Picture Play Magazine (Jul - Dec 1929)

Advertising Section \6 is entirely too stagey and affected. Secondly, I thought she overacted throughout the picture. Not only that, but you never forget for one minute that she was acting. She was constantly striving for best angles before the camera, and rolling her eyes unnecessarily, spoiling scenes tense with drama. The few, very few indeed, clothes she wore were constant reminders of her alone, never the person she was playing. Personally, I welcome the stage people. They will give the movie stars something to think about besides perfect profiles and curled eyelashes! I am sick of both! After you go and see a truly splendid actress like Ruth Chatterton or Dorothy Burgess, in "In Old Arizona," it makes you glad the talkies came along to enliven an industry that was headed for cheapness and imitation. Now we are getting nearer the real thing. F. Smith. Los Angeles, California. Boosting Kenneth Harlan. There has been much discussion among fans regarding the talkies. But the most important issue to me is : Will the talkies be fair to the screen players? I have no complaint to make against bringing to the screen such indisputably capable stage stars as Raymond Hacketl, in "The Trial of Mary Dugan" and "Madame X." But I prefer to see and hear the old favorites, whether their voices be perfect or not. Many screen players have taken a fling in vaudeville and in plays during the past year, and have been successful in being as appealing in person as they had been in silent pictures. Not long ago I was quite thrilled by Harrison Ford in a play. Whyhas not some film magnate nabbed him for the talkies? A few weeks ago I had the pleasure of meeting Kenneth Harlan, and also seeing him in a vaudeville sketch. The act went over big. He was encored again and again. Mr. Harlan is a perfect type for both stage and screen, if you ask me — which you don't. Voice — very distinctive. Looks — he is about the handsomest man I've seen in many a day. And I can vouch for his being unusually courteous, for he strived to please even so unimportant a person as me. Kenneth Harlan wants to get back on the screen. Why he has been off it is a mystery to most of us. I move that we remember the man who gave us such remarkable characterizations in "The Beautiful and Damned" and "The Virginian " some years ago. He is there with everything necessary, even to having a following of faithful fans willing to boost him, not only when he is at the top, but when he needs their support ! Olive D. Thompson. Los Angeles, California. Where's That Quarter? Quite a while ago I wrote to Barry Norton for his picture. I've always admired him and always will, but why, oh why, Barry, don't you send it? What arc you going to do with my quarter? The way stars treat their admirers determines their popularity, to a certain extent, and shows whether or not they are as interested in the public as the public is in them. When I send a quarter I want a photograph ! L. Currier. 618 West Twenty-fourth Street, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. Continued on page 103 GIRLS . Do Well in Airi DO you like to draw? If you do, it is an almost sure indication of talent. Make the most of your natural ability — get into Commercial Art, a field where youth is an asset, not a handicap, and where you are paid as much as a man of equal ability. Trained artists earn fine incomes. Federal Students Are Successful Many Federal Students — girls as well as men — are making $2000, $3000, $4000, $5000 and $(.000 a year— some much more. Art is a vital part of modern business, and thousands of advertisers are spending millions of dollars every year for illustrations and designs. A career and a fine income await ambitious girls with the proper training. Learn At Home In Spare Time Why spend your life in wearisome routine work that gets you nowhere? Many Federal Students have quickly doubled and tripled their former incomes. The thorough Federal Course contains lessons by many of the country's leading artists. You are given personal criticisms on your lessons. It prepares you quickly so that you can soon begin to earn money. Some Federal Students have earned more than enough to pay for their entire Federal Course even before they finished it. Test Your Art Ability Free Test your natural sense of design, proportion, color, perspective, etc. Find out how much talent you have — if it is worth developing. Send today for Free Art Questionnaire. We will tell you truthfully what your score is and also send you our book, "Your Future," telling you all about the Federal Course in detail. /Commercial Designing 1154 Federal Schools Bldg. Minneapolis, Minnesota / Federal School of Commercial S^k >^ Designing 1154 Federal Schools Bids.. Minneapolis. Minnesota Please Bend me your Art Questionnaire and book, "Your Future," tree of charge. Present Age Occupation Address