Indianapolis Times, Indianapolis, Marion County, 20 July 1937 — Page 8
"PAGE 8
COLUMNIST WINS STARDOM
Relates How
He Got Role By Accident
But Once in Part, He Is Magnificent; Film to Be at Circle.
“Exclusive,” the vehicle for your Hollywood ocolumnist’s screen debut, will open a week's engagement at the Circle Friday.
By PAUL HARRISON
HOLLYWOOD, July 20 (NEA).—Well, I'm in the movies now, and after my picture is released I probably shan’t be able to call my soul my own. Not even these next few weeks will be free from the responsibilities of what seems to be my new destiny. First, I'll have to get an unlisted telephone number, a whole wardrobe of sports clothes and some unusual hobby.
Then I must practice writing autographs, and I shall have to think up answers for interviewers who will be wanting to know what I like to eat, what qualities I most admire in American womanhood, and how I broke into pictures. I may as well tell you how I became a movie actor. Actually it was just a whim of fate, because as long ago as my eighth year—when I lost my essential article of costume in a Sunday school cantata—I had abandoned all hope for a future in any of the Thespian arts. But it happened that some of us correspondents were standing around the set of “Exclusive,” a newspaper picture being filmed at Paramount. We were engaged in our favorite sport of picking flaws in Hollywood's ideas of how a metropolitan daily’s city-room should look.
They Found Flaws
The floor was too clean, the typewriters were bookkeepers’ machines with carriages about 18 inches long; | the furniture was too fancy; there weren't enough telephones; the— Just then Director Alexander Hall strolled over to us. I knew that on the previous day he had fallen from a horse and had suffered a slight concussion, and I recall now that he had a rather strange look in his eyes when he spoke: “you guys look something like newspapermen, and I've got to have somebody holding down these desks for a scene. How'd you like to be movie actors?” Right away it occurred to me that I ought to engage an agent and let him discuss the terms. And I should ask for a script, so I could decide whether the story and my role had sufficient dramatic quality. Also there was the question of whether I wanted to risk being typed as a reporter; my fans might consider me an imitator of Stuart Erwin. But there was Director Hall, awaiting an answer. So, along with the others, I agreed.
So He Takes Job
He assigned us to desks and I drew one in the middle of the room.
It was a good spot because the scene was to be a trucking shot with the camera passing by me as it followed Frances Farmer through the news room to the editor's office. For an hour they adjusted the 38 lights (I counted em) that glared down on us. I had on a fancy pair of suspenders, so I took off my coat. Hall said: “Now, fellas, I want you just to act naturally, as you would in your own offices, only quiet down when Miss Farmer gets to the editors secretary and the dialog begins.”
Given so much leeway, none of us could think of anything to do but light cigarets. put paper in our typewriters and bat out “Now is the time for all good men to come to the aid of the party.” During several rehearsals, when Hall yelled “Action!” the cadence was so regular that any stenographer would have known what we were typing. Determined to be different, I switched to another tempo. I wrote, “The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog.”
He’s Almost a Star
Hundreds of people spend years in the movie business and never speak a line. I thought of them with a twinge of compassion when Hall came to me and arranged for me to say something. It seemed there was an awkward spot in the action of one of the copy boys racing through the office. It was necessary to delay him at a certain poinf, and the point was my desk. Such was the confidence of the astute director in my histrionic talents that he didn't ask me to rehearse my speech. Of course it wasn't an awfully long speech. When the young man carrying a sheaf of galley proofs reached a certain desk, I spoke. I calied him. I said, “Boy!” Just “Boy!”—but I gave it everything I had. On the first take I was a little too quick with my speech, and when the boy whirled at my command he bumped into the boy behind him. On the second take I was a bit slow, and ran into Frances Farmer. The third time, everything went off smoothly and Hall pronounced the director’s benediction: “Print it.” Later there was quite a bit of discussion on the set as to what I actually had said. Several people declared that I exclaimed, “Loy!” under the impression that Myrna was around somewhere. Others were equally certain that I said, “Oi!” in the manner of a Hebrew comedian. Anyway I said something. And that’s how I broke into the movies.
