Picture-Play Magazine (Jul - Dec 1929)

100 r . . . 1ft Stingy? No, Just — er— Careful Continued irom page 18 °^ ' days gone by, was in dismissing' must saved soap most diligently, gathering of the studio force when they went small pieces together to make wads abroad. Evidence that most of those much larger. who experienced this hardship did J'ola Negri afforded some amusenot mind it seriously, was that the ment when she was with Paramount, majority returned to the Pickford by generally spending her vacation Fairbanks studio as soon as there elsewhere when Christmas was at were signs of activity. hand. The routine of giving many Cutting corners in a professional gifts, which was then more of a cus way is, on the whole, good business, torn than it is to-day, probably would It goes on from time to time, when have irked the temperamental Pola. ever the spirit seems to move in some She was far from being a chary places, and is not always fruitful of spender, however. the greatest soundness and stability. An amusing anecdote is told of Many people in pictures have taken Stepin Fetchit, pertaining to an ar the attitude of "get as much as you gument over money. It happened can while you can," because their when he was on location in "Salute," jobs are so insecure. the naval picture. Stepin's father Stars who are not spenders are well was handling his financial affairs, represented among the character ac and while in the process, Stepin's sistors. For one thing, they are not ter desired to buy a dress for the called upon to put on such a bold moderate sum of $18. Stepin's father front as the others. The instinct to didn't feel that he could O. K. the hoard is consequently more highly outlay while his son was away, so he developed. Needless to say, Ernest decided to phone him at Annapolis. Torrence is Scottish enough to be When Stepin reached home, the telecareful, although not too frugal, phone company confronted him with while Wallace Beery's biggest indul a bill for $92 toll in settling the argugence seems to be his airplanes. Lon ment. And sister also got the dress. Chaney would distribute his fortune What John Barrymorc does with too liberally were he not closely oh his presumably great income has alserved at home. He is naturally gen ways been mystifying. His one heavy erous, but too heavy drains are not indulgence is in yachting. He has made on his exchequer. never gone to extremes in living, and Like other human beings, stars clothes have never become a mania may save very liberally in small with him, as with most other matinee things, comparing with the person idols. The presumption is that Barwho puts pieces of string away for rymore is banking or investing a some indefinite future use, or the great deal of his fortune, housewife who raises a rumpus if Al Jolson gives the world a laugh salt, sugar, or butter is too freely dis with one of his peculiarities. It bepensed, and then goes out and buys a longs to his stage rather than his thousand-dollar Oriental rug as an movie career. He used to go into investment. Tom Mix, with the gay the box office to sell tickets and count extravagance of his career, is cited the money. For contrast, Al supas an example. He is said to have ports various charities, but he never will rest until he becomes a movie producer. He regards a star's life as a misery, financially, because so much of the profits are distributed elsewhere. Charlie Chaplin has stood up nobly under heavy assaults on the treasury in two divorces cases, the last having been especially depleting. In the early days he was so careful with money that he was cited as a classic, example. The anecdote will never be forgotten of how once he went as a guest to Vernon Country Club, then the popular rendezvous in the old Keystone days, and was handed a bill for fifty dollars for entertainment, because nobody else had "brought any money." The story goes that Charlie wouldn't speak to anybody on that party for weeks thereafter. Well, there are plenty of others who would have felt the same way about it. After all, the Hollywood spending habit, carried to extremes, leads to no end of grief for the spenders. The smart movie stars don't throw their money away as they used to. They don't listen to every plaint of "Gimme," but discriminate. The saving habit is undoubtedly carried to unnecessary lengths at times, and is injudiciously exerted in a number of others, but the larger spirit of the movies is to be liberal. If the abandonment of • some of the foolish swank that is still put on by certain stars were to go by the way, things would be much better. Too many of them still spend too much money on themselves at the expense of others. But they are on the whole good-hearted, and instances of tightness are more amusing than otherwise. Continued from page 98 do they serve? Valentino is dead, and, for Heaven's sake, let him rest! Incidentally, I saw Valentino himself on the one occasion he visited London, and can give Mr. Leyland the lie. I thought his appearance charming, and I was not a particular admirer of his. I am saying this because I like to be fair. Fie, Kit Leyland ! Your attempt at disillusionment has missed its mark. Dorothy Dawson. IS Lexham Gardens, Kensington, W., London, England. Enter Rudy Vallee. I am going to be a pioneer in this, my first letter to "What the Fans Think," for what I am about to write concerns some one who is, as, yet, perhaps unknown to most film fans, yet a potential film star. I refer to the one and only Rudy Vallee. 'Twas strange how I first discovered him, early last winter, broadcasting in New York City. It happened that his program followed one to which I had been listening and, as fate would have it, I didn't change the station. Presently I What tke Fans Think found myself repeating the procedure each Saturday afternoon. His rhythm intrigued me, for his dance music isn't dance music as enjoyed by the jazz mad. It is music — dreamy, expressive, yearning melody. Then, one night, suddenly that indescribable something — that charm irresistible which I term a caress in his voice, caught me in its spell, and I lost all power of resistance and surrendered! Many girls who have not been fortunate enough to hear his radio programs have a thrill in store when they hear him in his first picture, if the reproduction doesn't mar the softness of his voice. I pray that RKO will not make his film as harsh as was the lamentable "Syncopation." I don't want fans just making his acquaintance to gain the wrong impression of Rudy and condemn him, when the fault lies with the apparatus. I'm afraid his voice will be a most difficult one to reproduce — for it is soft and low — sweetly so, and if the producers make it seem loud by means of increase in volume, fans will not hear Rudy as I know him and many other radio fans do. That is a particular trait in Rudy. He seems ever to be evading the spotlight. He is also an accomplished saxophone player, and if any one believes there isn't beauty or music in one, they haven't heard one played by Rudy Vallee, and I would advise him to purchase one of ihis records and listen very closely. Such rhythm, such tones, such beauty ! I would add for the benefit of those who will inquire about his name, that it is Hubert Prior Vallee. The Vallee is his own. Rudy was given him as a boy because of his enthusiastic admiration of his idol, Rudy Wiedoeft, the saxophone king. He is very idealistic, shy, reserved, and quiet — musician, composer, and, now. a potential film star. I wish him a world of success, and I'm sure the fans are going to be proud of him and add him to their list of favorites— although he rather stands alone. Mary E. Lauber. 119 West Wyoming Avenue, Germantown, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Continued on page 107