Detroit Free Press from Detroit, Michigan • Page 35

PART FOUR tetters, Gardens, Fraternal STAGE, SCREEN Art, Music and Books joist Year. No. 342 SUNDAY, APRIL 10, 1932 Free Press Want Ads Bring Best Results Time Turning Backward for Movie Fans as Films of Yesterday Are Revived mm A SMILE, A VILLAINOUS SNEER AND TENDEREST ROMANCE Make and Break 'Em; So That's Hollywood Film Center Gets a Big Kick When Idols Fall; Ruth Chatterton Beats the Bogey and Stages Comeback 4 pictures of Pleasant Memory Live Again 'The Miracle Man Is Typical of Old Favorites Given New Lease on Life by Advent of Talkies in Screenland By JAMES S. POOLER THE CLOCK has started to move backward for movie fans. When 'I thev R0 to the theater In the future they will be in the theater By SCOOP CONLON HOLLYWOOD, April H' OLLYWOOD gets a great creating an idol, but it endeavoring to destroy that of saying that the producers are gets an even greater thrill out of idol aa quickly as possible.

Or so If lJavi JtfJ JL It would appear from the keen delight the chroniclers and goesipers get out of an erstwhile favorite's misfortunes. Ruth Chatterton is admittedly one of the few great actresses of screen or stage. Hollywood heralded her as the "first lady of the screen" when she happened to hit upon some fine stories. When she had trouble with Paramount and turned out a few not so good the destroyers quickly went Into action. It didn't matter that Ruth Chatterton was still Ruth This exprPNsInn of contrniit by I'kulele Ike is not occasioned by dislike for the sentimental conduct of hla associates on the page.

It la just one of the dirty looks Cliff Kdward employs to emphasize hi hardholled characterization In "A Young Bride." Chatterton, that her mediocre pic-- tures cleaned up at the theaters be cause of public admiration for her personal ability. No, slr-re, Ruth Chatterton was slipping. "The Rich Are Always With Us" has been pre-vlewed by a select Hollywood audience, and the first Ruth Chatterton picture under the new Warner-First National banner is revealed as one of the best acted, best directed and best produced of the year. The star is now being hailed on all sides for a superlative performance. George Brent, the new leading man, Is hailed as a future star.

And, all in all, Hollywood is agreed that Ruth is still the "first lady of the screen." But they're not going to fool her again. She will go on doing her best to give good performances and make good pictures. But when Hollywood bends the collective knee she will regard all such temporary praise with her tongue in cheek. Greta Garbo, Joan Crawford. Norma Shearer.

Marlene Dietrich. Clark name inu ncveim oiurr pinning ligms are ieenng me iriais ana irio-ulatlons of stardom. Wise old coots like Lionel Barrymore and Wallace Beery avoid stardom like the plague. But in the case of the younger favorites it is a difficult thing to dodge. TT LOOKS as if the irrepressible Tallulah Bankhead has a good picture at last.

"Thunder Below" is drawing all sorta of favorable comment, even among the critical here Veteran Is Victim of Old Stage Fright Louise Closser Hale Still Nervous in Many Her Scenes it II if i it if1! 1 I f. fSTvJ jr If THE YOUNGER actors of Holly- Richard Bennett in "Cyrano de Ber-wood should greatly cheered the movie, produce. Robert Montgomery is always a romantic figure, but never more Ingratiating than when all dressed up In correct sartorial splendor he stops under her window for a chat with Nora Greer in their new motion picture, "But the Flesh Is Weak." kick and lots of excitement out of In Hollywood. Although Charles Bickford is said to "steal" the picture, Tallulah gives by far the beat account of herself to date. And she Is smart enough not to worry too much over the relative importance of roles providing the picture is a success.

Both Ralph Forbes and Paul Lukas turn In fine performances. Birkford's is the best since his portrayal opposite Greta Garbo In "Anna Christie." THAT COLUMBUS of movie pro-ducers, Sam Goldwyn, hai cropped up with a new foreign discovery. Her name is Jeanne Wolln-sky, but the astute Sam has given her the new monicker of Jean Sorel. The young lady spent most of her life In Alexandria. Egypt, but she has had amateur theatrical experience at the Cooper-Union Institute in New York.

