Screenland (May–Oct 1927)

76 SCREENLAND Chatter from Hollywood— continued from Page n The little daughter of the film couple will stay with her father until Miss Hay tries out the climate of Singapore at least. She and her husband expect to sail for there shortly, but will return within a few months. The most famous prisoner ever to occupy the Beverly Hills jail was Jack Gilbert. Jack spent twenty-three hours there this month owing to his exuberance, and evcry Leroy is one of the most popular men at the First National Studios and Colleen herself told me: "1 will work harder for Mervyn than I ever worked for anybody. We're going to make his first picture good." First National is gambling $250,000 on its being good. None of Colleen's pictures cost less than that. Because Henry King wanted "love birds", body got a good laugh. Crowds mobbed the three trees on Western Avenue, Los Angeles, police station to see him, while inside the offices, film officials were in deep conference with the powers of this little city. There was no hard feeling on either side. Jack made friends with the police, talked amiably to his visitors and departed after his twenty-three hours with a smile on his face. "I'm reformed," he asserted cheerfully. The never-ending stream of young people to Hollywood seeking extra employment has become a problem which is receiving full attention from the office of Will Hays. This month I met a magazine writer who is in the film colony, under Hays' sanction, gathering material for fiction stories depicting the bitter part of an extra girl's experiences. By this, I mean, of course, the crowded condition of the industry, the difficulty in finding jobs and the small chance of success beyond the role of an extra. There are now in Hollywood at least five times too many people to work steadily. were almost denuded of foilage, two policemen of the same city suffered rents in their trousers, and Samuel Goldwyn's "The Magic blame" company lost three hours of shooting time, valued at $1000 per hour. "Have two love birds on the stage by one p. m. today", Henry King requested of Jack Slotkin, who runs a bird and pet store in the film center. "Birds escaped enroute to studio and have taken refuge in trees at Western Avenue and Washington", Slotkin reported by telephone an hour later. "Climb the trees and get those birds. The Company will wait your arrival", ordered King. Whereupon Slotkin and two cops climbed three trees while Western Avenue passersby gathered to laugh and make helpful remarks along with their wise-cracks. Finally at 3 o'clock the birds were captured and brought to the studio. "Where do they get that 'love bird' stuff?" snorted Slotkin as he handed the birds to King. And Marion Nixon, after all this time, has just had her hair bobbed. I must say it is very becoming, though she looked a little teary as she sat in the barber's chair for pictures to be taken. "It's almost as serious a step as marriage," she said. "Thank goodness it's over." — o — Colleen Moore's new director is only twenty-seven years old. He is Mervyn Leroy, for some years the "gag man" for Col leen's pictures. JeanneUe TarmerUr FLORIDA, NEW YORK has been awarded Gloria Swanson's Atomizer and Perfume The offer which appeared in the April issue of Screenland was made by Gloria Swanson to her fans, for the best letter. Miss Parmerter's letter was selected because of its sincerity and for its delightful spirit. It expressed as well, true insight and a sense of values. There is no writer however successful but might well envy the simple charming fashion in which Jeannette sets her beloved Gloria above "the rest of us". Below is an excerpt from her prize winning letter: "Some people have wondered just what it was about you that made people your loyal fans forever, and many have defined it in various ways, such as your compelling personality, your infinite variety, and so forth, but I believe it to be something even more than that. I believe that it is because you are so human, and never attempt to rise above the level of the rest of us, why even when you became a marquise, to prove that you had not acquired a swelled head, along with your title, you gave us that delightful semi-slapstick movie — 'Stage Struck'. "As you are about to launch out upon the sea of independent producing' you will find that the prayers of all your loyal fans go with you, for your complete and successful journey". The perfume and atomizer have been sent to Miss Parmerter. Mary Astor has undergone a strange metamorphosis. The demure Mary has turned vampire! In "Two Arabian Knights", a lavish post-war comedy directed by Lewis Milestone, Mary emerges from her shell of un' sophistication for the first time, and portrays the role of an Oriental charmer. It marks her definite ascent into the ranks of the sex sorority, and her initial departure from the unsophisticated roles which made her fa' mous in the movie world. William Boyd is featured in the production. In a strong supportingrole is Louis Wolheim, nationally famed as the Captain Flagg of the original stage play, "What Price Glory". In "Two Arabian Knights" Wolheim and Boyd are seen as two army buddies who experience a series of amusing entanglements in the Orient after escaping from a German war prison. For the first time in her screen career, or for that matter, in her life. Billie Dove has succumbed to nicotine. Billie has never taken up the habit in real life, and her various film roles have never called for her to smoke before. After some discussion, however, it was decided that her characterizatipn of an Hungarian countess in "The Stolen Bride" would be more enhanced if she were to cap her dinner with a cigarette. The Stage Coach — Continued from page 51 high life, even though there's no fun in it. "The Circus Princess" It may be successfully argued that "The Circus Princess" is an old-fashioned musical show. To which your correspondent can only say that it is the sort of show he likes. Give us a new-fashioned girl and an old-fashioned musical show, say we, and you can have "The Desert Song" and "The Student Prince" and "Rosemarie". It may be argued in behalf of the last three named that they too are old-fashioned shows: to which your correspondent can only say that they are the kind of shows he doesn't like. "The Circus Princess" is full of color, local and imported. And the Messrs. Shubert have given it the flavor of Barnum and Bailey. The circus is there before you, full of clowns, acrobats, confetti and glowing colors; the eye has a feast that is rare, not only because of the costumes but also of the splendid lighting the Shuberts know how to give a spectacle. And as for the ear, let it be said that Emmerich Kalman again comes through with insidious tunes that sneak their way right into your heart. There is a gorgeous ring ing thing called "The Hussars' Song" that is sung with a grand male chorus. There are sentimental tid-bits that make you want to go right up and propose to the nearest good-looking chorus girl. When Kalman tries jazz, he is not quite so happy; he is no Gershwin. But you can't have everything. Still, "The Circus Princess" comes pretty close to everything at that. It has Poodles Hanneford, certainly one of our grandest clowns; it has Guy Robertson to sing, James C. Morton, Desiree Tabor, George Hassell, Ted Doner. Gloria Foy and George Bickel. See it, is our advice.