Indianapolis Times, Indianapolis, Marion County, 20 February 1941 — Page 12
- THURSDAY, FEB. 20,
Hollywood
‘Now Stand-ins Steal !
Scenes for the Stars
By PAUL HARRISON =F Times Special. Writer
HOLLYWOOD, Feb. 20.—Scene stealing is a form of dramatic larceny successfully practiced ‘only by the slickest actors. And yet I have just watched a couple of lowly stand-ins trying to steal a scenu for their principals. I say “lowly”: because stand-ins never dre: photographed but are automatons who move or pose as ordered while the cameraman and director work out the lighting and mechanics of a scene before it is filmed with real players. During the camera rehearsal with standins, marks are made on the floor so the actors will know where to walk and where to pause so they vill be in focus. : The man and woman who stand ‘in for Brian Aherne and Kay Francis were on the set while a scene was being planned for “The Man Who Lost Himself.” Director Edward Ludwig whispered, “Watch ’em edging back from the camera. I'll be doggoned if they're * not trying to upstage each other!” - I's an old trick, and you've seen it done hundreds of times without realizing that a theft was being , committed. Actors A and B are standing together and talking. If A steps back a little, B’s only natural action is to turn partly away from the camera in order to face him. Thus an audience will see less of B’s face and more of A's, and will keep its attention on A. Similar attention-stealing trick is for A to maneuver B into a position in ,/Which B's face is in . shadow. When the two stand-ins came off the set, the woman went to Miss Francis and said, “Don’t you worry; I saw to it that no matter where you stand you'll be lighted. I didn’t let that guy back away from me!”
8-8 2 THERE ARE several kinds of scene-stealers. Children and animals are naturals because audiences watch them even when. they're not doing anything. Then there are muggers, such as Mickey Rooney, and stationary acrobats like Jimmy Stewart, who likes to put his hands in his pockets and rock on his heels, Jack Oakie is the most notorious flycatcher; even if he’s in the background he'll invent some little piece of business—such as scowl=ing and puffing at a cigar that has gone out—that keeps you watching him. W. C. Fields is famed for once
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having. swatted a fly-catcher into unconsciousness. It was during his pool table act on the stage. After wondering why the audience kept snickering, Mr. Fields discovered a rival comic hidden under the table and clowning in pantomime. He bopped the interloper with his cue. On location in Death Valley recently I saw Bette Davis challenge Jimmy Cagney for trying to steal a scene by reacting too violently. She was supposed to end a quarrel by pushing him backward into a patch of cactus, and thus it should. have been her triumph. Instead, Mr. Cagney threshed around and howled and went into such frantic contortions among the artificial stickers that a screen audience would have forgotten all about Miss Davis. As she tartly commented, he was practically committing suicide to win a laugh.
BETTE VOTED BEST
HOLLYWOOD, Feb. -- 20.—The acting of Bette Davis in “The Let-
| ter” has been voted the year’s out-
[A Mad Scientist Runs prari five Chilling 1 It's Thritlir 1
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standing screen performance by the students of Maude Adams’ class in advanced dramatics at Stephens College, Columbia, Mo. The retired actress has requested a print of “The Letter” from Warner Bros. to illustrate her lectures, saying she regards Miss Davis’ acting as a model of screen technique.
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Circus and Swing ¢ at Lyric
At top, Willie Best (left), Carole Landis and John Hubbard are nervously speculating on which way the caf is going to jump in this scene from “Road Show,” the Lyric film for ihe week starting tomorrow. Below are John Kirby and Maxine Sullivan, whose much admired swinging of folk songs will headline the Lyric’s new stage shew.
All - Paderewski ‘Concert on Way
As part of the national Paderewski Testimonial Week, students and teachers of the Jordan Conservatory of Music ‘will give an all-Paderewski program af 8:30 p. m. Saturday at the Odeon, 106 E. North St. The public is invited to attend the concert, which takes place on the last night of a week set aside by musicians to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Polish pianistcomposer's American debut. The Jordan program, which has been arranged by Joseph Lautner, will opea with a performance of the Cracavienne Fantastique by Joe Lewis, iano student of Alfred Mirovitc.a. This will be followed by three songs’ (“Mine Eyes Have Known ‘Cears,” “The Piper's Song” and “My Own Sweet Maiden”) by Rosalind Phillips, soprano. Miss Phillips is a student of Mr. Lautner. She will be accempanied by Mr. Lewis. ; Marica Laut, a member of the Jordan faculty, and Louise Swan will play the Polish Dances, Opus 5, for two pianos. And Renato Pacini, violinist, will play the Andante Grazioss, Opus 8, with Imogene Pierson as accompanist. Both are teachers on the Jordan staff. Richard Niessink, of the piano faculty, will close the program with a playing of the Variations and Fugue, Opus 23.
