Modern Screen (Dec 1931 - Nov 1932 (assorted issues))

saddles and respond. They know that this may be the break that will start them to the top for they will have chances at outlaw broncs and untamed steers under the eyes of the biggest personages in Hollywood. Nobody who is anybody, they know, ever misses a Hoot Gibson Round-up. The advent of talking pictures disrupted the development of the old-time silent slam-bang saga. And it cast, almost immediately, the Western him into the doldrums. What to do, Hollywood wondered. Was the Western doomed ? Cautious producers curtailed production plans. A ND just to confound them, there appeared a gentleman with a long upper lip whose first role was a cowboy "bit" in "The Winning of Barbara Worth." Within months, a new Western star was flaming in the sky. People who had wearied of cowboys came back to see him. Production plans had to be expanded to new proportions. Once again, the cowboy star rode high. That's what Gary Cooper did for Westerns. Of course, Gary went on to other things. And again Hollywood wondered what would happen. Today has an answer in two young men who represented a new type of Western hero. They are men who were cowboys before they were actors and actors before they were cowboy actors. Tom Keene, the RKO star, is one. George O'Brien, of Fox, is the other. Tom was born, of all places, in Sleepy Hollow, New York, but went west while still a youngster. Nebraska prairies were his kindergarten and an ill-tempered cayuse was his hobby horse. While still in his 'teens, he graduated to the wider ranges of Montana and the Dakotas where he varied cow punching with driving a government stage. When America's declaration of war found him two years too young for service he went further west to do his bit in the Seattle shipyards. Here was his first taste of cities, and he found that he liked it. He saved his money and went to night school. Returning to the east of his boyhood, he went to Carnegie Tech to study drama. And then he tackled Broadway. His first role was a line in "Madame X." A year of stock experience prepared him "further. The big break came when he won the lead in "White Cargo" and played it around the world. Cecil DeMille introduced him to pictures. Who remembers George Duryea, as he was called then, in that stirring film called "The Godless Girl" ? Who remembers him with Lon Chaney in "Thunder," or as the brother in "Tol'able David" ? That was six foot, blue-eyed Tom Keene, today's cowboy star, before RKO discovered his horsemanship and dexterity with sixguns . . . and before he got the new name that he is making famous. We all knew George O'Brien long before Fox made him a cowboy. His roles in "The Iron Horse" and "Sunrise" are unforgettable. Of course, he never was a cowboy in the sense that he grew up on a ranch, but a cowboy cop who was riding instructor for the San Francisco police force of which O'Brien's father was chief taught him the business while he was still a kid. Sports were easy for him, particularly the three R's of his cowboy mentor, "ridin', ropin', and rasslin'." When Uncle Sam declared war in 1917, he was one of the first to enlist in the Navy where he fought his way to the light-heavyweight boxing championship of the Pacific fleet. T T was Tom Mix himself — and who * can fail to see Fate's finger here — who later picked O'Brien from a group of Santa Clara college kids to work as an assistant cameraman, and who finally saw that George got a chance to play a minor role on the Fox lot where he himself was kingpin . . . and where George would some day succeed to his position after Mix had passed on to other undertakings. With a bent for natural, vigorous acting and a superb physique, George O'Brien was an inevitable selection when Fox looked about for a man to build into a Western ace. His "Lone Star Ranger" and "Last of the Duanes" confirmed their choice. All over the country, kids took him to their hearts — and O'Brien found himself launched on a new career. These two men, O'Brien and Tom Keene, are new faces in the Western film, new faces that were badly needed. Their contagious charm and enthusiasm is again accomplishing what Gary Cooper accomplished several years ago. Together with Mix, Gibson, Jones, and Maynard, they have accepted the hardest job in Hollywood and are sweeping public interest to new high levels. Perhaps the pictures they make are not "art." Certainly, as individuals, they can never aspire to the serious dramatic heights of a Barrymore or an Arliss. But they can, thank Heavens, give us more of those death-defying, heroic pictures which hypnotize our sons and daughters . . . yes, and our sons' and daughters' fathers and mothers, too. Now here is Tim McCoy, authentic gentleman of the old West and as dashing a horseman as ever spurred a bronc over a cliff. But he is more than an ordinary cowboy, much more. For one thing, he can throw lead faster than any man in the movies. "Chain lightning with a six gun," they say of him. His record is drawing a gun and firing six shots through a half dollar at ten paces. Try to tie that some dull afternoon. For another thing, he knows more about Indians than most anyone you might mention. Remember those furious scenes_ in "The Covered Wagon" where embattled white settlers fire between the spokes of their wagon wheels at hordes of attacking Redskins ? Tim McCoy was behind all that. He had brought those Indians from their reservation near his 7,000 acre ranch in Wyoming, had