Silver Screen (Feb-Oct 1935)

47 Kitty Carlisle Throws Her MASK Away Hollywood Frowns On The "Dead Pan" of European Diplomatic Circles, Kitty Finds. IN READING the name of Kitty Carlisle as a featured player when a new film is flashed across the screen, a number of definite pictures float through my mind long before the lovely Kitty herself has a chance to float before my eyes in her film character. First I see her as the suave and amazingly charming Prince Orlofsky in that delightful operetta "Champagne Sec," which was one of the hits of last year's theatrical season. • Next comes a brief glimpse of her in that extravagant mystery film, "Murder at the Vanities" (her first screen venture), but, as she gently remarks, "the least said about that the better." And then there is that vision of her sitting on the piano bench in the Dean's library at Princeton, singing "Love in Bloom" with Bing Crosby in "She Loves Me Not." After that, of course, comes Kitty in her sumptuous role of the Russian Grand Duchess in the Bing Crosby picture "Here Is My Heart," adapted from the well-remembered "Grand Duchess and the Waiter." Remember it as a silent picture, with Adolphe Menjou and Florence Vidor? Of course you do. And I bet you're saying to yourself: "They could never do it as well again." Well, Kitty saw that silent version run oil at the studio and she says it was just as funny as seeing a snapshot of a girl you know in a bathing dress with stockings. So-o . . . But the loveliest memory that I now have is that which I carried away from the Ritz Tower, in New York, that afternoon in December when I was fortunate enough to have an hour's leisurely chat with her all alone. Kitty had just arrived in town that morning, and, already, the living-room of her suite was filled with adoring friends and the telephone kept ringing incessantly. But, true to the profession she has so gladly chosen as her own, she gamely shooed everybody out and sat down on a low divan beside me. In person, Kitty, who is tall and willowy, with a lovely oval face, deep brown eyes that hint of mysteries still unsolved, dusky hair and a pale olive complexion, is twice as fascinating as she has yet appeared on the screen. Perhaps it is because she is still By Lenore Samuels A scene from "Here Is My Bing Crosby and Kitty. It' Duchess and the Waiter" The schools of Europe taught Kitty how to "wow" Broadway, but pictures require a different technique. a bit camera-shy, whereas, from the cradle, so to speak, she has been at home in the drawing-room. "When I read "success stories" of some of our famous film stars, who have risen almost from nowhere, fighting all manner of handicaps in their steady climb upward, 1 feel they deserve great praise," said Kitty humbly. "You really haven't had any handicaps at all," I murmured. "Don't you consider yourself fortunate?" Kitty's dark eyes flashed contradiction. "1 have something to conquer, too," she told me. "You see I spent most of my life abroad (1 was born in New Orleans, but we left there for good when I was eight); first there were fashionable schools and then later I was presented to society in Paris, Rome, and London. "Naturally I was taught how to walk and talk and behave like a lady. But I was also schooled to conceal my thoughts or emotions. In diplomatic and court circles it is not considered wise to reveal your innermost thoughts. This studied control of my facial expression is the very thing I have to fight so hard against in Hollywood." With a swift gesture she covered her fate with both her hands, then, just ;is swiftly drew them away. "There," she cried, as I gazed into her smooth, unruffled countenance, "that's what they call a dead pan in the studios. I'm so afraid that in correcting it, I'll go to the othei extreme and starl mugging." Remembering that most ol the reviewers, after seeing her in "She Loves Me Not," had commented most Favorably on the pleas ant absence of all Ugly facial expression when she sang in that picture, complimenting her instead lor the perfect control of hei lovely features even when sin1 reached her highest notes. I assured her lh.it this seeming handicap wasn't going to prove hall so (lis astroiis as she feared. "They say," I remarked, "that Bing Crosby never plays with the same leading lady twite, and \el voti ve had thai distinction, "l ess up! What's youi fatal charm?" Kilts laughed. "No charm at all.'' she' said. It's just that Bing is unusually Shy. 1 guess when he discovered that I was twice as nervous StS he was when we wen djuAg ffipwfnfticd on pttge f,t] Heart," with > "The Grand over again.