Silver Screen (Nov 1933–Apr 1934)

Silver Screen for March 1934 51 MORE Gossip Whispers Are Little Daggers. THOSE Queer Things That Happen Department: Two years ago Margaret Sullavan, who became a star overnight after "Only Yesterday," took a test for Paramount and was given both turned down thumbs and cold shoulders. Now Universal, who "discovered" her, laughs while Paramount is gritting its teeth. And a year and a few months ago, a young actor named Franchot Tone had the New York critics raving about his performance in "Success Story" on Broadway. Franchot was signed by Metro and went to Hollywood and got himself engaged to Joan Crawford. And now "Success Story" has been bought for pictures and goes into production with young Douglas Fairbanks Jr. It's all in the family. " — "■%» — » IS THAT old Swedish reserve breaking down? Is the thaw setting in? Is Garbo going to turn out "to be flesh and blood after all? It seems that she really does have human impulses now and then. And one of them came the other night when she actually drove out to Pasadena and attended her own preview! Yes, sir, you could have touched her with your own little pinky! And furthermore, you could have knocked the unsuspecting publicity people over with a flamingo (Hi— thereAlice in Wonderland!) But life has its little ironies. "Queen Christina" ran one reel —let out a couple of snorts and hisses— and completely broke down. And poor Garbo had to go home without getting that famous public reaction. HERBERT MUNDIN FLORENCE DESMOND HEATHER ANGEL FIRST STILL from the new musical "Fox Follies." Florence Desmond's impersonations of Hollywood stars bring down the house — especially is her Katharine Hepburn splendid. Florence goes mostly with the English crowd in Hollywood, except for Ted Fio Rita, the famous orchestra leader. She and Ted planned to elope one night in Hollywood, but got lost in a fog on the way to the airport and changed their minds. Yuma never saw them. THE Garbo-Mamoulian romance seems to develop steadily. The two have been spotted lunching at the Ambassador and dining at the Russian Eagle quite often lately. « — «#« — « THOSE bad boy writers from the East, Gene Fowler and Ben Hecht, must have taken "Once in a Lifetime" a little too seriously. When they were given an office at Metro they promptly put very hot art studies on their walls, and hired a beautiful blonde secretary whose job was to take no dictation, answer no phone calls and receive no callers'. But their fun didn't last long. Louis B. Mayer heard about it. UNA MERKEL says it's bad enough to receive uncomplimentary reviews on your own pictures— but it's expecting a little to much of an actress to have to take it on the chin for someone else. In a recent review of "The Way to Love," with Maurice Chevalier, the critic of Vanity Fair remarks "what with knives suddenly hurtling through the air, Una Merkle shivering with hysterics, and Chevalier mooning about his ambition, "The Way to Love" looked like a production from the joint studios of Rene Clair and Mack Sennett." So Una sent a wire which read: "I spell it Merkel and besides I wasn't in the picture." LA TASHMAN is about the most inveterate reader in Hollywood. She never sleeps more than four hours a night and spends the rest of the time reading. a m 0 i ' n KING VIDOR says he has at last discovered truth in advertising. Driving through San Diego recently he saw this sign over the theatre: MAE WEST— I'M NO ANGLE. „_„<§>„ — . JOAN CRAWFORD has had a new library added to her home in Brentwood. It's done in knotty pine and quite beautiful— but there's a white rug! What will the book worms say when they see that while rug! TT OW to acquire poise and confidence? ■* Irene Dunne says that bashful girls should wear high-heeled shoes. „— „<$>„_„ "Y\7"HEN an actress turns down a chance "V to star in a brilliant London production—all because of a man— it must be love. So, guess the Teasdale-Menjou romance is the real McCoy. Verree received a most flattering offer to star in "The Human Element," which will open in London in the near future, but she turned it down cold. "I can't do it," she told Zoe Akins who fashioned the play from Somerset Maugham's story. "Any other year I'd have simply jumped at the chance. But I happen to be very much in love— and the gentleman involved has to remain in Hollywood. And so shall I." n i ii <fr >n^— n "p\EAR me, how those Hollywood kiddies -*-/ do put on airs. If you haven't been snubbed by somebody's precocious four-yearold you really haven't lived. It's Mrs. Pat Campbell, the famous English actress, who's laughing now over the recent ritz she got from young Irving Thalberg, Jr. Young Irving, who celebrated his third birthday in August, was visiting the "Rip Tide" set to see Mama Shearer act. After the "take" Norma very proudly introduced her young son to Mrs. Campbell. "And what is your name, my little man?" Mrs. Campbell inquired politely. "Mr. Thalberg," Irving Junior informed her. MADELINE FIELDS, the voice of Carole Lombard, is this department's favorite when it comes to screen stars' secretaries. Whenever you call her, she says "No"— just like that. When I called the other day, before I could even say a good hello, Madeline shouted, "Whatever you want, No. Miss Lombard dislikes publicity, she can't bear to see her name in print. She particularly dislikes fan magazine interviews. The answer is No to everything. Well— when do you want to see her? Can you come over right away?"