Screenland (May-Oct 1931)

for June 1931 89 ^(ews Such a relief to know that Billie Dove is to return to the screen — in, of course, a Howard Hughes production. It is called "The Age for Love" — now, children, make a good euess. What is the age for love? Paramount has been out on a juvenile signing spree. They have issued contracts to Mitzi Green, Jackie Searl, Jackie Coogan, Carman Barnes and Sylvia Sidney. Mitzi was dragging down $625.00 a week but now she commands $1,250 a week. Jackie Searl's weekly stipend jumped from $125.00 a week to $300. Jackie Coogan is to get $25,000 a picture. Carman Barnes, author turned actress, gets $1,000 a week. And Sylvia Sidney, from Broadway, has a sliding wage — six months at $500. a week ; six months at $750. a week ; then a year at $1,000 ; a year at $1,500; a year at $2,000; and a year at $2,750. Not so bad for youngsters. Another Cinderella story — little Sally Sweet, an unknown, sang with Eddie Cantor in Miami. Eddie thought she had beauty, personality, and everything, so he asked Samuel Goldwyn to give Sally a screen test. And now Miss Sweet may have the lead opposite Eddie in "Palmy Days." It is whispered that Rudy Yallee is sweet on Sally. Mitzi Green is insured for $1,000,000. It costs $15,000 a year. The doctors said this cute kid was 100% healthy. You should see her tuck away chocolate cake ! South America is trying to lure Lupe Yelez. She is turning them down — probably because Gary Cooper has to stay in Hollywood. S. S. Van Dine, who writes the Philo Vance detective novels, has arrived in Hollywood. His "Blue Moon Murder," will be a movie. Rennie Renfro, trainer of the Metro "Barkies," giving the canine actors their Saturday night bath. They love it! Hollywood made a " gangster' s moll" out of pretty Sylvia Sidney, from the Broadway stage. This is a scene from "City Streets," in which Sylvia makes her picture debut opposite Gary Cooper. "An American Tragedy" was one of those books bought for the screen, but never used. Now Phillips Holmes, son of Taylor Holmes, after his success in "The Criminal Code" will play the role of the boy who went so bitterly wrong for such desperately natural reasons. Phil is the fastest-rising young man in pictures. Jetta Goudal has taken to tarn o'shanters, with dashing success. She wears her wedding ring on her middle finger, instead of the third like the rest of us. Trust Jetta to be unusual. Quite an emotional experience for Dolores Costello when she faced a camera for the first time in two years. What with her marriage to John Barrymore and the baby, Dolores has been considerably preoccupied since talkies came in, but watch her blossom forth in "The Passionate Sonata" with Anthony Bushell. Since Edna Best, English actress, ran away from Hollywood ditching a picture with John Gilbert, in favor of returning to her British actor husband. Herbert Marshall, and Marlene Deitrich insists upon returning to Germany after every picture to be with her actor busband and the baby, Hollywood is busy finding local jobs for foreign husbands. It's quite a lark. But MGM wants Edna and they're going to work it, just as Paramount plans to keep Marlene on the job. Those jobs for husbands will surely be forthcoming. When a lovely young thing asked Edward Everett Horton what was the most essential asset to get into pictures, he replied that a good figure and a pretty face helped a lot but that "an influential relative is much better!''