COMEDIAN WILL TALK

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 79, Issue 108, 8 May 1936, Page 10

COMEDIAN WILL TALK

CHARLIE CHAPLIN’S PLANS CREATING NEW CHARACTER Charlie Chaplin has already announced plans for future productions, and his decision to talk in his next picture means that he will create an entirely new character. The reason he has been silent on the screen so long is because his speaking voice does not suit the Chaplin tramp. The comedian is now trying to evolve a character that will harmonise with his voice. News was received from Hollywood recently that in his first talking picture Chaplin will represent an immigrant who arrives in the United States from an unknown country and speaks a language no one understands. Before he talks on the screen Chaplin intends to produce a picture as a starring vehicle for Paulette Goddard, his new leading lady in “Alodern Times.” In this he will not be seen. Now a millionaire, Chaplin earned only £3O a week when he began his film career with Keystone. Charles Reisner, who worked with Chaplin for eight years and directed many of the famous old two-reelers, has lately revealed some good stories about the comedian. One day when they were making “The Kid,” Reisner had a great idea. Chaplin should feed a baby. His gawky absurdities would bo a. certain laugh wherever parents saw the picture. But when the star came on the set he was in a melancholy niood. Reisner realised that even a good gage would not amuse him much that day. At the same time he was determined to see the scene in the picture. The director placed the property in an absurd position on a table and pretended not to look. The preoccupied comedian eventually noticed it, smile, and put it in his pocket. Then he called to Reisner. “I’ve just thought of a great gag.” And for years he really imagined he had thought up that piece of funny business for himself. Reisner, who is now in London working on a new picture for Cicely Courtneidge, declares that some of the most famous scenes in Chaplin’s pictures have been put in at a moment’s notice. That memorable stunt in “The Gold Rush” where the comedian stuck forks in two rolls and made them dance was an old truck that Chaplin used to do for fun in restaurants. He * never thought of using it in a picture until the pathetic moment in ‘‘The Gold Rush” when he was sitting at, the table waiting for the girl to arrive. Darryl Zanuck plans to reniak A “What. Price Glory?” with Clark Gable and Wallace Beery in the rol.’s originally placed by Victor AlcLaglcn and Edmund Lowe.

Gene Austin not only composed some i of the songs Afae West will sing in ’ Paramount’s ‘Klondike Annie,” but lie | will also appear with the blonde star in the picture as her accompaniest. Eloanore Whitney has a two-fold wardrobe problem. The Paramount dancer has a younger sister named Ruth ■and “Ruth loves to wear my things,” Elcanoro explains.