Screenland (May-Oct 1936)

98 SCREENLAND ("""LARK GABLE is wearing a broad smile these days and unless we're sadly mistaken, it's on account of because Carole Lombard didn't go on that proposed trip to Alaska to make a picture. At the last minute Carole's doctor pronounced her suffering from secondary anemia and strongly advised against the hardships of the trip. Cary Grant, who was to be Carole's leading man, has been transferred to another production. Maybe that's the reason why Mary Brian is wearing a smile, too! LOR some unknown reason, Hollywood ' loves to believe there arc feuds existing between rival studio designers. When Hepburn insisted that Walter Plunkett be brought back to design the costumes for "Mary of Scotland," there were rumors that Bernard Newman, who had replaced Plunkett when the latter left for New York, was on the war path. When his job was done, Walter immediately flew back to New York again. Hardly was he settled when another request came from Hepburn asking him to return and dress her for "Portrait of a Rebel." So Walter flew out again and this time the local columns were filled with the Plunkett-Newman feud. Actually, there isn't a single "ruffled" feeling between them. THE funniest sight at the recent Santa ' Barbara dog show, was Jack Oakie and his entry. The jovial Jack seems to be getting rounder and rounder with every breath he takes. The dog he walked at the show was a stream-line toy whippet and the contrast between the two was sensational. WHEN you see George Brent in the new Kay Francis picture, you're going to see him wearing a mustache for the first time on the screen. The studio is wondering just how the feminine fans are going to like Georgie with the new adornment. IN SPITE of her screen success, Olivia ' de Havilland is still so young and tender, she has never been seen out with any of Hollywood's eligible Romeos. James Blakeley, who used to sigh over Mary Carlisle, is the first young swain in her life. The line forms on the right, boys. Strike up the band, here comes Olivia ! Mary Brian meets Rachel Smith, who made Mary learn her lessons when she was a child star at Paramount, where Miss Smith is still in charge of the school for screen youngsters. Study in statuesque beauty, with Phyllis Claire, English charmer recently imported to Hollywood, filling the pictorial requirements of an unusual idea in camera composition. A LL they need is a leading lady and Fred ' Vistaire could make a production right on his own tennis court. Every Sunday afternoon, Fred the hoofer and Crosby the crooner, take on Randy Scott the handsome hero and Bruce Cabot the oily villain. As movie stars, their tennis is a swell racket. THE studio isn't taking any chances that ' Eleanor Powell wear herself out with the difficult dances she has to do in her new picture. For the first time in cinema history, a dancing stand-in has been hired, who must accurately learn every step that Eleanor will execute. For camera rehearsals and spacing, the "dance-in" is put through the routines. This saves Eleanor from wearing herself out under the hot lights and enables her to really get in and give it that Powell stuff, when the camera starts grinding. THE most embarrassed young man in ' Hollywood was young Jackie Cooper. At a table in the M-G-M commissary, Jackie was treating Judy Garland, the youthful singer, to lunch. Just when Jackie thought he was impressing Judy with his newly-acquired dignity, in came little Carol Ann Beery. Looking around the room she spied Jackie and his lady love. With one leap and a bound, Carol Ann was on Jackie's lap, smothering him with hugs and kisses. "Aw, you can't win," said Jackie disgustedly, as he sent Carol Ann on her way. LIOLLYWOOD publicists would have ' ' you believe that Jean Fenwick, who "spent many years in Europe," is about to become a big name in pictures. Actually, Jean Fenwick is Jean Morgan, sister of Marian Marsh. Jean has been in Hollywood for years, working as an extra and just recently was put on the stock list. W/HEN Robert Taylor made a personal w appearance at the Texas Centennial, he drew greater crowds than the president of the United States. The studio sent a publicity man along to protect Bob from his female admirers. And the publicity man had such a tough job on his hands, Bob afterward rewarded him with a beautiful wrist watch, for distinguished service in action. JOHN CARROLL'S Lookout Mountain*J top home has been the scene of great festivity lately. John's grandmother from Florida is paying her first visit to Hollywood and he's seeing to it that she doesn't miss a thing. Steffi Duna, who is the Carroll heart interest, slipped out of Hollywood and is on her way to make a picture in England. While she is away, John is stagging it. |_J EPBURN has traded in her famous 1 ' station wagon for a Ford roadster. And recently she treated herself to her first Hollywood permanent wave. IF YOU can take the word of Director ' Howard Hawks, Andrea Leeds is really going places on the screen. Howard, who is always searching for undiscovered genius, saw Andrea in a film made on the campus of her university. In spite of the amateurish attempt at picture production, the girl's work was outstanding. Hawks made a test of her and she was so good that now she is playing her first professional role, and it's a second lead. DANDY SCOTT has turned inventor. ^ On a Sunday afternoon when Randy and Ginger Rogers came up to take a swim in Fred Astaire's pool, Randy brought along a game of "Monopoly." So they could play the game and enjoy the water at the same time, Randy also brought along an old card table. By removing the legs the table was made to float. Even if the game wasn't all wet, the stars were. W/E WOULDN'T dare be giving you the actual figures, but they say the unused footage on the balcony scene from "Romeo and Juliet" amounts to something terrific. Norma Shearer is noted for the number of "takes" she gives every scene, before she does one that she feels eclipses all the rest. Eddie Quillan and Charlotte Henry, both of whom reached the top when they were very young, have been cast in opposite roles in a new picture, and both are happy about it. THE CUNEO PRESS , INC., U. S. A.