persuaded them to don warpaint and feathers, and set them on the wagon trains. His title, just for the record, was technical director for the "Covered Wagon" company. JJS E was only eighteen when he left home in Saginaw, Mich., to get a cowpuncher's job in the West. His range, it happened, was near an Indian reservation, and he made it a point to study them and their sign language. Presently, when he could talk fluently, they became his friends and companions. When he asked them to go to Hollywood with him, they trusted him and went. During the filming of "The Covered Wagon," he had to cover a lot of ground at breakneck speed. His riding was phenomenal and thrilling. MetroGoldwyn-Mayer offered him a leading part in a series of Westerns . . . just because he could ride so well. He took it, and became the idol of millions almost overnight. Today, he is still riding. His latest picture is "Two-fisted Law" for Columbia. And Tim McCoy fits the title. A six-footer with brown hair and flashing blue eyes, he is anybody's idea of a two-fisted man — just another doing the "hardest job." Directory of Players (Continued from page 84) born in St. Joseph, red in "Steady Com"Radio Patrol." and CLYDE. JUNE; married to Thornton Freeland Mo.. December 2. Universal player. Feati pany." "Cohens and Kellys In Hollywood. CODY "LEW "widower ?.f M ''hc\ Normand; born in Waterville. Maine, February 22. Write him at First National Btudio. Free lanoe. Featured in "File No. 113." Tiffany: "The Tenderfoot," First National Working in ''Drifting Souls," Schlank. COLBERT. CLAUDETTE: married to Norman Foster: horn , m Pans September 13. Paramount atar. Starred in 'The Wiser " Working in "Man From Yesterday." 13. Paramount play Bride," Paramount. COOK, DONALD; divorced; born in Writ 2 him at First National studio Who Played God," First National COOPER. GARY; unmarried; bom in nt star. Working in "Devi" Featured in "The Miracle Man" and "Sky Portland. Ore.. September 26. Free lance. Featured in "Man "Trial of Vivie — w " Working France. Septembe; dcr of the Hele Mont.. May 7. Pan ad the Deep," Pan Is the Night." in DaHna. Tessa, Janu. "Honor of the Family." ed; bom in New York City, Febru ount studit Featured Handicap. " Chadwick; nc on legitimate stage. Ray; born in Surrey. Sex" and "Misl eading Lady For Paramount. COLLIER. WILLIAM. JR.; un ary 12. Write him at Par in "Dancers in the Dark/ Paramount; "Phantom Express," Educational. Aopea COLMAN. RONALD; separated Irom Thcln Eng.. February 9. United Artists atar. Starrea in Arrowaiuiwi, for I ;„ld» i n-l'nlM .\rtl»t.. ,. „ . „ ., „ COMPTON. JULIETTE; marre d ,n Columbia, Georgia. May 3. Paramount plavcr. Featured in "Strangers in Love. Paramount; West ward Passage," RKO-Pathe. Working in "Children ol Pleasure, First National and "Devil and the Deep," Pal COOCIAN. JACKIE; boy actor: bori ' Write him nt Paramount studio. Sawyer" and "Huckleberry Finn n Olendslc, Calif., October 'JO. Featured in "Tom Attending military icnde;... . COOCIAN. ROBERT; boy 90 >r; bo: in Glendule. Calil.. Doccmbci COOPER." JACKIE: 'hoy' actor; born inT.ns Angeles, Calif.. September 15. M-G-M pluver. Featured in "The Champ and "When a Feller Needs a Friend.1, After persona] appearance tour will make The O'Shaughnessv Boy." For M-G-M. COB ri'.Z, ItlCARIU); widower ol Alma Rubens; born in New \ nrk Citv, July 7. RKO-Radio star. Co-starred in "Symphony of Sis Million." Working in "Is My Face Red?" For RKO-Radio. CRAWIOHIX JOAN; married to Douglas Fairbanks. Jr ; burn in San Antonio. Texas. Man h 23. M-G-M star. Starred m '.rand Hotel and "Lcttv l.ynton," M-G-M. Working in "Raul.' United Artists. CROMWELL, RICHARD; unmarried; born in Lone Beach. < ahf.. Jannary 8. Columbia player. Featured in "Emma. M-t.-M: Strang; Love of Molly Louvnin," First National; "Tom Brown of Culver. CROSBYj'bi'NG: married to Dixie Lee; born in Tacomn, Wash.. May 2. Write him at Mack Sennott studio. Contract player, featured in "Dream House" and "Bill Board Girl." Scnnett. Working in "The Bit; Broadcast." Paramount. , CUMMINGS. CONSTANCE, unmarried; burn m Seattle, Wash,, May 15. Columbia player. Featured in "The Big Timer. Columbia; "Movie Crazy. Lloyd-Pnrai and •'American Madness." Coin Night Club Lady." Columbia. DAMITA. LILY; unmarried; born Goldwvn-United Artists player. Featured Paramount. Making personal appearand DANIELS. BEBE; married to Ben Lyon; born arv 14. Warner Bros. star. Last picture wa next "Radio Girl." For Warners. . DAVIES, MARION: unmarried; born in Brooklyn. N \ ., January 1. M-G-M star. Starred in "Polly of the Circus. Working in Good t: — r?:.i » For M-G-M. unmarried; born in Boston. Mass.. April 5. Warner Featured in "Rich Arc Always With Us" and "The Working in "Cabin in the Cotton." Next is "Three ■ Warners. jrricd; born in New York City. November 26. Featured in "strange Case of Clara Deane. Paramount; "Lovo Is A Racket." First National. Workin DAVIS. BETTE: Bros, player. Dark Horse." on a Match." DEE, FRANCES; ' P,ToSe "Attorney for tho Defense" "Lone Cowboy." Paramount. DELL, CLAUDIA; divorced: born in San 10. Write her at Universal ytudio. Free 1 dal For Sale" and "Dcxtry Rides As DEL RIO, DOLORES; married to Cedi Citv. Mexico. August 3. R KO-Radio star, ©toi the* Rio" and ' Bird of Paradise." Next 13 M< For RKO-Radio. _ ..,„.. DIETRICH. MARLENE; married to Rudolph Scib. Germany. December 27. Paramount star. Featured in "Scanersnl. (lihlnuia; born in Mexico »r. Starred in T.irl From i ia "Moon arid Sixpence'