Photoplay (Jul - Dec 1931)

io6 Photoplay Magazine for August, 1931 CHAFING/ Does it affach ipur wdkinq? You cannot walk or dance gracefully when you suffer from chafing. Even the telltale lines on your face register your discomfort. When summer heat and perspiration irritate your skin, be ready with Mentholatum. Its soothing, healing coolness brings speedy relief. In jars and tubes, 30c Three times as much in large jars, 60c. TRIAL OFFER Mail Valuable Coupon Dept. PC, Mentholatum Company, Wichita, Kansas Please send me TRIAL TUBE oi MENTHOLATUM. Enclosed is 4c to cover mailing cost. Name Address FPFF BEAUTY ADVICE „ M. MXMkJJU and How to Fascinate Men v Over 100,000 women use Lucille Young Beauty Jv\ Methods. My fifteen years' experience justiI fies your confidence. Quickly, eurely end pirn•£ plea, blackheads, wrinkles, muddy skin, oily £■ ekin, freckles, coarse pores. Develop, reduce — njmfjf any -part of body, or entire body. Grow — yen ■ crow — eyelashes, eyebrows. Make sparse hair luxuriant, dull hair bright. My beauty help differs because scientific. No pay if not delighted. f?"prici TT>T A I Send for unconditional free trial offer. flVIVEj XtlLAL* No obligation. Two full weeks to find out by actual use of my beauty aids. Also free instruction in Fascination, how to win love. Mv book telle all. Just write, "send Free Trial Offer". Write today. LUCILLE YOUNG, 5568 Lucille Young BIdg., Chicago, 111. Name Street Address City State flKtfenes^IKeatre A. and CULTURAL subjects for pergonal development — Stage. Teachin*. Dirccting-Drama, Stage and Concert Diinring. Vocal. Screen, Mumcal Comedy. Elocution. Stock Theatre and platform appearances while learning. For catalog 10 apply P. Ely, S«c*>, 66 W. 85th St., H. Y. Inside Politics of the Studios CONTINUED FROM PAGE 49 ] by and interested in her people. No suggestion is made but it is only natural that writers instinctively include the people in their stories who have interested them! The same astuteness is required in every branch of the business. It is not wisdom to refuse an invitation to the home of Marion Davies. The very cream of Hollywood's professional life floats on Marion's swimming pool. A lesser light cannot afford to miss the opportunity; a greater light cannot afford to be noted among those missing. A N invitation to Mary Pickford's is likewise ■*»-a command. To refuse is to be politically blind. An amusing sidelight on this is: For a long time Mary Pickford was the only one who could afford to decline Marion's invitations — and vice versa. Today, they are friends and interchange social calls frequently. Hollywood understands that Mary made the first break and maneuvered the re-arrangement. Certainly Mary adores Marion today, and says so frankly. Naturally, picture people are human and real friendships often come from social beginnings. Real enmities, too. A number of years ago, Winfield Sheehan was ill and Raoul Walsh and his wife, who was at that time Miriam Cooper, cared for him in their home. A deep friendship between the men resulted. Now, undoubtedly, Raoul Walsh had no political intentions whatsoever at that time — but a friendship with the monitor of Fox activities cannot but be beneficial to a Fox director. Certainly, a director to be successful must draw good stories, good actors, good staffs. Lilyan Tashman thought it wise to court Constance Bennett who threatened the bestdressed title. A shrewd political move, in theory. Not so, in reality. They were too much alike — neither could stand it. The friendship developed into a feud. Marie Dressier deserves every tribute the world or her friends can give her. But without a political sense Marie would never have been able to show her worth of these tributes. Marie's very return to Hollywood was the result of a political maneuver. PRANCES MARION and Marie had been -* friends. Years ago when Frances was ill in New York and without money, Marie took her home and cared for her. The friendship which resulted is almost sacred between them. One day Frances received a letter from a mutual friend of hers and Marie's in New York, which said that Marie was so cheerful and so insistent that everything was right with the world that she felt certain Marie must be broke. Frances had just completed the script of "The Callahans and the Murphys." Metro was searching a lead. Frances went to headquarters. "I know just the woman. Marie Dressier! I haven't heard of her for years. But she would be too expensive. She was getting $3,000 a week the last time I saw her." Or words to that effect. "Because of our friendship I believe I could get her for $2,000." Again, there was no record made of the statement but that was the gist of it. Frances "tried." Marie "consented." It had been many years since she received that $3,000 and then only for a very short period. The producer never knew it, but he profited by the deal. Frances Marion is one of the shrewdest of them all — which is why she is still in the business. And she continues to use her political finesse not only for herself but for others. She wished Marie to have dramatic opportunities. Metro could see her as a comedienne only. Frances also wanted them to buy " Dark Star" from another intimate, Lorna Moon, so that Lorna, who was dying, might have an estate for her daughter. Finally — after continual solicitation from Frances — they agreed to purchase the book if Frances would do the screen story. "I will dc it if you will let Marie Dressier play it." More arguments; more solicitation. Frances won. "Min and Bill" was the result, with Marie Dressier. Incidentally, as a preface, Frances had agreed to adapt "Anna Christie" only if Marie Dressier received a dramatic opportunity in it! Marie is the pet of the publicity department. And to be the pet of publicity departments is to carry the safest political insurance in the city. Marie has made friends of each member of that department. Certain stars treat them like studio help. Marie entertains them frequently in her home. She is a blessed combination: both sincere and politically minded ! A T Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Norma Shearer -*»-gets first choice of stories, directors, leading men, cameramen, photographers, etc. Greta Garbo has second; Joan Crawford third. Norma is the wife of Irving Thalberg, head man. Norma's entire career seemed impossible from the beginning. There were so many handicaps to it. Imperfect eyes; imperfect ankles. They have all been obliterated. It just happens that I am an ardent admirer of Norma Shearer as an actress and as a woman. But I must admit that I admire women who have political sense. Norma has the best on the lot. She lives up to it. She gives the best. Incidentally, if I were an actor or actress on the M-G-M lot I would never try to save ten dollars by not 'appearing at a Norma Shearer opening. But then, I, too, am politically minded. Greta Garbo! Not a politician, you say. I agree with you. She hires her politician. All Garbo could say was: "I go home; I stay home." And she would undoubtedly have stayed (Metro was about disgusted) when Jack Gilbert brought Harry Edington to manage her. Garbo has not had to think, professionally, since. She paid Mr. Edington to think for her. And since he is the man who tied Metro to a three-year, one-million-dollar, non-breakable contract for John Gilbert and then secured himself an executive contract at Metro at a salary said to be $1,000 weekly (who could blame Metro for wanting him with them since he handled Garbo's business?) — we cannot but grant he knows his political labyrinths. You know the story of Joan Crawford. Photoplay gives it to you in this issue. Joan learned more slowly than Norma Shearer, but she has learned wisely. Of course, her big fight today is for stories and good leading men. "Laughing Sinners" is not good for Joan and she knows it, but it was more political to take it than fight it. Probably by conceding this time she placates and establishes a good feeling which will mean a better one next time. AS for leading men. Joan tries them out in her pictures. Bob Montgomery was successful with her; then he went to Shearer and Garbo. Clark Gable made good in "Dance Fools, Dance!" now he is with Norma in "A Free Soul." And what grand work she does in that picture. Of course, no matter how shrewd a politician you are, you cannot make good without a screen personality. You may fool the producers but you cannot fool the box-office. You may hang on for years by a political thread but in the long run you are doomed if the public will not accept you. Neil Hamilton's exit from Paramount had