Variety (Jan 1930)

4 Wednesday, January 26, 1930 Hollywood Styles By Cecelia Ager The Tibbet Voice and S.A. _ “The Rogue Song” ‘premiere at the Chinese. theatre turned into a rousing . triumph for Lawrence Tib “pett’s voice. ‘The cool concrete walls‘of that flossy -€difice crumbled Spit ainder-_the stress of the” Tibbett, _ musical ‘yibrations, as did .an‘ear “drum: ‘here and there. No one can say that the ‘puilding isn't properly ; . Bay structed so far as the earthquake hazard ‘goes. Science. ‘says : the mighty Woolworth building would "get as cardboard against the right, ". musical tone. ad “At .times > the recording: “of. Tib4 pett's: ‘voice led one to ponder -whether the M-G-M_. sounddepartment wasn't: experimenting | with _ that fascinating theory, or else was ~ aeveloping one of its own, namely: | the jouder, the grander. ‘What hurts this sensitive’ reporter isthat the latter’ theory seemed to be proved "and may no now become an axiom,:for . the Jouder | “was his voice the. louder: “was the applause. ‘The chances for a -period . of fortissimo singing in talking pictures look altogether too promising. When his yoice was’ allowed to be: . its lovely self ..without. augmenting ‘ its volume, the fine control with |. which Tibbett uses it,” coupled .with | its © natural beauty, for. once. made the ‘ pronouncements of the press -. department seem feeble in their ‘superlatives. Here is a. “yoice | to make all..the other screen yoices -erude and untaught.. Hearing Tib-. ‘pbett. ‘sing should cause ‘the. screen. ‘actors. who've dared to warble for ‘talking pictures go. back to plain’ ” acting or study for 10 years. Tib-— bett. reveals their: work as good intentions, ‘ -’ Whoever appears: on ‘the screen, | no matter how formidable © his artistic’. reputation, : automatically submits to grading under picture’s basic’ classification—that of sex appeal, This-gauge of value to. pic_ tures. measures so neatly box of-. -fiee draw that it eannot bé disregarded. Tibbett in his first picture has his quotr; but it is all in his #. voice, There is nothing till he sings. ‘He: ‘photographs a@ pleasant fellow who behaves with ‘decorum. There is none: ‘of the ruthlessness “about him that women cherish. When he is told .“‘no,”. that is the end of it so far as he is concerned. _ He will go about his business of being a good citizen, and. should he one day meet a nice girl who would ‘make a. good housekeeper. it would ‘pe practical and common sense as. well to marry her, Ah—but when he sings!) Then he is another man, . awaiting but the. spark .to, set him ‘off, And he sings often. Thero will be no ‘worried-looking treasurers ~t the bux office of the theatres with “Lawrence: Tibbett” emblazoned on . the marquee. They'll be too busy. At the Studios Norma Shearer, starring in phe Divorcee" (the tentative whitewashed title for guess what naughty novel), is going to wear sophisticated clothes this time, abandoning. for awhile t*. impeccably ccrrect, @ lady Dorn and bred costumes that have always been a little dull. Miss Shearer. is..a trim -person. with a “personality” face. . She possesses the necessary qualifications . for. wearing individual clothes. It would ' be nice if the. knockout wardrobe. > that Adrian has‘designed for thts _ picture will convert her toa dash of daring. After all, meticulous atten-. tion ‘to ‘the details of good form _ isn’t very exciting. _ There 1s a black net dinner dress, treated as if it were satin. It has * long sleeves, a square. neck and a . high’ waistline. A. strip of net encrusted down the front of the skirt Permits the skirt to be ‘pulled tight .2cross the: figure: and slithered under the. strip, which has a godet attached at the bottom,. Line of the dress curves in to the knees, where: @ series of godets flare out into a ‘fantail hem touching the . floor. Splendid. Restrained, smart, worthy of Swanson, That isn’t all. The coat for this frock ‘is inter7 esting in its own right, for it has _@ made up its mind what to do as a Wrap for a floor-touching dress, It. ; Will be long, too, a slim olack velvet ' tube’ reaching to the ankles, <A I ‘Shawl collar of white ermine, cut to fit off the neck and flared ermine. cuffs balance its length of Mne. It’s _—_ @ dificult thing to do, a sort of test, “tO: Wear “a costume with an utterly | new silhouette and look so right in It. Maybe it will give Miss Shearer. the courage to become an always ‘interestingly dressed actress instead . Of Just a well-dressed one. Sedate, No End}. , ka Chase, isn’t she a one, though! “The Florodora Girl’! taffeta bathing suit, a dashing damsel dear! with an upstanding collar, bone but-— There’s a combination to make what the fan. magazines call “Garbo j. maniacs”. . a ‘story’ ‘ike that aiid” the” glamorous” clothes of 1850—M-G-M.. is. lavish. with its good things. Her costumes, faithful in outline to the period, have been stylized, for all the little fripperies worn tlien are not for Greta... She demands. something | more. dramatic. — girls: stand at the ‘sides dressed as new -moons, lightning. heavenly display ig Alice dressed as the grandest star of them all. ‘blithely. Jappears in a georgette dress with a. Wait till you see her in _In’a black of the gelggling 90's, she ooks just too. funny for words, my Her costume. has a high neck ‘tons down the front, a skirt reaci-||~ ing below her knees, and bloomers! ' Yes, long bloomers!. You'll. die! Great big sleeves with. stiffened. puffs: make her look. as if she’s about to take off any moment, espe-. cially ‘with Ker bandana bathing cap knotted on. top.of. her head so that the ends look like a.propeller. What. a. figure she cuts, out for a dip at Manhattan Beach!hold. tight to the ropes, with all that bathing sult: on her! . She'd. better Greta Garbo’ in “Romance.” even: wilder. . Garbo, . A ‘suit, of stiff gray velvet has a little fitted. jacket with its: shoulder. cape, wide lapels and cuffs trimmed with Astrakhan shaded from Nght gray to black, which is also. used for the round barrel muff. The bouffant skirt billows from 4 tight: waistline, A gray pancake hat. andlong. kid | gloves complete a costume matching the charm of its wearer, with just enough amusing exaggeration to put it overs Alice | White's | ‘diminutive form looks ‘very precious, clothed in the jeweled leotards she wears in the revue ‘sequence of “Show Girl in| Hollywood.” pears to be a rainbow number. Yes, it must be a rainbow. number, for. innumerable chorus girls, standing on the curved platforms: of-the set, lift their skirts to. ‘show ‘how they, are lined ‘with little ruffles in all She leads what ap the colors of the rainbow. More stars and flashes ‘of ‘In the center of all this Enveloping ‘her pleasant curves is an enormous De_ Lysian. cloak of ostrich feathers, striped with bands’ of sequins. large for such a little girl, is a fan of aigrettes bursting . ‘from a half-. moon, stars. splendor are Alice's big brown. eyes and tempting smile.. Her headdress, quite of sequins, bedecked with. Peeking. from. under all this Julanne Johnstone’s stage, ‘daneing: and screen experience combine to givé her charming poise and a well trained. voice for talking pic-: tures. She always could wear clothes | -In' “Strictly Modern” she~ deep V yoke of Alencon lace and long sleeves cuffed till above the elbows with tight-fitting cuffs of -lace. . Skirt has its fullness pulled to the front in a,circular flare. It becomes necessary during the course of the picture for Miss Johnstone to slip into a raincoat, a.shower that permits anyone to look so fetching in:. transparent dilskins, Anita Page is Buster. Keaton’s leading woman in “On the Set.” As a small-town beauty. contest winner. who breaks into pictures, Anita looks attractively girlish in a black panne velvet: suit. It has a hip length. jacket buttoning. down ‘the front with gold buttons, and of summer ermine. Skirt made with} accordion pleats, decides’ on a length to just coyer the knees. A “eloche:-hat with velvet. faced brim Anita’s golden bangs have room to glitter. There is a high round neck white blouse for this suit which . fails to add a single year to Anita’ 3 young countenance. Helen Johnson making