The San Francisco Examiner from San Francisco, California • 36

THE SAN FRANCISCO EXAMINER: SUNDAY, MARCH 1934 6 MISS WIECK ASKS FOR FAIR PLAY 'Whispering9 Campaign Blow to German Star STAGE PLAYER PRIZE URGED Merit Award' Seen as Theater Art Aid FINDS LOVE LI -'mil Denies Her Husband Is an Important Figure in German Politics Helen Hayes, Cohan and Hull Cited by N. Y. Critics for Acting By Ada Hanifin. Why not give the actor or actress who gives the outstanding performance each year on Broadway, a i -X- i ml I Vcaf ML 1 i i 1 SSSV at i- 8-1- 1 r-rarammTiTimi By Louella 0. Parsons, Mfllhn I'litiirt Elllar 1'iiivtrwl Servlrc.

HOLLYWOOD, March 3. (Universal Service.) The poisonous whispering campaign of Hollywood has struck poor Dorothea Wieck a bitter blow. Defenseless and innocent, she hag been the unhappy victim of unjust accusations that have piled up bit by bit until they threaten to submerge her. Handicapped by her limited English, Miss Wieck haa been unable to find a way to deny these charges. In desperation she came to me with her story and because I feel America is a free country where tolerance is the very keynote of our Constitution, I want to try to plead her case for her.

Miss Wieck has been ostracized, denounced, made to suffer and her film career all but ruined, through, a terrible misapprehension. Stories were printed that her husband, Ernst L. von der Decken, was the publisher of a government newspaper and that he was here as a representative of one of Germany's most important political parties. Film Critic. Miss Wieck's husband has never been an editor, He has never held a political Job and he has never, to use her words, been an important political power in Germany.

"Ernst Is a film critic," she told me. "I married him because he Is an artist and he loves beautiful things, just as I do. He Is what you Americans call a 'freelance' writer. He Is a German and so am 1. We love the country that gave us birth but we know nothing about its political problems." You could not talk to this unhappy girl and doubt her sincerity.

She has been in America a year and in that time many things have happened in Germany. There have been government changes of which she was unaware when she left her own country to become a motion picture actress in Hollywood, "I want to stay In Hollywood," she told me, "I want to make a picture as good as 'Maedchen In Uniform' hut I have been so troubled over all this talk that my husband and I are spies In the employ of Germany that I feel that I must straighten it out before I make my next picture. "I do not deny that I love Germany, but I also love California. prize award such as the Tulitzer? The thought came to me when I read a dispatch that seven Gotham dramatic critics, headed by Gilbert Gabriel of the New York American, put their head together one bright night last week and selected Helen Hayes, George M. Cohan and Henry Hull for contributing the most distinguished acting on Broadway this season.

Helen Hayes is starring in "Mary of Scotland." Cohan is the harassed father of "Ah, Wilderness." Henry Hull plays the lead in "Tobacco Road." Artistic Stimulus. Walter Huston, after the above trio was elected, returned to the stage on the east coast as the star of Sinclair Lewis" which has been adapted by Sidney Howard. Otherwise, his name would have been undoubtedly among the chosen few. He is one of America's most finished and versatile actors. A national award Is an artistic stimulus.

The playwright who wins the Pulitzer Prize becomes a literary figure overnight, if he is comparatively unknown, and in greater demand, if hla reputation is already established. Incidentally, one might report here that "Men in White" and the O'Neill drama, "Ah, Wilderness," are running a close race for the 1933 Pulitzer award. The practice of the Motion Picture Academy to make an award for the best performances of the year in films, has brought Invaluable publicity to the stars whose artistry merited such signal recognition, as well as renewed and remunerative contracts. Film Nominations. It is significant that the six stars named last week by the nominating committee of the academy, as giving the best performances during the past year, are stage recruits.

Thry are Charles Laughton, Leslie Howard, Paul Muni, Katharine Hepburn, Diana Wynyard and May Robson. FAY WRAY, appearing in "Once to Every Woman," the romance drama heading the new bill at the Fox. MOVIE-CO-ROUND By Louella 0. Parsons. HOLLYWOOD, March 3.

(Universal Service.) Joan Crawford is going "arty." You can lay the charge right at the door of Franchot Tone, whose AS THE MUSICAL comedy favorite 'week's attraction at the Orphcum, in "The Song You Gave Me," this Bcbe Daniels is seen and heard. CAROLE LOMBARD, playing the leading feminine role in "Bolero" starring George Raft, current War field attraction. Marion Davies Star Tennis Player, Too Stars Are Guarded By 'Shock Troops' By Marquis Busby. The pictures they starred in are, respectively, "Henry VIII," "Berkeley Square," "I Am a Fugitive From a Chain Gang," "Morning Glory," "Cavalcade" and "Lady for a Day." (The winners will be announced by the academy on March 18.) One might add here, that in addition to the close, affiliation of stage and screen through its leading actors, the two factors of entertainment are becoming more dependent upon one another through the medium of the play. Hollywood recently bought fifteen Broadway plays.

