Indianapolis Times, Indianapolis, Marion County, 10 December 1936 — Page 15

LEANOR POWELL

Dancer Rose To Stardom Over Night

Career Started by Being Forced to Take 10 Tap Lessons.

Eleanor Powell, “tops” .in taps, comes to Loew’s screen tomorrow as the star of “Born to Dance”’—proving that overnight rises to stardom hap-

pen outside of story books.

Not so long ago, Miss Powell went out to Hollywood from .New York for a bit part in a musical. She was seen by her present bosses and ‘signed for a minor dancing role in “Broadway Melody of 1936.” She took a screen test and came up with the feminine lead opposite Robert Taylor. Hailed as the year’s dancing “find” after the picture’s release, Miss Powell went back to Broadway for a featured appearance in “At Home Abroad.” When she came West again it was as a star in her own right, to be placed at the head of a lot of big names in her present picture. Forced to Dance All this comes from being forced to take 10 dancing lessons in order to get a job. The dancer, who hails from Springfield, Mass., began to dance when she was six, though not in a very serious manner. Gus Edwards, who has a way of scenting talent, discovered her when she was 13. Three years later she hit Broadway—and Broadway hit right back. She sat around in stage producers’ offices for six months. Someone finally told her she. would have to take some lessons and learn to tap dance. She only had money enough for 10, but that got her a spot in “Follow Thru.” After that came several other appearances in musical hits, and that was all that was needed. Loew’s new picture is from the studios of the people who put out “The Great Ziegfeld,” “Broadway Melody of 1936” and other supermusicals. - And this, too, is done on a big scale. It has a cast which includes James Stewart, Virginia Bruce, Una Merkel, Frances Langford and Sid Silvers.

WHERE, WHAT, WHEN APOLLO

on My Knee,” with Barwyck and Joel McCrea, at "3:40, 5:44, 7:48 and 9:52.

CIRCLE pamartess im in Town,” with Gene Raym nd Ann Sothern, at 2:59, 5:38, 7:56 and 10: 30. Also “The Jungle Princess.” with Dorothy La1:34. 4:08, 6:31 and 9:05. KEITH'S

“Riddle Me This,’”* presented by the Federal Players, at 8:15.

LOEW'S

“Pennies from Heaven,” with Bi

Tog 10. At irion ‘at 12:43, 38: 2%" %: 09 and

LYRIC Maj. Bowes’ Dance Band and Re-

“ “Banjo a Stan 132, 1:36,

mour, at 11,

of Terror.” :565.

at 11:45, 2:27, 5:19. 8:11 and 10:26.

ALAMO

“They Met In a Taxi, " with Chester Morris. Also, “The Man Who Lived Again,” with Boris Karloff.

AMBASSADOR

“Ladies in Love,” with Loretta FONG od Also “Three Married Men,” with Mary

Brian. OHIO AL Seats Fair,” with Will Rogers. Also “Parole,” with Ann Preston.

BY ERNIE PYLE Times Special Writer HOLLYWOOD, Dec. 10—To begin with, I don't know whether Clark Gable is going to marry Carole Lombard or not. I didnt ask him. Pigured it was none of my business. But outside. of that, I can tell you considerable. He rolls through the M. G. M.

has on a brown beret, leathe¢ jacket, duck pants, and looks pretty sporty and in an awful hurry. He’s in an old four-cylinder Ford roadster with the top down. Carole Lombard gave it to him last Valentine for a joke. She was going to buy him a fire engine, but the deal fell -through. She got this roadster from a junk pile, after an accident. She painted the wreck white, with red hearts all over it, and sent .it to Gable. He had it rebuilt, slung low, supercharged, and painted black.” Now he’s really got something. He also has a big Duesenberg racing roadster, but hardly ever drives it. Once in a while the garage man calls up and says the battery is about dead, so Gables drives it two or three days to charge up the battery, and then goes back to the Ford.

Watchman Stops Him

A studio watchman stops Gable as he drives in. Says Director John Stahl wants him “in the projection room to look at Saturday’s shots. He leaves the roadster in the studio street and dashes into the projection room. He stays about 20 minutes. Says he was “only fair” in: Saturday’s shots. Then he jumps around to the studio restaurant, sits at a stool, and has coffee. That's all he ever has for breakfast. While he drinks, he tells a fellow next to him about his Sunday duck hunting trip. Two short studio blocks to his dressing: room. You almost. have to run to keep up with him. His pl-ce is a corner suite .in a futuristic building. It's fresh and cool. Walls panelled in light pine. Red leather settee and deep red chair. Old colored prints on the walls. A couple of modernistic paintings of himself, leaning on a desk. Venetian blinds. A bronze-colored sea chest. A rhonograph behind a screen. And— a bicycle, with everything on it but wings. In the next room he dresses. This room is walled with mirrors clear around. One side is all clothes closet, behind the mirrors. Beyond this room is a bath.