Goldwyn was the man who discovered Vilma Banky and Lily Damita. JANET GAYNOR may be a small cute trick, but she has a mind of her own. For the present Janet refuses to do another pollyanna-iah story such as "Rebecca of Sunny-brook Farm." While she may do It soma day, the petite star has notified the Fox executives that she must have a more sophisticated role for a change. "Merely Mary Ann," "Daddy Long Legs" and "Delicious" were all good pictures, but coated with sugar plums. Janet wants a change, and Janet is right.

HAT A CAST the Columbia Co. is giving the banking story, "Faith." Supporting Walter Huston, who plays Giannlni, the banker, are such capable troupers as Kay Johnson and Pat O'Brien. Incidentally, Kay scored such a personal hit on the stage locally with Pat O'Brien had just completed co-starring role with Wynne Gibson I In "Clara Dean" at Paramount. Aa Oiannlnl has long backed Columbia, it seems only fitting that a picture should be bill It around around his romantic banking career. THAT enterprising young Texas beauty, Florins McKinney, has finally won the big opportunity In pictures.

The latest Cinderella, who is only 17, drove her flivver from Fort Worth to Hollywood last year. but did not get any closer to a job than a Paramount screen test. She returned home to finish High School, and behold the studio sent for her. She made good In her first part in "The Miracle Man," and after the executives looked over her work with the Four Marx Brothers in "Horsefeathers," she was tendered a long-term contract. She's still 17 and has had no stage experience.

Hollywood Is Home to Noted Aviators It may be mere coincidence or it may be that movies attract the daring, but Hollywood has cradled many of the country's best-known air pilots. Art Goebel. first to span the Pacific from California to Hawaii, did his first flying in Hollywood. After he took to the air he became a members of the "Black Cats." a barnstorming troupe of 13 fliers who played carnivals snd county fairs up and down the West Coast. Both he and Frank Clarke were members of the "Black Cats." Other screen pilots who have earned national reputations are Dick Grace, Ira Reed, Earl Gordon, Clint Her-berger.

Jack Rand and O. C. La Boutllliere. CHEVALIER FILM HELD OVER HERE JEANETTE MacDOXALD With Miss MarDonaid as one of the fair charmers in "One Hour -x jT Jw )' I kirns A mS i I nf the past. Which is by way ith thAlt.

nutn and th "helne made are those lima rnatume nictnres. years ago, lDl" Perhaps the best indication of HirSCle a Klnnriv war ot the heels of a bloody war responsive chord. Tongues od so lustily about it that it WPSCU, Muichan RettV Compson. the late Lon Chaney and Parted any decided trend in pictures since producers lift that it would be hard to better theme did not lend itself Jntiv to variations. So when they that these times also would come something of the spiritual a.

tuie there was nothing to do but bring bark the old success, "The Tl? as proof that the t.lkies provide a medium distinct from the old silent pictures When came in it created a barrier. All that lay on the silent side could b. considered fresh material. Like stage ol1 PicturM could be converted to the screen as something new- In addition, pictures which proved successful in the past ihould be "sure fire" in sound, it was believed. MOVIE MAKERS are counting on the revivals.

A list of costume pictures which impend shows that they are going back to their own past for material. Tales of ladles rescued from castles, of court Irenes and colorful pageantry went out when the talkies came In and became occupied with converting modern stage plays to the screen. Cecil B. de Mille, whose extravagant productions brought the word "epic" into fan usage, should be mentioned first since he is to make the old play, "The Sign of the Cross," for Paramount. He ulso will fall heir to "The Ten which is to be remade, for it was he who made the silent version.

