PART FIVE—AMUSEMENT SECTION Theaters—Radio—Music P)t te Junior Star—Art—Books F EIGHT PAGES. WASHINGTON, D. C., AUGUST 20, 1939. Maybe They Empire State Want to Be Contributed Cared For Its Share Some Random Notes Statistics Expert Anent the Mates Finds 74 Stars Of the Stars From New York By Sheilah Graham. By Harold Heffernon. HOLLYWOOD. HOLLYWOOD. Is there, or is there not, something Numerically, New York is the significant in the fact that a large Union’s foremost contributor to Hol- proportion of male stars marry lywood’s acting personnel. mates older than themselves, and The Nation’s most populous State that women stars, next to marrying is also distinguished as the birth- actors—which one expects, owing to place of an overwhelming number propinquity—prefer to marry agents, of celluloid menaces. doctors, producers or businessmen? Texas supplies the most beautiful Can it be that the screen darlings girls and the heaviest crop of he- want to be taken care of? An older man Western stars. woman will probably mother her Wisconsin, Nebraska and Ohio run younger husband. Agents, doctors, a photo-finish race as the source producers and businessmen are ex- of the screen’s most handsome and pert at looking out for the interests popular leading men. of others (while looking out for the Greta Garbo pauses, serious for a moment, between scenes The industry’s home State of Cali- interests of themselves). of "Ninotchka,” the comedy on which she is now working in fornia has a decided corner on the Male actors whose wives can give Hollywood. juvenile star market and supplies the them several years include: Tyrone largest percentage of chorus Power—his Annabella is at least and stock players. These five years his senior; Nelson Eddy, and other none-too-vital with a bride of 40-odd summers; statistics concerning the origin of Gene Is No Fun the nearly 500 motion actors Raymond, junior by five years Being Funny picture to Jeanette MacDonald: Barbara and actresses currently under con- tract to the and Stanwyck saw the light of day a Too Much Is major independent Expected of studios of were few years before Robert Taylor; Him, Hollywood brought to in a George Raft is younger than Bob Wails light survey completed last his long-estranged wife; Kay Benchley week. other was Francis is older than Fiance Baron By the Associated Press. Among things, it dis- closed that 449 Barnekow; ditto Constance Bennett, HOLLYWOOD. exactly players—30 cent less than the number two three years the senior of Fiance A funny man's life isn’t all fun. per years ago—were drawing regular Gilbert Roland. And, of course, Listen a moment to the plaint of weekly checks from the film there is Clark Gable, whose two Bob Benchley. pay makers on August 15. Bette Davis adds her characterization in ‘‘The preceding plunges into matrimony “I have,” says Benchley, simply, Old Maid” to To this figure must be added 38 an screen were with ladies blessed—or cursed— “trouble being funny.” impressive gallery of portraits. The picture is the important free-lance stars and sup- current attraction at Warner’s Earle with more years than Clark. A strange statement for the maker Theater. porting artists who work steadily I--- The current attentions of Agent of some of the funniest short sub- on picture-to-picture commitments Maureen O'Hara is Ireland's newest gift to Hollywood and Vic Orsatti to Sonja Henie will—if jects (remember "How to Sleep?") —bringing the grand total in this the cinema. She appears opposite Charles Laughton in “Jamaica they fade irto matrimony—put the in film history. Inn" and in two 10 unique birthplace roundup to 487. more pictures thereafter. percenter Hollywood husbands But he goes on to explain: That Was Nearly every one of these United I Glory Broadway ahead of the field—with the excep- "Everyone I talk to,” and his voice States can lay claim to at least tion of the actor mates. has a note of sadness, "expects me a representative or two on the 1939 Girls who have said "I do” to be sidesplitting. If I'm not, they already contract calendar. Only four States— One io nesn now either look Studio’s Scheme Puts peuuier.s—juiic l^ang, downright disappointed Delaware, Maine, Maryland and divorced from Vic Orsatti; Jean or give me a bored glance which South Dakota—fall to come Up with Arthur, whose husband, Frank Ross, says: what pver made me Humph, a single candidate. North Dakota, As the Years Pass think he was Director in was an agent when she married him. funny?”' with Valley City’s Ann Sothem: By meth- Solely Charge He is now an associate producer, but Benchley's picture-making Arkansas, with Van Buren’s leading ods are He writes his ma- continues to handle Jean's business