Silver Screen (May-Oct 1939)

JUN 30 1939 ©C1B 420760^^ THE LETTER FROM LIZA DEAR ED: Once to every woman — and only once, except to Elsa Maxwell — comes a big party. Claudette Colbert has felt one coming on for sometime now and finally a few Saturday nights back it caught up with her. She ordered a big tent put on the terrace (a party isn't a party in Hollywood without a tent) with lovely cellophane sides so that the guests might see the gardens outside and at the same time be protected from the chilly night air — in California, you know, we sleep under blankets, even in summer. Well, I soon fixed it so that the guests had to go scampering for their sables and silver fox. It was in the midst of a Cuban tango, and I've always prided myself on my tango, when Tyrone Power gave me a twirl, and I twirled right off the dance floor and through the cellophane into the pansy bed — that boy doesn't know his own strength. But I must say Ty is a gentleman. He proceeded to twirl himself smack through the cellophane too, and insists to this day that he broke it. Now naturally Claudette wasn't any too pleased by this unexpected bit of circus entertainment at her very formal party (and she knew darned well who really broke the cellophane), but she was very sweet and pretended not to notice that her lovely tent had a gap in it. Liza's tango with Ty Power turned out to be quite a headache for Claudette. That, of course, was only one of the things that Claudette, as a hostess, had to put up with that night. Omar the tentmaker hadn't done the tent right and it had to be done over a few seconds before the first guests arrived — and of course Claudette wasn't dressed when the first guests arrived. A dozen or so guests took the time they were invited literally and actually arrived on the appointed hour, while a few other guests, including myself, didn't arrive until ten thirty, and when you've prepared dinner for ninethirty it's just a wonder that anything's fit to eat by ten-thirty. Claudette smiled sweetly, but a little sickly when she thought of the turkey and the chicken drying away to a fine old parchment. One of the extra "help" drank more champagne than he served, somebody upset coffee on the living room rug, and a few friendly souls, including myself, stayed until six-thirty in the morning. Having smiled sweetly and hostessy for eleven hours running Claudette collapsed as the last car rolled away, and slept for two days. I wouldn't blame her if she never invited me again. REFLECTING the MAGIC of HOLLYWOOD AUGUST, 1939 Volume Nine Number Ten Silver Screen Lester C. Grady Editor Elizabeth Wilson Lenore Samuels Frank J. Carroll Western Editor Assistant Editor Art Director CONTENTS STORIES AND ARTICLES Page Priscilla Lane's Romance Test Jerry Lane 14 //'/ fun finding out if you're really in love Righting Wrong Impressions Elizabeth Wilson 22 Alice Faye knows what it means to be misunderstood Secrets of a Hollywood Hostess Leon Surmelian 24 Mrs. Basil Rathbone on Hollywood parties No Wonder She's Happy! David Tearle 26 Eleanor Powell's future looks brighter A New Kind of Lover Gene Schrott 36 Laurence Olivier is a combination of Gable, Taylor and Power Who'll Win the 1939 Oscars? Ben Maddox 38 Belle Davis gives her views on the subject Exploding the Stand-in Myth! Ed Sullivan 40 The true meaning of the fob * A Ghost for a Year! Gladys Hall 42 The strange experience of Ann Sothern My, How Shirley's Growing Up! Charles Darnton 44 And Shirley Temple's ideas are getting grown-up, too "I Gave Up My Career For Love" Lillian Roth 46 A frank confession by a former favorite Elsa Throws Another ' 4^ Elsa Maxwell has a party and all the stars attend Marvels of Make-Up ' 5° Hou> the make-up artistry of "Wizard of Oz" was achieved Vacation Daze 5^ Pictorial delights MONTHLY FEATURES The Opening Chorus 4 Liza disgraces (?) herself at Claudette Colbert's party Tips on Pictures 6 Pictures to see and to miss Contest Winners 10 April Letters of Criticism "Oh, to be Cool and Comfy!" Mary Lee 12 Beauty hints for warm weather Topics for Gossip 19 Current happenings in filmdom We Point With Pride 34 Brian Aherne is honored Reviews 51 * Criticism of the important offerings Pictures on the Fire S. R. Mook 56 Watching them make forthcoming productions ART SECTION Spencer Tracy -and Ann Sheridan ..28-29 Paulette Goddard and George Brent 30-31 Judith Barrett and Doug Fairbanks, Jr ; 32-33 Robert Taylor and Hedy Lamarr \ 35 For That Week-End in the Country 52 Dots and Dashes for the Evening 55 COVER PORTRAIT OF JEAN ARTHUR BY MARLAND STONE V. G. Heimbucher, President Paul C. Hunter, Vice President and Publisher D. H. Lapham, Secretary and Treasurer SILVER SCREEN. Published monthly by Screenland Magazine, Inc., at 45 West 45th Street, New York, -N. Y. Advertising Offices: 45 West 45th St., New York; 410 North Michigan Ave., Chicago; 530 W. Sixth St., Los Angeles Calif. Manuscripts and drawings must be accompanied by return postage. They will receive careful attention but Silvbe Sobebn assumes no responsibility for their safety. Yearly subscriptions $1.00 in the United States its dependencies, Cuba and Mexico; $1.50 in Canada; foreign $1.60. Changes of address must reach us five weeks in advance of the next issue. Be sure to give both the old and new address. Entered as second class matter, September 23, 1930, at the Post Office, New York, N. Y., under the act of March 3. 1879. Additional entry at Chicago, Illinois, Copyright 1939 by Screenland Magazine, Inc. Printed in the U. S. A. MEMBER AUDIT BUREAU OP CIRCULATIONS