Screen Mirror (Jun 1930 - Mar 1931)

22 Screen Mirror • For March ! | George O'Brien's Fame and Fortune Is Due To His Friend John Ford scenes, to make up young Mr. O’Brien’s mind. He would join the movies. He did. For months he humbly carried a heavy camera around Southern California on his broad shoulders, and then graduated into extra roles. Occasionally he played a small bit in various Fox pictures, but nobody paid much attention to him. He was just another extra, and that was that. • A LIKEABLE chap, George O’Brien. There’s something boyish and genuine about him that appeals to the vast army of screen fans, a something that is even more personable in real life. It’s partly a sincere interest in everything about him, including particularly an interest in anyone to whom he is talking; he has the charming quality of making his hearers think they are far more important than they are. It’s partly his own candid opinions on things, opinions that he shows no hesitation in delivering. And the rest of it is made up of that indefinable thing we call, for the want of a better name, “personality,” an element not unknown to Hibernians. Film fans everywhere know of George’s athletic career — of his collegiate prowess at Santa Clara — of his boxing skill in the Pacific fleet before he went into pictures —of his colorful boyhood as the son of San Francisco’s famous chief of police, Dan O'Brien of the big fist and the big heart. But comparatively few know that his real story is that of a queer friendship, a sort of Damon and Pythias affair between wi I lough bp s’peLje'PS’ an ambitious but unknown youngster and an influential director. Such friendships are even rarer in Hollywood than elsewhere, since success in the film capital is generally a ruthless struggle for fleeting laurels. But there was never any of this element in George’s case. To begin at the beginning, we have to go back to that restless period following the Armistice. Returned abruptly to civilian life after his navy career, George found his plans for the future undecided. He resumed his medical studies at Santa Clara, but his heart was not in the cutand-dried curriculum. It needed only the arrival of Tom Mix, then in his hey-day, in Santa Clara to “shoot” some exterior One of these bits, however, was in a film John Ford was directing. Something in the boy’s bearing and infectious grin caught Ford’s eye and the director, himself one of the most democratic and least assuming men in Hollywood, became interested. He saw to it that George played another bit in his next production, and under Ford’s deft guidance that “bit” turned out to be one of the most significant in the picture. The director, satisfied that he had a "find,” was careful to give the boy no inkling of his plans, although a warm friendship was growing up between them. One day he took George aside, casually. “I’m going to make ’The Iron Horse’ next,” he mentioned. George nodded. “How,” said Ford offhandedly, “would you like to play the lead?” “I wouldn’t mind it at all,” said George. "Are you kidding me, or what?” “Come around to my office Monday.” The director strolled away. And when “The Iron Horse” was released, young O’Brien found he had achieved a nationwide reputation, for the film was the sensation of its time. From that time on, George was a busy man. Role followed role, “Fig Leaves,” “Honor Bound,” “Blue Eagle” — again with Ford wielding the megaphone — -the memorable “Sunrise,” “True Heaven,” several Westerns in which George’s early training with the mounted police came in handily. Then the talkies arrived, and once more Ford selected his young friend for a role in “Salute,” an unpretentious story of West Point and Annapolis that turned out to be a box-office sensation. After that came more Westerns — “Lone Star Ranger” and “Last of the Duanes” and “Fair Warning” — all first-class offerings that proved highly popular, but both George and his directorial friend felt vaguely that George was somehow missing out on the promise of his first success. And then came the turning point. Ford, always at his best with naval and military themes, started work on a thrilling tale of the Allied struggle against the “U” boat, “Seas Beneath.” For his leading man he needed someone who could wear a naval uniform convincingly, who was of the reckless and indomitable type. • “THE SEAS BENEATH” offers Ceorge O’Brien and Marion Lessing in the roles of the girl and boy who are caught in the mesh of war-time intrigue. Directed by |ohn Ford, the picture is a highly diverting naval talkie.