Screenland (Nov 1935-Apr 1936)

for February 1936 93 mitted. "But the idea of acting in pictures never occurred to me until they sent a talent scout out to Pomona College, where I was appearing in 'Journey's End,' and asked me to come in and make a test. Even then I wasn't very excited about it. By this time I'd discarded the idea of being a doctor, which I'd had at one time, and had taken up business administration and then psychiatry, in the order mentioned. When I graduated from Pomona, I'd just about made up my mind to be a psychiatrist. That is, until I found I didn't have enough credits. Then I thought I might as well try acting, so I signed up with Metro, when they offered me the contract." "How do you like pictures?" was my next query — the usual one. "I love them !" he said, emphatically. "Yes, I'm afraid I've got the bug. I think it's the most fascinating business in the world. I'd never want to be a star, though. Gosh, I worry enough now." "What in the world do you worry about?" I asked, curiously. "Oh, everything ! I worry about every scene, for fear I wqn't be any good. And I don't seem to be able to do anything much about it. I'm not a good enough actor to be able to really study each scene the night before, although I do try to if there's a lot to learn for the next day. Mostly, though, I just go out to the set and read over the script and hope for the best." "He's a Very quick on study, too," Don Miloe piped up. "I don't think I've ever seen anyone learn lines as fast." "Well, I never studied in college," was Robert's retort. "I guess it's too late to learn now. I'm just thankful I have a pretty good memory. "You know," he added earnestly, "this picture business is darned hard work. I've worked around in a lot of places, when I was a kid, just for the fun of it, but I've never worked as hard as I do now. But I love it ! I guess that's why it doesn't seem like work." "Are you saving your money?" I asked, curiously. "You bet I am !" he replied, without any hesitation. "I'm the greatest believer in security you ever saw. My dad taught me that. He spent most of his money on me and didn't have much left when he passed away a year or two ago. Yes, sir, I've bought myself an annuity and an endowment policy already." He's a strange combination, this Robert Taylor. A happy-go-lucky boy who will never lose his youthfulness, with a goodly portion of common sense thrown in. "What about marriage?" I asked. "I've been hearing engagement rumors about you all over town." "Not until I'm at least thirty," he answered, firmly. "Gosh, I'm having too much fun without thinking about settlingdown to married life. And besides, I want to become a really good actor first." "Do you entertain much?" I queried. "Nope, hardly at all. I've a little ranch out in the valley. Don spends a lot of time with me and I've bought a couple of horses to ride, so it's really swell. I've got three chickens, too, and a dog. Oh, yes, and seven cats." "Seven cats!" I exclaimed. "What on earth for ?" "Well, I don't really like cats," he admitted, laughing. "But the mother brought her family of kittens over and started living under the house. So what could I do?" "You could give them away," I suggested, helpfully. "Yeah, but you don't know Bob !" Don Miloe chimed in. "He's too soft-hearted. Tell her about the pigeons." Robert flushed a little under his heavy make-up. "There's nothing to tell, dope! It's just that about twenty pigeons moved into the garage the other day and now I can't keep my car in there. I don't think the pigeons like it very well. Anyway, they're kind of nice to have around — you know, kind of homey." "Yeah — homey pigeons," Miloe wisecracked— and ducked. Kent Taylor Continued from page 61 did, putting awnings up at all the windows. I put most of them up myself, and I used to look down on the big cars of the movie stars as they went by, and I became more and more determined that I would one day make the grade and become one of them." So Kent set about the business of studying every moment he could spare from his work. He practiced his singing and tried to improve his diction to the best of his ability, hoping and praying for that big opportunity to arrive. And the opportunity came in the form of a friend who was a character actress in pictures. She was very sympathetic and was also confident that Kent's personality would register on the screen. So she took him, one day, to Henry King, who was preparing to make "Hell Harbor" in Florida. King liked him immediately and gave him a test, which eventually took him to Florida. Kent was sitting on top of the world. He went right home and started singing his song, which was to be in the picture, until he felt he had perfected it. He'd gotten his break at last ! He could hardly believe it. Kent was doomed for disappointment, however. At the end of four weeks on location, he was sent back without ever having been photographed. They'd changed the script of the picture and there was no part left in it for him ! Dejectedly, he returned to the business of selling awnings, deciding to forget about motion pictures. This was a lot easier to say than do, though, especially when he had to pass the studios daily on his rounds. He was going by Paramount one day, when he decided to take the bull by the horns, and forget the advice people had helpfully proferred about working as an extra. Extras never got beyond that point, they had told him. But the desire to act was so strong within him, he felt that anything was worth trying. Experience was' the thing he needed, and he was going to get it ! Timidly, he walked up to the casting director and asked for a job. Much to his surprise, he was told to report for workthat very evening — wearing a tuxedo. Kent was thrilled beyond words and dashed madly home to drag out his tuxedo. Smelling faintly of mothballs, Kent looked at himself in the mirror before he left for the studio. He was quite pleased with the reflection. The tuxedo looked pretty good, he thought, even if it was fifteen years old! Filled with renewed confidence, he walked on the set, ready to go to work. He began to have qualms, however, when he looked about him at the mob of wellgroomed, up-to-the-minute extras. He vaguely sensed that some of them seemed amused at something. Then came the Skin So Bad That PEOPLE TALKED! ^mSl advertisement is based on an aciit^l experience reported in an s <u %0 T A f) yfefyVcited letter. Subscribed i 10 • ■» , «. --Sitd sworn to before me. ^tu,^^ NOTARY PUBLIC 1b LHE BEST PROOF of what Yeast Foam Tablets may do for you is what they have actually done for others. That's why we have based this advertisement on a true experience — one of hundreds reported by grateful users of this convenient, easy-toeat yeast. If you would like to have a clearer, smoother skin, begin now to eat these tablets regularly. Their rich stores of precious corrective elements will quickly help to rid your system of the poisons which so often cause bad skin. And you should feel better as well as look better. Ask your druggist for Yeast Foam Tablets today. Refuse all substitutes. NORTHWESTERN YEAST CO. 1750 N. Ashland Ave., Chicago. 111. Please send free introductory package of Yeast Foam Tablets. s.C. 2-36 Name Address . City State