Screenland (Dec 1933-Apr 1934)

Record Details:

Something wrong or inaccurate about this page? Let us Know!

Thanks for helping us continually improve the quality of the Lantern search engine for all of our users! We have millions of scanned pages, so user reports are incredibly helpful for us to identify places where we can improve and update the metadata.

Please describe the issue below, and click "Submit" to send your comments to our team! If you'd prefer, you can also send us an email to mhdl@commarts.wisc.edu with your comments.




We use Optical Character Recognition (OCR) during our scanning and processing workflow to make the content of each page searchable. You can view the automatically generated text below as well as copy and paste individual pieces of text to quote in your own work.

Text recognition is never 100% accurate. Many parts of the scanned page may not be reflected in the OCR text output, including: images, page layout, certain fonts or handwriting.

for March 1934 93 zations ; she appeared in dance halls, de4 'ores, schools, women's clubs and i.ieo, — and not once was she permitted to i 1 in other than her Alice costume. L' i she dined privately in hotels, and on trains, and when she attended private house parties, or visited state capitals, did she wear the same seablue frock and pink stockings and lowheeled slippers, not to forget the ribbon that held back her hair. She made that personal appearance with not one or two, but with fifteen costumes, identical in color, cut, and material. Thus do I say that every effort has been advanced by her studio to establish the girl in the public eye as Alice — and no effort to build the name of Charlotte Henry. For this, the studio cannot be censured. After all, Charlotte was contracted to play Alice, and Paramount expended a fortune in the production of its picture. The studio cannot be expected to jeopardize a half-million dollar invest ment simply because Charlotte Henry's future may be involved. It remains for Charlotte herself to outlive Alice. Perhaps, after "Alice in Wonderland" has been released generally throughout the country, the studio that employs her may consider it safe to aid her in the fight to blot out Alice and write in Cliarlotte. Frankly, I believe the future hope of this little girl depends upon you, Mr. Reader, and upon you, Miss Reader. If, after you have seen Charlotte as Alice of Wonderland, you leave the theatre, not with the feeling that you have witnessed the bringing-to-life of a story-book character, but with the thought that you have just witnessed a remarkable impersonation of that story-book being, then it may be simpler for you to later accept this new actress as herself. Upon you, the Public, and not upon Charlotte or her studio — depends Miss Henry's sole hope for a screen future. The Past, Present and Future of Jean Parker Continued from page 33 might visit her. As often again, he wrote imploring notes, begging Jean to go out with him. And though her very young heart cried out against the pain of denied companionship, Jean smilingly refused to permit the youthful Lucas to visit her. Neither would she go out with him, because she was too poor to buy the clothes that every young girl loves to wear in order to please her sweetheart. Opportunity to step from poverty to fame came to Jean in a most spectacular fashion. In 1932, she was chosen by her school to ride on a float which was to have been entered in the Pasadena Tournament of Roses parade. Something went wrong and the float was not entered, but before that occurred, Jean's photograph appeared in a Los Angeles newspaper. Now pictures in newspapers ordinarily mean little, but it happened that this photograph revealed Jean in a bathing suit, and that Miss Ida Koverman, secretary to Louis B. Mayer of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer studios, is interested in all water sports. She was the organizer of the Women's Swimming Association of New York a few years ago, the first organization of its kind. Therefore, anything in a bathing suit captures her eye at once. She saw the newspaper photograph of Jean Parker, and she persuaded her employer that this girl's picture indicated screen promise. Ultimately, Jean was invited to the studio for a screen test. "Come tomorrow — Thursday," invited Miss Koverman, by telephone. Astoundingly, Jean answered, "I can't come tomorrow ; I am going on a hike." Miss Koverman could hardly believe her ears. A girl, offered a motion picture test, could not accept because she was going on a hike ! Could this be impertinence ? Luckily for Jean, Miss Koverman decided it was youthful ignorance. She laughed. "Then come the next day," she invited. On the assigned Friday, Jean visited the studio. Miss Koverman, liking the girl immediately, explained that if the test was good, it would mean a contract. No doubt the studio chief executive's secretary expected Miss Parker to be excited by that announcement, but Jean wasn't at all excited. "I don't want a contract," she answered. "I have