Photoplay (Jul-Dec 1938)

HERE IS °*>*»« f°ast of New York <* BY LOUIS SOBOL Famous for his daily newspaper column, the author is prouder of the fact that it was he who first noticed this seventeen-year-old — now the newest and most exciting star in Hollywood's heavens IF the editor and the readers do not object, I should like to tell the story of a nice little girl in my own way. With a preface consisting of excerpts from a column until recently known as "The Voice of Broadway": "So hard to define the charm of the tiny Olympe Bradna, the little girl in the sailor suit who stampedes the house at the French Casino every night. Pretty she is, without doubt, but there are much prettier girls in town. She has the little something in her manner with which only a few are gifted from birth. Lucienne Boyer has it, Ginger Rogers has it, Garbo has it, and so has Chevalier. It's more than a smile or a dimple properly placed, or a twinkle of the eye. For want of better words, we call it personality— but that's an inadequate descriptive term." — January 8, 1935. "Still the hit of the show is the tiny Olympe Bradna, a tightly packed bundle of personality who, I understand, has finally been signed by Paramount for an important picture assignment."—May 6, 1935. "You may remember the little French flash — Olympe Bradna, who drew raves from the boys when she opened in the first French Casino show. She was signed by Paramount and has been here in Hollywood for many long, weary months. She draws her salary weekly but not once has she been called to work — the chances are nobody knows she's even under contract." —March 20, 1936. "Olympe Bradna finally gets her break. She's to go into 'Three Cheers for Love' at Paramount."—March 25, 1936. WELL, even a columnist, like income tax returns, may be in error and it seems the precocious French import had appeared in something previous to "Three Cheers." At George Raft's personal behest, Olympe was given a role in "Souls at Sea" and we shall come to that at the proper point in this piece. At any rate, from the columnar excerpts, you have some vague idea of the enthusiasm a little Gallic cutie inspired in a blase, and not too susceptible, gentleman of Broadway. This is being written fifteen minutes after the same little cutie had taken the trouble to come down to the Broadway gentleman's office on the waterfront of Manhattan — and what he learned in direct conversation with her, without benefit of publicity guidance, he passes on to you. Well then, on August 12th, 1921, not more than eight blocks from where the widely ballyhooed Eiffel Tower in Paris thrusts its snoot to the sky, the vaudeville couple known as Jean and Joseph Bradna clapped hands for a chubby little newcomer — and worried about their act, then running at the Olympic Theater. It was a routine with trained dogs and the young mother fretted about what the puppies might think of her desertion of them. Papa Joe went on himself that night and the act must have gone along smoothly for it wasn't cancelled. The little girl was christened Antoinette but because she was born while the act was a,t the Olympic, Papa and Mama Bradna added the name of Olympia in honor of the theater and a few months later euphonized it to Olympe, pronounced O-Lamp — and it has been that ever since. Now, because Mama and Papa Bradna still play such important roles in the activities of the energetic young Olympe, it is only fair to say a few words about them. Joseph Bradna belonged to a distinguished family of circus folk and until he wed Jean Thesra, a comely actress, was an able equestrian. Why his marriage inspired him to give up his riding is something that Olympe was unable to tell me • but it is a fact that the equestrian, Joseph Bradna, and the emotional actress, Jean Thesra, having decided to try to live as cheaply as one, collected a few trained hounds and thereafter toured the provinces with a fine dog act. I HAVE referred to Olympe as "precocious." She must have been, for she walked at the age of six months and at the age of eighteen months, which is scarcely voting age, became a fullfledged member of the act — her first assignment being to carry the French flag at the conclusion of the routine. It brought down the house. "Eet was so fonny," chirped Olympe. "Honest, you believe? — I remember I wanted to run out again and again and again — I like the handclapping so motch then. I can remember like yesterday." By the time she was half-past seven, the child had developed into an enticing dancer with her hand-twirls and agile tumbling luring precious lines of praise from the critics, who perhaps were also impressed with her healthy young beauty of face and lithe body. Olympe was beginning to go places. Shortly after, when two of their prize dogs died, the Bradnas decided to give up their own act and concentrate on developing the career of their young precious. They have not regretted it. Life started to pick up for the young Olympe, especially when she began to read the press notices. At nine she was a seasoned trouper. In Berlin, Vienna, Stockholm, Petrograd, Madrid, "Little Dynamite" was continuing to have the time of her life, for now no one stopped her when she ran out for those extra bows — certainly not the audiences which kept pounding palms for more and more. In Biarritz, the young vaudevillian met a (Continued en page 66) 14