Picture Play Magazine (Mar-Jul 1929)

84 Saving With much ceremony, Mary Pickford pulled the throttle that broke ground for a new theater. THE steam shovel stood at rest near by. On the speakers' platform sat guests of honor, the men in their frock coats and patent-leather shoes, their arms folded, their "toppers" on the floor ; the ladies wearing their most fetching costumes, and nodding greetings from their superior station to friends in the crowd. "And now," said the mayor, concluding" the usual oratorical outburst, "we dedicate this plot of ground to those sterling men whose efforts have made this project possible; to those captains of industry who, defying all barriers, overcoming all obstacles, strove unfalteringly to give to our city the magnificent structure which is to rise upon this hallowed ground. And we have with us to-day 'America's Sweetheart,' Miss Mary Pickford, who will operate the giant machine which will turn the first shovelful of earth, to mark the beginning of this stupendous enterprise. I take great pleasuah in presenting to you, ladies and gentlemen, Miss Mary Pickford — our Mary!" There followed cheers, handclapping, and other exuberant manifestations. Mary stepped daintily toward the wooden steps, smiling sweetly at the throng. She was assisted to the hurricane deck of the tiredlooking, old steam shovel from which a part of the grease and clay had been removed. Her little white hand sought an oily throttle which previously had been pointed out to her, and she turned on the steam. The huge arm, with the clawlike bucket at the end, groaned audibly as it started down to gouge into its maw a few hundred pounds of dirt to deposit in a waiting truck. A new theater in Los Angeles was formally under way. In full view of public gaze Clara Bow autographed the shoes of Doctor John J. Seiler before he entered a marathon. That's what the stars do when attendant upon baby shows, The story points out some of upon By A. L. "What's the big idea?" inquired a pedestrian, attracted by the crowd. "Why," volunteered one of the bystanders, "they're going to have a new playhouse, and there's Mary Pickford herself! If she hadn't officiated as a shovel engineer, there would have been no one present except the head of the bank which put up the money, the alderman from this ward, and the dirt movers. Give the little girl a hand !" Which every one did. i Whether it be a turtle derby, the opening of a Los Angeles subdivision, the fostering of a better-baby contest, the exploitation of corn plasters, or the inauguration of a campaign for bigger and warmer earmuffs, the movie girls are asked to take part. They just have to be present. And the actors — well, many public events would, it seems, be sunk without them. Buddy Rogers was approached by a delegation not long ago. A pretty young thing acted as spokesman. "Oh, Mr. Rogers," she said, rapturously, "you simply must take part in our turtle derby at the Olympic auditorium. We need help so badly, don't you know? It doesn't look as if many will be there unless you come — you and Mary Brian. It would be so thrilling to announce you two as patrons." "But I have no turtles," protested young Rogers. "I do not know how to manage turtles. I have none in training. Now Miss Brian may have some racing turtles. You had better see her." "Oh, we're going to," the sweet young thing assured him. "But first we want your promise that you will be there — with your turtle. Of course, we know that turtles don't run so very fast, but " "I should think it would be thrilling to watch one whiz by," surmised the affable young man. "How do you keep them from flying the track?" "But we are in earnest !" the young woman insisted. The upshot of it all was that Buddy Rogers and Mary Brian borrowed two turtles and entered them in the derby. And the crowd came. But was it the derby which attracted ? There was the formal dedication of the Lake Pleasant