemy countries 1 | and other European cities They | Parts, the Kit Kat Club, the Savoy, the

With Charles Laughton in the stellar role, “The Private Life of Henry VIII," is said to be one of the finest productions ever released. Much of the picture was filmed In authentic settings.

Dennis King, the leading songster of the screen's “Vagabond King” served during the Great War, and on the declaration of peace went on the stage, playing in London. His success took him to America where he eventually received the leading role in “Rose Marie.” So great was his reception in this well-known stage production, that he became known as ’’The Man with the Golden Voice.” However, he prefers to be hailed as an actor. Dennis King appears in the title role of “Fra Diavolo,” which stars the well-known comedy team of Stan. Laurel and Olive Hardy.

A child’s persistence is responsible for the ultimate success found in a long term contract that assures Genevieve Tobin stardom with the Fox studios. Insistently plaguing her mother until she was taken to David Belasco who put her under his personal management while but a little girl, Miss Tobin gained a start in theatrical work. In her latest accomplishment “Infernal Machine," she shares the stellar honours with Chester Morris.

Laurel and Hardy, conceded to be the most popular comedians on the screen, make their latest appearance in a feature-length comedy in “Fra Diavolo,” a story of a pair of rollicking bandits, based on the famous comic opera. The picture is reported to be the most ambitious yet undertaken by the noted laugh pair of “Pardon Us" and “Pack Up Your Troubles,” its

cast including such outstanding names as Dennis King, the noted singer and stage star, and Thelma Todd, who has contributed to the humour of a long list of screen productions.

One of the latest Innovations to the cinema play 1s the novelty of the "Secret Thought" voices, as introduced In “Strange Interlude," featuring Norma Shearer and Clark Gable. Thoughts that dare not be spoken, are revealed and the Inmost feelings of every player expressed. Sydney Howard, laughter-maker comes to the screen in another outstanding picture, "It’s a King," in which the director has admirably interpreted tire fooling provided by Claude Hulbert and Paul England. The authors, having a complete understanding of Sydney Howard’s ability and methods, have provided that popular artist with a whole rack of pegs upon which to hang diverting "business,” put over in his own Inimitable fashion. Cecil Humphries plays a big part in the picture, In which other principal characters are Joan Maude, George de Warfaz, Arthur Goullet. and

Franklyn Bellamy.

James Rennie, the handsome juxe-

nile lead in the musical romance, “The Little Damozel,’’ has a wife who is as

equally famous as her popular husband, she being Dorothy Gish, celebrated American movie star, who has retire dfrom the screen. As one

critic remarked, “Is it any wonder that Rennies acting 1s so faultless when he has such a famous wife to prompt his terpsichorean efforts?" James Rennie appears as the male lead with Anna Neagle in “The Little Damozel," other important members of the cast being Athole Stewart, Alfred Drayton, and Benlta Hume. George Bancroft, the “gent" of Paramount s "Lady and Gent," led a colourful life. He's been a naval hero, a blackface comedian, a motion picture theatre owner, a leading man, a musi-cal-comedy baritone and a villain. In "Lady adn Gent," he is a lovable rough-neck who finally reforms his

errant ways with the assistance of Wynne Gibson. Official confirmation of the statement that Zasu Pittis is the busiest actress in Hollywood has come with the releasing of a tabulation by the Hays Office in Hollywood. This list, covering all pictures made by every prominent screen player In the film capital during a given period of lime, consists of more than 300 names, with Miss Pitts in first place by a comfortable margin. Zasu Pitt- will be teamed with "Skeets" Gallagher in R K.O.'s “Dummy s Vote, a story relating the love tribulations of a department store clerk who. m her quet for a soul mate, onllluslonincnts tragic to her but humorous to audience. in Jack Buchanan s latest BmUlh 'and Dominion film. That’. A Good Girl." ciudlng a full operative scene, winch Borcham Wood A complete stage part of the theatre auditorium A I