Picture-Play Magazine (Sep 1928 - Feb 1929)

56 A WAR between the stars! This is the latest ' prophesy as a result of the talkies. As if there weren't, enough trouble already ! One does catch little evidences of friction at the studios, due to the resentment of the tried-and-true screen favorites over the growing invasion of territory that has long belonged to them exclusively, by a lot of new "debs" and debutantes recruited from the stage. Maybe it will develop into fist fights and wrestling matches. Who knows ? Momentarily we expect to hear a challenge to combat issued in the following terms : "What, ho, thou varlet of a movie speaker ! Vamose anon from this, our sainted domain, ere we inflict upon thee a mighty spear thrust." Thereupon, in true classic fashion, the stage player will probably retort, "Odds blood, and at it knave of the dumb drama, and we will have it out in a right merry joust." Such, indeed, is the effect of declamation upon the actor ! Goats Get Goats. Ernst Lubitsch had lots of trouble with goats, while filming "The King of the Mountains," starring John Barrymore. In the first place, the players in the production complained that the four-footed extras were too highly "atmospheric." That part of it was tolerated, but subsequently the goats began to interfere with the production by bah-ing all over the place during the tense, dramatic scenes. Lubitsch and the cast still remained patient, however. But when the animals added to their other sins and transgressions a raid upon the decor of the sets, that was just too much. They were expelled with no unnecessary ceremony. The Symphonic Jetta. Jetta Goudal was the sensation of the Los Angeles opera season. No, we don't mean that Jetta sang arias, but she did fill the eyes of the audience with wonder during the intermissions. "A Zuloaga portrait," somebody remarked, commenting on her appearance. "Isn't she lovely? Isn't she pale and interesting?" Wherever one went, there was comment about her. The reason was, in part, the remarkably attractive costume that she wore on one occasion, in particular. It was a symphony in black — a dress that nearly touched the ground, a velvet cape of ebon shade, and a mushroom hat to match. The only touches of white were her pallid, slender face, and ivory beads around her neck. Aiding Voice Culture. More stars attended the opera than ever before. Probably this was due to their desire to gain first-hand impressions of the # 1 f ■ at a ft News and gossip of the players projected in a lively, authoritative manner. fruits of voice culture. Also ^ was very largely owing to the presence of Maria Jeritza in the cast, whom everybody raved about — or at when she appeared as Carmen, in which role she was nothing short of terrible, in our opinion. The stars who attended most industriously included Milton Sills and Doris Kenyon, Betty Compson, Rod La Rocque and Vilma Banky, Colleen Moore, Edmund Lowe, and Lilyan Tashman, who are always devotees, Leatrice Joy, Lois Moran, Norma Shearer, Mary Duncan, Agnes Ayres, and Tullio Carminati. Hollywood, by the way, is looking forward to hearing Hope Hampton a year from now, when she probably will make her debut in opera in the West. She has already been engaged in the East for the role of Mlmi, in "La Boheme." Enter the Songsters. A girl whom we have long known has been chosen to sing the soprano role in "The Desert Song." Her name is Carlotta King. Carlotta has a very lovely voice, which is said to be unusually well adapted to Vitaphone. She also photographs exceedingly well. The cast of "The Desert Song," which will be the first movie operetta, includes John Boles, Louise Fazenda, Myrna Loy, John Miljan, Johnny Arthur, Marie Wells, Edward Martindel, and others. Don't hold any fond anticipations of hearing all these people warble, however. Louise Fazenda told us that she was not anticipating bursting into a beauteous contralto just yet, but there will be vocal numbers and plenty of talking in the picture. The chorus will unfortunately have to be eliminated. Over the Border to Wed. If by any chance Agua Caliente sounds to you like the name of a new Latin star, don't be misguided. Actually, Agua Caliente is an elaborate hostelry south of the Mexican border, which is rapidly becoming the Gretna Green of filmland. Priscilla Dean was married there recently to Leslie P. Arnold, a roundthe-world aviator, and about the same time Rosa Rudami became the bride of John C. Fox, a Chicago and "Old Man 'Gator" seems to smile — probably at the thought of what he would do to Gwen Lee i£ he were not muzzled.