A NEW ZEALAND SCREEN STAR.

Press, Volume LXIII, Issue 18896, 11 January 1927, Page 13

A NEW ZEALAND SCREEN STAR.

SEARCH TO BE CONDUCTED. With the laudable object in view of giving Now Zealand an opportunity of competing in the world-wide popularity of the motion picture art, as "presented by the purely artistic aspeot, First National Pictures (Australasia) are now launching a .campaign throughout Now Zealand and- Australia in search of what they believe to be the girl who is possessed of the beauty. Personality, and abilities of the screen star, ana, in sending her .to Hollywood, thus placing before the eyes' o! the stage world the names of these • dominions. That there is here a potential Mary Pickford or Gloria Swanson is not to be doubted, and it is but seemly that gifted and comely young women should come forward and off or themselves as candidates. First National Pictures (Australasia) have entered into an agreement with the Crystal Palaco Theatre, Christchurch, to invite all aspirants to renorf at that theatre to fill in the competition form and learn rooro exhaustively the terms of the competition. The girl selected for Hollywood is to receive a ten-weeks' contract with Cecil B. de Mile, the producerdirector of "The Ten Commandments" and "Tho Volga Boatmeu," to appear in a leading part in at least one production, and, providing she reveals the average talent, she will if so desirous, be offered a long contract. Her salary for the ten-weeks'. contract will he £2O per week, and all her expenses and those of her chaperon, to and from America, will be paid by the company. One girl will be selected from New~Zealand and one from each State in the Commonwealth, the final adjudicating to take place at tho Green Mill Palais, Melbourne, during the week commencing March 20th, 1927. Passagos have been tentatively booked by the s.s. Sonoma, and, if tho winner cannot be ready by that date, they will be changed to the b.s. Ventura, sailing from Sydney on April 30th. If the winner is a New Zealand girl, she will sail direct from the Dominion. The committee to judge the finalists will comprise representatives of First National Pictures and the Press, an artist, a doctor, and a professional photographer. It is to bo understood that the decision of the casting directors is to be accepted by the candidates as final. Further particulars may be obtained from the manager of the Crystal Palace, Theatre, where the entry form is to be filled in. Entries close on January 17th.