Photoplay (Jul - Dec 1936)

PHOTOPLAY MAGAZINE FOR SEPTEMBER, 1936 9! The big bosses in September, 1927, were cutting all the salaries in the industry ten per cent. The Greta Garbo-John Gilbert romance was once more in full swing. Came October and Norma Shearer announced that she would marry Irving Thalberg. Under a lovely photograph of Claudette Colbert we made the prophecy that the public was going to see a lot of the girl. Buddy Rogers was playing opposite Clara Bow in "Get Your Man," in 1928. Joan Crawford threatened never to marry as long as she could support herself. Clara Bow became engaged in succession, to Gilbert Roland, Victor Fleming and Gary Cooper. Mack Sennett tore down his famous old studio. The Ronald Colman-Vilma Banky team was going strong but was proving too expensive; so Goldwyn imported Lili Damita for Ronald and Walter Byron for Vilma. In August, 1928, the greatest upheaval that ever struck the movies loomed into view — pictures with sound effects. The first "all talkie" was a Fox one-reeler "The Family Picnic." Emil Jannings could not learn English fast enough to make the switch with sound. Gilbert was having contract trouble. Ruth Chatterton led the contingent of stage actors being drawn into the talkies. Helen Twelvetrees, Lupe Velez and Madge Bellamy were among the lucky ones doing well before the microphone. By January, 1929, talkies were really in and with them new actors. Fox worried about what to call a new character actor it had acquired. His name was Muni Weisenfreund. They decided on Paul Muni. In February came the wedding of John Barrymore and Dolores Costello. Theodore Roberts, Marc MacDermott and Fred Thomson had passed on, and received a farewell tribute in our March, 1929, number. The business was too much in a turmoil for much news about its personalities during that time. By 1930 Garbo had passed her voice test. The Harry Bannisters were called the "ideal" Hollywood married couple. In April, 1930, Marie Dressier took acting honors from Garbo in "Anna Christie." Jean Harlow made her appearance in "Hell's Angels." Ginger Rogers was a new find at Paramount. David Belasco said, as Hollywood was then in the throes of the talkie panic: "Talking pictures are a great mistake!" Chatterton and Barrymore were the most popular stars. Some of the new faces on the screen, beginning the year 1931, were: Spencer Tracy, Genevieve Tobin, James Cagney and Claire Luce. The Garbo-Dietrich feud was on. Will Rogers in Henry King's production "Lightnin'," with Louise Dresser, was big news. "All Quiet on the Western Front" startled the movie world with its grim realism. One of the big fan questions of 1933 was: Will Josef Von Sternberg's retirement mean the end of Dietrich? Clara Bow told why she and Rex Bell would be happy in married life. Myrna Loy gave up Chinese roles for some real acting. One reason Helen Hayes would return to the stage, she said, was for love of old friends and the theater. Fred Astaire had danced his way into the audiences' hearts. Wally Beery and Marie Dressier had made their unforgettable "Min and Bill" and "Tugboat Annie." So the industry developed and Hollywood grew up. Jimmy Quirk died and a little later Bernarr Macfadden purchased the publication and Ruth Waterbury became Editor. In other words we come up to date. Twentyfive years old but we trust, ever young, ever new and always interesting. f/uctf UuuA Atuuttc to> STAY BRIGHTER LONGER ^oung eyes need plenty of good light during the longer, darker evenings of the eyestrain season ahead. And remember, "plenty of good light" costs less than ever . . . especially if you use lamps that don't waste current, blacken quickly, or burn out too soon . . . such as lamps made by General Electric. Look for the mark |j|j|) on the end of every bulb. General Electric Company, Nela Park, Cleveland, Ohio. GENERAL |p ELECTRIC MAZDA LAMPS 15-25-40 -60 WATT SIZES L&s£ onhfr <-J t . . . This is the mark that identifies General Electric dime lamps . . . the best 10 cent value you can buy. llA, 15, 30 and 60 watt sizes. Try half a dozen today.