Photoplay (Jul-Dec 1930)

Photoplay Magazine for Septemhkr, 1930 directors wanted because he could be relied upon for an adequate performance, had "It." She Kavc him the rale of Paul in 'Three Weeks," made him grow a moustache, and for a while it was rumored that he would be starred and give Jack Gilbert a run for his money. Conrad took it in his usual calm, humorless manner. He was not even mildly upset. The studio was his otlice; playing the romantic Paul, his job. He went to his otlice and did his job and pretty soon everybody forgot that Madame had mentioned his se.x appeal. He became the pride of the indusln'. the good boy of the films, the lad who never gave Mr. Will Hays any trouble at all. .Apparently he carried away with him none of the Glyn theories on private life when he left the studio. HTHESE mad. tempestuous people who live in ■• Hollywood and work at the studios looked upon Conrad as rather a "sap." He was not seen at wild parties. He did not go dancing and cup winning and not even the most discreet whoopee, or whatever the word was at that time, seemed to interest him in the slightest degree. He came to the studio, did his job and kept his name off the front pages of the papers. It rather annoyed those who had known the bitter taste of scandal. Surely, they thought, such a paragon of virtue must have some secret vice or else be a "sap." Suddenly a dramatic situation arose. The actors discovered themselves in the midst of a bitter tight which imperiled their property. The producers had decided to cut salaries. The stars were at a loss. They had no notion what to do. Lacking, most of them, any semblance of logic or reason, they scurried about in groups, called the. producers every dirty name to which they could lay their tongues f and. had you been in Hollywood at this time i,-ou would have improved your vocabulary considerably) and did nothing about it at all. They lacked a leader. There was no one who cuuld be their S[)okesman. They were afraid of saying what they thought to the producers themselves. Suddenly there arose in their midst the man of property, the leader of the group, a clear thinking, logical, sturdy citizen with a strong community spirit. Conrad .N'agel was, in this crisis, the spokesman for the actor. He routed the producers with fine oratory. He flecked them in the raw with sharp wit. He spoke his mind. Conrad was the man of the hour. The "sap." the good boy of pictures, had come forward arid taken the steering wheel. I remember, during these hectic days, seeing Aileen Pringle at the studio commissa'ry having an ice cream soda. She hailed me and began at once to talk of the thing that was on everybody's mind, the wage cut. She described a meeting that had taken place the night before. " A ND Conrad Nagel," she said, waving a •* Htraw in my direction, "why, he's a Sir Galahad. He's a knight on a white charger. He speaks with a tongue of fire. Can you believe it of Conrad? Oh, you should have heard him. I've never been so stirred!" Telegrams poured in to him. He was shaken by the hand, slapped on the back. And, what's more, he won his point. The spotlight of Hollywood was thrown upon him. He was a great hero. And yet, Conrad was no different. He was merely the substantial citizen helping a civic cause. When it was over he was quickly forgotten by the more hectic members of the colony, although he did command more respect from them. ■\ couple of years rolled by. You didn't think about Conrad Nagel. You talked about everybody in the business. You tried to I'lnd out the secrets, private and professional, of all your favorites, but Conrad jogged along, adequate, convincing and sincere. Then the Warners launched the talking picture. 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