SWIM-DANCE WESTLAKE
PAUL COLLINS ORCHESTRA
Peaturing JENNIFER SHEFFER Bvery evening except Monday
THE INDIANAPOLIS TIMES
ALMOST
Rn Ay ges, nd Ra op bein . ge
TUESDAY, JULY 20, 1987
WITH SINGLE WORD
LOWE HELPS
HITE LIGHT UP
Lowe and Stanley give Hite a
» Ld »
and remarked that he'd be giad to costume.
Sighs to Write Dancers’ Script
Times Special HOLLYWOOD, July 20.—Marion Ainslee, long an outstanding figure in the motion picture field of letters, has been signed by R-K-O radio to write an original story for the next film-musical to costar Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers. It will be a Pandro S. Berman production, with a musical score to be written by Irving Berlin.
Miss Ainslee’s work for 10 years was closely identified with the production genius of the late Irving Thalberg. In Europe on a vacation at the time of his death, she retired from the motion picture scene and was induced only recently to return to her typewriter. Among the many pictures to which Miss Ainslee contributed were “The Good Earth,” “Our Modern Maidens,” “Our Dancing Daughters,” and “The Bridge of San Luis Rey.”
SUES WRITERS
Constance Bennett has sued playwrights Ben Hecht and Charles MacArthur for $62,500 “play-balm.” The actress claims
in December, 1935, and that she's still waiting for it.
they promised to write her a play *
light for a custom-built cigar. 2 n n
Arising to my full six-foot height, I looked Henry Hite squarely in the third vest button and said I was glad to meet him. Mr. Hite swallowed his interviewer's fairish sized hand in his own
talk as soon as he had changed his
A strapping youth of 22, Mr. Hite, of Lowe, Hite and Stanley, is the Lyric’s big attraction this week. He stands seven feet, nine inches tall, sweighs 286 pounds, and can wear
ready-made handkerchiefs and neckties. The rest of the wardrobe is not so easy. Mr. Hite requires a size 22 shoe, and his coat would look like a Prince Albert on you or me. Beds, doorways, chairs and such are a never-ending bother. But Mr. Hite doesn’t mind them, nor is he irked by curious crowds. “You get used to being stared at.” he says. “I'd start worrying if they didn’t stop and look.” Wherever he goes, from New York to Hollywood, he stops the traffic. He stepped into a Manhattan bank one day to get a check cashed and attracted such a throng that the police came charging in, sure that a holdup was in progress. In Hollywood, where Lowe, Hite and Stanley were working in “New Faces of 1937,” Mr. Hite drew more attention than the stars. Having been told that most of the celebrities turned out for the fights, he took in the boxing matches in the hope of seeing some screen favorites. But he never got through the crowds to do any looking.
Dances Gracefully
Unlike most “giants,” Mr. Hite is neither stooped in posture nor shambling in his walk. He gets around with surprising agility and tap-dances with lightness and
grace. He learned dancing four years ago, and has been in the show business five years. He was only seven feet, two, at the time. In the last year he has grown an inch, and isn’t sure when he will reach his full stature. A native of Atlanta, Ga., Mr. Hite started shooting up head and shoulders above his playmates when he was 9. Strong, healthy and well-built, he used to play football, baseball and basketball—a center that Hoosier basketall coaches dream of at night. He hasn’t learned to swim, however—gets tired walking out to deep water. A year ago Mr. Hite married a girl some two and a half feet shorter than he. Mrs. Hite accompanies her husand on tour. He likes the show business, spends his spare time sitting around and swapping theatrical stories. Asked what he would like to be if he had to choose another profession, he guessed “I'd Probany be a longshoreman.”—(By J. Q. T.)
CHILD PRODIGY, 2, IS NEW ACTRESS
By United Press HOLLYWOOD, July 20—A two-year-old Missouri git with pigtails and a serious face, who can name the Supreme Court and Cabinet members and sing 100 songs, started work in the movies today. The child is Mary Christine Dunn, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Lawrence T. Dunn of St. Joseph, Mo. She was placed under contract by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer studios. The girl's parents said her intelligence quotient is 185.
