Silver Screen (Feb-Oct 1935)

Silver Screen for February 1935 5 1 have a Beautiful Smile AND LAUGH AT FATE By Mary Lee THERE is nothing in the world so important .to beauty as the corners of your mouth turned UP. You may have the prettiest clothes of any girl in your set, the loveliest figure, the most glorious skin. But if the corners of your mouth turn down, you don't have beauty. Look at Joan Blondell. There is a smile that wins! And she takes pains to keep it in A.i. smiling order. She has found, as has many another actress, that smiles and what she eats are closely related. There is a definite connection between diet and strong, healthy teeth and firm, pink gums. Taken internally, in large enough quantities, orange and lemon juice do grand things for your teeth. We have always known that they fortify the system against such things as colds and minor illnesses. But scientists have now demonstrated in a series of interesting experiments, that they prevent the development of new dental troubles, help you keep the teeth you have in excellent condition, and strengthen and firm your gums. Joan Blondell has a lovely smile and a 7 pound 12 ounce boy. The following test was tried out on a group of children for a year. They were given two glasses of fresh orange and lemon juice a day, in addition to a regular wholesome diet. At the end of the year it was found that in these children tooth decay decreased 57 per cent and gum troubles 83 per cent. Quite a showing, isn't it? And a hint to you to try the same thing. Just on the dollars and cents side of the ledger, isn't it better to drink those delicious glasses of orange juice, or indulge your craving for a long glass of lemonade, than to endure the agony of the dentist's chair, with its flattening effect upon your pocketbook? Lemon juice is one cosmetic which is equally good inside and out. There is nothing which will whiten your teeth more effectively and safely. Try this. Add a few drops of lemon juice to common table salt or baking soda. Brush your teeth with it. It makes, according to dental authorities, a splendid home-made cleanser. Orange and lemon juice in addition to your regular diet won't give you perfect teeth of course. Proper chewing, too, is essential to the health of your mouth, because good circulation in one of the most [Continued on page 72] Million Dollar Blunder grander bits of make-believe, good enough in fact to dwarf the companion role of Leslie Howard. Paramount believed Wallace Beery was all washed-up. The comedies he had made with Raymond Hatton were box-office flops. M-G-M signed him and "The Big House," "Min and Bill" and "The Champ" proved that Paramount had made a Million Dollar Blunder. The screen tests of Margaret Sullavan, made by Paramount, were rejected by the production board. More recently, Paramount rejected the screen test of Gladys George, who was then appearing in a play tagged "Queer People." She was an unknown and the Paramount execs were unimpressed, although the eastern Paramount > office sent along a voluminous recommendation. Some time later, Broadway awoke in the morning to hear the town raving over "Personal Appearance," first big smash hit of the 1934 dramatic season. The leading lady became a star over night. Every flicker company rushed to sign her, including Paramount. It was the same Gladys George the Paramount production board had rejected weeks before, but M-G-M had hired her, showing rare sagaciousness on the part of I Bob Rubin and Bill Grady. It is not gen! erally known, but Miss George, then a I brunette, appeared with Charles Ray in pictures back around 1921. I Fox could have signed a contract with I Rudy Vallee, after the George White picI Hire, and failed to do so. On an eastern trip of Hal Wallis, Warner's general manager, I took him to see Vallee and now Vallee is a Warner star. When I was penning dramatic criticism for the late but not lamented Evening Graphic, I suggested three players, who were [Continued from page 17] then unknown, to Columbia. Reviewing "If Love Were All," at the Booth Theatre in November, 1931, two performers in it caught and riveted my attention. One was Aline MacMahon, the other was a girl named Margaret Sullavan. That same night, I tried to persuade Harry Cohn, president of Columbia, to sign them immediately. Cohn himself never saw these two performers, but, instead, detailed somebody from the New York office to look them over. Both were rejected. Nothing daunted, and my enthusiasm in discovery still at fever heat, I tried again, telling Columbia to sign Katharine Hepburn, then an unknown. They assured me, gently but firmly, that because of her exaggerated cheekbones, that La Hepburn would not photograph well. The Million Dollar Blunder which Columbia perpetrated in regard to Miss Hepburn becomes more understandable when it is realized that R-K-O almost turned her loose. Had it not been for Director George Cukor, it is to be doubted that R-K-O today would have her as their biggest moneymaker. He insisted on casting her for "Bill of Divorcement." When the executives saw her in person, noticed those high cheekbones and that angular fa< e, they raged and stormed, but Cukor. who knows his art, was adamant. Whether or not the company ever gave him a bonus for dropping the equivalent of several million dollars into the R-K-O coffers I do not know, but Cukor was entitled to a pretty penny for his sagacity. Warners believed Myrna Ion was all through when talking pictures arrived, as she always had been cast in exotic foreign or half-caste roles. M-G-M grabbed her, teamed her with Max Baer unsuccessfully and then hit upon the William Powell combination that converted "The Thin Man" and "Evelyn Prentice" into pure gold. Joel McCrea was a bit player at Metro, the studio released him and he became a star at R-K-O. Charles Boyer, new Fox star, whose "Caravan" is a big moneymaker, was brought to Metro to play in the French versions of pictures. They released him, and he returned to France dejected and heartbroken at his failure. Then Fox made him a star. Ann Dvorak was a dancing girl in M-G-M musicals but soon musicals lost their vogue and she was out of a job. Howard Hughes, at Warners, picked her to play Paul Muni's sister in "Srarface." and today she is one of the fine emotional actresses of the screen. Greta Garbo, oddly enough, almost ruined the screen career of Lew Ayres. After knocking about Los Angeles, crooning with dance bands, Ayres finally was given his big opportunity, landing an important part in Garbo's "The Kiss." It was her lasi silent picture and a tremendous flop, financially. So M-G-M aired Ayres. and it was not until he had scored a personal smash in Universal's "All Quiet on the Western Front" that the blunder was realized. Columbia's salvaging <>l Grace Moore emphasized still another Million Doll. 11 Blunder on the part of Metro, for they had her under contract and made two pictures \\ ith her. They believed thai hei type ol sinking was not commercial. Columbia, with rare acumen, turned her over to Victor Schcrt/inger, musician and director, and "One Ni^ht of Love" is rolling up one of the huge all-time grosses of the industry. Maiie Dressier pounded the pavements of Hollywood, literally and figuratively. [Continued on 52]