her first on'a pair of elbow length white kid gloves in a vain attempt to look ing dress, Not even slippers that had less of a mules look about them than those she wears would help. When a dress is mediocre in itself,,no amount of pert accessories can make the complete co3“tumie interesting. © This~ “Harn less frock is fitted through the waistline © and hips, the fitted part ascending In a point up the bodice. matching the point descending to. the skirt. The edges of the fitted part are outlined with scallopings of rhine Welcome rain, | a turnover collar and flared’ cuffs. is worn way off the forehead, so: picture, “The Song Writer,” pulls: modish in her green souffle even-. Did You Know That Inez Courtney has just finished her fifth picture for First National and none has been rereased tn. New York yet....Otto Kahn gave an enormous supper party to. George Gershwin and some” members of the “Strike Up. the. Band” after the opening night....Louis Shurr may be . -the -head--of a.-producing—firm— .next. season. backed -by Warners;...Betty Compton, who’ recently left the cast of “Fifty . Million “Frenchmen,” is said to . be. planning: her own show for “next season....Mack and Leon-. ard,.. the . ‘daneingact, have... opened the ‘Albert Leonard’ | ’ school of: dancing. in Dormont, us a suburb of Pittshurgh.... ‘Kitty Doner is recovering from _| a nervous collapse at. her . ranch in. Ossining; she was — obliged to-discontinue her tour. | of the Inter-State circuit.... * Dorothy Hall is having a great eal comedy in George White's ~ new. “Flying High”....Two young women are said to have invested huge sums in current musicals, and are playing un© . important parts. ... Gertrude MaeDonald has replaced Betty . .Compton -in : “Fifty. Million “UFrenchmen”.,..Joan Craw ford, Bessie. Love, Ruby Keeler. Jolson, Joan and ‘Barbara Ben-’ nett, Kitty Matin, Mary Eaton, . Marion Spitzer, Mary Astor, were all Junching at the: Em bassy Club’ in Hollywood..,... Billy Seeman .and Phyllis . ' Haver Seeman’ are in Pine- " hurst. getting -a. load of . the ‘golfing. situation... -Dorothy Fields is en route to Holly wood to -fulfill her contract ‘with M-G-M....Seymour Felix: ’ has staged what is termed the top dance number to date for the ‘new: Ed Wynn show..., _ Eddie Buzzell may make a personal appearance . with his “Johnny Jones” picture’ when, it comes in:...The tunes in “Happy Days” are pips.... ''John Hundley may do phonograph recording. stones, which also decorate the cape collar. Fiecks of rhinestones dot the bodice and are sprinkled through the full circular skirt dip ping in back. It’s the sort of dress that wilts quickly. Dorothy Sebastian’s blue satin dress in “Montana” fits sosnugly down to her knees that she looks like a mermaid, a very smart mermaid who.is up in the newest lines. Beginning with.:the slim bodice with a deep V: neck edged with crystal beads, the dregs slinks down outlining her hips. until a series. of circular cascading. godets, clambering up from their starting point on the floor, put an end to this slinkiness at irregular intervals. The center ruffile. climbed ‘up the highest. ‘A tailored belt. marks, although the fitting makes it unnecessary, the waistline. It is a dress designed for those enviable maidens with long legs and slim rounded thighs. . That type of figure should be ‘revealed in ‘its’ beauty. Sebastian in this gown proves hers is worthy... Virginia Bruce, a newcomer at. -Paramount, wears her. clothes with an air. In “Slightly Scarlet’ she has a costumé. made of. those difficult fabrics, gold cloth and metal -brocade, and. yet.doesn’t look like the first act finale of a revue. Perhaps the tailored manner with -which it {s put together redeems -it. The.. _Tesult : is. surprisingly smart. There is a one piece dress of gold cloth, -buttoning .. down the. center from its Péter Pancollar, A. flat pleated. flounce. makes the skirt, attached to the. dress at the bottom of the hipline, -~ Over the dress is worn: a little box jacket of metal brocade, ‘pound with a band of gold. A narrow tailored belt at: the waistline. ‘That