Paramount Pep-O-Grams (1930)

STANLEY SMITH TO ENTER MUSICAL COMEDY “Would you like to interview Stanley Smith?” remarked ye editor one afternoon. “I certainly would, but I don’t think I can arrange it today,” I answered. “That’ll be all right, you go down back,stage of the Paramount Theatre and see Stan today.” What was I to do? The editor never takes a negative answer. “Where’s Mr. Stanley Smith’s dressing room?” I asked of the stage doorman. “On the fifth floor — who wants to see him?” I produced the magic Pep Club card and was ushered right up to the fifth floor. It’s really surprising what a Pep Club card will do beside getting one a discount at Alex Taylor, Stern’s, Davega’s, etc. Well, there I was in front of room 5A. I knocked and waited. There wasn’t any answer. I knocked again. “He’s not in,” I said to myself. I started to walk away when I heard someone call: “Don’t go away — do you want to see me? “Are you Stanley Smith?” I asked. “Sure, come in — I’m sorry I didn’t hear your first knock but I was taking a little nap.” I entered the room. Stanley was alone. He had on a light blue flannel bath robe and looked great. “Well, Mr. Smith—” “Call me Stanley,” he politely interrupted, “I like it better.” “Well, Stanley, I’m from PepO-Grams and I’d like to ask you a few questions.” “Go ahead, anything you ask I’ll answer.” “Whom do you like to play opposite the most in pictures?” I ventured. “Now, that’s hard to answer fairly — all the people have been so nice to me, but I really like Nancy Carroll and Ginger Rogers.” “Where do you go from here?” ‘Tm going to do something different, something I’ve never done before. I’m going to have a part in a musical comedy. I’ve been making personal appearances for the last ten weeks, you know, and I am rather accustomed to a visible audience now. And I think I’ll like it.” “What did you do before you entered pictures?” “I was on the dramatic stage out in California. The funny part of my entering into the movies is that my first role was as a vi llain. Not a bold bad villain but the kind one sees in college stories. Remember “The Sophomore” with Eddie Quillan?” “How do you like playing this theatre?” “You can’t imagine how nervous I was at my first appearance. I’ve never played before such a large audience before. But when I heard the applause after my first song, I felt P E P O very much relieved and after that it was much easier.” The lights flickered just then and I knew it was Stanley’s first call and he had not even started dressing so I hurriedly said goodbye and took my leave. ANIMAL CRACKERS SKIPPY said to HUCKLEBERRY FINN and TOM SAWYER, “LET’S GO NATIVE you know ONLY SAPS WORK,” They agreed with him and formed the FIGHTING CARAVANS unit. The three journeyed to MONTE CARLO. Here they started ANYBODY’S WAR when a PLAYBOY OF PARIS called them THE SPOILERS because Huckleberry Finn won a gamble with QUEEN HIGH. From there they decided to go to MOROCCO and because Skippy thought he was a LADIES’ MAN he started a courtship with a fair maiden. Alas, she eloped with another on HER WEDDING NIGHT. Later he was tried and acquitted on the charge of MANSLAUGHTER. After many more adventures he fell in love FEET FIRST but from this damsel he received only LAUGHTER. He resolved that even if he had THE RIGHT TO LOVE he wouldn’t fall in love with ANYBODY’S W'OMAN. Feeling GRUMPY he endeavored to be WGTH BYRD AT THE SOUTH POLE but was unalde to, having rheumatic SEA LEGS and therefore couldn’t be THE SEA GOD required. Seeing he couldn’t FOLLOW^ THRLI his plans, Skippy suggested they now start homeward. FOLLOW THE LEADER, agreed Huckleberry Finn and Tom Sawyer so w'th HEADS UP they hit THE SANTE EE TRAIL. GRAMS PAGE