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Picture Show Annual WILLIAM AUSTIN- HIMSELF WILLIAM AUSTIN is the screen's prize "silly ass" actor. Before the talkies he used to play rather genteel and slightly foolish vaJets to perfection. Speaking accentuated the character type he played and transformed him into a Wodehouse semi-idiot, who speaks English as America imagines it—" old fruitish " English. He is probably doomed to play silly ass roles for ever, despite the monotony, for he had a hard time while he was free-lancing, and now he has a contract he does not intend to throw it away for his " Art's " sake. All he wants is a quiet life, with gardening and badminton as recreations. Hollywood's parties and bootleg hootch " and first nights he loathes, and it takes a great deal to tempt him to any. He leaves his exaggerated accent and extravagant speech behind at the studio with his part, and when he is not working, not a " tut " is heard nor similar note expressing distress." He was born in Georgetown, British Guiana, where his father had a sugar plantation. When his father died, he moved to England with his mother, and was educated there, without, he says, attaining any par- ticular distinction. After being in business in Shanghai, he went to America, and there took up stage work in 1919. For three years he played in stock companies, then came his lean days as a free-lance actor. It was his comedy work in Bebe Daniels' " Swim, Girl, Swim " that won him his five-year contract, and since then he has played in " Someone to Love, ' The Mysterious Dr. Fu Manchu," " Sweetie," and " The Marriage Playground." 53 SIX YEARS TO STARDOM IT took Jean Arthur six years to make a name in films, and four years to get a leading role. She went to Hollywood against the advice of her entire family, accompanied by her mother. She had a contract with a film company, but soon discovered that a contract does not necessarily mean work. Her first big disappointment was when someone else was given a role for which she had been cast, and she was put into the slapstick comedies. Then more comedies and Westerns followed until even they failed, and she entered " Poverty Row " and quickies. Jean lapsed into a passive resignation, but stuck to her quickie work until she was given a leading role in " The Poor Nut." Good reports on this did not seem to affect the amount of work she was given, and she began to ask herself whether she really was good or not. A real chance came I nearly lost it because her first few scenes were so apathetic. She heard that it was a test part, however, and that bucked her up so tremendously that she put all her interest into the role, and a five-year contract resulted. Now she has become one of the most popular of the younger talkie stars, and her latest films include " The Mysterious Dr. Fu Manchu/' " The Greene Murder Case," " The Saturday Night Kid," and " Half Way to Heaven." Jean Arthur is an unusual type for a film actress. She lives a rather secluded life with her father and mother in one of Hollywood's unfashionable streets, and has two dogs—a fox terrier and a St. Bernard—which she adores. She likes a life as quiet as William Austin's, and does not join in Hollywood's social life, but prefers a walk with her dogs, or reading and riding horseback.