To name a few of them: "Men In White," "Ah, Wilderness," "She Loves Me Not," "The Pursuit of Happiness," "Murder at the Vanities" and "Her Master's Voice" all current Broadway attractions. At present the film capital is bargaining for "Mary of Scotland," "Roberta" and "No More Ladles," influence on Joan even the lady herself does not deny. Her latest fad is the Little Theater Movement and if you hear of Joan's sponsoring any especially good play, you will know it's the Tone influence. Bright and early on the morning of her birthday, "Ditty," the 6-ear-nld daughter of Joan Bennett, paid a visit to the nursery. She had been promised that new baby as a birthday present, but it wasn't the first time on record when the Btork failed to keep an appointment.

Instead, the baby arrived on Joan's birthday so "Ditty" considers the stork is really a great guy. The town was rife with rumors last week that Ruth Chatterton and George Brent had called it a matrimonial day. While the tongues were wagging Ruth and George were sitting side by side, working on George's lawsuit against Warner Brothers. She had driven over a hundred miles from La Quinta to be with him and she couldn't understand why the old divorce rumor should suddenly come to life again. rH It.

has practically taken the Army, the Navy and the entire police force to prevent Clark Gable from being mobbed by admiring feminine fans in New York. His personal appearances in the big town have been sensationally successful, and with all that adulation from the ladles it was inevitable that a story would circulate that Clark and Rla Gable were near the splitting point. Those of us knowing Ria Gable are sure that she Is too sensible a woman to be worried over mere fan popularity. Clark, himself, has always taken success coolly, It just soundB like one of those stories. A fascinating letter from Blanche Holmes, wife of Stuart Holmes.

In collaboration with another astrologer, Mrs. Holmes has sold a magazine story wherein the horoscope of Henry VIII was compared to Charles Laughton's chart. They were found to be almost identical. The horoscopes were also compared of Mnrlene Dietrich and Catherine the Great, with very little similarity to be found. However, there was an amazing harmony between Catherine and Mae West.

Mrs. Holmes beleves Mae West woujd have walked away with the assignment, It may be bad luck for any one but a bride to carry a real wedding bouquet, but it don't bother Martha Sleeper, playing the role of the young bride in "Double Door" on the Los Angeles stage. When Martha saw the play in New York she was annoyed by the rustling of the paper posies in the bouquet. Accordingly, on the opening night, she carried real orchids and roses and lilies of the valley. A young New Yorker sent the flowers and from his attentions maybe it' no wonder that Martha Isn't superstitious, HOLLYWOOD, March 3.

The eld saying of a prophet being without honor in his own country, I suppose, should be retired on old age pension. Yet I just have to use it when I speak of Marion Davies and her tennis. We all knew that tennis was Marion's favorite outdoor sport, but none of us took it seriously until Alice Marble and Eleanor Tennant classed Marlon's tennis as the best amateur game in Hollywood. Miss Marble, in case you aren't tennis minded, is regarded by mai enthusiasts of this game as the logical successor to Helen I could be so happy if people would only believe that I am only interested in motion pictures and not in any political intrigues." Miss Wieck's husband has been visiting her. He gave up his work in Germany so that he might come to her in Hollywood.

"Now he goes hack," she told me. "He loaves Hollywood March 12 because he feels that he has brought me bad luck. He has great strength of character," she said earnestly. "I begged him to remain with me but he says that I can only succeed by myself. "I am, after all, an actress, and I do want to make a picture as good as 'Maedchen in 'Miss Fane's Baby Is Stolen' was completed In twenty days and it was not suitable for me.

'Cradle Song' Is a beautiful story, but I want something in which I can do a really big emotional scene. I do not always want to play restrained roles such us (he teacher In 'Maedchen In Both Treated as Veritable Outcasts Because of the underground whispering chorus that describes Miss Wieck's husband as a big figure in Germany's national politics, they have both been treated as veritable outcasts, The Irony of the whole situation Is trmt the husband hasn't even a job in Germany and has been given no chance to explain conditions as they really cxlut. "I ant not a Jewess," said Miss Wieck. "I am a German, but most of my friends are of the Jewish faith. I have been In the theater.most of my life and I have always worked with Jewish people.

My greatest friends are Jews why, then, should I want to harm them? It's all so terrible," she said, "and so difficult to explain to people who seem unwilling to believe me." This writer wants to go on record as saying that she believes that Miss Wieck is the victim of a misapprehension that bhould be cleared, She is an actress and she' should be allowed to be one without unfounded suspicions whispered against her. Cooper's attractive mama looks after his interests, and if you wish to see Carole Lombard you must first talk to Madeline Fields. Th girls have been friends for years, and while Madeline can be very pleasant about it, she does prevent Carole's day from being cluttered with unimportant matters. Thoy do toll that one star's "brother," serving as his manager and buffer from the public, it really his son. And, needless to say, I'm not referring to Everett Crosby, Ring's brother and efficient business representative.