is all.. Wisely no ‘trimming. The restraint of the cos‘tume is its bid for chic.. ‘gon, in New York, Dec. 27, . ig GIRIS VACATIONING Evelyn ‘ Laye and Lily Damita, each of whom will be individually. ‘starred in different musical pictures by Saniuel “Goldwyn” ‘auring ‘the-sum=" mer, will visit their respective ‘na tive lands for vacations. before go-. ing to Hollywood. Miss Laye will go to England, ‘and Miss Damita will visit Paris ahout May 20, weekly feature and || Matter submitted | MILADY AS MANNEQUIN” fashions... in. .women’s.. clothes is an! ‘| organized: business, droves poking into every place: in ‘search of a new fashion. trend or hot. onthe scent of an exclusive |. model. American manufacturers and by. all dressmaking. establishments. time. experimenting: with Inust-___ |: general-that almost..béfore. a&-woman| who has ordered an exclusive frock. in Paris can wear ‘ft, the. American. | manufacturer has ‘turned out thou-. sands of. the model for $15. apiece. |It is said that the low ‘salaried | Miss: -hospital,..Chicago,._.Father. {8..a .ca-. median.’ . + ‘twins, Jan. 9, in the Bronx Maternity Hospital. WOMEN’S PAGE Wisdom for By Nellie Revell VARIETY "7 the Woeful + ye This department, . conducted by Miss Revell, is placed at the service of any “Variety” reader. . FASHION SPIES VICI The tracking ‘down. of. the latest Fashion’ thieves roam: the city’ in .Yhey are employed. by. all Piracy has hecome. so expert ‘and stenog and the very wealthy woman are the ‘best “dresséd women: ‘in | America, a Department. stoves ° that ‘ iniport | French models = learned . long.’ .ago ‘never’ to display them window, .as. the fashion spies had merely to walk up and sketch them -But these spies in. the guise of well dressed customers: will walk into:a shop ‘and ‘ask to see The shops “will not show its original models until| they themselves have had a chance in ‘in a. Jiffy. . an exclusive model, to copy it in. large numbers. This of course is somewhat injurious to their own fine trade because wealthy women. customers. will. not. pay: @. large sum for a model that ‘has already been copied | and’ cannot be. safeguarded from general wear. | ‘Therefore most wealthy women when buying in‘New York go to some exclusive dressmaking establishment that can make up a@ model for them. “Shadow” New Models But. even here the fashion thieves triumph. o. the woman and her frock any place and obtain.a sketch of it. One can see the spies in ritzy restaurants sketching hats that lady diners are wearing. ‘At the .opening of the “Met” in: the fall] the fashion thieves mob the lobby, | sketch pook.in-hand,. ~. Some society women. knowing that inevitably their dresses will be copied take the glory unto themselves and serve as mannequins to display their own clothes at. fashion shows and charity affairs. become so prevalent that profes sional mannequins seldom get o Chance anymore to display garments at fashion shows. Also women owners of exclusive dress establish ments wear their own models know ing they will be copied and do not dress their mannequins beautifully” for society. events as they once. did. Occasjonally the American manufacturer gets into trouble through copying. . Recently a ‘French model was copled and. the manufacturer took orders from all. over the coun try for thousands of. the dress.. The | main item of the dress was a belt of 2 new material called prystal which is made in France from a cheesy substance found in milk. Not wise to French resourcefulness the manufacturer, soon discovered that the-belt could not be duplicated | here and would. cost $75 aplece if obtained from France. He was unable to fill his orders and was put out of business as he was dropped by the Amer fcan manufacturers trade . board which . rules . on. such matters... BIRTHS Mr. ‘and Mrs. Gerard Fowler, son, in New York Nursery, Jan. 19. Father is in “Garden of Roses”. (vaude). the act. Mr, and Mrs. Pete Ermatinger, Father manager Erlanger's theatre. Mother. was.a solo dancer with an Albertina Rasch unit. Mr. and Mrs, Walter ‘erry, daughter, Jan. 11, at the American