Picture Play Magazine (Jul - Dec 1929)

i;iiiiiiiiiiii;i!iiiiiiiiiiiiiii!iiiiiiiiiiiii;ip Contents — Continued When They Love Out Loud June Collyer tells what happens in the talkieb. They Got What They Wanted, But . Some notable breaks and what came of them. The Torso Triumphant .... It belongs to George O'Brien — how can you ask? The Screen in Review .... Impartial reports of the latest films. A Confidential Guide to Current Releases Timely tips on pictures now showing. The Stepchildren Make Whoopee Private diversions of some lesser-known players. That Mystic Urge to Act .... Lenore Ulric describes it eloquently. Renee — As She Is .... . High lights of Miss Adoree's character and career. It's Great To Be Famous .... But sometimes the penalty is beyond all reason. What Are the Talkies Saying? . Gay commentary on behind-the-scenes happenings. They Watch Their Step .... The stars budget their earnings so as not to spend too Information, Please ..... Authoritative answers to readers' questions. . Laura Ellsworth Fitch . Samuel Richard Mook • • • * • • Norbert Lusk Madeline Glass . William H. McKegg . Margaret Reid . A. L. Wooldridge . Grace Kingsley . Ann Sylvester much. . The Picture Oracle 59 60 63 64 68 69 71 74 83 86 89 102 CAN TOU WRITE A THEME SONG? DERHAPS you think it is as easy as falling off a log, particu* larly after hearing some of them. It is and it isn't, depending entirely on what talent you have and what opportunities you find for its expression. But there's certainly a demand for them, and to-day is the time when song writers are enjoying success more largely than ever before — some of them amateurs, but most of them with many popular ballads to their credit. Whether you are an amateur or a professional, you can't fail to look forward to Virginia Morris' article in January PICTURE PLAY. She traces the theme song from its earliest beginning — further back than you might suppose — and tells just how they are written to-day and by whom. Besides this, she gives a great deal more unusual information on the subject and conscientiously points out the difficulties, as well as the ease and the rewards, of establishing oneself in the newest of professions — writing music for the movies. DID IT EVER OCCUR TO YOU THAT the stars have dual personalities? Of course you have wondered if your favorite is just the same off the screen as on — every one does that. But Myrtle Gebhart goes rather further and proves to you that in several striking instances the stars have a dual personality — a real one and another brought out by the camera. Thus you may vastly prefer the true personality of some one you dislike on the screen, to the off-screen personality of a star you idolize. It is a most unusual story and Miss Gebhart's ability to delve into the least-known side of the stars has never been more manifest than in the story she has written for next month. Samuel Richard Mook has investigated the always interesting subject of fan mail — what it consists of, why certain stars ignore requests for photographs, and why others send them when they aren't even asked for, as well as how much — or how little — letters mean to stars in determining their popularity. Look for this story; you are sure to be amazed by it. Indeed, you will react with amazement to more than these features of next month's contents, for they are only a few items in what we confidently believe will prove to be the strongest issue of PICTURE PLAY in a year.