HOLLYWOOD IN PERSON.

Star (Christchurch), Volume LXVI, Issue 20541, 16 February 1935, Page 24 (Supplement)

HOLLYWOOD IN PERSON.

(By MOLLIE MERRICK). HOLLYWOOD, January 19. The following was contributed by Bill Robinson, one of the greatest tapdancers in the world. Most of the fifty years I have been appearing professionally have been spent in vaudeville, where I have been billed with the greatest performers of their day. I began dancing when I was just past seven years old, so you can figure out my age for yourself, although most people don’t take me for more than forty. Looking back over those years ' it occurs to me that you might like to know the ten most interesting people with whom I have appeared. After thinking it over, I name them as they come to my mind, with no preference, but rather in the order in which I met them. There was Robert Hilliard. I don’t think I ever met a man with more of the qualities of a real gentleman than Robert Hilliard. lie had grace, poise and gentleness of manner to a marked degree. I remember a sketch in which he appeared years ago, in which he played a scene with a little child. His charming manner with that youngster showed his real spirit more than any bit of acting he ever did. Theodore Roberts was a grand man. I appeared on many variety bills with him and always found him a considerate, kindly person, and one of the happiest men I have ever known. I have been on the same bills as Madame Sarah Bernhardt, when she toured over the old Keith and Orpheum circuits. They said that I made a good contrast to her; I guess I did if they meant the difference between god and bad acting. Mme. Bernhardt was truly divine. No other star of the day could eqtial her acting. She -had the most wonderful hands I have ever seen. Many a time I have stood in the wings of the theatre just to watch her move her hands as she spoke her lines. It was a lesson in acting to me. Eddie Leonard comes to my mind as being one of the finest men 1 ever knew. He never had a mean thought about anyone or did a mean thing to another person. He was in a class by himself as a delineator of the true, lazy, plantation darky, and sang his carefree songs as no one else could. He was also good at singing the sad songs and was really the foremost crooner of his day, though they weren’t called “ crooners” then Florence Mills, a member of my own race, was perhaps the most beautiful coloured woman who ever lived. She was a credit to our people with a talent for acting and singing that amounted to genuis. The white race admired Florence Mills and gave her great applause and acclaim, but her own people adored her. Bert Williams was another member of my race who I consider an interesting, worthwhile person, and with whom

it was always a pleasure to work. The late Florenz Ziegfeld himself told me that he considered Williams’s death a great loss to the American stage. To my mind Bert was the greatest droll comedian of all. I played on vaudeville circuits with Will Rogers when he was doing his rope-spinning, gum-chewing act. We other performers used to stand in the wings and laugh our heads off at the jokes he would think up as he went along. I take great pride in the fact that I predicted his success long before he was discovered by the general public. Eddie Cantor is another fine man to work with. He is the most refreshing person I have ever met, and one of the greatest comedians. Although I have only met Lionel Barrymore recently, I must include him in this list of interesting people. He has taught me more about acting and diction than any other player. And last but not least among these ten may I put Shirley Temple, that sweet little peach-blown lady with whom I dance in “ The Little Colonel.” Shirley knows more about timing her speeches than most adult performers and it has been a real inspiration to work with her. “ Lives of a Bengal Lancer.’* Acting honours in “ Lives of a Bengal Lancer ” go to Franchot Tone for his easy, deft portrayal of Lieutenant Forsythe, who is transferred from a crack London regiment to the decidedly dangerous life of the Lancers stationed near the, Khyber Pass. Tone shows again, in this part, that his best work is done in field of light comedy. As my companion somewhat facetiously remarked: “When you can wear a pith helmet and make the audience laugh with you instead of at you, you’re all right.” Gary Cooper s followers will like his work as Captain M’Gregor in the film; and if you haven’t appreciated Sir Guv Standing in the past, this is an excellent chance to learn why he has been getting bigger and better parts in recent pictures. It is superfluous to say that C. Aubrey Smith makes the most out of the small part of Major Hamilton, as he is one of those real old troupers who never fail. All in all, I think you will like “ Lives of a Bengal Lancer,” especially if you look for something out of the ordinary in screen entertainment. May Buy a Plane. Gary Cooper may be the next Hollywood star to take to the air. At least, he spends a great deal of time at the local airport and is, according to his friends, seriously thinking of buying a plane If he does. “ Slim ” Talbot, exMontana cowboy, who has been Cooper’s “ stand-in ” for a long time, •will probably pilot the machine and teach Cooper to fly. Talbot has been flying for some years and would like to qualify for the job, anyway. If Cooper buys a plane he’ll fix it up as a sort of flying bunk-room, with gun racks, a small cooking stove and an ice-box. and will use it for quick trips

to nearby hunting spots. Wallace , Beerv has been doing this for a long < time and thinks nothing of flying to his home near Arrowhead and reporting back to town for work the next : day. An Unusual Home. It is a safe bet that a motion picture stai who has ** arrived ” will buy a boat or a country home, or both. Ralph Bellamy, who has been a popular screen player for some time, gets a wav from the Hollywood grind by rushing back to Connecticut, where he owns a farm of 150 acres, which is actually on the site of the old town of Salem. To hear Bellamy tell about his farmhouse vou would get the impression of the latest mystery thriller combined with a scene from “ Chu Chin Chow”; but he insists it’s true* and he should know. “ The house itself.” savs Bellamy. “ is 175 years old. and is considered to be one of the finest remaining types of revolutionary architecture “ While it has been modernised in some respects, it still bears memories of the days when the early settlers 1 , lived there. For instance, over and junder all the windows are iron tracks on which slide heavy metal doors on ! shutters which onre used to halt the arrows of an Indian attack. Not far < from the main house is a knoll topped by a large rock, which slides back and forth on a peculiar arrangement and ,

leads to a cavern eighteen feet long, originally used as a hiding-place from Indians ** Ralph Bellamv plans to turn a smaller house on his farm into a guestlodge for visiting cinema celebrities. Incidentally, Bellamy is now playing the part of a Polish-American tobacco farmer in Anna Sten’s picture, “The Wedding Night,” so his farming experience should be of practical use. (Copyright by the “Star” and the WA N.A. All rights reserved.) Film Re titled. Marlene Dietrich’s latest film, “ Caprice Espagnol,” has been retitled “ Carnival in Spain.” Own Ranches. Bing Crosby, Charles Ruggles, W. C. Fields and Gary Cooper all own ranches in Southern California. Versatile Star. In addition to writing four novels and several short stories, Elissa Land! has written the lyrics for four publish--1 ed songs. “ The Valley of Fear." ! Sherlock Holmes returns to the screen in the Twickenham Studios production, “ The Valley of Fear.” Arthur ! Wontner plays the famous detective, lan Fleming is Dr Watson and Minnie , Rayner portrays Mrs Hudson.