Hollywood (1936)

■H MM IF/^/ They're Shooting Buck Jones Out on Location: A Melodrammer— Slightly Goofy! When a Man has been a dashing hero in pictures since 1918 and has made more than 150 features, that's some sort of record. When he furthermore is even now at the peak of his career and making a reputed $200,000 and more a year, it calls for an investigation. So Hollywood Magazine took it upon itself this month to join Buck Jones in a location trip and find out why he has been so eminently successful. We dashed 150 miles from Hollywood into the San Jacinto mountains before we finally caught up with Buck. It was easy to follow his trail. All we had to do was ask any wayside filling station operator if a series of gleaming, streamlined trucks had roared by_. For Buck, we learned, has reduced location trips to a practical basis, moves men and equipment in his own gleaming fleet of cars which are as fancy as any glistening fire truck. By the time we had skidded around the last mountain curve, we found the Buck Jones company already settled and at work in the beautiful Taquitz Lodge near Idyll wild. Autumn weather had set in; the poplars and cottonwoods were turning a golden brown amidst the stately evergreens. The nights were frosty and invigorating. Here, in the dawn, it was cold enough to step lively in your work. We walked inside the lodge, found Buck and his sturdy, pretty daughter, Maxine, warming themselves about the fireplace as the rest of the crew unloaded equipment from the giant trucks. Breakfast took less than an hour, and by that time everything was set to shoot. With the beginning of the first scene we began to understand something of the ability this man possesses. He Runs the Show Buck Jones is not only an actor but a producer. He plans the picture from start to finish, keenly analyzes the script, codirects every scene with his director. So A leading lady of yesteryear gets a new start in Buck's latest film, Empty Saddles. Remember Louise Brooks, a star of several years ago? Beating time with a pair of six shooters, Buck Jones leads Frank Yaconelli's orchestra during a mid-day lull. Yaconelli plays the accordion. Film Director Les Selander plays the guitar 28 It's cold and frosty in them thar' mountains! Editor Ted Magee, accompanied by Mrs. Magee, visits Buck Jones on location up near the snow country to him must go not only full credit for remaining tops among the western cowboys, but for producing entertaining western films as well. The current picture is called Empty Saddles. It's an entertaining story about a dude ranch, with a bunch of hillbilly singers thrown in for good measure. The film is a cinch to please a countless legion of adults and not less than three million youngsters, most of whom belong to Buck Jones' own boys' club. Buck never wastes any time while on location. He can usually clean up all his stuff away from the studio in one week. It would take most studios three times that length of time. Buck seldom shoots a scene more than once. When it is in final shape and the cameras are ready to grind, you can win money by betting two to one there are no retakes. Maxine Jones gets a role in one of her father's films for the first time in Empty Saddles. It's a minor role, given to her because she's as good as her father at insisting. The leading lady is a pretty miss. You have met her before. Remember Louise Brooks, who was a leading actress not so many years ago? She is hitting the comeback trail in this Buck Jones film. As to her calibre of work, you'll have to wait for the picture and judge for yourself! Fun On Location The honest-to-gosh cowboys on the location decided to have some fun with Louise while your staff writer was on the scene. She took the "ribbing" like a good scout, but the lads started something they pretty nearly couldn't finish. The whole company was gathered in the lodge's warm dining room for lunch when an argument broke out between a couple of the cowboys. They kicked their chairs back from the table, stepped out ir< front of the crowd and began roaring ex[Continued on page 54] HOLLYWOOD