Universal Weekly (1932-1936)

November 5, 1932 ■■ . UNIVERSAL WEEKLY ^ 7 Gloria stuart has arrived. In the movies only five months, the brilliant actress has played four leads. And with the recent acclaim of "Air Mail," in which she had the feminine lead opposite Ralph Bellamy, her future in pictures is assured. Universal has just signed her to a long term contract, and put her in "Laughter in Hell." Miss Stuart's rise to motion picture prominence has been nothing short of meteoric. A tew weeks ago she was an unknown quantity in Hollywood. Today she is headed for stardom. One of the many interesting things about Gloria is the remarkable circumstances surrounding her * picture debut. Before she had ever appeared on the screen, two major companies were quarreling over the right to sign her to a contract. And the matter was finally settled by flipping a coin. Universal won. First noted by Carl Laemmie, Jr., while giving her initial performance in "The Sea Gull" at the Pasadena Playhouse, Miss Stuart stepped immediately into leading roles. No extra parts and bits tor her. Her very first assignment was a lead. When James Whale, the director, began searching about for someone able to register fright in "The Old Dark House," Universal's picturization of the J. B. Priestley thriller with Karloff, Laemmie, Jr., pointed out the recently signed Gloria Stuart. Perhaps because of her very natural novice's fright. Whale decided that Gloria could do the job. A preview of "The Old Dark House" revealed that the director's guess had been a good one. On a "loan" to Warner Brothers, Miss Stuart next made "Street of Women." Then came her most difficult role to. date, a heroine lead opposite Richard Arlen in Universal's football sequel to "The Spirit of Notre Dame," "The All American." Gloria not only filmed this picture but at the same time took the lead in Universal's "Air Mail." During her first five-month period in the movies, therefore, a time which most newcomers spend finding out what it is all about. Miss Stuart played the leads in four major productions. Because of her outstanding work in "Air Mail," in which she shares stellar honors with Pat O'Brien, Lilian Bond, and Russell Hopton, the little blonde was presented with a Universal longtermer. "My head swam!" she confessed recently in commenting on her rapid rise to movie celebrity. "Though I was born in Santa Monica, less than 20 miles from Hollywood, the thought of a screen career had never occurred to me. All my theatrical activities had been in college plays at the University of California and in Little Theatres in various parts of the state. I appeared regularly in plays presented at the Theatre of the Golden Bow, located in Carmelby-the Sea. It was Gilmour Brown, director of the Pasadena Community Playhouse, who witnessed one of Miss Stuart's performances at the Golden Bow and Invited her to his playhouse to play the lead in his production of "The Sea Gull." Curiously enough, Onslow Stevens, who is prominently cast in Carl Laemmle's screen version of "Once In A Lifetime," was Miss Stuart's leading man in "The Sea Gull" and was signed by Universal at tile same time as Miss Stuart. Though there are many blondes in Hollywood, Gloria is one of the natural ones, and this, with her large hazel eyes and exceptionally fine profile, makes her one of the most attractive young women of the screen. And beneath her ever-present dignity and poise, Gloria hides a great many ardent enthusiasms. An excellent swimmer, she is so in love with the sport that every summer afternoon finds her in the surf. Hollywood is agog at her feats on the polo field. She is an excellent horsewoman and of the tew women polo players in the film colony. Also, she is an extremely talented wood-carver. Last, but certainly not least she is a movie fan. Her work in "Air Mail," a thrilling story of the intrepid aviators who fly the government mail, is splendid. Qloria Stuart Has Played Four Big Leading Roles in the First Six Months of Her Film Experience