A NEW ZEALAND SCREEN STAR.

Press, Volume LXIII, Issue 18904, 20 January 1927, Page 7

A NEW ZEALAND SCREEN STAR.

SEARCH TO BE CONDUCTED^ • With the laudable object in view of giving New Zealand an opportunity of' competing in the world-wide popularity of the motion picture art, as represented by the purely axtistic aspect, First National Pictures (Australasia) aro now launching * campaign throughout .Now Zealand and Australia in search of what they believe to be tha girl who is possessed of the beauty, personality, and abilities of the screen star, and, in sending her to Hollywood, thuß placing before the eyes of the stago world the named of these Dominion* That there here a potential Mary Pickford or Gloria Swanson ia not to be doubted, and it ia but seemly that gifted and comely young women should come forward and offer themselves as candidates. First National Pictures (Australasia) have entered into an agreement with the Crystal Palace Theatre, Christchurch, to invite all aspirants to report at that theatre to fill in the competition form and learn more exhaustively the terms of the competition. The girl selected for Hollywood is to receive a ten-weeks' contract with Cecil B. de Mille, the producer-director of - "The Ten Commandments'' and "The Volga Boatman,' to appear in a leading part in at least one production, and, providing she reveals the average talent, she will, if »o desirous, be offered a long contract. Her salary for the ten-weeks' contract will be £2O per week, and all her expenses and those of her chaperon, to and from America, will be paid by the company. Ono girl will be selected from New Zealand and one from each State in the Commonwealth, the final adjudicating to take place at the Green Mill Palais, Melbourne, during the week commencing March 2(Kh, 1927. Passages have been tentatively booked by the s.e Sonoma, and, if the winner cannot be ready by that date, they will be changed to the s.s. Ventura, sailing, from Sydney on April 30th. If the winner is a New Zealand girl, ehe will sail direct from the Dominion. The committee to judge the finalist's will compriee representatives of First National Pictures and the Press, an artist, a doctor, and a professional photographer. I* ia io ° B understood that the decision of the casting directors is to be accepted,by the candidate* as final. Further particulars may bsobtained from the manager of the Crystal Palace Theatre, where the entry form m to be filled in. Entries close on January 22nd.