Photoplay (Jul - Dec 1936)

HAVE you ever noticed how at least two of the big radio shows which originate in Hollywood always give the impression that everybody in the studio, from visiting movie celebrity to sound engineer, is having one whale of a good time? I have Campbell Soups, Hollywood Hotel and Bing Crosby's Kraft Music Hall particularly in mind. The answer, of course, is that everybody really is having a good time. Bing has the easy good-humor of the perfect host, the ability to put every member of a group of people at ease, and it's this which is largely responsible for making his shows so much fun foi the actors as well as the audience. As for Hollywood Hotel — well, come on backstage for a few glimpses at what goes on there and you'll see why it's never dull work for the cast. Everybody waited breathlessly for Marlene Dietrich to display some temperament when she made her radio debut on the soup program. Instead, she turned out to be the only star who ever went straight through her entire part without making the same mistake twice or stopping to argue. You couldn't perturb her nor make her nervous. Margaret Sullavan and ex-husband Henry Fonda drove to the studio together and left it the same way. Margaret, with one broken arm in a sling, had to manage her script, gestures, and a cigarette with the other hand. It was Henry's duty to light the cigarettes and provide handkerchiefs — Margaret would grab the decorative one from his breast pocket if he didn't. Do you remember the part in "The Moon's Our Home" where Margaret fall in the snow and continually falls again as she tries to get up? On the air, she created the illusion of hard breathing and a succession of bumps by jumping up and down on a chair placed before the mike. Joan Bennett, suffering from the flu, drank champagne out of a teacup at rehearsal . . . Margot Grahame, playing the part of Katie in "The Informer" (she created it in the picture), refused to wear any shoes at the _, r^ mike, because somehow it didn't seem right i->Y i-^CtH Hollywood at the k Mike Bob Burns' first full length film since his radio success is "Rhythm on the Range." with radio partner Crosby to play Katie in high heels. . . . ZaSu Pitts lo^t her gloves . . . then she lost her hat — then she lost her script — and finally the rest of the cast lost ZaSu! She was finally discovered, tucked away among the extra performers, and doing "noises off" like mad. Everybody is being very secretive about it, but it's in the air that Jack Oakie will star in a weekly variety show for Gillette razor blades. It would be an hour show, and will start, if at all, this month. Jack's supporting talent, and the network, are still indefinite. Those of you who listened to his guest appearances with Bing Crosby and with Ken Murray on the Rinso program, know that his easy, informal style will make him an ideal master of ceremonies. And can't we just drop a hint to the program builders? The new Mrs. Oakie showed up a a swell microphone personality on her own when she was with Jack on the Ken Murray show. It might be a very fine idea to include her in the arrangements for the new program — that is. if Mr. Oakie has no objections. The entire Chesterfield contingent is moving to the coast in June — Lily Pons, Andre Kostelanetz, and the members of his Friday night dance music program. Lily will get down to work on a new picture for RKO-Radio, with Andre providing the musical score. More of radio's favorite children will head Wc.-t during the summer. Walter O'Keefe, Camel Caravan'. head dragoman, will take advantage of the conclusion of his radio contract to invade Hollywood as an actor. When he was there several years ago, before his radio fame, he was a writer and gagman Jack Benny's to make another " Broadway Melody" some time in the summer, and James Melton is already on the coast. And A. & P. Coffee's Kate Smith is dickering with 20th Century-Fox to appear in a picture with Shirley Temple. Things are still in the dickering stage, but they look promising 45 Wheeler