Picture Play Magazine (Jul - Dec 1929)

94 . . Tkey Continued Erom page 62 J Ramon Novarro, who also made his debut in that picture. Rex Ingram gave out a number of interviews lauding Alal's box-office attractiveness. He has worked almost continuously since then, but despite this no fan clubs have been inspired in his honor. Possibly he has too much money to take his work seriously, but I think more likely that he has suffered from lack of publicity. Warren Burke had the lead in "Road House," supported by Lionel Barrymore, and after that F. W. Murnau kept him in constant association for a time, trying to bring out something inside the young actor. Evidently he found the task hopeless, for he did not cast Burke and the boy is playing bits again. Matty Kemp played the leading juvenile role with Florence Vidor, in "The Magnificent Flirt." Off the screen Matty is a husky, good-lookingyoung animal, but the camera picks up an ethereal quality in his features not apparent when you meet him face to face, and gives him a suggestion of prettiness he doesn't possess in real life. There was talk of releasing him from the picture, because he was better looking than the girl playing opposite him, but he was eventually allowed to finish his work. The foregoing is apt to give the Got Wkat The? Wanted, But imprcssion that Matty is pretty in a feminine way. This is not so. He is rugged, handsome, and masculine in every sense of the word. He simply photographs unfortunately. In addition to the Vidor pictures, he played the lead opposite Sally Eilers, in Mack Sennett's "The Good-by Kiss." While Sally manages to keep herself balanced on the fence, Matty tumbled off on the wrong side and has not worked since. A few years from now, when he is a little older and his face shows more character, I think there will be a distinct place for him on the screen. Sally Phipps got a contract from Fox and featured leads in a number of pictures, among them "Cradle Snatchers," "The High-school Hero," and "The News Parade," all with Nick Stuart, and "None But the Brave," opposite Charles Morton. She is one of the few real beauties in Hollywood, but when her contract expired the option was not taken up. I could learn no reason for this at the studio, executives explaining that in cases of this sort they prefer to let the player make his or her own announcement to save them embarrassment. Friends of Sally volunteered the information that she cannot take direction, seeming absolutely unable to grasp what the director wants. Compare her position to-day with that of Nick Stuart and Charles Morton, and you are bound to realize that it takes more than a break to make a star. Nancy Drexel's position at present is similar to that of Sally Eilers — she is on the fence. She had a contract with Fox, played the lead in "Prep and Pep," with David Rollins and Frank Albertson, and was featured in "The Four Devils." She is a charming girl, with an appeal quite similar to that of Janet Gaynor, although possibly without Janet's depth of feeling, but her contract was not renewed. Why ? There are also the cases of Prince Youcca Troubetzkoy, who played opposite Pola Negri, in "Flower of the Night" ; Roland Drew, who appeared with Dolores del Rio, in "Ramona" and "Evangeline," and of whom nothing has been heard since ; Shirley O'Hara, who played opposite Adolphe Menjou, in "A Gentleman of Paris," opposite Ramon Novarro, in "Forbidden Hours," and then dropped from sight, eventually returning to her home in Texas. All of which only goes to prove that a break does not make a star, nor is a star necessarily made by a break. Continued from page 12 The Screen's Gift to Life. "What the Fans Think" in September Picture Play contained a lot of brickbats for Buddy Rogers from persons who consider him a ham and a sort of collar ad. I may as well say right now that he is my ideal, my supreme favorite, and it makes me boil to read such unjust things about him. Really, I can't understand how any one can 'help but simply adore him, with his clean-cut, good looks, his unassuming manner, his nice, unaffected smile, and his vital, boyish eagerness. There isn't another star on the screen who can portray clean, happy, carefree youth as he can. He always gives a fine, sincere performance, and his pictures, though mostly all simple little affairs, are always enjoyable. They lift one out of humdrum, everyday life into a land of happiness and youthful romance. I always thought people went to the movies to see happy pictures like this — to be rested and cheered. But it seems to be just the opposite. People, most of them, want to cry, to see tragedy and sadness. There isn't enough of it in real life. As for his voice, "E. V. W.," it is one of the most perfect I have heard so far. I'm not alone in this opinion, either. He is easily understood. Was it necessary for you to include in your letter that cutting bit from the Baltimore Sun ' You must remember that "Varsity" was one of the first talking pictures, and wasn't there something odd and crude about most of the first talkies? Evelyn Rossmann. 577 Twenty-fifth Avenue, Milwaukee, Wisconsin. What tke Fans Think Outpourings for Vilma. Pittsburgh has been fortunate enough to have seen Lupe Velez, Bobby Agnew, the Duncan Sisters, Sammy Cohen, Dolores del Rio, and Vilma Banky. I saw them all but Dolores. Lupe was peppery, vibrant, and nice. Bobby Agnew was adorable — Pittsburgh loved him. The Duncan Sisters were nice and friendly. Sammy Cohen was so funny that the people nearly died laughing. Every one was saying Dolores was really sweet. But the best of all was Vilma Banky. She is a thousand times more beautiful on the stage than on the screen. We saw her on the stage twice, then went round to the stage door and she came out ! I had my head in the back of the car, and she was sitting right there. She was immaculate. Her hair is the most beautiful I ever saw, and her skin smooth and white. I could have easily touched her, but I was afraid I would break her apart. Pittsburgh was wild about her. She looked at me once when I couldn't control myself and said, "Isn't she gorgeous !" She smiled sweetly and winked. The two stars I still wait for are Nils Asther and Joan Crawford. Nils is, in my opinion, the most handsome and promising young man on the screen. Accent or no accent, I'd like to hear him speak. Vilma Banky has an accent, and sfae has appeared in a dialogue picture, so why can't Nils? Joan portrays a modern girl — not the type we are, but a type we admire. Rosemary Wurdack. 202 Bonvue Street, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Has Clive Brook Changed? What in the world has happened to Clive Brook since the advent of talking pictures? Why must this splendid actor, whom we all liked so well in silent pictures, act like a simpering fool in the talkies? Recently I saw Mr. Brook in "Charming Sinners," and I could hardly believe that it was the same Clive Brook of the old, silent pictures who was jumping so kittenishly and grimacing so awkwardly every time he talked. And the way he played up to the audience was atrocious. Is it that the praises heaped upon Mr. Brook about his "faultless English accent" have turned his head so that now, whenever he appears on the screen, he has that air which seems to say, "Learn of me, you dumb Americans; I'm the only one on the screen who can speak correct English"? I've noticed the same change in Ronald Colman's acting in the speaking pictures — that superior attitude which makes him look more like a professor lecturing on the use of perfect English than an actor creating a role. And please allow me to ask two questions, one of the producers and one of the fans, which have puzzled me for a long time. To the producers : Why have you been so blind as to overlook Dorothy Gish for talking pictures? She has had stage experience; she was a hit on Broadway last season in "Young Love," and, as for the screen, with the exception of Louise Fazenda, there has never been a more delightful comedienne than Dorothy. BeContinued on page 98