Hollywood (Jan - Oct 1934)

SLEUTH The screen star had been considerably burned by charges of ritziness hurled at her since she launched her footlight experiment before invitational audiences. "I feel that I'm not yet ready to launch myself upon the stage," she explained. "It is a new medium for me, and I need a great deal of training. When I am ready, the doors of my private theatre will be thrown open. Meanwhile, the friends I have chosen to invite have been selected because I know I can depend upon them for loyalty and honest criticism." Chief among Joan's select circle of spectators have been Franchot Tone and Lynn Riggs, playwright. Franchot Stock Soars Joan Crawford faces another heartache over the boy friend, Franchot Tone. Joan, 'tis reported, was considerably upset when Metro assigned her favorite to emote opposite Jean Harlow. Then she gave beautiful Madeleine Carroll the icey nod when Fox borrowed Franchot for Madeleine's first American talkie. And now, making matters still worse for Joan, Warner's have been successful in borrowing Franchot for the principal male role in Oil Lamps of China. Alice Visits Rudy THE minute Alice Faye completed her most recent Fox role, she dashed for New York— and Rudy Vallee. The blonde star will forget her talkie career for the next two months while she busies herself with real-life romance. Rudy would have spent the summer in California with Alice had it not been for Fay Webb's annoying divorce action, still pending in the Los Angeles courts. Incidentally, Fay's legal campaign against the radio star caused him to reject Warner Brothers' offer of the stellar role in Sweet Music, a yarn based on the life of a radio crooner. Reconciliation Nears? Ken Murray is a most dejected fellow these days, what with the girl friend, Sue Carol, floating about the late spots on the arm of hubby Nick Stuart. Only a few months back, while Ken was negotiating with his estranged frau for the decree that has since brought him marital freedom, Sue was tearing hither and yon with him, picking out furnishings for his new abode, and everyone thought she would Reno it ere this. Now her intimates are telling that there's a mighty good chance of Sue and Nick patching up their differences, and again trying the double harness. SEPTEMBER. 1934 HOT FROM HOLLYWOOD . . . Last minute telegraphic news Foreign Affairs George Arliss' annual sojourn in England this year is anything but a vacation . . . the veteran star is portraying the title role in Wellington for BritishGaumont, and he's drawing the heaviest salary ever paid a film actor over there . . . Felix Ferry, one of Europe's most amazing theatrical producers, is trying to snag June Knight for his forthcoming musical production behind the Monte Carlo footlights . . . When Hollywood appeared to have lost interest in Laura LaPlante, the blonde star hied herself to London . . . Warners' English studio cast her in The Church Mouse, and she was such a hit, they've signed her for two more pictures before she goes to British International under a long-termer . . . Joe E. Brown and the Mrs. are back from their tour of the South Sea Islands and the Orient . . . playing baseball with the Japs was his biggest thrill ... A pal of Chic Chandler's over in Italy has sent him an Italian queen bee . . . Chic raises bees as a pastime ... A Paris plastic surgeon has offered to make over Edna May Oliver's face for a mere $10,000 . . . but Edna wrote back that her countenance was her fortune, and that she wouldn't part with it for a $1,000,000 check . . . Genevieve Tobin is in London for a rest, but she may combine business with pleasure and do a talkie . . . Constance Cummings and hubby Benn Levy are building a costly mansion in Chelsea, a London suburb ... in fact, they had an American architect draw the plans for a Colonial home in England! . . . Evelyn Laye will leave London for Hollywood in October . . . and when she arrives, she will go into On Your Toes, a Metro musical. National Mae Murray is doing a Broadway comeback via The Milky Way, having replaced Gladys ft I — Max Munn Autrey Drue Leyton, lovely screen newcomer, will be seen in Charlie Chan's Courage and The World Moves On. The shellpink transparent velvet negligee is in her personal ir ardrobe 27