Sherman-Emerson
MARDI GRAS
EAST TENTH ST. AND LINWOOD AVE. Balloon Ascensions—Shows— Amateurs — Speakers — Free Acts Rides Music— Contests—Prizes Every Night
FIVE NIGHTS JULY 20-21-22-23-24 FREE ADMISSION—Amateur Auditions Every Night.
industry, and although most of them would rather be known for what they are in real life, their reel life bosses say “No.”
A few bask contentedly behind the smoke screen of illusion and dare anybody to find out what they're actually like. James Cagney, Mae West, and Harold Lloyd are three examples of illusion-destroyers. Cagney is a very meek fellow away from the cameras. Reads honest-to-goodness literature, - appreciates the other arts, and converses barely above a whisper. Mae Regular Church Goer
Miss West drips with sin on celluloid, but after working hours she’s a stay-at-home and a regular church-goer. She has received a million dollars’ worth of publicity through her reputation for risque wise-crackery. Actually, though, she is likely to prove a little dull. She never could hold up her corner of a gag-session with, say Gene Fowler, Frank Scully, Helen Broderick, Martha Raye and Carole Lombard. Lloyd is a comic, but outside the studio he is as glum as a Schnitzler novel and never associates with the cliques of hilarious Hollywoodites. In fact, few people even recognize him off the screen.
Cantor Painfully Earnest
Everybody knows about the serious and erudite Charlie Chaplin. And Eddie Cantor .is a painfully earnest man who will get all wound up in an inspirational lecture if you give him half a chance. There have been paragraphs about
Film Gangsters Turn Out To Be China Fanciers, and Bang Go More Illusions
For Instance, Cagney Is Meek Fellow, Mae West's A Stay-at-Home and Harold Lloyd . Is Quite Glum Off Screen.
HOLLYWOOD, July 20.—(NEA)—Explorers in the Hollywoods often are astonished and sometimes distressed to come upon beetle-browed screen gangsters who collect French china, sensuous sirens who will argue heatedly over baby formulas, funny-men who aren’t funny, and sweet little
ingenues who are colorful compendiums of cuss-words. But that’s the way it goes. people aren’t what they seem. fault of their own. They are workers in the world’s daffiest
A large number of screen Usually this is through no
some of the Hollywood tough guys and villains—How Victor McLaglen
raises roses, Humphrey Bogart has a passion for symphony concerts, and Ricardo Cortez won't even shoot a rabbit. Joseph Calleia is a deep student of the drama and a fine pianist. Jack LaRue is afraid of guns. Cesar Romero has the most social accomplishments, or at least is most in demand for parties, of any of the Hollywood bachelors.
Glamor Girls Mothers
Glamor-gals Marlene Dietrich, Claire Todd, Joan Bennett, and Frances Dee are all mothers, but only Miss Dietrich dislikes being reminded of the fact. She won't pose for photographs with her daughter any more. Daughter is taller than mama, and the actress has an idea that such pictures might be detrimental to her career. Some of the stars have reputations of being difficult to interview because they constantly are being watched and restrained by the studios. Otherwise they'd talk too much. Claudette Colbert used to be that way. Gladys George is now. William Powell is inclined to be over-frank on certain subjects in which industry policy is to be considered.
Ates Doesn't Stutter
And there are reports that Greta Garbo would like to leave her ivory tower for parties and friendships and the normal course of living. There are lots of people who aren’t quite what they seem. Roscoe Ates doesn’t stutter except when he's acting... Herman Bing rolls his r’s only into the mike. And a couple of screen cowboys are inexpert riders; their galloping scenes are done mostly by doubles.
