HOLLYWOOD IN PERSON

Star (Christchurch), Volume XLIV, Issue 329, 23 January 1932, Page 24 (Supplement)

HOLLYWOOD IN PERSON

By

Mollie Merrick.

HOLLYWOOD, December 22. His Second Win. Norman Taurog, who won this year’s academy award for directing “ Skippy,” has rung the bell a second time with “ Sooky,” which presents Jackie Cooper and Robert Coogan in another one of those child pictures that is much better than the average film “ for adults only.” People seem to agree that Jackie Cooper stands in a class all by himself when it comes to acting, and in this particular film he has ample opportunity to shed tears over Sooky, the boy from the other side of the tracks so well portrayed by Robert Coogan. Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, who have Jackie under contract now, are about to release a short film, temporarily titled “ The Christmas Party,” which stars him in the role of a boy who gives a party for his football gang. Jackie Cooper’s mother appears as herself in this film. The supporting cast for Jackie in this picture may interest you. It includes Norma Shearer, Clark Gable, Wallace Beery, Marion Davies, Marie Dressier, Ramon Novarro, Lionel Barrymore, Robert Montgomery, Polly Moran, Charlotte Greenwood, Cliff Edwards, Anita Page, Jimmy Durante and Leila Hyams.—Not so bad for a boy of eight! On the Job. If Edgar Wallace, the British author, continues his record for speed in writing moving picture scenarios he will be anything but popular on the lot where he is working. For Wallace was handed the assignment of writing a mystery on Monday and on Tuesday had the story completed. What is more it was so good that it was accepted at once and Anna May Wong is one of the players already secured for the cast. This will probably change the Frosted Lily’s (for such, I believe, is the translation of her Chinese name) plans for a season of legitimate playing in Honolulu. The second day Edgar landed in Hollywood he dashed off a scenario in eight hours, went swimming, wrote an “ article ” for a drama column of a London newspaper, took time out for tea, wrote a column for another London newspaper on horse racing, took time out for supper, wrote an editorial for still another London newspaper and then called it a day. Some visitors came in, it seems. Roland Young’s Penguins. Roland Young has received so much publicity about his collection of penguins that he is used to having sailors arrive at his house, bringing carvings of these birds from ports all over the world, in the hopes that Young will be induced to buy. Ofter he does, as he owns penguins in glass, ivory, bronze, jade and carnelian. The Perfect Screen Title. Did it ever occur to you how titles for moving pi/tures were chosen? Or why producers so often change the name of a well known play or story, saying that it doesn’t fit motion picture requirements? Benjamin Schulberg, a Paramount executive with a great deal of motion picture experience, gives his idea of the things necessary to make an ideal film title, and cites as an example of a well named story “ The Reckless Age,” a story featuring Peggy Shannon and j Charles Rogers. Schulberg says the perfect screen title should fit the story; intrigue the public; allure those who read it; be concise; arouse curiosity; indicate the type of story; and tell the time in history that is depicted. Rather a big order, isn’t it? What fun we could have recalling a few movie titles that have done anything and everything but follow these rules. Going Ahead. Chester Morris is one cinema lad who seems to be going right ahead with his work and getting * * bigger and better parts all along. Remember when he had his first screen break in “ Alibi,” that pioneer among good talkies? Then remember again when he made such a hit playing with Norma Shearer in “ The Divorcee ” ? His last finished film is with Billie Dove in “ Cock o’ the Air,” and his next work will be done opposite Sylvia Sidney, playing in the talkie version of “ The Miracle Man.” Right now he is in Yosernite enjoying the snow sports by way of having a little rest before going back to work. laving Quietly. Tallulah Bankhead is not living up to the standards -of glamour that are evidently expected of her. Instead of dazzling Hollywood with a series of grand parties and the like, she is living simply and quietly, having only a few old friends in to dinner, and doing a bit of pre-Christmas shopping, includ- ] 00 m u is m ns in in in hi es ns ns ns ns ns ® ns in ns

