Screenland (Nov 1935-Apr 1936)

for March 19 36 25 important thing — just now and then they would cut to me doing a few steps. So I didn't develop anything new ; there was no need for it. "The thing used to be visual — just to see a group of tap-dancers or one alone, seemed enough, it was such a novelty. Now the primary thing is nuances, subtlety of sound, literally crescendos and diminuendos, forte fortissimos, all sorts of involved measures. The open space between sound, the spots without music, all those new things. It is now a matter of telling a story with taps, and the sound is far more important than the sight. It is a great change from the early days of tap-dancing — and of course, infinitely more difficult. We have a conversation routine in 'Colleen,' for instance, questions and answers without music, which depends as much on inflection as the human voice." It is almost the old story of the teacher having to study to keep up with the pupils, I thought. Ruby started something, something interesting. And tap-dancers have flocked to Hollywood by the carload ever since, until the originator of all this whole thing has to work harder than ever before in her life, to maintain her own place in thesun ! "It is stimulating and I like it. Otherwise I might have become lazy about practice. It is simply a matter of a different kind of demand for the screen. Audiences have switched in their taste — now they are more interested in the individual than in great formations." "Have you ever thought of replacing dancing with dramatics ? I mean, are you perfectly content to dance, with no great dramatic yearning?" Ruby looked a little frightened at the question. "Well, everyone has his own style, and I guess I am the same way about being dramatic as the fellow and the fiddle — didn't know whether he could play it until he tried ! Usually those with a yen for dramatics have some particular play or role they are simply dying to do. I haven't any. You know I would honestly rather let other people figure out what I am to do, and just do it !" Well, boys and girls, that is the most straight-forward, honest admission I have ever heard in half a lifetime spent in this volatile village. It did my old heart good to find one lone gal who isn't languishing to be Trilby, or Mrs. Warren, or something in "Anthony Adverse," and I do hope you will get as much kick out of it. It was such a rare treat to the ears, it didn't seem possible I had heard right. A satisfied actress — in Hollywood! An actress who doesn't want to tell the producers what she should play, or how. The age of wonders has not yet passed, my hearties ! Take hope. A girl like that should go far, farther than she ever has. The real truth about it, underlying, is that she is so smart not to wear herself out with longing and worry for fear some one else will get a role she wants. She knows she will have to play what she gets, anyway, just as all the others do. So why fret? Ruby is all a-flutter with feminine excitement at having a house, a house of her very own, at last — after years of apartments. A house to manage for her husband and baby. After all, that is really about as great a thrill as ever comes to any woman in a lifetime. Al and Ruby expected the house to be completed sooner than it has been, and went into an apartment, supposedly for a short time, on their return from New York. But it has been several months since then — and probably if anything threatened their marriage, as the rumors have had it, it was the ordeal of combining career and matrimony in close quarters. (Continued on page 87) Here's the stellar trio of "Colleen": Ruby Keeler, Paul Draper, and Dick Powell. Draper may prove a rival of Fred Astaire. Our pal Powell now rates as one of the top box-office stars of the screen.