Desirable (Warner Bros.) (1934)

Telling About | Verree TEASDALE Verree Teasdale was born in Spokane, Wash., and educated in Brooklyn where she attended Erasmus Hall High School, the American Academy of Dramatic Art and the New York School of Expression. Her first stage experience was in “Cheaper to Marry,” followed by “The Constant Wife” and ‘‘The Greeks Had A Word for It.”” One of the most prominent film actresses, her more recent successes have been in “‘Madame Du Barry,” “Dr. Monica,’’ ““A Modern Hero,” “‘Fashions of 1934.’’ Photo on right available—Mat No. 6—-20c Verree Teasdale Likes Domesticity—In Its Place Dominating Ambition Is Theatricalsk—Now Playing Actress In ‘Desirable’ tall, stately, blonde Verree Teasdale, now playing an f % HERE are so many interesting things to be said about important role in the Warner Bros. production of apjesivable.”.atthe <.:........2%5 LE ae Theatre, that it’s a little bewildering to know where to begin. To dispose of the obvious statistics first—she’s an American girl, born in Spokane, Wash., on a March 15, is five feet six and a half inches tall, and her eyes are a blue-grey in color. Before she could spell the word “ambition,” Verree had one. It’s always been the same and still is -—the theatre, “All my education was toward that end,” she says. “I have never expected to do anything else. I’ve never wanted to do anything else, and I have never done anything else.” She studied designing, because she felt that it would be of advantage to her as an actress. She plans many of her own gowns, and has frequently been made flattering offers to become a professional designer—all of which she has rejected: Similarly, she is clever with a pencil, and her sketches of costumes make it easy to understand why wide-awake kings of fashion have tried to tempt her into their world. She plays the piano, swims and golfs, all better than she will admit, and rides horseback. “T like domesticity. I think it is very nice—in its place,’ she says. “T can cook, because my mother made me learn, but I never have used the ability, and never expect to feel like cooking a meal.” When she plays golf — which she does, not to make a record score, but because she enjoys the game—she plays eighteen holes at a time. Her beauty secrets will be disappointingly few to most of those who have been dazzled by the Teasdale loveliness. They consist of soap and water in generous quantities; sleep and, once more, good sense. Verree Teasdale knows how to economize, but she never has had to do so, and sees no reason for practicing it. “T am an expensive person, but not an extravagant one,” she confesses. “There is a difference, you know.” Her principal hobby is collecting photographs of babies! She has hundreds of them. “Perhaps thousands, I don’t really know,” she laughed. “And it doesn’t matter whether I know them or not. I want every baby’s picture I see.” Under exclusive contract to Warner Bros., the actress’ chief desire now is to build her success on the sereen. “Desirable” is the _ stirring drama of a mother who tries to cheat her own daughter of life and love because she fears she will interfere with her own brilliant success as a Broadway stage star. Others in the cast include Jean Muir, George Brent, John Halliday, Charles Starrett, Joan Wheeler, Russell Hopton and Pauline True. Sophisticate Sn That’s Verree Teasdale, who is featured in Warners’ “Desir able,” with Jean Muir and George Brent. Mat No. 9—10c Actress Wisecracks In Perfect English Verree Teasdale is a new kind of wisecracker. Most comediennes, who specialize in the sharper form of witty repartee, use slang, a _ bold manner and a_ smart-aleck sureness. This popular Warner Bros. player, in cultured accents, with a polite lifting of the eyebrow and perfect English makes the wisecrack a polite stiletto thrust. In “Desirable,” her latest picture now showing at the Hatha ie er eal Theatre, she is called upon to deliver her own particular brand of smart lines. Jean Muir and George Brent have the leading roles. Verree Teasdale Memorizes Play By Talking To Herself Verree Teasdale talks to herself. She’s quite aware of the habit, however, and moreover, she does it intentionally. When studying her dialogue for a picture, Miss Teasdale repeats the lines aloud to herself over and over again until she has fixed them indelibly on her mind. During the filming of the Warner Bros. production “Desirable,’ now showing at the..... Theatre, Miss Teasdale frequently walked back and forth in a deserted corner of the sound stage talking away to herself. There was no mumbling, either, but each speech was delivered in clear, concise fashion, just as she would do it later when before the cameras. Past Beauties Just Fat Ladies Now, Says Star Ideas Change, Declares Verree Teasdale, Now Appearing In ‘‘Desirable”’ contradict such a distinguished literary figure as : VAR be it from the Young Man About Hollywood to Gertrude Atherton; but when famous lady novelists write columns for the newspapers, they should expect contradiction. For not long ago the public prints carried the information that Mrs. Atherton did not believe that we have Famous Beauties these days. She carefully explains that up until twenty years ago, Famous Beauties were neither rare nor obscure. In England, there was Lily Langtry, the “Jersey Lily,” as well as Ellen Terry and Lady Curzon, to cite but three whose beauty was as fabed as the Helen of Troy of antiquity. Our country produced many, several decades back, such as Lillian Russell, Maxine Eliot, Geraldine Farrar and others. The bygone era, explained Mrs. Atherton, worshipped beauty, and was none too eritical of acting. Verree Teasdale, seen on a set at the Warner Bros. studio during the production of ‘Desirable,’ which comes to the....... eae THEATO ON Ps eh es is related to two great woman authors, Edith Wharton and the late Sara Teasdale. She was not impressed by Mrs. Atherton’s views. “Did you read this line? ‘The most popular women on_ the screen today would not take prizes in any beauty contest’?” she asked. Verree Teasdale seems to be telling a thing or two to George Brent and Jean Muir in this scene from the new Warner Bros.’ picture, “Desirable,” featuring the three popular favorites seen above. “Desirable” will be shown at the Strand beginning next Wednesday. Mat No. 13—30c “Tt’s just that standards of beauty have changed,” she continued. “The great beauties of yesterday would look quite incongruous today. “Tf you look at portraits of two of those Mrs. Atherton mentioned-—Lily Langtry and Lillian Russell, you will understand what I mean. Most of us would consider them nothing but fat, matronly women with characterless faces. Beautiful faces, of course, but little’ more than masks. “T may arouse the disapproval of ‘old timers’ by saying that. Of course, Mrs. Langtry and Lillian Russell were known the world over as Famous Beauties— and justly so—to that generation!” “And today?” prompted the Young Man about Hollywood. “Today there are just as many Famous Beauties. Verree Teasdale in Warner’s “‘Desirable’”’ at the Strand. Mat No. 4— 10c “One who comes immediately to mind is Mary Pickford. Mary is a great artist, of course—but her beauty is even more famous than those others Mrs. Atherton mentioned. For over a decade her lovely face has been worShipped all over the civilized world. “Garbo is a truly great beauty, to mention another screen star. And there are others—many others—who might become Famous Beauties if they so desired.” j Verree paused for a moment. “T shouldn’t even try to choose between the famous beauties of the sereen, apart from Mary Pickford and Greta Garbo. But there are many — Marlene Dietrich, Kay Francis, Dolores Del Rio—who certainly can be truthfully termed Famous Beauties in the truest sense of the word.” While Miss Teasdale was too modest to mention herself, there are millions of picture fans who would place her in the Famous Beauty Class. In “Desirable,” a stirring drama of theatrical and high society life by Mary McCall, Jr., she plays the role of a famous beauty and theatrical star. Others in the cast include Jean Muir, George Brent, John Halliday, Charles Starrett, Joan Wheeler and Pauline True, Page Five