ing a Rolls-Royce for Tallulah Bankhead. Another Type of “ Double.” You’ve all heard of doubles in the movies, haven’t you? And you’ve all thought of them as people closely resembling movie stars, who play certain dangerous parts for them. Well, the other day I learned about another type of “ double ”; namely, the headless, stuffed dummies, padded to fit the minutest physical proportions of the screen’s greatest stars, and bearing the name of the player written across the chest in bold, white letters. Naturally these forms are in a perpetual state of change, being altered constantly to conform with the physical changes of the players themselves. Sometimes thin pads are added to indicate an increase in girth; sometimes pads are removed—a mute testimony to some star’s rigorous dieting. Two seamstresses have charge of these “ doubles,” and measure the screen players from time to time to see that the forms are in perfect shape, so to speak. Naturally much time that would otherwise have to be devoted to fittings is saved by having these models, as an entire wardrobe can be made to fit the dummy, with the star giving time only for final fittings. Together Again. Marie Dressier and Polly Moran are to be co-starred again. This time in “ Prosperity,” a comedy which concerns the efforts of two public-spirited women to organise the demoralised economic life of a small town. From a simple start the town goes on working out a “ depression-proof ” idea, that indirectly makes a fortune for Polly and Marie. Sounds as if it ought to be popular right now, doesn’t it? An Unusual Hold-up. Imagine snow holding up production in Hollywood. But this is exactly what happened yesterday to several companies making out-of-doors scenes for Westerns. The hills around Hollywood had enough snow to make a fine winter scene, but the directors dared not take the chance of it remaining long enough to provide a background that would last throughout the picture. They were right. It proved to be a two-day affair, which entitles us to call it “ most unusual weather.” Dolores Must Pay. Dolores del Rio will have to pay Gunther Lessing, her lawyer, 16,000 dollars for “ legal services, special and extra,” despite her attempt to prove in court that this was an unwarranted fee. The Judge in the case complimented Dolores as being “ above the average ” intelligence, “but temperamental and not especially crafty in the fine art of business.” But what’s a compliment when you have to sign such a cheque?

An insight into what a lawyer has to do for a film actress was given by Lessing in describing the “ special and extra services.” He testified he had to arrange to redecorate her dressing .room, .get an annulment of her secretary’s marriage, prepare her relatives for immigration, arrange to have a Mexican tomato tin named after her, and protect her from adverse publicity. Lessing said he also was called upon to obtain a divorce from her first husband, Jaime Del Rio, and negotiate a 700,000-dollar film contract. Dolores Del Rio’s present husband is Cedric Gibbons, a film director. Such is Fame! Marlene Dietrich recently went to San Bernardino, a town some three hours away from Hollywood, to make scenes for “ Shanghai Express,” her latest picture that is nearing completion. That night her arrival was heralded in the local papers and the next day 15,0CX) people were waiting to see her go to work. Estelle Taylor’s Plans. Estelle Taylor evidently intends to start 1932 with all troubles in the discard. At least she announced that she might drop her California divorce suit against Jack Dempsey and let the Reno decree, that he has already obtained,

S ESS! BE IS® SEES®®® SEES!®®® 3 stand. Estelle Taylor hinted that the matter of a property settlement might have something to do with her decision. Questioned as to why she is taking this sudden change of attitude, the darkeyed Estelle said, “Just because.** Back Again. Back to Hollywood once again, Elissa Landi with her mother, Countess Zanari Landi. Elissa Landi left the movie colony to visit her mother who has been seriously ill, and the visit of the elder woman to California is expected to return her to health. Like her daughter, Countess

authoress. (Copyright by the ‘ star" and tne N.A.N.A. All rights reserved). Chinese Actress. Anna May Wong, the screen’s leading portrayer of Oriental roles, has never been in the Orient.