Talking Screen (Sep-Oct 1930)

Here is the inside story of those oftenrumored clauses inserted in the players^ contracts as a protection against unforeseen developments This contract stuff is no laughing matter to Buster Keaton, for he must maintain his frozen face if he expects to keep his job with M-G-M. Singing in the bathtub fun for Walter Pidgeon, for he's barred from singing tenor at any time. Clara Bow is also forbidden to marry, according to the terms of hpr contract. Studio officials killed all pictures made of Harry Richman and Clara and gave everyone to understand that their v/edding was impossible and would never be consummated. Paramount has also discouraged the marriage of Gary Cooper and Lupe Velez. Strong opposition on the part of the Fox Company was undoubtedly the reason for the peculiar manner in which Sue Carol and Nick Stuart managed their wedding. When the news of their marriage leaked out, Fox let Sue go. She's now with RKO. LL players are bound by a morality clause. Joan Crawford's contract has the most rigid morality clause of any in existence, even giving the hour when she is expected to retire at night. Walter Pidgeon longs to sing tenor. His voice is pitched so that he can sing either 'tenor or baritone. However, the studio fears that if he sings tenor, his voice might be ruined eventually for baritone roles. They have inserted a clause in his contract, forbidding him to sing tenor. Frank McHugh is a moral person and does not use any kind of intoxicating liquors. However, his first appearance in the talkies was in the role of a drunk and was so funny that he was cast a second time as a drunk. Moreover, in three pictures not yet released he appears in drunken roles. At last, it dawned on him that he was settling into an established groove as a drunken player. He remonstrated and finally announced that he would not accept any more parts of this type. However, First National has just signed him to a long term contract and has inserted a clause which forces him to play drunken roles whenever the studio requests him to do so. BUSTER KEATON has a clause in his contract which forbids him to smile during his work before the camera. This is to protect his ""frozen-face" reputation. Lon Chaney's contract forbids him to make personal appearances and also makes it impossible for him to sit for straight portraits. Lon's aura of mystery is his greatest attraction and for this reason his contract is drawn so that he cannot pose for any photos except those made by the studio photographer and okayed by the studio. Douglas Fairbanks, Jr., is prohibited from flying in planes by the terms of his agreements. However, during the recent army air meet, he went up as a passenger. Horrified First National officials saw both Doug, Jr., and Grant Withers sailing through the air in two of the army planes. The pilots did a lot of spectacular stunts and suddenly the plane in which Grant was riding ran out of gas and dropped 1800 feet before they were able to refuel from the reserve tank aboard the plane. It was a bad moment for both the executives and Grant, as one can readily imagine. [^Continued on page 80'^ Joe E. Brown sadly fears he will never be the screen's greatest lover, for his producers won't let him raise a moAstache. They're afraid it will improve his pan. Joan Crawford is guided by one of the strictest morality clauses in Hollywood. Her studio even suggests the time the young lady is expected to retire. 35