unique. citizen. Bob Bums, and West Vir- 'And It Will Not Return Until Some terial at home. One short re- and private problems. may ginia. with Fairmont’s Fuzzy Knight, Of Sullavan snatched Ace a few days, another weeks. Film-Making Job Margaret quire only barely escape that unglamorous Are Made, s Leland from the Then he to the studio. Work- Changes Say Agent Haywood goes classification by a single entry each. seemingly longing-to-wed Katharine ing at top speed, he completes two Columbia Plan Gives Him California, long chided for al- A Man Who Should Know the Budget Hepburn. Both ladies continue to “quickies' in four days. Then he's leged failure to develop screen tal- pay their 10 per cent to Mr. Hay- through for another three months. What's the matter with. Broadway? Plenty, says little And Lets Him Do the Rest on ent within its own borders, throws Billy ward s efficient organization. Under a contract for eight shorts Rose, the mad a who was back the lie with birthplace figures portion of Broadway giant, born within Songstress Florence George recent- a year, he thus spends 16 days on smell of the street and made his way along it as Make-or-Break Basis placing it only a notch below New champion typist, with Everett Crosby, who, one of Metro's sound sets. The other champion song writer, club owner and ly eloped ROBERT BESCHLEY. York State in total number of con- champion night champion in addition to working *s brother 349 are his own. His writing, aside showman. He is out the words Ira tract players. New York has given batting following for Wolfert, By Jay Carmody is also her agent. from his own script, consists of a around and meet now on a vacation. Bing's manager, get people who birth to 74 of the current movie It is a truism that the screen a was to lead a critical theater column in a New don’t think he's That bothers is director's medium. The 80.000.000 Shirley Ross hoping funny. pets, while California marks up 47 existence when she York weekly magazine. him. He thinks he should weekly customers of the movies mav not spend many of their spare quiet domestic maybe j to take second place. Next in or- By Billy Rose. Which leaves him lots of time to work more. moments cogitating that solemn truth, but it in the married 10-percenter Ken Dolan. der of numerical are figures constantly .. I importance NEW YORK. But part of the latter's business is Texas (23), Massachusetts (22) and meditations of Hollywood. Whether so-and-so can act, or such-and-such The legend of Broadway. New York's Broadway, is coming apart at perforce enacted in restaurants and Missouri and Illinois, tied at 21 can write, are subjects for contemplation in such spare intervals as are the seams. Once the national synonym for the theater, for gayety, glam- night clubs, and Shirley, who likes Have a Word for It Command each. j rot filled with how fine it is that Woody Van Dyke II is back in his stride, Royal our, adventure, excitement and high jinks, today Broadway is tarnished to see something of Ken, goes Back in 1933 What chance would an | Robert Taylor made Members of the Judge Hard?' under- from ill or what's happened to the Lubitsch touch. On the lots, if not on the mar- Ditto fof' Bari, who. use. frowsy from neglect. It crawls with barkers and hawkers and along. Lynn a test in a toga for “Roman Scan- Family. Micfcey Rooney. Lewi# world film have without its George quees. the director is the tig name associated with the production of a after a lot of finally- shills like a cheaper Coney Island. For 20 years heralded as the most mind-changing, dals.” He didn't get the role, but Stone. Fay Holden and Cecilia Park- Raft, Jimmy Cagney, Humphrey screen drama. He is the who gets or the said to Walter Kane, one of romantic thoroughfare in the Nation, it now has the of a chap tfie gate praise. “yes” he thought he'd lived down this er. with Judy Garland, will appear Bogart. John Carradine or Cesar guise gin-soaked the the and better Also drab home from an Carrying assumption of the director's importance to the seemingly bigger agents. first test. Evidently he hasn't. The before their royal majesties. King Romero? All are registered as New crawling all-night carouse. Constance Moore (agent-husband so In most logical extreme these days is Columbia Studio. Others may con- other day, looking at a home with George and Queen Elizabeth, at York born. And are John Gar- its heyday, theaters with great stars crowded Broadway from Johnny Maschio), Jean Rogers of J. Carrol Naish. Chester Mor- centrate upon the development of stars, which can be borrowed, or writers object purchase, he was as- the State Theater, Kilburn, Eng- field, Thirty-ninth to Fiftieth street. At