Puts on His Own Grease Paint

Robert is there to help. Robert is colored. He works for Gable at home and at the studio, too. He’s just a handyman. Gable puts the brown paint on his face himself, and a makeup man with a kit comes in to put on the finishing touches. Gable has grown his own burnsides for “Parnell,” so there are no false whiskers. * A big car waits outside to take him the two blocks to the sound studio. He makes the trip several times a day, but the other times he walks, for the air. He is on the set at 9 sharp, They knock off for lunch a little after: 12. At lunch time Gable rushes to his temporary dressing room in the studio. A salesman: is there, with leather goods spread all over the place. Gable looks them over and orders a lot of leather moccasins

whatnot for his duck hunting. The moths ate his old canvas hunting outfit. The bill comes to $109. Gable makes some cracks about not being a millionaire, signs the order and pays $27.50 on deposit.

No Fuss or Feathers

Gable eats in the regular studio dining room. No fuss or feathers.

HOME OWNED

ALWAYS A

N

HOME OPERATED

LYRIT

GOOD Laan

‘Me RIDES A HORSE

THE H4RD WAY

pe ea

LITE TA GELLNLIES

studio gates exactly at 8 o'clock. He |

leather pants, leather jacket and |

| CLARK GABLE DRIVES RICKETY ROADSTER TO WORK, ERNIE FINDS

be |

.

Mr. Gable . . . likes to putter around.

Even waits for a table. (He had wieners and sauerkraut the day I ate with him. Ted Healy passed, and Gable kidded him about his recent trip to New York. Another guy came along and told a story.) Everybody is back on the set by 1. The scene is the British House of Commons in the eighties, and they have. to use so many lights the heat is terrific. Gable has to stride in from the lobby, and clear across the House, and bow to the Speaker, and then go sit down. He does it over and over, perhaps 20 times. Maybe the first time was best of all, but Director Stahl likes a lot of shots. After three or four repetitions of a scene, there is a .great deal of dickering with the lights and rearranging of cameras. All the others —some 200 extras, “members” of Parliament—keep their places, but during these interludes Gable leaves the set, to get out of the heat. He goes and sits in a camp chair.

He's a Willing Worker

He is in the studio from 9 until‘6. But his time on the set is at most

three hours. The rest of the time he sits and waits. He is probably before the camera less than an hour. good-naturedly, eager to please the director. Once in a while hell forget his lines and spoil ‘a ‘whole

He does everything willingly, |

“take.” He just shakes his head in shame, and laughs. Parnell, whom Gable portrays. in this picture, was a great Irish statesman./ I told Gable I thought I was fairly familiar with history but I'd never heard of Parnell. He said to tell the truth he never had either.

NEXT—More abo: about Gable,

WINNINGER SUED

ON JOB CONTRACT

By United Press HOLLYWOOD, Dec. 10 —~Charles Winninger, veteran stage and screen character” actor, defended himself today from . payment of $5860.41

sought in a suit brought by Nat C. Goldstone, theatrical agent. Goldstone contends the money. is

due on commissions specified under.

a 1930 eonfract. The suit seeks payment for Mr. Winninger's work in the films “Social Register,” ‘Show Boat” and “White Fang.”

EI IE

Will Rogers—All Star Cast «STATE FAIR”

Ann Preston, Henry Hunter “PAROLE”

|iChild Star

Movie Due

portunity to Sing and Dance in_ Film:

tuplets are their exclusive

.| property in Indianapolis, and

now comes Jane Withers as

an addition to the juvenile | roster.

«Can This Be Dixie?” is the title

f of ‘the film that brings the rotund

10-year-old to the Apollo screen tomorrow. It gives her a chance to sing and dance when she takes a group of plantation pickaninnies

program. - With Jane in the picture are

appearances with the Dionne babies to his credit, almost can rank as a juvenile himself; Claude Gi water, Helen Wood, Thomas Beck, Sara Haden and Donald Wood. Miss Wood, a comparative new-

‘| comer to the screen} was winner. of

a beauty contest that embraced Kentucky, Alabama and Tennessee, her home state. ‘She has had parts in six pictures, but this is only her second featured role.

NEW FOREIGN STAR DUE IN NEW YORK

By United Press " HOLLYWOOD, ' Dec. '10—B. P. Schulberg, ‘independent producer. for

.| Paramount, flew to New York yes-

terday. to agrange a reception for Luli Deste, continental stage and screen star coming to Hollywood for her American film debut. Her real name is the Baroness Gottfried Hohenburg of Austria, and she is

the daughter of Baron and Baroness Bodenhausen of Munich, Bavaria. She just completed ga leading role opposite Edward G. Robinson in

Mr. | “Thunder in the City” in London.

t

Cabaret Now,” You

Wanne

- “Does Ge Jo Heaven?”