Edward H. Griffith is planning a rostume story based on Napoleon and Josephine. There Is a possibility that Dolores del Rio will play the part of the lady who became Empress of France, and-Richard Barthelmess, if he can be borrowed from Warner will play Napoleon. "A Tale of Two Cities" reached the screen back In those days when William Farnum was the rage. Now it is Charles Farrell who will be Sidney Carlton when the picture is made.

"What Price Glory" is due for a revival, with Spencer Tracy and Ralph Bellamy playing the roles which brought Victor McLaughlin and Edmund Lowe fame. Those are only a few of the pie-tiirea which will carry the fans bark to the past. The play, "Her Cardboard Lover." under the guise of "The Passionate Plumber," "The Wiser Sex." one of Clyde Fitch's old creations, "Lena Rivers," and rreen version of "The Bird of Paradise" are further proofs that the old Is going to become the new In pictures. FOR TEARS folk have been considering "The Great Train Robbery" the first feature length picture. Digging about in the past has brought to light that "The Life ThnmHH DiCIKIinili of an American Fireman" was the first.

It. was produced in 1899 by Edward Porter, who later made the train robbery movie. He acted cameraman, producer and director in both pictures. Arthur White was the first leading man and VI-ian Vaughan the leading lady in "The Life of an American Porter's favorite storv concerned "The Great Train Robbery." A ehap named G. M.

(Broncho Billy) Anderson was selected for one of be bandits, since he boasted about hlng a great horseman. When tbey arrived on location Anderson was missing. A mile from the stable where the horses had been hired. Anderson was thrown. He Picked himself up and hurried back to New York.

Another rider took GERMAN ROMANCE BUDS' IN PICTURE EM.K FRITTF.RER, CRETL KFBVI1T betwl: rm bud- Grul rruiierer ana 1 Rheinland- curren Girl Picture th82 acnt hfe in Cologne. I'Wif it if stage's aucresRea nf vpatffrrinv which reached the stage or screen recently ignored, are comine back the trend is current now. "The anrf itn lltritnnl thpma anmoVinw and its spiritual theme somehow Broncho Billy's place. That is not the onH nf thA otnrv hrannr fnr the end of the atory, however, for Anderson took horseback lessons as soon as he got home. He became one of the greatest horsemen the screen has ever known and later starred in the Broncho Billy pictures.

That is the story of the first Western Hero. AREALLT beautiful woman of the screen, in the opinion of Director Ernst Lubitsch, should have the following assets: Sincerity of performance, grace of movement, appeal of voice, charm of personality and the ability to achieve reality in characterisation without a trace of artificiality. These are in addition to perfection in form and face. He believes that film beauty lies not so much in physical allure as in the ability to create a vivid and lasting impression of charm. A great number of actresses, he aays, are not physically beautiful, but they are such fine performers that they charm an audience.

He points to Miriam Hopkins as an example. While Jeannette Mac-Donald and Genevieve Tobin, whom he directed in "One Hour With You," have more native beauty, Miss Hopkins can create as great not a greater impression of beauty by her charm of performance. Versatility Wins George Raft Fame Dancer, Born in 'Hell's Kitchen' District, Gets Contract EORGE RAFT, whose dramatic VJ talents were born in New York's "Hell's Kitchen" but who possesses a clga-ret lighter pre sented to him by the-Prince of Wales for teach ing His Royal Highness the latest dance steps, has Just been placed under a long-term acting contract Paramount. The contract came as the result of his un usual perform ances as tne menace of "Scar- face" and of "Hincri in the GEORuE KA J. Dark." A former boxer, ball player with the Eastern League and dancer at.

Rector's, Churchill's and in Ziegfeld productions, Raft went to Hollywood a year ago to play his first dramatic role In a motion picture. He had been urged to trv the screen some years before ny Kuooipn vai-entino. whom some say he resem bles, but he refused to do so at that time. Raft was born on Firty-flrst St. between Ninth and Tenth at the time one of the toughest districts in New York.