the season's peak, as many as 70 (agent-husband Dany Winkler). tounded ris and Maxie Rosenbloom—to who can be had. but Columbia's cry is for directors. when the realtor paused land. on October 18. The command say theaters would be a trade. Now it's an that who doing lively exceptional year And there is Dorothy Lamour, in the garden, said. I call at- will be for th» nothing of the pesky "Dead End" Not plain directors does it want, either, but men can wear “May performance staged sees as many as 30 theaters in mid-December, and the street who with will not walk a unless accom- open itself, step tention. Mr. Taylor. to what an annual Cinematograph Trade Be- kids, most of whom were born or honor and profit, especially profit, the mantle of producer-director. The her Rock- i as distinguished from the amusement area which it identifies, boasts of panied by agent, Wynn ideal setting this garden makes for nevolent Fund. Great Britain's mo- reared in New York or Brooklyn. difference between the two is more marked, than the amora. ! but two legitimate theaters—the 45-year-old Empire and the Winter perhaps, average a Greek play?” i tion charity organization Smoothest of all the white-collared A picture Garden. moviegoer realizes. director is a chap who works in collaboration with Lady emoters who feel safe with tricksters. Edward Arnold, first saw Gone are the Globe, the New Amsterdam, the Gaiety, the Casino, various other and superior men around the studio. He is assigned such a doctor or dentist in the family in- daylight in Brooklyn. I the George M. Cohan, the Criterion and the Knickerbocker—all landmarks things as stories, stars, sound clude Claudette Colbert, the happy in theatrical What stages, gag men and the other essential Film Schedules Texas, with a bevy of nine be- j Broadway's history. has replaced these? Soft drink of a bride of Dr. Joel Pressman, one of Today's Ingredients picture. The producer-director, on the other hand, is a witching feminine candidates, is a stands, grind picture houses, fake jewelry stores, nickel-in-the-slot kind of the best local nose and throat spe- KEITH'S—"When Tomorrow Comes.” romance as superman, a fellow who has his own ideas for stories, stars, etc., impersonated by head or so above the rest of the restaurants, bus stations, one-flight-up dance halls and suit-with-two- cialists; Irene Dunne, the wife of Irene Dunne and Charles Boyer: 2. 3:55, 5:50, 7:45 and 9:45 union field the and is allowed full scope in the production of a film. All the studio p.m. in all-important item pairs-of-pants bazaars. assigns Dr. Frank Griffin—he is a dentist; "March of Time”: 3:35. 5:30. 7:25 and 9:20 him is a wad of p.m. of screen beauty. For a long span, The that was specified money and sits back to await the results which whose Dr. glory Broadway has been dimmed almost to a flicker, Penny Singleton, husband. EARLE—"The Old San Antonio's Joan It can with Maid.” Bette Davis. Miriam Hopkins in the screen Crawford and its decline dates from anticipate confidence. The fellow knows how to deliver or he Scroggs Singleton, calls himself by a the decline of the theater, the theater with version of the Pulitzer Prize play: 2:35, 5, 7:25 and 9:50 p.m. reigned supreme as the typical glam- does not get the job. long name which means dentist for breathing actors, with music from horns and reeds and strings rather Stage shows: 2, 4:20, 6:45 and 9:10 p.m. our girl of Hollywood, and even Columbia's children only, and Sigrid Gurie. who than the canned The street that O. called Producer-Directors now. in spite of high-powered con- counterpart. Henry lovingly a divorce so she could Dr. CAPITOL—“These Glamor Girls.” taxi-dancer at a sleek college All Have Marquee Standing. got marry tention. she’s still in there pitch- “Bagdad on the Subway’' is going to the dogs fast. For all I know, the Laurence well-known house party: 2. 4:35. 7:25 and 10:15 p.m. "Going Native,” on Spangard, Girl ! dogs may already have it. You won't find smart restaurants on The caliber of a ing. ‘"Oomph” Ann Sheridan, any producer-director is indicated quite definitely by the local physician. stage: 3:20,6:10 and 9 pm. roster of most ballyhooed personality in films Broadway, any smart hotels, any smart shops. Broadway is shabby, noisy, Columbia. The list is composed of names which have a Personally, if I were a screen ac- PALACE—“Stanley and with and Sir high Livingstone,” Spencer Tracy came out from Dallas four and Worse value today, ; dirty unkempt. yet, it’s dull. And it's getting duller. Why, marquee even though the stars they hire At tress, I would try to ensnare a pro- Cedric Hardwicke in the title roles: 2:30, 4:50, 7:10 and 9:35 pm. may get top