By United Press BOSTON, July Claudette Colbert and W. C. Fields were named today by State Rep. Francis Xavier Coyne as among screen stars who ion) the public | by using fake names.” Mr. Coyne, a Boston Democrat, | has filed a bill to compel all “public | performers”—stage and screen ac- | tors, boxers and wrestlers—to use, their “right names” or be barred | from Massachusetts appearances. Right names of the three stars | named, he said, are: Myrna Loy — Myrna Hornblow. Claudette Colbert—Lily Chuchein. W. C. Fields—William Claude Dunkinfield. In criticism of Hollywood's performers, Mr. Coyne said: “About 90 per cent of the socalled stars are, in fact, amateurs. Through high-powered exploitation, they have been built up to artificial
ITALIAN STAR
Williams |
Star of the film inspired by Vittorio Mussolini's exploits in Ethie opia is German Paolieri, No. 1 “glamour girl” of Italian films. The dictator’s son took an active part in the picture’s production and edited it before its release.
40¢
Bostonian Seeks to Ban Use of ‘Fake’ Film Names
sheights and a gullible public has 20.—Myrna Loy
been forced to swallow them.” He predicted his bill would start nation-wide action against “fakename” performers and that “within the next six months every state would have, similar legislation.” The Coyne bill, to come before | Massachusettes legislators next | January, would impose penalties of a $1000 fine or six months imprisonment for second offenders and a state-wide ban on performances, either in person or on the screen, for third offenders.
Hit Revue To Be Here
‘Show On' Booked for English's Next Season.
“The Show Is On,” hit revue of the past New York season, has been booked for an engagement at English’s during the coming theatrical year, according to C. P. Grenecker of Select Theaters Corp. The revue opened at New York's Winter Garden on Christmas night and closed last Saturday. Beatrice Lillie, Willie and Eugene Howard, Mitzi Mayfair and Charles Walters were stars of the New York production. Headliners for the road company have not been announced.
Vincente Minelli, young artistdirector now in Hollywood, con= ceived and staged “The Show Is On.” Sketches were by the late David Freedman, “Ziegfeld Follies” author, and Moss Hart, collaborator with George S. Kaufman in “You Can’t Take It With You” Included in the musical score is the popular “Little Old Lady.”
COSTUMES IN FILM
The Barl Carroll influence is being felt in movies. Several minor actors in “The Perfect Specimen,” appear as New Jersey state policemen. They wear the colorful and elaborate uniforms designed for the state of New Jersey by the former Broadway producer.
RIDA! ‘BABATOGA
Fo
T'S NICE LEAGUE TO PLAY IN
|
A movie sit-down strike in the making. Foster takes a healthy cut and misses during a beach
baseball game. ding young screen starlets during working hours,
Preston
The catcher and umpire are bude
“No, no,” lied the writer.
“What!”
The writer blinked and pulled himself together. Lunch with Margaret Lindsay at 1. That must be the Warner press agent on the telephone. But then you never could tell. After all, you can't expect
to Hollywood methods at 9 o'clock in the morning. “That's great! Thanks for fixing up the date for lunch.” “I'm glad you are going to have lunch with Miss Lindsay because—" “That makes two of us who are glad,” interrupted the writer. After all, even at 9 o'clock in the morning he could remember that Miss Lindsay has large hazel eyes and a low, pleasant voice. “Yeah, I know,” cut in the press agent. “Everybody likes to have lunch with her. But this is important. We're planning big things for her. We've decided to star her as a glamour girl.” “Glamour girl?” demanded the writer. “Has it taken you all these years to discover she has glamour?” “We've been building her up. Say, what time will you be down?” demanded the voice on the telephone. “In about an hour.” Miss Lindsay was already in the dining room when the writer arrived for lunch after visiting the “Varsity Show” and “Great Garrick” stages. “How do you like being a glamour girl all of a sudden?” he asked Miss Lindsay. Miss Lindsay raised her eyebrows and looked at the press agent as much as to say, ‘Who is this nut, anyway?” “I?” she asked politely. “Yes. Didn't you know you were the new Warner glamour girl?” the writer continued. Miss Lindsay looked more surprised. “That’s right,” confessed the studio representative. “We've decided to star you in glamorous roles. We've been building you up to it gradually.” “Well, that’s all right with me,” Miss Lindsay said, “I've been everything else from a gun girl in mystery films to a debutante in society pictures, sc I might us well be a glamour girl.” “What are you going to do to become glamorous?” the writer asked her. “I don’t know,” she replied. “Maybe they'd do my hair differently or give me a new makeup. That's up to them.” “The trouble with you,” interrupt-
Harry Carey Annapolis Role
Times Special HOLLYWOOD, July 20.—The man bites dog business is no more classic news than the announcement that Harry Carey is to appear in a picture sans spurs and horse. In “Annapolis Salute,” the dean of Westerners appears in the uniform of a chief bosun’s mate, father of the midshipman who finds it hard to keep his romantic moods geared to Naval Academy discipline. While this picture was being filmed at Annapolis, Carey was not even tempted to peep into the stables of Maryland's fox-hunting gentry.
