Photoplay (Jul-Dec 1930)

Studio Rambles WE DO some real, highpowered rambling this month. In fact, we ramble all the way to Nome, Alaska, and get tangled up in the Gold Rush. We find Nome, strangely enough, only a couple of miles from Oxnard, Calif., on the shore of the Pacific, and less than fifty miles from Hollywood. 'Twasn't transplanted there by an earthquake, either, but by Paramount — to serve as a background for "The Spoilers." The famous old melodrama of the Gold Rush is now being made into a talkie. In the midst of a sandy wasteland that stretches along the coast we come suddenly upon a city of tents — rows and rows of them. Some are labelled "Sound Department," "Props," " Grips." Huge trucks bearing cameras, microphones, loud-speakers ■ — all the mysterious paraphernalia of talkiedom — make their way back and forth over planking laid down in the sand and mud. The active routine of a studio is in full swing — a studio in tents. In front of a one-story frame building labelled "Alaska Bank" a riot seems to be in progress. More than a hundred miners, carrying rifles, are battering at the door and windows of the bank. In the van of the mob we catch a glimpse of rangy Gary Cooper, with jaw set; Slim Summerville, legs encased in an amazing pair of green plaid trousers; and Jim Kirkwood, his face smothered in a vicious growth of beard. Suddenly the militia arrives on the scene, led by Kay Johnson doing a Joan of Arc. They march through the angry mob and take command of the scene. When the scene is over, Kay Johnson, in a riding habit of the vintage of 1900, comes up to ask eagerly for news of Hollywood. She and the rest of the cast have actually been living in tents for days. AFTER our jaunt to .\laska we feel the need for rela.xation, so we wander over to the Radio Pictures lot where they're making a picture with no less than five comics! Louise Fazenda, Benny Rubin, Ned Sparks, Eddie Foy, Jr., and Lilyan Tashman all contribute laughs to this opus, taken from the musical comedy success, " Present Arms." They're calling it "Lcathernecking" now. Yep, it's about the marines. US By Harriet Parsons The set is all dressed up to look like the exterior of the marine barracks in Honolulu, .^nd, believe us, it's hotter under those Technicolor lights than Honolulu ever was. We find Lil Tashman,' Benny, and Irene Dunne collapsed in camp chairs. Irene, a pert, attractive brunette from the New York musical comedy stage, has the lead opposite Eddie Fnw It's her first picture. Over in one corner of the set they're shooting a scene where Eddie Foy, in a snappy white uniform, is promoted to a ca|v taincy. Eddie does a bit of clowning and someone laughs uproariously. We wait nervously for the noisy one to be thrown off the set, but Benny nudges us — "That's Eddie Cline, the director. He still laughs at comics. Why he even laughs at niel'' In another corner sits Louise Fazenda. hat perched on the top of her head, nose buried in a book. Every few moments her shoulders heave and she giggles as only Louise can giggle. A few feet from her a bunch of chorus boys, dressed in the uniforms of marines, are drilling. Heavily rouged for the Technicolor cameras, they look about as hard-boiled as Davey Lee. AFTER relaxing in that jovial atmosphere, we ramble out to Fox Movietone City. Perhaps we can catch a glimpse of "Liliom," renamed "Devil With Women." They're shooting on stage 9. We get past the guard and find , ourselves suddenly halfway to heaven. There are clouds everywhere, and out of a billowy gray mass emerges the tiniest train imaginable. It descends a miniature trestle, arrives at the ground, and finally stops, full-grown, at the doorstep of a little gray cottage. Down from the rear platform steps LUioiit (Charlie Farrell), apparently home from heaven. Charlie greets us with " I'm supposed to be dead — but I think I look pretty well, don't you?" We agree, for an unmistakably healthy tan shows through his wan make-up. His hair is a mass of ringlets, curled tightly all over his head. .As he sits talking to us the hair dresser comes up and arranges a stray curl or two. Charlie looks alarmed — then remembers his fancy coiiTure and submits. Liliom is called back. And that's our cue to go home. I