Screenland (May-Oct 1931)

for May 19 3 1 19 What will become of the Red-headed Riot? Here's a story that will open your eyes— and Clara's! SLOW down! There's danger ahead. Usually it's a red light that flashes the warning. This time it's a red head — the most famous red-head in the world. Clara Bow. Back in the January issue, we warned her We asked her to go slow. We wanted her to stay in the place she has made for herself on the screen — to make it a bigger place. To forget all about everything but making pictures. Somehow we always felt that if Clara ever was as much in love with her job as she seems to be with Life, nothing could stop her. She'd be the biggest thing on the screens. But this little red-head from Brooklyn loves the bright face of danger. No sooner is she free of one complication than she jumps into another. Another chance for Clara Bow? Why, she has had dozens of chances. She's always taking chances ! And now — what's to become of her? We won't go into the Bow-De Voe-de-o-do trial — that's old stuff. Clara's screen goose, for a while, there, looked not only cooked, but burnt. Because of the trial, she couldn't make "City Streets" in which she was to play opposite Gary Cooper. Sylvia Sidney went into the part instead. Clara went off to the desert for a rest. Paramount issued statements. Clara would have a month's vacation before starting work in "Working Girl," adapted from a stage play called "Three Blind Mice." Clara might go to work in "Kick In," from Willard Mack's stage hit, if she recovered in time to play in it according to schedule. Meanwhile the newspapers and the film trade papers asked "Is Clara Bow through ?" Her fans answered that question. They wrote 10,000 letters to her within a few weeks, expressing affectionate sympathy. At the time of the rumpus Clara's picture, "No Limit," with those scenes of the star gambling, was playing the country. In New York City it didn't go so well. A check-up by the leading film trade paper. Motion Picture Daily, revealed that in ten different cities Bow was holding her own, and in some cases, even going strong. Here are some of the figures, quoted by kind permission of Motion Picture Daily: Boston, $44,500 ; Cleveland, $25,000; Minneapolis, $25,000; New York City, $55,000; Philadelphia, $14,000; Denver, $18,000; Portland, $15,000; Houston, $11,500. Of course, it must be taken into consideration that these figures vary according to the size of the city and theatre. In Boston, Clara's picture was aided by Rudy Valine's personal appearance the same week. Clara on the screen and Yallee in person bucked By Sydney Valentine such opposition as "Little Caesar" and "Inspiration," the Garbo film, and proved the high spot for the week. On the other hand, Seattle, Washington, failed to take "No Limit" grossed only a my CLARA'S MESSAGE TO HER FANS "With all my heart I thank dear fans for the thousands of kind letters they have written me, and for the affectionate sympathy they express. "It is precious to know that I have so many friends!" Clara back to its bosom, fair business there. But down in Louisville, suh, she retains her popularity, and her picture drew better than any which had been shown for several weeks. The comments from Kentucky indicate that the public is all for the little It Girl and considers her private life her own affair. The very idea ! All in all, she's holding her own so far. Her fans have come through. Just as Garbo's fans have risen in a body to steady the pedestal 011 which their idol stands — as if it were in danger of toppling! Clara has a public. It's a great, big, generous, devoted public. They used to say that English audiences are the most loyal in the world, clinging to their favorites long after youth and freshness had passed. But I think American audiences can top them. Once their allegiance is won, nothing short of a general cataclysm can shake it. But there's no denying that this time, Clara Bow must pull up short and take stock. She may be weathering this latest storm. Incidentally, she and Charlie Chaplin are the only stars who have been able to stand up under so much unsavoury publicity. Once scandal has scorched a screen celebrity, his or her days are usually numbered. Charlie pulled through by sheer force of genius — worldwide popularity — an unassailable position as the greatest entertainer in the world. When Mary Pickford divorced Owen Moore and later married Douglas Fairbanks there was a flurry — for a while ; then Mary and Doug reigned supreme. But the others — that pitiful procession of once-loved, once famous players who lived too fast and furiously and ran amuck — you won't find them on any screen or stage today. Their fame was too false. Builded on personal charm, beauty, or sex appeal, it couldn't stand up under the sharp, hard blows of misfortune. When once the public is through with a star, there's no appeal. There's no light burning in the window. All very well — if Clara realizes what she is up against. It is doubtful if she does. She has a lot of friends — m ore friends than you'd think. Her exsecretary the blonde Miss De Yoe, alienated sympathy by her exposure of Clara's love letters, even if they did only prove that Clara is a fascinator of men. It was obvious that Clara's extreme generosity in money matters and indifference to bookkeeping was partly to blame. The Bow-De Yoe menage ran through $350,000 in slightly over a year besides caring for