Picture Play Magazine (Mar-Jul 1929)

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44 Photo by Ball 'Mother Knows Best" is Madge Bellamy's card of invitation to the talkies' birthday party. THE talking picture is still in its infancy. It's just about due for a birthday cake, with one candle. Its hoary dad, the silent drama, who so recently was considered puerile, is not very enthusiastic about joining in the celebration. The lusty youngster is getting all the attention these days, while the old father sits in a corner looking on with jealousy instead of parental pride. But the kid is quite unconcerned. So many people think he's cute, that they smile indulgently over the fact that his cries are discordant and that he lisps when he tries to speak. There will be plenty of personages at his party, however. The stars who are grateful to him will bring him drums and rattles. He will even get a megaphone, or two, from directors who owe him their professional thanks. This squawking prodigy has upset Hollywood households, and if he lives to maturity, as most people feel sure he will, he will cause some more havoc. Even now he has materially changed the astral aspect. He has developed a whole new clique of stars, and has threatened to displace old favorites if they don't speak up for their rights. ''The screen needs new faces," used to be the old, familiar cry. The talkies have changed it to a plaint for new Alices. Soft music and a few kind words to the microphone have been rewarded with stardom during the past year, in more instances than one. On the other hand, an unfortunate accent has canceled a contract and sent its owner home to mother. Meanwhile some of the biggest stars have been steering a middle course by deferring the evil, though inevitable moment, of their first talkie. The potentiality of the talkies needs no proof beyond what they have done for Al Jolson, who has become their favorite son. Eighteen months ago Jolson was a name unknown to movie fans. A few of them, perhaps, remembered that some years before . he had been signed to appear in a picture : for ; D. W. Griffith, and that after seeing the rushes of the first day's work he fled to Europe to escape the disgrace of not being a screen type. To-day the same Jolson is one of the The Talkies The far-reaching importance o£ the first anniversary interesting facts, which may be summed up as fol will stay Bj> Virginia biggest drawing cards in pictures, and his productions are taking in sums of money at the box office that surpass any ever obtained by either a picture or a stage play. The position he occupies is astonishing when you consider that he has so faf appeared in only two pictures, "The Jazz Singer" and "The Singing Fool." Although "The Jazz Singer" was technically the first film to use sound to put itself over. with a bang, the talkie pioneer was "Tenderloin," which appeared on the horizon just about a year ago. "Tenderloin" brought forward one player who will never have to worry about work again, unless he catches a bad cold and Photo by Hominel William Powell will be featured exclusively in dialogue films. The talkies have given Betty Compson a new lease on pro. fessional life. Photo by Spun