Screenland (July–Dec 1947)

"FIND YOUR STAR" "Which Movie Star are you like? Regardless of where or who you are you do look like a Movie Star. Let Thelma Ray "FIND YOUR STAR." Let your star be your pattern, your guide, see her in every picture, watch for her in your favorite movie magazine, copy the type clothes she wears, her hairdo, the way she walks, the way she talks. Be as glamorous as Tour Star Thelma Ray is one of Hollywood's leading authorities on fashions and Movie Stars. Let her help you. She gives her personal attention to every letter. To "FIND YOTJR STAR" fill in and mail the coupon below. Address to: "FIND YOUR STAR," Thelma Ray 6381 Hollywood Blvd., Hollywood 28, Calif. Dear Miss Ray: Please "FIND MY STAR." Enclosed find snapshot, self-addressed stamped envelope and §1 .00 to cover cost of research. My description: Bust Waist Hips Height... Weight... Color of hair Eyes ever, the great stars, the stars who remain stars for as long as they live, or for as long as they choose, are valid personalities, with a capacity for hard work, for taking hurdles and picking themselves up out of the dust and going on. for trouping. So, too, the newcomers I have mentioned, most of whom have worked since they were children. And although young Miss San Juan, with the flair of aCrawford for show-casing her personality, dresses either entirely in white or entirely in black, she is also a trouper in the true tradition. To put it another way, a vivid personality is not enough. Glamor is not enough. The name of Marlene Dietrich is, according to her fans, the synonym for glamor. For years, by the way, I have been asking myself the question, '"What is glamor?" and have yet to find a satisfactory answer — but whatever it may be, I would not say it is glamor with which the name of Dietrich is synonymous. I would say it is personality. I would say it is character. I would say it is authority. Not the authority that is demonstrated by kicking over a table or throwing an inkwell, but the quiet kind that is the outgrowth of taking the hurdles I mentioned, picking yourself up out of the dust once in. awhile, and going on. At the Paramount Studios recently, Marlene was at work, co-starring with Ray Milland, in "Golden Earrings." Each time I passed her on the lot, I paused and bowed. A reasonably courteous man, I hope, but also preoccupied much of the time, I do not make a practice. I regret to say, of pausing and bowing to the many glittering and glamorous ladies deserving of the attention. Why Marlene? I think because, in addition to the qualities of character which command respect, Marlene is, in condensed form, all femininity distilled into one woman. And beautiful. Of course, beautiful. Even beauty, however, is not enough. Beauty is, in fact, the least important factor in success on stage or screen! In "The Sign of The Cross" and in "Cleopatra," which she made with me, Claudette Colbert was breathtakingly beautiful. In my projection room, at home, I often run these two pictures for the sheer delight of looking at Claudette. Each time I run them, I say, "There is one of the most beautiful things I have seen in a long life of looking at beautiful things!" But it is not Claudette's beauty that makes her as great a star today as she was ten years ago — if not greater. Claudette maintains, and adds to, her star status because she has, in addition to beauty, just about everything else. She has humor and gaiety. She has poise and dignity. She has a lively mind and a nimble tongue. She has charm of manner, the social graces. A young woman of many dimensions, she is as fine a wife and home-maker as she is an actress, and that is very fine, indeed. Anne Baxter is a pet of mine. I first met Anne on the Lux Radio Show and became interested in her as an artist. The first picture I saw her in was "The Pied Piper." Most recently, I saw her in "The Razor's Edge." From first to last, my interest in her as an artist has heightened. Anne has breeding mixed with an underlying power. She has the simplicity based on strength. She would be an arresting personality as a small-town housewife as well as a Hollywood star. This is extremely important, for mikeup cannot create personality and acting ability is less a matter of cuticle than of character. ^ ou feel a power in Anne. And she grows. And will continue to grow because in her, as in Claudette, the natural resources are there, and the dimension. John Hodiak, to whom Anne was married a year ago, is also and. in my opinion, provenly. one of the potentially great stars. In Hodiak, too, is the strength and the scope of which stardom is made. Joan Caulfield is among my candidates for stardom of the hardy perennial variety not because of her conspicuous beauty but because of the sense of humor, the alert and well-informed mind, warmth of heart and lack of affectation that give her beauty substance, savour. It is not modest, I repeat, to talk about an egg from your own nest, but I have included my daughter. Katherine, in this discussion of Tomorrow's stars because, in addition to the pride I feel in her as an actress for. specifically, the fine job she does in "TJneonquered," as a wife and the mother of three children, I also feel pride in her as a woman. Among the qualities actors who are starward-bound must possess latent talent is, of course, presupposed. Like a bomb which must contain powder in order that it may explode when you light the fuse, an actor must have talent in him or there will be no fireworks when, by direction and development, you attempt to light the fuse. Given talent, an actor must have the determination, patience and perseverance it takes, Paulette Goddard is a spectacular example. Not a "born" actress in the sense that acting was "doing what comes naturally" to her, but born with the determination to become an actress, come hurdles or high water, Paulette has really learned to act. Beginning her film career in a chorus, as one of the Goldwyn Girls, Paulette inched herself up, bit part by bit part, bigger and better part by bigger and better part, gaining experience, confidence and stature until, today, her star so shines. Paulette had a good teacher, of course, in Charlie Chaplin. But she was to Chaplin. I am sure, as to me and to, I am equally positive, every director and dramatic coach she worked with, an eager, willing, attentive, ambitious pupil. I first directed Paulette in "Northwest Mounted Police," in 1940. Seven years later, I directed her again in "TJneonquered." "Of all the actresses I have photographed," the cameraman of "TJneonquered" told me — and he has photographed the cream of the crop of the past decade — "Paulette Goddard shows the most progress." Evelyn Keyes is a baby of mine. She is pert. She is cute She has the whatever it is — magnetism, no doubt — that makes you look at her a second time. Evelyn, too, has the willingness to learn, and the eagerness. When I first put her under contract and, inexperienced as she was, cast her in "Union Pacific," I believed in her. And continue to believe in her, since for every step backward she If YOU could entertain a glamorous Hollywood STAR in your OWN HOME TONIGHT * WHICH romantic actor or lovely actress would you choose? If you could hear the voice of your dream -man or dream-girl speaking to you ... in a personalized interview, beautifully recorded so that you can hear it again and again, right in "your own home, which one would you choose? Request YOUR favorite NOW! ^i— MAIL THIS COUPON TODAY! — ^ / \ ■ HOLLYWOOD STAR RECORDS | J P. O. BOX 23*7 I HOLLYWOOD, CALIF. I I My favorite star is J 1st CHOICE ! (2nd) ' | MY NAME IS I | ADDRESS | • CITY STATE 9 N_ _ ✓ SCREENLAND 87