Talking Screen (Jan-Aug 1930)

Hot Togs [^Coniinued from page 79} perfect fool, is responsible for Sam's revolutionary attire. It seems that Wynn and Hardy, meeting at Broadway and 47th Street, or at the Lambs' Club, held conversation, as was their custom. It was during the twenty-four year period that Sam was a Main Stem attraction, playing romantic leads and starring in pieces that ranged from Princess Pat, his favorite, to featured roles in Mr. Zeigfeld's Follies. "Sam," said Mr. 'Wynn, glancing at Hardy's conservative and impeccable cravat, and knowing Sam's decided flare for comedy, "you look like a romantic leading man. ■Why don't you dress like a comedian.^ "Wear louder clothes, a lot of bright colors, and be a comedian." This delicious legend is blown to pieces by a direct question to Mr. Sam Hardy, himself. On the occasion of the question he wore a coat that might have been a maroon if it was not the newest red from Chanel. He wore white duck trousers of at least plus sixteen prop>ensities, and his slightly sardonic lips were folded contentedly over a pipe. "When did I start wearing bright colored clothes.''" Sam was tolerantly amused. 'When I started in school, I guess. I've always worn them. " One can picture an orange-pinafored Sam truding with his tiny friends down the New Haven, Connecticut, road on his way to kindergarden; a bright canary amidst a swarm of English sparrows. And in the law school at Yale, which he conveniently attended, he probably dazzled his fellow barristers with a snappy blazer. Later, when success on the New York stage embraced him, he must have taken to the white ducks and blue and brass-buttoned oats of yachting with ease, when he raced his craft "Kiki" in Atlantic waters. He still clings to the ducks. Not, of course, the same ones. But he clings to them, we surmise, for their cool comfort. They symbolize the freedom which he has always managed to maintain in a day when other men, and frequently himself when custom demanded, sweated and swore in serges and stiff collars. Sam, with his eccentric wardrobe, is the advance guard, the Messiah, if you insist, of a day when man as well as woman, can express his individuality in clothes. THERE have been occasions — infrequent, but actual enough — that Mr. Hardy has been seen dressed conservatively. The only comment that has been made regarding these occasions is that he looks a little ill. Friends, just arrived from New York, meeting him on the street in one of his normally bright jackets, and forgetting for the moment his addiction to color, inquire if he is working in a picture. It is up to Sam to say "no," which he does, with straight face. They walk away musing — envious, no doubt — wondering where such Jacob's coats can be procured for men of six feet three. "I have them made," says Sam. "I get the best materials and have them made." In his wardrobe, beside the cheery red and the marine blue jacket, are checks, stripes, everything. He had a topcoat fashioned of such swagger checks and style that it was borrowed by Lawrence Grant for wear in a playlet presented at the Writers' Club. The program read " So-and-so, played by Lawrence Grant. Topcoat by Sam Hardy." Now, with the talkies so definitely here to stay, there is a question as to whether eccentric dress will characterize the player on the screen or whether vocal ability will do the trick. In other words, will blue jeans, heavy boots and an exaggerated straw hat portray a small town constable as well as a drawl and speech idiosynchrisies? Sam Hardy does excellent work in Song of the West, the tremendous epic of early American history. It is a stage veteran who has long misled the use of his voice in silent pictures, that Hardy says that the best characterizations lie within the realm of the voice. To this end he would like to bring to the screen Get-Rich-Quick Wallingford to compare with the silent Wallingford he did under Frank ■"Borzage's direction some years ago. HIS utter independence in matters of personal attire, have given him courage to be original about other matters. For instance, if you should be fortunate to have Sam as a debtor and he reimbursed you with a check, you would have in your hands, until you banked it, at least, a picture of Mr. Hardy as Marc Antony in that Christy picture, When Caesar Ran a Newspaper. Also, if you happen to smoke a friendly pipe with him and he carelessly left a paper match folder on your smoking stand, you would discover on it his sftiiling face. On the reverse side would be, "Sam Hardy — America's Favorite." He has another neat little trick. He puts a perpendicular stroke through the S of his given name and has done so since he first learned to write it out in large faltering letters. It is symbolical of his financial success. The ink he uses is always of a brilliant, jungle green. Rescued By Radio that I could even read music until I was sure my voice was ready. When I decided the time had arrived, I went to the manager of the broadcasting station, convinced him that I could sing by singing for him, and asked him to give me a chance. He did. Then I prayed that someone in authority in the picture industry might be listening in." That's all there was to it, according to Lloyd. DESPITE the fact that he was born in Bisbee, Arizona, Hughes grev/ into his 'teens in the very shadow of the Hollywood studios, so it was only natural that he should turn to them for employment when he had completed his schooling at the age of seventeen. Even while he was attending Hollywood High, he would play hooky occasionally to work as an extra in mob scenes. {Continued from page 53} However, his first job after graduation was not before the cameras. He found a position in a film laboratory and worked there for several months, until — A young fellow named King "Vidor, an unknown in the celluloid world, had saved three hundred dollars and borrowed a little more. He wanted to be a director, but producers didn't seem to be very eager to give him a chance. HE GATHERED about him a group of young bloods with more enthusiasm than experience, but who were willing to work on the chance that someday they would be rewarded for their efforts. They filmed The Turn in the Road. Lloyd' played the male lead. The picture was a box-office sensation and made Lloyd Hughes and King 'Vidor. Thomas Ince saw the production and sign ed Hughes as leading man for Gloria Hope, then an Ince star, but now devoting her time and energy to mothering Donald Hughes, aged three. Three years later, Lloyd left Ince and played the heavy in Frank Lloyd's The Sea Hawk, probably the greatest role that came to him during his career in the silents. This led to a long-term agreement with First National. Since making his first talkie with Bebe Daniels, Lloyd has completed a second and third — Hello Sister, produced by James Cruze, and Acquitted for Columbia. I ASKED Lloyd about his golf — the thing that used to mean so much to him. "Golf!" he exclaimed. "Why, I haven't had time to think about it for more than a year. You see my singing lessons take up all my spare time." 87