QUESTION DEPT. "Isn't it true that early day movie stars were very short and a tall girl did not stand a CATOE chance in films?" Answer: Yes and no. Mary Miles Minter, Mary Pickford, Presents Theda Bara, Gloria Swanson and Betty Bronson were rather petite - some would say very short. One fine charac SHOWTIMEINCHICAGO ter actress was denied many a worthy role because of her 5'7" height. She was Gertrude Astor. She towered over more "Highlights of the 1969 than a few leading men of the early silents. In spite of this elegant tallness ATOE Convention" and dignity, Astor carved out a notable career and is today ready for a film and TV call. Last time we saw her at a featuring Hollywood party, she looked charming. • / ~ Directed by ANN Little, who was in the early ARTISTSand ORGANS .... Lyle W. Nash silents and worked with Wm. S. Hart, is feeling fine and lives at 5798 Linden from the 1969 CLOSEUP - Of all the accomplished hurst Ave., Los Angeles, 90036, Cali villains, Stuart Holmes was among the fornia. Convention finest in the silent film era. His roles in • "Four Horsemen" and "Prisoner of MASSIVE, mighty, costly. That's Zenda" ('22 MGM) were near classics. the 629-page "American Movies Refer A deluxe full color 2 record stereo Holmes was probably the most skilled ence Book" (Prentice-Hall, $29.95). album - complete with photos and and sophisticated heavy going as he Paul Michael and associates have com stories of the exciting Chicago Con was at home with Hamlet or as a slip piled a volume overflowing with facts, pery society scoundrel. Researchers note 1,854 new stills, mini-biographical vention. that Holmes began his film career with sketches of 587 film players and the a "first." He starred in the very first largest Award list of all types yet movie Wm. Fox produced in 1914, printed in one place. The dedicated fan LIMITED EDITION for ATOE mem "Life's .Shop Window." The one reel will cherish the 1,000 films with cast effort ( 10 minutes) was shot, edited credits. It is a review of the Sound era bers only! Don't be disappointed! and ready for distribution in a week. from 1928 to 1968. A highly selective, Order now to reserve copies for • interpretive view of the films since pre-Christmas delivery. HOLMES, who knows his profession Conrad Nagel was the voice of Vita perfectly, has terse views about acting. phone. Book can be had from Nostalgia His eyes twinkle as he says: "Many Book Club for 50% reduction, if you're great actors were drunks - Jack Bar a frugal type. · $9.95 rymore and W. C. Fields. The most • plus 50c mailing exciting men in history were heavies. IT WAS farewell last June to Los Napoleon, Stalin and Hitler." Angeles' beautiful Carthay Circle cine • ma cathedral. The CC was a Spanish TODAY at 82 Holmes looks good, monument to California's great history is still tall, has clear blue eyes, a deep and had a magnificent collection of tan, a small moustache and thinning paintings of great moments in western history. It served as a premiere center * hair. He lives alone at 2152 Vista del STILL AVAILABLE!!! for new films for 40 years. "Gone With Mar Ave., Hollywood, Calif., 90028 in 1969 Convention Program Bro the Wind" bowed there in 1939 while the same hilltop home overlooking the chures-$ LOO plus 25c mailing. lights of Cinemaland that he has owned "Volga Boatman" opened the house in since 1924. Next year will mark 50 1926. Other great films to have first years of living and working in Holly showings at the famous white land wood. He spends his time painting, in mark included "Lilac Time," "What wood carving and doing sculptor crea Price Glory," "Seventh Heaven," "Sun tions. rise" and "Mother Knows Best." • MGM's "Shoes of the Fisherman" To order records *and brochures, send TV pleases him because of its tech closed the house before the wrecking your check or money order and return nique: "I like television because the crews took over. Site was used for an address to: creators are using lots of closeups - office building. The style 235 (3/11) which I tried to sell to the movie Wurlitzer was sold to Hollywood pho CATOE makers of 40 years ago. Let the audi tographer Harlan Helm for a reported ence see the actor." $4,000 in the mid-'50s. He lost interest c/ o Jack Smith, Treasurer • and sold it before completing installa 1711 E. Willow THE LAMBS (Club), 130 West tion in a vacant supermarket building. 44th St., New York, 10036, New York, • Wheaton, Illinois 60187 with a membership of 1,200, may be a COMMENTS, contributions and cor- source of locating entertainment per rections are welcomed to P. 0. Box Please make all checks payable to CATOE sonalities. Many get mail at the Lambs. 113, Pasadena, California, 91102. 33 theatre organ bombarde