two more years of high school to finish. I am not an actress. I am not beautiful." Jean interposed innumerable other reasons why she wanted no screen contract. She wished to become a commercial artist, she insisted. She also wanted to be a concert pianist. She had never thought of motion pictures, because she was not beautiful. Miss Koverman was thunderstruck, but she realized that the naive innocence of the girl could not have been posed— Jean Parker actually believed she had nothing to offer motion pictures ! Of course, the test was taken. Miss Koverman says today that she has never in her life, on such short notice, wanted to help a girl as she did Jean Parker. So the test was arranged, and within twentyfour hours, despite Jean's own belief that it was all a dream, M-G-M had signed the newcomer to a long-term contract. A series of not too important film roles followed. "Divorce in the Family" was her first part. Then she played one of the young Grand Duchesses in "Rasputin." "Gabriel over the White House," "The Secret of Madame Blanche," and other pictures provided her with other minor roles. As so often happens in Hollywood, another studio provided Jean with her first real opportunity — she was borrowed by Columbia for a feature parf in "Lady for a Day." That started the Parker ball a-rolling. Radio borrowed her next for "Little Women," and on the heels of her performance in that picture, she was again borrowed by Radio for "Wild Birds." It is "Wild Birds" that promises to win Jean quick stardom. When the picture was given its first pre-view in a cold studio projection room, a storm of applause greeted its ending. That applause was not alone for a fine production, but for a finer performance enacted by little Jean Parker. But what, meanwhile, of her school-days' sweetheart, Frank Lucas ? Well, when stocks and bonds were crashing and billions of dollars were being lost in the great financial debacle of 1929, '30 and '31, Frank's father lost a great part of his fortune, and the son was forced temporarily to relinquish his plan to complete his college education. He had to find a job. And of all places, Frank secured that job at the M-G-M studio, the same studio that held a contract on the services of i "Yes— it's the SMARTEST 7 dress I ever had— and I made it MYSELF and SAVED at least ONE-HALF." That's what you'll be able to say when you make your clothes the modern Woman's Institute way. Easily, quickly, right at home, in spare time, you can learn all the professional secrets of dressmaking. You can copy the smart costumes worn by your favorite screen star. Have Mord clothes, with smart individuality — and save onethird to one-half their cost. A Successful Career in Dressmaking Advancing prices have greatly increased the demand for professional dressmakers. You can easily earn a splendid income at home or have a successful career in a smart shop of your own. Learn Millinery, Cookery, Tea Room Management How to make hats to match each costume, or save or earn money. All about selecting, preparing, cooking and serving food in delicious, well-balanced, healthbuilding meals. How to Eakn Money running tea room, cafeteria, tourists' home, catering, >or selling foods. To prove to you how easily you can learn, we will gladly send you a 48-page Dressmaking Lesson — ABSOLUTELY FREE. Read its 'clear directions. Actually MAKE something you need right now. SEE FOR YOURSELF how easy everything is. flail the coupon TODAY1 WOMAN'S INSTITUTE, Dept. 93-C. Scranton. Pa. Send me — FREE — 48-page Lesson and full information about course checked: □ How to Make Smart, Becoming Clothes □ How to Earn Money in Dressmaking □ How to Make Chic, Becoming Hats □ How to Serve Delicious, Well-balanced Meals Q How to Earn Money Conducting Tea Room, Cafeteria, Food Shop, Tourists' Home (Please specify whether Miss or Mrs. ) Address This Girl Knows.. YOU CAN DEPEND ON NR LITS ALL-VEGETABLE) SAFE 1 Bright Eyes. . . No Bad Skin She learned long ago how often dull eyes, pimply skin, nervousness and lack of pep come from bowel sluggishness and constipation. Now NR (Nature's Remedy) is her secret of sparkhng loveliness and vital health. No more ineffective partial relief for her — allvegetable NR Tablets give thorough cleansing, gently stimulating the entire bowel. Millions take NR for thorough, effective relief from constipation and biliousness. Get a 25c box. All druggists'. Pleasant — safe — and not habit-forming. FRFF I New ?old & blue "»"■ 1934 CalendarThermometer — samples NR and Turns. Send name, address, stamp to A. H. LEWIS CO. _ Desk CP-91 St. Louis, Missouri i TO-NIGHT . TOMORROW ALRIGHT ' Flash MEXICAN ORIZABA Ring (worn by Movie Stars) wc will Bend free a H Kt. Brazilian imitation Diamond Rhik Uouku like $150 stone) with each purchase of our beautiful H Kt. Egyptian im. Diamond Scarf Pin for this ad and 25c. Offer limited. Onlv 15,000 given away. ORIZABA CO., Dept. SU, 329 S. Broadway, Loa Angelee, Cal. Agents wanted. (2 sets 50c). If you can tell it from a real diamond, return and money refunded.