Silver Screen (Nov 1938-Apr 1939)

"Tricks Oliver Hindsell , The Distinguished Dra matic School Head, Does Not Believe In Amateur Greatness . Study Makes Stars, of the rade" (Left) Oliver Hindsell with Lis class. His assistant, Harold Helvenston, stands near center. The students are like thoroughbreds at the post. "Pappy" by a bit of shadow boxing, to which lie responds with his fists. His office is large and serves as a stage lor interviews and rehearsals. Ii is elegantly furnished, and the walls are covered with autographed portraits of stars and promising unknowns. You read: "For Oliver Hindsell, with gratitude and affection, Charles Boyer." Hindsell taught him English. His linguistic pupils include Dolores del Rio, Paul Lukas, Franciska Gaal, Luise Rainer. A portrait of Robert Taylor will particularly attract your attention. The inscription on it reads: "They say actors are a most ungrateful lot. May I become an exception to the rule by saying that I can never repay you for your, help and confidence in me. I am yours . truly grateful! Bob." Hindsell discovered Bob in a college production in the picturesque theatre of Padua Hills. Bob wras then a senior at Pomona College, "The Oxford of the West." Hindsell's toughest job is selling to producers and directors the young men and women he is training. "I presented Bob in a one-act play," he recalled, "but nobody was interested. I then presented him again in a three-act play, with Rosalind Russell, but still they were not interested. And Bob was so ambitious. He uced to drive fortyfive miles to the studio and back to study with me. He got discouraged, and went back to Nebraska. He wrote me from there, wanting to know if I would advise him to return to Hollywood and try again. I told him to return at once. He was bound to get a break sooner or later; I never doubted his ability." What were Hindsell's first impressions of a young man from the Nebraska hinterlands who, in two years, rose to rule the romantic roost of Hollywood? "I thought he was a fine American boy, with perfect photographic features. The trouble with him was he was a little too good looking, a fact that belied his character. The texture of his skin was such that we had to be very careful with make-up. When he outlives his present bad publicity, he will become one of the foremost virile actors on the Beautiful Myrna Loy started in the wrong, or Corrigan, direction, but she landed O. K. Michael Whalen (above) and Robert Young. Both were taught by the star-maker. screen. He is no pretty boy. I liked his small town timidity. He lacked confidence in his own ability and worth, and wasn't one of those conceited fops who are blinded by their ego. Bob didn't think he was a good actor, and was willing to learn and work hard. He was sensitive to the point of being shy and retiring. I would purposefully throw him with groups of people older and more sophisticated than himself to see how he'd take it. I remember, one night I had him at my home for dinner. He hardly opened his mouth all evening. I asked him why he was so quiet. 'What can I say?' he said, 'all these people have traveled widely, been abroad, while I haven't even been to New York.' " Hindsell has helped many established players, but he hesitates to talk about them and divulge their names. However, he spoke about Myrna Loy when she was trying hard to get somewhere. "She was thoroughly sick of playing those slant-eyed Oriental vamps when she came to me, and discouraged too. I saw that she had real charm and a delicious sense of humor, qualities which the false roles she was playing then gave her no opportunity to display. I gave her confidence in herself. Then I began to cultivate her lovelv voice. She was a tireless worker, and when we took off her mask, her success was immediate." Night clubs and such places do not interest Hindsell as fields of undiscovered talent. He believes in the value of college education and real cultural background for attaining any lasting success in pictures. Recently he made [Continued on page 70] for November 1938 33