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for February 1930
51
Right: camera booths leaving for location, manned by technical artists who are part of the army behind the screen scenes. Tractors are used as the motive power for hauling this equipment, mounted on low trucks. With this 'fleet' is 'Gene Searle, the script girl-heiress — one of the hardest workers on the First National lot.
Left: the script girl and the star of "Little Johnny Jones": 'Gene Searle and Eddie Buzzell. 'Gene is learning the film business with ambitions to become a director some day.
The Millionaire Script Girl
She Rides to Work in her Limousine — but She is Making Good on her Own
By Sydney Valentine
IN one circle of society she's 'Bobby' Jackson, but the studios know her as 'Gene Searle. 'Bobby' Jackson rides after the foxes, plays polo, bathes in the surf at Deauville, takes a little whirl with chance at Monte Carlo.
Nagene Searle has been saying 'Yes, sir,' for four years to motion picture directors, part of the time 'holding script,' part of the time being assistant director, and the rest of the time writing scenario treatments.
It didn't seem logical for a script girl to come to the studio day after day for over a year in one of three rolling fortunes, automobile aristocrats. A big chauffeured town car, some days. The same chauffeur in a limousine, other days. And a powerful, expensive roadster sometimes, with 'Gene herself at the wheel.
Then occasionally a lawyer, brief 'case in hand, con' suiting with the girl, when the director could spare her or let her retire for a moment to the corner of the set! So, gradually, the secret came out. 'Bobby' Jackson and
'Gene Searle were identified as the same girl. A big oil company behind the family, and the Jackson-Bell radio behind these cars and other expensive accessories of the 'script girl.'
Interviewed at First National Studios in Burbank, where she was 'holding script' on a talking comedy called "Loose Ankles," Miss Searle gave the whole story willingly enough. She did not mind Douglas Fairbanks Jr., Loretta Young, Louise Faxenda, Inez Courtney and other members of the cast joining in the interview, all asking as many questions as the interviewer.
"It's all very simple," Miss Searle remarked. "I want to be a film director. Lois Weber was my model. Now we have Dorothy Arzner, whom I admire very much."
"Why a film director?" Louise Fa^enda wanted to know. "You could be an actress. Most people, seeing you come in here in that big roadster, mistake you for Laura La Plante, Bill Seiter's wife."
Miss Searle smiled. "I wouldn't (Continued on page 112)