COOL OZONIZED AIR
3 Last Days
pbb THE iS REEN
Margaret Lindsay to Be Glamour Girl—But How?
By WILLIAM BOENNEL Times Special Writer HOLLYWOOD, July 20.—The voice on the other end of the telephone asked: —“Did I wake you up?” “I've been up for hours. “A little after 9,” came the answer,
What time is it?”
“You're having lunch today with Margaret Lindsay at 1, so you'd better come down about 12. Better still, why don't you come down right away and spend the morning on the lot?”
much from a stranger unaccustomed
ed the press agent, “is that you've looked too—too” (he hesitated and then added) —‘nice on the screen.”
“I'm sorry,” apologized Miss Lindsay, “but there's nothing I can do about it. All of us Lindsays have that nice look.” “Has it worked against you?” she was asked.
“Yes and no,” she replied. “It's got me certain parts and kept me out of others. It's typed me, though.”
“Would you like to do a part where you weren't nice—where you were tough, shall we say?” she was asked.
Miss Lindsay smiled. It was a nice smile. “Let's say something less dignified,” she replied “I think I got away from being typed a little bit in ‘Slim’ What I would really like to do would be to play parts like those Myrna Loy gets—smart, sophisticated parts.”
(It didn’t mean the same thing, of course, but it reminded the writer of something.) “Smart? Didn't you fool them when you first came out here by pretending you were English?” she was asked.
“Yes,” she replied. “I had a year on the stage in England before I came to the coast. When I arrived I was cast in a Western, but I had such, an accent that they had to change the heroine from an American to an English girl. I had an sym time getting rid of that accent.”
Since then Miss Lindsay, who was born in Dubuque, has played a variety of roles in more than 21 films, but none of them, apparently, has been glamorous. And so, while waiting for her next part, she is wondering what she must do to become glamorous. Any information on the subject will be gratefully received. The address is—Care of Warner Bros.’ Studio, Burbank, Cal.
WHAT, WHEN, WHERE
APOLLO
‘Wee Willie Winkie,” vith Temple and Victor OL aSier. 1:13, 3:27, 5:47, 7:55 and 10:09.
CIRCLE
“Easy Living,” Xin Jean JA and Zaward Arnold, at 12:4 3 7:04 and 0:15. ast "pa From Madrid * with Dorothy Lamour and Lew Ayres, at 11:24, 2:35, 5:46
and LOEW'S
"The, Ep slor 8 Candlesticks,” 11, 1:5 4:40, 7:50 and 10. Also “Pick a Star: with Jack Haley and Paisy Kelley, at Ma! 35, 3:30, 6:20 and
LYRIO
“Ever Since Eve,” with Marion Davies and feobert 5:06. 1:56 and on screen at 11:2 6 and 10:36. Also Aarau Revae on stage at 1, 3:40, 6:40 and 9:30.
Shirley at 11
OHIO
Woman," “Hideway
“Marked Davis. Also Martha Raye, AMBASSADOR “Kid Ga llahad,” with Edward G Robinson. Also “Girl Prom Scotland Yard.” ¢ ALAMO
of Destiny, " Also
with Girl,”
Bette with
“Boots
with Ken Maynard.
“I Promise to Pay.’
Ira Gershwin To Finish Film
Times Special HOLLYWOOD, July 20.—~When Ira Gershwin returns to Hollywood he will continue work on the musi= cal numbers for Samuel Goldwyn'’s technicolor, production, “The Goldwyn Follies,” on which he and his brother had been collaborating
when George died. Another composer will be selected to complete the score with him.