billing. years ago and is tabbed for big Broadway hasn't had a 1 murder in five this it includes the ducer for a husband. are in a good page years! writing names of Frank Capra, Frank Lloyd, Rouben They METROPOLITAN—"Each Dawn I Die,” Cagney vs. injustice in a things at the Warner Studio—if she good position to the little wom- Lavish Musical Revues Mamoulian, Howard Hawks and Wesley Ruggles. help fight to the finish; 2:45, 5:05, 7:25 and 9:45 pm. doesn't trip on that sure-fire but j Even the casual follower an along. Here are some stars who Can't Ask Their Tariff Now. of cinema affairs should know that no COLUMBIA—“Andy Hardy Gets Fever," and is smitten with delicate brand of space-grabbing. studio agree with me—Merle Oberon (Mrs. Spring 6hould have occasion for sleepless nights with puppy love: 2, 3:45, 5:40. 7:40 and 9:45 Best overnight star bet of the year uut lets iook at tne theater, because its of the theater that the that kind of producer- Alexander Korda), Myma Loy (Mrs. p.m. director It is not is Linda Darnell, a dazzling 17- resident of Tacoma or Tulsa or line-up. impossible, of course, for any one of the five to Arthur Hornblow, jr.). Hedy Lamarr LITTLE—"Of Human Bondage,” Bette Davis in the Somerset Tampa thinks when Broadway is cited. manufacture a year-old brunette from Dallas, the Where are turkey, but the odds against it are the kind a (Mrs. Gene Maugham story: 2, 4:05, 5:55, 7:45 and 9:40 pm. the "Music Box Revues.” the "Little Shows”, the "Passing child asks Markey), Virginia Bruce main pictorial interest in “Hotel when making a bet with father. (Wives, too. for that (Mrs. J. Walter Danielle TRANS-LUX—News and Shows,” the Earl Carroll “Vanities," the Ziegfeld "Follies” of a decade matter.) Columbia, Ruben), shorts: continuous from 2 pm. for Women.” Mary Martin, who therefore, is proceeding on what looks like such sure Darrieux (husband Henri Decoin is ago? In limbo! No producer in his right mind would to ground that it would OPEN-AIR—“The Adventures of Marco Polo," with Gary Cooper as sang ("My Heart Belongs to Dad- attempt put not be surprising to see the more a producer-director-writer), Rose on a show of like caliber It would be economic example widely followed by other Holly- the fellow who discovered spaghetti: 8 and 10:05 p.m. dy”) and strip-teased herself into today. Why? folly. Ten wood enterprises. years ago the great revues asked and received five bucks for (See GRAHAM, Page F-2.) (See HEFFERNAN, Page F-2.) orchestra The kind of seats. Ask such a pictures which a producer-director set-up develops for fee now and there'd be a lynching. Yet production the financial costs are than executives and the stockholders is evident in Columbia's higher they were 10 years back. Wage scales for mechanics, current list. It includes Capra s "Mr. Smith Goes to Washington,” designers, costumers, musicians are much higher than in 1929. Were "Tree Sam Harris to a Lloyd's of Liberty," Mamoulian's "Golden Boy” and Hawks’ “The attempt "Music Box Revue” today, a "Music Box Revue” Are." of the size and and of Bigger They (Incidentally, Mamoulian is expected soon to return splendor personnel the original, he would lose a to his old fortune everf if he to love, the Theater Guild, to direct "Farm of Three Echoes.” That played capacity trade. So much for the musicals! will The drama? star Ethel Barrymore and is scheduled for the National if and when Producing plays on Broadway is not a business. Most It materializes. of the available playwrights send their product to Hollywood or toil there themselves. A Playwright Odets May Become producer may wait three years before he lays hands on a he thinks of Member of Columbia's Team. play worthy production. What does he do in the interval? He reads bad plays and hopes his bank account doesn't blow In taking unto its exchequer so many men who approach the uni- up in his teeth. The non-musical theater on is swell for the versal in Broadway picture-making genius, Columbia is not without its notions as playwrights. When they give birth to a good play, it has a long and to latent talent capable of fancy development. prosperous run, but that doesn't mean that its producer makes any There are echoes across the land these days that the studio believes lavish sum. Again, wage scales, production costs, the folly of a road tour Clifford Odets, the lad who writes those taut tales of the common people, reduce his profit, even on a soaring hit, to a pittance. Once Hollywood migh have the makings of a major-producer director. Lines are reported snapped up every Broadway success for reproduction on the screen. out to be for Odet s name on such a Columbia contract. He is no novice Not now! There weren't