Picture-Play Magazine (1933)

58 tinued from paj Recently a young carl departed the town leaving those who had entertained him in considerable oi a dither, lie had spent tour weeks at a ranch where he had been asked for only a week-end. He had charged shirts and ties on his hostess's account and neglected to pay her, and he comI) EorgOl to leave tips for the servants whom he had worked overtime. 1 1 i> name is left to your imagination. fust at random, you might a well know that \ ictor Jory is Completely blind to the fact that he cannot sing. lie croon- and croons and never hits a note. Will Rogers thinks that ever)' one is interested in his ponies and tint all he has to say to excuse himself for being late is to remark. "] was out in them thar staliles." Lionel Atwill labors under the mission that most of his friends are deaf. And big, burly George Bancroft has no seme of humor. 1 le let all the world know that hi' was awakened each morning by a slice of orange waved in his face, lie also told interviewers in all seriousness that he was not. simply not, letting his little girl know that he was a great man. The James Gleasons love their four dogs and a monkey to such an extent that they are nearsighted to some of their friends' discomfort when the menagerie is loose, as it almost al Their "Blind" Spots ways is. One dog known as 1 'tiffin' Bill is almost sure to ruin a dress or two an afternoon because he drools affectionately over every one. And t Ik monkey dotes on pulling flowers off hats. Lee Tracy has great difficulty seeing a clock. He says. "I'll meet you to-day at four o'clock." and then never shows up. Walter Wanger, his hoss at M.-G.-M. studio, waited lunch an hour the other day for Lee, only to discover that he had been arguing with the studio bootblack all that time. Clara Low's chief stumblingblock in her career has been her inability to judge people. Good-natured. happy-go-lucky, she has been blind to the crookedness, the scheming of grafters and spongers that beset her, and also blind to the friendliness of people who would help her. Clara's self-consciousness keeps her from making friends with real friends, and has let her take up with people who bilked her. There are lots of fellows who can't pick a winner on a race track or a lucky number on a roulette wheel, but Wallace Beery, conservative nongambler, finds his difficult} in picking good banks. He was nicked $80,000 in the Guaranty Building and Loan crash, lost money in the Bank of Hollywood and was rated as one of the heavy losers in the Beverly Hills bank which closed about a year later. Lionel Barrymore is blind to the fact that he doesn't fool people about his bad temper. He likes to pretend he's an jld grouch and he snarls and complains, but never goes so far as to hurt any one. Lie just uses this supposedly bad temper to get out of duties he doesn't want to perform. 1 watched Ralph Wheeiright. publicity man, hide behind scenery one morning while a still photographer shot picture after picture of Lionel, who was grumbling his head off. "Let me get that Wheeiright," he muttered, "I'll tell him. I won't pose." \et Air. Barrymore posed lest he should get the photographer in trouble who was. after all. just obeying Wheel right's orders. Marie Dressier is blind to the future. Ask that gnarled, wrinkled, heartyvoiced woman of sixty-odd years when she will retire and hear her roar and snort. "I'm just interested in to-day," she will answer. "Retire? Why look ahead to anything like that? I can see only to-day." In Marie's case this blind spot is a fine gallantry, a bravery that keeps her looking through rose-colored glasses at the future. Sometimes these blind spots are good, sometimes they are bad for those who possess them, but all in all they do emphasize personality. i ontinued from page 39 robe which established the Mexican girl as one of Hollywood's bestdressed women. Peggy also gave exquisite parties where fan writers met the blooming novice. And with Dolores, to meet is to conquer, for she is as gracious in manner as she is dazzling in appearance. Within a year Miss del Rio was a Wampas "baby" star and shortly thereafter she was playing leads in such pictures as "What Price Glory?" and "The Trail of '98." Later, under the direction of the brilliant Carewe, she starred in "Resurrection," "Ramona," and "Revenge." Bui for all her remarkable opportunities, Dolores del Rio has never been a great fan idol. ( )f course, she and is popular, but the s|>i>n taneous enthusiasm that greeted Clara Bow, Greta Garbo, Mae West. and a dozen other was never hers. For one thing, only a genius could have lived up to her press whoop tedo, and Dolores is by no means a genius. ' •veremotional, she attacks her big scenes with the fer\or of a terrier throttling a rat. Like Joan All Storms Past Crawford, she has yet to learn that simplicity and restraint are essential to good acting. However, that new, astonishing fame was sweet. Each halcyon day was brimming with adventure for Dolores. Go back to prosaic domesticity she could not. Jaime, as out of place as a vegetarian at a barbecue, became increasingly bewildered and discontented with his back seat in the family. Within three vears Dolores had to choose between husband and career. Reluctantly, the girl permitted fame to triumph over religion and traditions. T don't condemn ; I merely record. With divorce, Dolores's bright bubble of publicity exploded in her face. Catholic fans were indignant and dismayed. Hollywood sympathies, ironically enough, veered around to Jaime. Shortly thereafter Dolores set out on a "good-will" tour, obviously a gesture of conciliation to the fans, particularly those of betown faith. However, any benefit that mighl have resulted from the maneuver was nullified by the fact that Carewe, also recently divorced and rumored engaged to Dolores, was included in the party. Last year the long friendship of Carewe and his vivacious protegee terminated in a court squabble over a contract disagreement. Jaime del Rio did not long survive his divorce. When word came that he was dying in Germany, Dolores';; name was again in the headlines. The public found her transatlantic telephone calls to her ex-husband of vast romantic interest. "That girl is publicity-mad!" said some. "No!" said others. "She prays all night for his recovery!" Jaime died, however, and Dolores continued with her career. Unfortunately, several poor pictures came her way and these, more than the too flamboyant publicity, checked her progress. Three years ago she married Cedric Gibbons, well-known scenic designer who was recently made a director by M.-G.-M. The wedding was a beautiful, formal affair at which the bride revealed the Hollywood influence by appearing hoseless. i_