His German grandfather Introduced th merry-go-round to this Country and later prospected for gold in the early days of California. Atfer trying various professions, Raft became a dancer, then acted in stock companies in the East, re-turninsr to New York to dance with ElBie Pilcer-in "City Chap," "Gay "Manhatters" ana ztegreia "Palm Reach Nights." A European tour followed, during which he met the Prince of Wales and taught htm the Charleston. Rowland Brown, film director, brought him West for a role in "Quick Millions." Later he played in "Hush Money and seveial other underworld stories. Jackie Cooper Turns Human Question Box Jackie Cooper has reached what parents frequently refer to aa the curious age, wnicn means tnat ui rector Harry Pollard, who is direct lrr kin. In "T.lmnv" l.

having I difficult time keeping his mind on his work. Young Cooper, who is showing a mechanical turn of mind, wants to know what are inside the re cording boxes, what happens to the voice when it gets "caught" by tt, mtrnnhnn hnw nower sys tems and lights work, everything that he can Degtn witn a wny "Wnai Tn addition. Jackie's in- qulsitiveness caused him to uncouple wires from the sound box and there was a long aeiay oeiore the trouble coulfl Be locaiea ana However, the question which is keeping ronara awaite is wni the formula for making a picture that is a hit?" Jackie thought that one up, too. FLIES BAD ACTORS The smaller things are the more trouble thev may. cause.

A scene in Harold Lloyd's new picture, "Movie Crazy," was delayed for several hours because none of 14 flies brought to the set showed any talent as an actor. All one of the flies had to do was to ait upon the forehead of an actor playing a drunk role, but th entire 14 buxzed off the set. Actors were sent out to capture more flies and finally one of the personnel foufid a fly which would perform in the prescribed manner. The scene was Important to th story and could not be omitted. Warner Baxter may be only an "Amateur Daddy" on the screen, but he seems to have made a hit with tiny and tantalizing Joan Breelaw, who la one of the mainstays of this popular actor in his lateet offering for the silver screen.

Letters to Studios Mark Movie Pulse Women Offer Hair, Antiques, Follow Latest Novelties WIDESPREAD interest in everything the movies do is evinced in the large number of letters received at the picture studios. Recently stories were sent out telling that a large number of foreign women earned considerable money each year by selling their hair to the studios to be made into wigs and moustaches. Shortly after the tale appeared hundreds of letters were received from American women who sought to sell their hair. The studios In most cases wrote back and informed them that Federal laws forbid the sale of domestic hair and that the hair of the peasant women of Europe is particularly desirable because of its unusual texture developed during the long hours the foreign women toll out-of-doors each day. Whenever stories emerge of the difficulty the property men have in locating antiques or unusual bric-a-brac persons write In that they have ransacked the attic and found valuable heirlooms from great-grandma's day.

In many cases the articles mentioned are things for which the studios have no use but in other instances it helps them to locate much-sought articles needed to give the authentic touch to a scene. Whenever a motion picture actor uses some sore of novelty in a scene, for Instance a trick cigaret lighter, letters pour in asking where the articles may be bought. The studios usually supply the information. The busy publicity men who send out stories on the styles favored by the stars also cause trouble since their accounts brings in a deluge of mail asking where material or patterns can be obtained. The picture men do not mind, however, for the letters are cheering in letting them know how closely the public follows their every move.

THAT SUITED GEORGE When Ricardo Cortex went to Cuba on a vacation recently, he took along trunks and trunks of snappy clothes and accessories. Also on the trip was George O'Brien. When the trunks arived at their hotel in Havana, Cortez was absent O'Brien was there, however, and he ordereu all the trunks sent back to New York. Cortez had only one suit, and a grudge against George. Arline Gets a Break A break for Arline Judge.

She has been cast In "Roar of The Dragon," to be directed by husband Wesley Ruggles. THEY'RE IN 'THE SYLVIA SIDNEY i is v. Film Folk Give Up Extravagant Ideas They Live Simple Lives Quiet Homes, 'Tis Said fj THE DAY of extravagant stories about the extravagant lives of the denizens of the Hollywood film colony is past. The onyx bath sunk in the floor of 'the bathroom and surrounded by growing flowers Is no longer considered desirable. At one time it might have been possible for a star, closing his residence, to auction off $40,000 worth of antiques, the contents of a single room.