The top-ranking favorites in “The Goldwyn Follies” include Helen Jepson, the Ritz brothers, Phil Baker, Bobby Clark, Virginia Verrill, Adolphe Menjou and Charles Kullmann.
"MARTHA RAYE “Hideaway Girl”
Shirley Ross
plus
Bette Davis—" "MARKED WOMAN”
Tonight’s Presentation at Your
Neighborhood Theaters
WEST SIDE
HOWARD Howard & Blaine
able Jeanette’ MacDonald “SAN Selected NRorte
FRANCISC
2702 W. 10th St. STATE “ump “A GREAT GUY” Comedy—Novelty _ BELMONT ™ fi Ri “THEY GAVE HIM N”
“AS GOOD AS MARRIED"
D A | S Y james Ellison
231 HOURS LEA “RAINBOW ON THE RIVER”
SOUTH SIDE
GARFIELD 2203 Shelby St.
ouble Feature allace Beery ‘GOOD OLD SO “MOUNTAIN JUSTICE”
LINCOLN *° pile Lincoln
Double Feature Simon “SEVENTH HEAVEN “THE CRIME NOBODY SAW”
FOUNTAIN SQUARE
Our New Coolin Keeps You SB Ry ouble Feature Snehcer Tracy “THEY GA HIM A GUN” “WAY ‘out WESTS
At Fountain Square
SANDERS “‘pritieiaites
ouble “WOMEN OF GLAMO Errol Flynn “GREEN ORT"
Pros. & Churchman AVALON Double Feature Be tte Davis “MARKED WOMAN “WHEN'S YOUR
2540 W. Mich. 8 Double Feature
op Always
inia , Bruce
ORIENTAL i ‘Doub and 341 h Ea Col Wer
1105 8. Meridian Double Feature aul Muni “THE OM I L “GREAT HOODY AL MYSTERY" NORTH SIDE R | TZ Double Feature gar Tracy Hollywood zit Fetus
ae | TACOMA
NORTH SIDE
Talbott & 22nd TALBOTT aWestinghouse one The Only North Side Theater Controllin Both Temperature and Humidi ity. No Draf Double Feature—Robhert Montgomery “NIGHT MUST FALL” Patsy y Kelly—* NOBODY'S BABY”
BPE \ 30th at at Northwestern
i | R E Y Double Feature
li “TURN OFF THE MOON. FF “THE GOOD OLD SOAK”
GARR! R R | IC. K ( Sow ® inois™ “TOP OF THE TOWN" “CALL IT A DAY"
Added Attractio “A DAY WITH THE QUINTS”
MECCA Double Fenian. - “FOUR "DAYS WONDER"
Stratford 19th & College
Double Romer “SHE'S DANGEROUS: VmeLy “WHITE LEGION”
D R E A M 2361 Station St.
Double kd . Montgo “NIGHT MUST FALL” ROMery “28% HOURS LEAVE”
EAST T SIDE
EE sm—
vH a br "1332 E. Wash, St, STRAN D Double Feature n araing “LOVE FROM A STRANGER" “THE MAN N_WHO FOUND _ HIMSELF” 411 E. Wash. Paramount Ricardo Cortes Gail Patrick “HER HUSBAND LIES” Comedy-—Novelty
114 E. ¥ Washington BR | J 0 U Rouble Feature ee . “THE MIGHTY TREVE’ By “THE LONE RANGER” “Phantom Empire’’—No. 7
RIVOLI 3165 E. 10th
Doors Open at 5: i Comfortably Coo Double Feature—Edw. G. ALAHAD"
"Robinson
G “GIRL FROM SCOTLAND YARD”
2442 E. Wash, § ste Double Jeature
“INTERNES CAN'T DRE MONEY” “THAT MAN'S HERE AGAIN”
avout TUXEDO “Boukie ¥ Ne aT “FIFTY, gti thern E. Wash, §
| R Vi NG . “Double Eitiee® . “A STAR 1S BOK.
*A