TALKIES

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 3, Issue 215, 20 September 1940, Page 7

TALKIES

PLAYER BRIEFS If it had not been for the fact that Fred Mac Murray preferred the saxophone to a more classical instrument, Hollywood might be minus the services of one of its handsomest and most competent young stars. Fred, a native of Kankakee, Illinois, was bom into a musical family. In fact, his father was a noted concert violinist, and it almost broke his heart when Fred decided to study the saxophone while atending a mid-Western college. Before long, Fred joined a dance band and migrated with the outfit to California'.. In a year or two he came Fast with that famous musical aggregation, the Californian Col legians, and broke into featured roles in Broadway reviews. Scouts spied him, and since 1:5)34 he has 'appeared in many starring roles. Madeleine Carroll, who plays the role of a smug, self-sufficient career girl in Paramount's new comedy romance, "Honeymoon in Bali," is living proof of the fact that it takes more than mere beauty to gain fame and fortune in Hollywood. Not that Miss Carroll nn't beautiful—she has long been considered one of the screen's most beautiful women; but those who know her generally re-* cognise the fact that she is also one of thes creen's most intelligent stars. Miss Carroll, who is partly French, partly Irish, bowed to her parents' wishes, attended two universities, and held a job as a school teacher before embarking on her theatrical career. She made her first screen appearance in an English picture, and after attaining success in foreign films,, crossed to America to score many film triumphs.

" Allan Jones owes his rise, to fame as the screen's outstanding tenor to the fact that his father, a Welshman, inherited the rarest gift o<" Cymry. a line tenor voice, and passed it on to Allan, flis parents mi-< grated to Scranton, Pennsylvania, before Allan was born, and his father entered the services of a large coal mining corporation. At eight, Allan was singing in the choir of big churches. In his teens, lie became a mine labourer to ad-{ vance hisni usical education. Concerts provided him with the money to study in Europe, and Walter Wanger gave him his first film break.. His latest role is that of an in Paramount's "Honey moon in Bali." western comedy has new APPEAL Selecting as their vehicle a riproaring comedy western, and surrounding themselves with a topnotch supporting cast, Mae West and W. C. Fields come to the screen at the Grand Theatre on Saturday in "My Little Chickadee" Laughter being its main objective, the production presents the curvaceous actress and the pulpnosed comedian in roles which are said to afford them ample opportunities to display their highly colourful 'and distinctive personalities to best advantage, - ' j In the supporting cast are such well-known supporting players as Joseph Calleia, Dick Foran, Gene Austin with Candy and Coco, Anne Nagel, Donald Meek, Margaret Hamilton, Ruth Donnelly and George Moran.

STAR-DIRECTOR TEAM ALWAYS LUCKY James Cagney and William Keigliley, a Warner Bros, director, worked together for the third time recently. The first time was some nine years ago in the Broadway stage play, '"Penny Arcade," which Keighley directed. The play proved a turning point in Cagncy's life, for Warner Bros bought the play and signed Cagney to appear in it, That was the beginning ol' 'his brilliant Hollywood career. The next time Keighley and Cagrey met, was in 1835 when Keighley directed and Cagney starred in "GMen," nnc of the picture hits of all time. The third meeting took place just a lew months ago when "Each Dawn I Die" went into production at Warner Bros. And 4t proved a third lucky meeting for the prison film which is now showing is being hailed as the finest thing of its* kind ever to come out of Hollywood,