IN REEL LIFE HOLLYWOOD, Feb. 20 (U, P.).— Alice JY'aye, actress and former wife of singer Tony Martin, was kidded unmercifully today on the set of the “Cireat American Broadcast.” Her name in the picture is Mrs. Martin.
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Field Day for Movie Wags
They Have Fun With Titles . for Picture.
HOLLYWOOD, ¥eb. 20 (U. P.).— Paramount executives developed a number of headaches and the Holly-
before a title was selected for “Reaching for the Sun.” “It’s tagged as a million-dollar picture, a romantic comedy starring Joel McCrea and Ellen Drew. For a long time Paramount had every-
| thing planned except the title and
that seemed to have every genius on the lot stumped. The basic ingredients ‘of the picture didn’t help much in selection of a title. It seems to be a story about a Michigan woodsman and clam digger who gets a job in a Detroit automobile factory to earn an outboard motor, and somewhere along the line gets a wife also.
Wags Get Busy
‘Word spread that the studio needed a title for its clam digger-mechanic-great lover picture, and the wags got busy. Among the more brilliant suggestions were “For Whom the Whistles Blow” (careful with that Spanish dagger, Mr. Hemingway), “Kiss the Bolts Goodbye” (don’t say it, Miss Boothe), “Reap the Wild Clam (it’s a free plug, isn’t it, Mr. De Mille?), and “All This and Engine Trouble Too” (excuse it please, Miss Field). There were serious s CAtIaL, too, but none of them seemed to S11 the bill. Also it seemed easier to concoct flippant titles than to Ret serious about it.
Here Are Some More
Someone heard that clams were involved and submitted “Clam Diggers of 1941.” Other suggestions included “Her Outboard Lover,” “Love in Overdrive” and “High Compression Love.” The boys were in full stride by this time and went on to such heights—or depths, take your choice —as “The Nut Who Bolted,” “Down Michigan Way,” “Caught in the Clutch” and “In My Merry Evinrude.” After all this it was not surprising that Paramount finally decided on such a sober title as “Reaching for the Sun.” It was selected over
felt it was a lise to solemn for a comedy.
SUFFERS FOR ART
Mary Martin, who doesn’t have to sing or dance in “New York Town,” twice was supposed to dance for films. Twice she suffered broken toes while rehearsing—and twice the numbers were not used on the screen.
THE INDIANAPOLIS TIMES
Hepburn Left at Altar
the objections of a majority who |
wood smart alecks had lots of fun|
Fox Feature
~ Joan Lee is featured on the new bill which opens at the Fox to- \_ MOITOW.
GETS WRITING JOB
Casey Robinson has been assigned to write the screen play of the picture Warner Bros. will make from
“One Foot In Heaven,” the best-
Well—
HOLLYWOOD, Feb. 20 (U. P.) —Executives at M-G-M are stumped over the ending of a forthcoming film based on the Selective Service draft, “The Uniform.” They don’t know whether to send the hero off to war after his year is up.or to have him return to private life.
BASES MOVIE ON ‘EAGLE SQUADRON!
HOLLYWOOD, Feb. 20 (U, P.).— Producer Merian C. Cooper is en route to England to prepare a script
for a picture based on the “Eagle Squadron,” the unit of American flyers working with the Royal Air
- | Force.
Katharine Hepburn has just received a note informing her that her fiance has left her at the altar at this juncture in “The Philadelphia Story.” The sympathetic eavesdroppers are, left to right, Ruth Hussey, James Stewart and Cary Grant. The picture will remain for a second week at Loew's, beginning tomorrow.
Museum Yields Ballet Melodies
Ancient melodies from manuscripts in the British Museum, arranged by a former opera star, will provide the music for “Robin Hood,” which will be danced by members of the Junior Programs Ballet at 3 p. m. Saturday in Caleb Mills Hall. Margaret Carlisle, former prima donna at London’s Convent Garden, compiled the music. In addition to material from the museum, she secured other tunes from parchments in the Oxford library. Included in the score are street cries of medieval London, early carols, old hunting songs and a hymn from the time of Thomas A. Becket. Miss Carlisle began her musical career as accompanist for such artists as Lucrezia Bori, Hans Kindler, Richard Bonelli and Paul Althouse. Later, as a singer, she appeared with Lawrence Tibbett in Eugene Goossens’ © opera, ‘Don Juan,” and was starred in Noel Coward’s “Bittersweet.” Saturday’s ballet performance is being sponsored by the Children’s Civic Theater.
REGAN DROVE TRUCK
Phil Regan started his career as a truck driver for a New York con-
Walter Wanger ‘Studio announced that Mr. Cooper had sailed from New York Monday, following a month of preparations in New York and Washington. He plans to stay at least two months—invasion or no invasion.
GIRL DANCER SIGNS
Dorothy Babb, 14-year-old dancer, has been signed to a screen contract.
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