The Picture Show Annual (1931)

Picture Show Annual SUCCESS VIA A SWITCHBOARD Operating a telephone switchboard led Benita Hume to fame on the films. Although she had played in one or two pictures and had a very promising stage career, she did not scorn a day's work in " Easy Virtue," and as the telephone girl who listens in on a proposal and its acceptance, she gave the tiny part a distinction that soon brought its reward. She was given the role of Toni in " The Constant Nymph," and her performance evidently impressed Ivor Novello, for she was his leading lady in his next picture, " A South Sea Bubble." In " A Light Woman " she had the featured part, and this she has followed by her successes in " The Clue of the New Pin," " High Treason," " Balaclava," and " Symphony in Two Flats," also with Ivor Novello. BEN LYON-AVIATOR BEN Lyon is one of the few film stars who is a fully qualified pilot, and one of the biggest moments in his life, even bigger than signing his first film contract, was when he got his pilot's licence. It was Ben himself who, with an electrically-controlled camera, took scenes from the aeroplane he was piloting for " The Fl ying Marine." being pilot, camera- man and actor simultaneously. Yet, although he was making the flying picture, " Hell's Angels," for two years, it was a long time before he thought of flying himself. Finally, he had lessons from one of the army aviators who was working in the film, and he became a real enthusiast as soon as he held the joy- stick. As for the danger-well, if one crashes, one does. If one escapes, he says, it's all right : but when one's time is up—one goes. And that's that !