to: Miss Revell will attention will be paid te unsigned letters, -suppressed.. Miss Revell may be addressed at: the Hotel or care “Variety,” New York. ee ewes oe a fresh ape... the. “They havé the names of society women and they will trail This has | penditures?. Mother also formerly with. I AN 28 pn has been instituted as a. be treated confidentially. No but real names will always be Somerset, West 47th street, | Dear: Miss Revell: I. am. in a presentation act with a Publix unit and the. mastoid of. ceremonies is He is always maul ing. the girls, even on the stage. | My beau was in the audience. last. night. when he pawed me, ‘and -he. burnedup. I'm afraid :he will create. . a scene and that. will cost memy” job. Should I quit the act or com-, plain -to ‘the manager? Rosemary. Answer: You: would: be justified in boxing his ears in sight of the audience, but that is an extreme. ‘measure and not to be. considered for @ moment by a good trouper. “why don’t you warn your annoyer that on repetition of the. offense you will notify. the house manager. ‘And then if he doesn’t desist, let | your boy friend. "ee for. him in a. big way. aan ; “Dear: Friend: lama a‘ stenographer in«a theatrical office, and one. of... the bosses is. alway® asking me. to « go. out to night’ clubs, and. he doesn’t happen. to be the -boss J. like best. Do you think it would affect. my standing. in ‘the office if I went. places with: him? ; ; * Harriet 0. Answer: “Personally. I don’t see. -how ‘you can play the night club -circuit, report: for. work the next morning and discharge your duties to. the. firm. If the spelling and typography of your letter is a good sample of your work, IT would suggest that you attend a night school rather than a night club. I think that would improve your standing in the office much more, — Déar Madam: I work. at the news stand of one of the leading hotels here (Philadelphia), and I became . pretty well acquainted. with an ace tor. He told me if I ever.came toNew York he would put me on the stage, ‘I wrote him several times, but he has never answered. ‘His — name is ani he is. a vaude-" ville actor.. How can I.be sure of | reaching him. and what do. you. ‘advise me to-do? — Anzious. ~ Answer: Forget ‘it. Lonesome ac-. tors’ on the road promise pretty: girls anything and everything. It’s an old line. of chatter. However, if you want to write him again, you can probably reach him at the N. VV. A. club, 229 ‘W. 46th street, New York City. Dear Miss Roveii: I read Variety because I like show news and ‘I want to get on the stage. [ am more than good looking, sing very well, do all the latest dances and am very. popular at parties, -Do you think I could get a good job with a show if I‘came-to New York? Miss. Ohicago. Anawer: You would probably be trampled down {in the crowd of young girls popular at parties in, their home towns. That doesn’t mean a-thing to a Broadway producer, Stay away from New York unless you have an engagement, already set before you leave. home. -“Postacripts a ‘Mollie: tam a bad matchmaker, Better get someone else to intro~ duce you to the gentleman.., Ernice: No, Clifton’“Webh ‘is not married...Stella: I do not know the Reno divorce laws, And why Reno, if. you can prove. your charges? A. E. L: Why not rent a couple of’ flashy drops until you try out your ‘act and ‘see if it justifies the ex:May: Your agent can help you find some’ one to. write materia] for: you...dJune M: I do not give fetters of introduction.. Paul: Send me your route and I will mail the Information requested. * Jan. 19.. Father {s manager: Pub-. iix’s O, C. Criterion theatre. Mr. and Mrs. Jack O'Connor. (O'Connor family), daughter, In Bay ‘Shore hospital, say Shore, L. LL, Mr. and Mrs. Harold Spina, boy Spina is with Green & Stept, music publishers, Mr. and Mrs. Patrick McGee, twin daughters, in Oklahoma City, Mr. and Mrs. “Arthur BD “Newman, son, Jan. 24. Father is owner and manager of Newman Players stock in ‘the Central States, . _Mr. and Mrs. Morris Pivar at Hollywood, a daughter, Jan. 22, Father is film editor, Columbia pictures. N