That Is not the case today. The home life of the motion picture celebrity is usually marked by simplicity. Spencer Tracy, who is currently seen in "Disorderly Conduct," is a polo enthusiast, but doesn't even own a horse. He rents them. Sally Eilers, featured in the same picture, keeps house in a Beverly Hills cottage for her husband.

Hoot Gibson. There isn't a single gold plated doorknob In the place. The house where Warner Baxter, star of the forthcoming "Amateur Daddy," lives, is the same one he occupied before his name was seen In electric lights. Janet Gaynor, who will soon be seen with Charles Farrell in "Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm," has a modest beach cottage for summer use and accupies a hotel apartment near the studio for convenience while working on a pic ture. Will Rogers has one of the most unimpressive homes in Hollywood.

If is a comfortable ranch house which stretches across and up the northern slope of Santa Monica Canyon. The only extravagance the cowboy humorist permits himself is his polo ponies. He can't resist a good horse and has some of the finest in the West. But the layout ia not for show, since Rogers is a first rate polo player. The architect who suggested a fountain with gold fish on the comedian's ranch would have to hunt cover.

'TAR AN' STAYS FOR SECOND WEEK MAUREEN O'Sl'LLIVAX As the ivory trader's daughter, Miss O'Sullivan brings a charm to her portrayal of the white girl in an African jungle that in addition to the romance which develops between her and Johnny Weismuller as the ape man, helps to give "Tarzan the Ape Man the popu larity which has resulted In it being neia over. Takes Buster's Part Before "Grand Hotel" went Into production Buster Keaton tried to get the role of Kringelein. He was not suited for the part, producers decided, and Lionel Barry-more was chosen. Now whenever Keaton encounters Barrymore his remark is. "Well, I hear you did pretty well In my part." Turns Down Contracts Alice White, Hollywood hears, has turned down two talkie contracts recently because she insists on pick- ing her own stories.

She has not been a movie star for two years, Such independence Is unusual. to learn that one the oldtlmers, Louise Closser Hale, also suffers from stage fright. Miss Hale is 59 years old, and has been an actress ever since she made her stage debut in Detroit In 1894 in that famous old. racing drama, "In Old Kentucky." Her screen contemporaries frequently mention her poise and her assurance, hut X1in Hnlo declares they are MISS HALE unaware of what is going on. She admits It frequently is a little thing which starts her into nervousness.

Then her fear mounts and before she walks on to a scene she Is ready to quit. During the scene she continues to quake all over. When Miss Hale was working In "Sky Brides" one of her speeches waa about "detractable landing gear." It was a mouthful of words she never could get right. She actually "went up" on those lines and they had to take the scene over. Each time she failed on the same phrase.

Finally the director had a bright idea. He wrote the words on a slate and when she was due to say them she looked off the set and read them. That is the way stage fright affects a woman who has trouped for almost two score years. Besides acting, she was a war correspondent in Europe with her late husband and has done sketching and etching. She la the author of several volumes.

Film Colony Expert Turns Work Into Fun The borderline between work and play is a narrow one tn the film colony. A fine example of that is the case of Natalie Kalmus, who Is the color expert for Technicolor Alms. A picture in which the sea figures is to be made shortly and Mrs. Kalmus had to do some close studying of sea and sky coloring. It would be no fun to cruise on a fine yacht all alone and study colors so she called up many of her Hollywood friends.

It proved a vacation to many stars, there was a great deal of fun. and Mrs. Kalmus went about her work of studying the pigments that lurk in the sky and sea. Those who went on the cruise included Mervyn LeRoy, Ginger Rogers. Barbara Kent, Vivlenne Osborne.

Liia Lee. Frank Borsage, Billie Dove. Marilyn Miller, Don Alvaiado and Margaret Ettinger. FOSTER IN MOVIES Preston Foster, brought from the New York State to appear with Edward G. Robinson in "Two Seconds," has been given a lung-term contract and assigned to work in "Doctor Foster is having better fortune In the pictures than on the stage, for both plays 'n which he appeared on Broadway this season "Two Seconds" and "Adam Had Two Sons" had short runs.

