Photoplay (Jan - Jun 1931)

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"Box-Office"? Everybody in Hollywood talks about it — N o b o d y understands it — But it absolutely rules the screen world! Take Mary Duncan, a beautiful girl and a fine actress. Before she went West for Fox, she had an amazing career on the Broadway stage: 1 01 started her out under the direction of Murnau in "lour Devils." The whole studio went mad over her work in that film. When the twenty-four sheets were printed, Mary was featured over Janet C.avnor. The fans saw Miss Duncan anil didn't want her. By the tens of thousands they didn't want her. box took her name down from the lights and put Janet's Up, CUt down Mary's seenes and padded J '.net's. The box-office statements improved immediately. Came " The River" and City Girl," two more Duncan pictures. Lovely Mary enchanted interviewers, knocked studio officials for a loop. "'The River" and " City Oirl" had Charlie Farrcll as leading man, but even Charlie didn't help. Forced runs in big cities didn't help. "City Girl" lost more than half a million. Everybody at Fox's still liked Mary. They still think she's a personality and an actress. But she's not "box-office" — yet. She's started a new Hollywood career with other companies. A year ago Jack (iilbert was just about as powerful • Garbo clicked in talkies and (iilbert One girl who can do almost anything she wants and get away with it — Greta Garbo. If she cries for the moon, Metro does its best to get it. Why? Because her name before a theater means a flood of gold. Here she is with Robert Montgomery in "Inspiration" didn't. Jack's last pictures have been dud-. He's petting other chances, because he is a fine actor and a marvelous personality, and becau>e he has an iron-bound million dollar contract with M G M. But there's no use pretending the producers regard him through rose-colored glasses these days. In some places over the country— even in Hollywood: — W ally Beery was billed over him in " Way For a Sailor" What a blow to a star! The same is true of Mary Fickford. I doubt that there is an unhappier girl in Hollywood than Mary. She has her fortune, she has her lovely home. She has had fame and adulation for years. But the cold breath Failure blows much too close to her now, because of stories that haven't pleased her fans. Mary is. as always, a great little trouper. "Coquette" made almost [ PLEASE TURN TO PAGE LAO] What happens when a great star slips from high box-office estate. Wallace Beery heavilybilled over John Gilbert on a Hollywood billboard. You see, big Wally means plenty boxoffice sugar these days on