over three plays sold to the West Coast over- in Hollywood, of course, in of the fact that his spite greatest fame has lords all last season. The producer is lashed to the mast from the start. derived from his for the Theater in New writing Group York. While his He perishes even though the crew is rescued. adventures in cinemaland have not been the completely scorching suc- I can and will say this much. You will not find the typed line, cess anticipated, he did an in his of "The unforgettable job writing Gen- “Billy Rose presents,” over any Broadway plays or musical shows until eral Died at Dawn.” conditions change rapidly. The mass entertainment in which I have Mr. Odets concentrated his fire on writing heretofore, but if Co- been engaged the past four years presents few of the risks of the lumbia thinks he is limiting himself too much, it must have some reason theater. “Aquacade,” the marine spectacle which I am presenting at It has made no mistakes in for it. yet choosing its major help since it the Worlds Fair, will make more money for me in its six months* idea scheme to got the that the Capra ought be expanded to include others. engagement than all the shows on Broadway combined made for their Local Talent Is Making Good • producers this past season. in Many a Distant Theater. nquanuc Admissions lop lnose Isetta Jewell, jr„ the local girl who returned from New York to make Of Whole New York Theater. sach a handsome success of two Cross Roads theater plays, is not the Call that bragging if you like, but I know what I’m talking about. only talented young person who has been using the summer to excellent In the week ended July 22, “Aquacade" played to 221.898 paid admissions. advantage. Civic theater players, it turns out, have been scoring suc- That’s not a press agent count, but the record of the turnstiles. The cesses all over the summer theater circuit. average admission fee was a little over 50 cents, with receipts of $112,898. and Norman Rose are a nice Prances Brunt reported doing job with For that same week, there were 11 legitimate attractions on Broadway the University Gilbert and Sullivan company. Ted Tenley has been on the and together they didn’t play to the “Aquacade" total. Of the 11, roster of Day Tuttle's company at Mt. Kisco, where Rachel Sewel is an- probably four operated at -a profit. Not one of them did anything like other at where localite making good. Up Schenectady, Charles Coburn capacity business at all performances, yet "Aquacade” didn't have an over Mohawk presides magnificently the drama festival, Howard Whit- empty seat—and the New York State Marine Theater, which houses it, field and James Rawls have contributed their bits to the entertainment seats 10,000—at any night performance. Since it opened May 1, of the warm weather customers. “Aquacade” had played to more than 2,000,000 people in its first three Obviously the boys and girls are getting around. months. Not all tjie hits on Broadway—and I’ll throw in the flops for good measure—played to anything like that number of people in the I’ corresponding interval. Walter Marlene In Wanger Buys Gets Role y QB “Aquacade” I hit upon a successful formula through no great ‘Dynasty of Death’ Marlene Dietrich has been signed vision on my part. As every one must know by this time, attendance Universal to »t the New York World’s Fair has been but half of what was anticipated. Walter Wanger has purchased the by appear opposite Fair-goers demand a lot for their money—I might a lot for a little screen rights to “Dynasty of Death.” James Stewart in ‘‘Destry Rides say money. That I give them in see a the best-selling novel by J. T. Cald- Again,” Joe Pasternak production “Aquacade.” They 70-minute show, with 300 from well, which is based on the exploits scheduled to start soon. Miss people engaged, comfortable seats for 40 cents. Prices of munitions barons. Dietrich, in her first American film range as high as 99 cents. But on a record Saturday, when 38,018 saw Wanger will budget the picture appearance in two years, will have my marine carnival in four performances, 28,214 of them paid the mini- one of the most on the role of a dance hall mum as important hostess in fee, 40 cents. If that doesn't indicate a trend, then I’m a hi* 1939-40 schedule of United •Destry,” which George Marshall C. Aubrey Smith, June Dupre and John Clements are the three stars, pictured here by Norman Rockwell, who have important clog dancer! will | Artists releases. direct. roles in Alexander Korda’s "Four Feathers," adventure tale due soon on the Loew's Palace screen. (Released by the North American Newspaper Alliance, Inc.)

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