At Apollo

{Jane Withers Gets Op-

~The Apollo seems. %: ave : ‘| the local corner on child stars. Shirley and the Dionne Quin-

to New York to perform on a fa- | _| mous amateur radio

Slim Summerville, who, with two |

marry old man’s granddaughter. close tomorrow!”

~ Sage, Charley

Story—Air

He gets her jo

Stone; directed by

~ Southerr gentleman. Villain holds mortgage on plantation, wants to “Give me your hand or I will foreSo little girl takes ‘plantation Negroes » to New York. They click on amateur protam, Villain is foiled.

Circle | WEST”—With George Arliss, Lucie

tegic harbor, plays big countries one against the other to get money. English customs officer caught smuggling rum, giving Sultan chance to get money by releasing officer, and rival country also pays for ‘equal treaty privilege. Sultan gets money, keeps independence. “WITHOUT ORDERS”—Sally Eilers, Robert Armstrong, Frances Grapewin. Based on a story by Peter B. Kyne; screen play by J. Robert Bren and E. L. Hartmann. transport president fires veteran pilot, replacing him with own son. On first trip, ship hits ice storm, radio quits. New pilot, after slugging fhe loses nerve, bails out. Stewardess is left to land ship. With radio functioning again, she gets connection with ex-pilot on ground. With his aid, lands Ship,

Loew’s “BORN TO DANCE”—Eleanor Powell, James Stewart, oy | Bruce, Una Merkel Sid Silvers, Frances Langford, Buddy Ebsen ' Directed by. Roy Del -Ruth; lyrics and music by Cole Porter. - Story—Small-town dancer meets, falls for sailor in New York. understudying musical comedy star who goes for him. Press agent tries to cook up romance between sailor and star. . She threatens to walk out on show if story breaks. Sailor springs it; star walks out; sailor's girl friend gets lead part.

Lyric POLO JOE”—On Screen-—vern Joe E. Brown, Carol Hughes, agher, Joseph King, Gordon Elliott: and George E. William ‘McGann. Story—Traveler returns from China with valet to visit at home of wealthy aunt. Fakes kidnapping to avoid polo game after he tells girl he plays, is found and enters game in time to win. ‘BELL’S “HAWAIIAN: FOLLIES”—On Stage—With Baby Joy, child singer and dancer anid Moano Hotel orchestra; also Sid Marion and Olive Sibley, offering musical comedy hits; Three Samuels and Harriet Hayes, dance team; Walter Nilsson, unicylist, and three Coffing Sisters of Covington, Ind. in their first stage appearance.

BONUS DECLARED BY LOEW'S, INC.

By United Press HOLLYWOOD, Dec. 10.—A $500,000 Christmas bonus, equivalent to two weeks’ salary for each of its 11,000 employes who have been on the pay roll a year, was announced today by Nicholas M. Schenck president of Loew's, Inc., parent concern of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer studios. : ¢

CRAZY OVER HORSES Joe E. Brown has doubled his racing stable and will campaign with 11 horses during the winter season at Santa Anita track,

Ticket Sale for Concert Rushed

The White Cross Guilds of the

. Methodist Hospital, co-sponsors of the Indianapolis Concert Guild

series, have opened ticket booths in the leading downtown department stores and the. Indiana National Bank /for the recital by John McCormack in Cadle Tabernacle on Sunday afternoon. These booths supplement the White Cross Guild's general headquarters at the Wash ington Hotel and the Concert Guild offices. z _ The Daughters of Isabella have taken a block of seats for the concert, proceeds of whose sale are to

{go to the St. Elizabeth's milk fund.

Miss Edna Buennagel, Daughters of Isabella regent, .is directing the sale through parish chairmen. Advance mail orders indicate a large attendance from out-state, ac“cording to Concert Guild officials, The distinguished Irish tenor’s recital is billed as his farewell ape pearance here.

ENGLISH Tonight, Fri., Sat. Nights

Popular Sat. Mat. AN SHUMLIN Presents Ths MOST DISCUSSED PLAY! CHILDRENS Hou

OF THE GENERATION: - « ULLUAN fan

ORIGINAL N. Y. CAST

AFTER 85 WEEKS ON BROADWAY | =—Nights—e .» ~—Matinee— 55c-$2.20 . Tax 55¢.$1.65

CADLE TABERNACLE

: Suite 207, 18 W. Market St. . Whitecross Guild

SUNDAY ToL

Center Section, $1.65. Rear Section, $1.10. Students, 16 or under, 50c. Choice Tickets on Sale

INDIANAPOLIS CONCERT GUILD

_ Mezzanine Floor, Washington Hotel

IN PERSON

Phone LI-1679 Daughters of Isabella 525 State Life Bldg.

Tomorrow at Loew. s

as James STEWART - "Virginia. BRUCE gc MERKEL o sib SILVERS * FRANCES NGFORD * RAYMOND WALBURN ALAN DINEHART * BUDDY EBSEN es Dtected by_2OY.08 aut Seduced hy JACK CUMMINGS