Reveal Real Names It was not Greta Nissen and Wei- 6 Bearded Veterans' Dance for Groucho Among unusual movie assignments was one given Harold Hecht. young Broadway ballet master. He was instructed to train 20 aged actors for an ensemble number in "Horse Feathers," the Marx Brothers next picture. The number was executed by character players whose ages ranged from 61 to 77 years. All wore beards they have been cultivating from 15 to SO years.

Appearing as professors, they wore gowns and did their comedy dance with Groucho when he was installed as college president on the screen, of course. HERE'S A COINCIDENCE When Gary Cooper landed in New York on March 31 from his African vacation it proved an interesting coincidence. It was on the same 48 years ago, that his father, Judge Charles Cooper, landed in this country from England to earn his living here. It Reveals Secrets Liia Damita should be classified with the keen wisecrackers. "Applying cosmetics to the face before friends and strangers," she said, after watching young ladies daub their faces in restaurants, "Is like telling one's most personal secrets." MIRACLE MAN CHESTER MORRIS Cameras Catch Russians' Tears Czar's Followers in Movie Cast Cry as They Sing Imperial Anthem A tragic and dramatic scene was captured unexpectedly by cameras at the Paramount Studios recently when more than a score of atmosphere players wept openly while singing the National Anthem of Imperial Russia.

Every extra on the set was a Russian of high station or great promise under the Czar's regime. Exiled and stripped of their former wealth, they are in Hollywood earning their livings as screen actors. When the gypsy orchestra on the set of George Bancroft "The World and the Flesh" burst Into the strains, the players arose and sans; as onlv Russians can. Tears streamed down many cheeks, voices choked and broke. Among the group were Alexander Novinsky, high naval officer, who would have been an admiral by now except for the revolution; Gen.

Alexander Ikonikoff, of the infantry guard; Gen. Theodore Lodijensky, of the Imperial cavalry, and his wife; Lieut, victor ueunsKy ana his wife; Nina Miatleva, daughter of Moscow's leading attorney, and Nadja Efron, whose husband, an officer, was killed while they were escaping from Petrograd. Stars Developing New Fashion Hints Predicting fashion "hits" in advance is one of the pastimes of fllrh players. There is none more expert at guessing whether a certain style will catch on with the public than Adrian, who designs costumes for the MGM players. It was she who devised Norma Shearer's "divorce" hat.

Greta Garbor'a broad-shouldered clothes and Joan Crawford's snake-hip dresses which found favor with the feminine world. Now she is predicting that women will be donning short platinum wigs because Greta Garbo looks fetching in one in "As You Desire Me." Also that a shallow-crowned, tiny-brimmed sailor hat which sits coquetishly on one side of the head will start a fad after Joan Crawford is glimpsed with one In. "Letty Lynton." She also bets that soft, wine-red suede will be used by many in sports costumes, and that leather sleeves and collarettes that fasten closelv at the throat will come into vogue. Jacqueline Seeks Name Jacqueline Wells Brown, who played child roles until she grew up. is looking for a new name.

She does not want to remain identified with those early parts. She wants a name that Is easy to spell and does not sound theatrical Thelma Todd has discarded the alias Alison Lloyd and will stick to her own name In thi future. Si C2 don Heyburn who were married With You." (Genevieve Tobin being recently at Tia Juana. Instead tt the othert, Maurice Chevali; suo was Grethe Rtuz-N'issen nd Wei- ceeds in matins his amorous addon Franks. Those are their real ventures sufficiently entertaining so names, which they gave at the that the picture Detroit stay baa time they were wed.

1 been lengthened. As the girl friend who felt the spell of The Miracle Man" and the dapper young confidence crook who finally saw the light, Sylvia Sidney and Cheater Morris not only help to give thrills but add moving romance to the sordid life they depict in this great pictxe..