International photographer (Jan-Dec 1934)

Six The INTERNATIONAL PHOTOGRAPHER September, 1934 By Earl Theisen ^ALKING about fan letters, the letters pour into Hollywood from all over the world, from persons in all walks of life. These letter writers, not content to write letters of appreciation, instead look upon the film star as an outlet for their pent-up yearnings. All their frustrations that are not exhausted in a vicarious dream in the theatre itself are spent on the star in a letter. They lavish their innermost wishes, their confidences, their disappointments — every conceivable request comes to the film star. These letters usually start with praises and sugary admiration and end with a request for a free photograph or perhaps discarded clothing. The request is not always for the discarded clothing; they ask for autos, for new saxophones, for an autographed rib from Mae West's corset or for the hand of the stars in matrimony. And that is not all. One player was besieged with requests from a fan in Atlanta, Georgia, for a button from his vest. The letters came so persistently that finally in despair the player sent the button. A Bing Crosby fan recently wrote to Evelyn Venable asking her for a photograph of herself autographed to Bing Crosby : Reason : The fan was making up a scrap book for his "Bing" and wanted the Hollywood tribe to contribute. Another celebrity sometime ago was besieged with letters from a woman to please come home to his children. They were hungry ; they were crying for their father. The letters kept coming, so, of course the thing was investigated. The woman was found to be a poor old demented colored lady. The crying children were delusions. This same star received a number of letters from another fan, a crank, demanding $25,000. The letter stipulated that the star must bring the money in person and be on the corner of Eighth and Main Streets, in some little town in Maine, on such-and-such a date. If he did not show up the fan was going to be mad at him. Some of the letters are pathetic. There was one that John Lodge, at Paramount Studios, could not resist. It was from an old man. The oldster had dreamed all his life of having a silk hat ; but never could afford one. His money had gone for other things — raising a family who needed little shoes. His heart wanted a silk hat and he didn't mind if it was a little battered. John Lodge and Claudette Colbert, who was shown the letter and insisted on helping, went in together and sent a spanking new topper for the old man to show at his lodge. Usually the requests for clothing are never answered Please mention The International Photogra because, if one request were granted, a deluge of such requests would follow. Another letter recently sent Sylvia Sidney was from a young man who had many virtues which he enumerated in detail. He requested that Sylvia Sidney find him a beautiful wife who could support him. In fact, he added, he would even consider Sylvia herself. Still another female star who is not to be mentioned received a letter full of male salesmanship. He ended the letter with a caution not to throw the letter in the waste basket because it would cause a fire. Recently Carl Bronson's hat was stolen. It was returned cut into innumerable pieces with the request that he autograph each piece and return them. Claudette Colbert received a dubious compliment when a Mid-Western farmer wrote to tell her that his pet cow, which had been named "Claudette" in her honor, had just given birth to a pair of calves. Would she please name them ? These film folk are asked to christen babies, horses, boats, and what have you. Every day these requests come, most of which, for obvious reasons, cannot be granted. They cannot furnish every request ranging from a shoe buckle to life companionship. Sometimes they are funny, often pathetic, and a star is tempted to comply ; but the fear of a deluge of such requests keep the letters from being answered. How many persons are involved in making a motion picture? Believe it or not, as that fellow would say, in the making of Columbia "Broadway Bill" some patient person figured it out and the figures say 16,461 persons and a rooster and a horse. Fifteen thousand were extras, but that still leaves quite a few people. Do you realize the number of persons that must add their touch to the picture after it leaves the studio's production departments? There is first the laboratory, with its large staff, the exchanges, railroad expressmen and delivery boys, theatre operators, inspectors and censors. Look at the number of censors alone. Headlines say Robert Woolsey is nursing birds. According to R. K. O. publicity department Woolsey can be seen each morning with a ladder outside the publicity building, climbing to a tree branch with a medicine dropper, some sugared water, a hard boiled egg and a toothpick in his hand. He uses the toothpick to hand the egg to a nestful of fledgling mocking birds whose home is in the tree. Woolsey says he will watch over the birds until they start mocking him. Receiving a hurry call from Director Philip Moeller for a certain type, Mickey Owen, an assistant casting director, hurried to the set to get the details. The director, at sight of him, decided he was just the type, so regardless of objections Mickey Owen isn't "casting" now. Joan Crawford has her sixteenth known namesake ! The sixteenth one is the daughter of Katherine Albert, a magazine writer. Joan did the honors with a complete layette that she knitted herself between scenes in "Chained," her latest picture. How pleased the persons must be who ask Gene Raymond for an autograph. Gene Raymond always asks for an autograph in return. pher when corresponding with advertisers.