All the stars have some one who greets the public and steers them In the other direction. Even the three Stooges have Ted Healy. HOLLYWOOD, March 3. (Universal Service.) Standing as a bulwark In front of the famous personages of the screen are the Hollywood shock troops. They are not exactly the sort of troops that carry "shootin' irons," but in their own way they are just as efficient.

The Hollywood shock troops are the army of business managers, secretaries, friends and members of the family that keep the public away from the stars. That is only a small part of the duties. In addition they usually keep the appointments straight, attend to banking matters and try to keep the finances from getting tied into knots. It was Sammy Finn that shadowed George Raft constantly, until the story circulated that he Film Fare Wills for the world's championship. She plays in Wimbledon in May and there are those who feel it's a certainty that she will carry off honors.

Just as distinguished in the tennis world is Eleanor Tennnnt. She was the third national player in the "United States In 1920. And, even more interesting, she was the first nationally known woman to turn professional in this country- "An Excellent Came." "Don't tell me," said Miss Tennant, "that you are unfamiliar with Marion navies tennis. She has a forceful serve, a forehand drive that Is a honey and a net game that can only be described as excellent. She uses her head every minute and she knows what her feet are made for on th tennis court." This all sounds very technical to me; maybe those who are reading it know their tennis better and understand Miss Ten-nant's tennis parlance, Alice Marble says that Marion could go far if she wanted to forget pictures and take up tennis as her regular life's work.

But much as Marlon loves the game, and it's a passion with her, I know pictures come first and tennis is only her favorite recrea FOX "Once to Every Woman," "Murder on the Campus" and vaudeville. ST. FRANCIS "Dark Hazard" and "Ever Since Eve." ORPHEUM "The Crosby Case" and "The Song Yon Gave Me." UNITED ARTISTS "Moulin Rouge." WARFIELD "Bolero," stage show. PARAMOUNT "Good Dame" and "I've Got Your Number." GOLDEN GATE "It Happened One Night" and vaudeville. Smm Mmw was Raft's bodyguard.

For some reason or other Sammy, who developed into qulto a local celebrity, isn't on the job any more. Mack Gray is the new factotum. Mack, incidentally, is nicknamed "The Killer," I don't know whether the title was won in the prizefight ring, or in the pursuit of blondes. Carbo's Advisers. Garbo has had a succession of advisers since she has been in Hollywood.

For a long time it was Harry Edlngton. Now it is Madam Salka Viertel who relieves Greta of many business matters. Since Clara Bow's disastrous experience with Daisy Devoe, Rex Bell has been looking after the redhead's business affairs. Another husband who is proving to be an adept in the matter, in addition to carryng on his own career, is Hal Rosscn, married to Jean Harlow. Lillian Harmcr has been May Robson's close friend and companion for twenty-five years.

Whenever she can she relieves May of the many troublesome things that arise in the life of a very busy woman. Mother Helps Jackie. A whole army could be no more efficient than the Charlec Chaplin butler, Kuno. The butler can get rid of anyone in short order by pretending to have only the vaguest knowledge of English. John Wcstwood is the secretary of Fredric March, and in addition serves as his stand-in on the set.

At first glance there is a startling resemblance between them. tion. So we needn't worry that she will take Miss Marble's suggestion too seriously. I asked the tennis-minded Miss Tennant why she considered Marion a better player than the average amateur. Chaplin Good Player "Well, you see," she replied, "Marion plays a 'cagy game.

Hhe can hold her own with champions. She played Elizabeth Ilvun, Mis Marble and myself, and her partner could depend upon her to take advantage of her setups. She is an excellent doubles partner and we, who have played for years, were amazed at the way she kept her head." Charlie Chaplin, Miss Tennant says, is one of the best players among the men. "The picture people I have met who are tennis enthusiasts," said Miss Tennant, "as a whole, play better tennis than the average amateur. However, I place Marion Davies as the best plaer X2 among the women and Charlie Chaplin as the most accompilhed tennis player among the men.

Speaking, of course, of motion EDWARD G. ROBINSON, starring in "Dark Hazard," CLAUDETTE COLBERT, in "It Happened One Night," COMEDY PREDOMINATES in "Good Dame," romance the "good dame" xvho falls in love Kith a "bad boy." "I've at the St. Francis. drama, which thoves at ihc Paramount. Sylvia Sidney is Got Your Number" is the second attraction on a double bill.

picture play-ers." L. O. at the Golden Gate. The world knows that Jackie.