LATEST DOINGS FROM THE STUDIOS

Chronicle (Levin), 12 June 1946, Page 7

LATEST DOINGS FROM THE STUDIOS

(Special — From Les. M. Murphy) WELLINGTON, This Day. Larry Parks was studying for an M.D. degree when the movies took him. Jinx Falkenburg was an expert swimmer at the age of 18 monchs. Rita Hayworth carelessly slings a chinchilla wrap around her shoulders in "Gilda." It's no stage prop — it cost Coiumbia 50,000 doilars. Bettv Hutton made a recording caiied "Docror, Lawyer. Indian Chief" and ad libbed a little in the mxddle and it somehow got past the censors. Note for record, fans. Illegal impersonations are the order in Hollywood. Both Barbara Soanwyck and Joan Leslie are victims. Hedy Lamarr is being seen with George Sanders. They say she's even acquiring a clipped accent. Paul Muni is an expert violinist, Ray Milland was formerly a mem- ; ber of the British Guard, and , Charles Starrett, cowboy star, used Lo be fullback in the Dartmouth fnntha.ll tpam.

Perey Westmore, famous makeup expert, passed out lipsticks when his last grandchild arrived. One wise cracker wants to be around when Walter Chrysler makes a, siinilar announcement. Buddy de Sylva, former Paramount top man, is the latest to launch his own producing company. Boris Karloff can't sleep unless thcro is a light on in his room. IL's hard for Rosalind Russell to admil this, but her favourite pastime is reading nursery books. , A1 Jolson has just brought 35,000 dollars' worth of under-water ' colour camera equipment which he will use to photograph tropical marine life off the Florida and West lndies coasts when he retires next ycar. He is waiting to see the film of his life completed at Coiumbia. Wiliiam Farnum, of silent day famc, rccently celebrated his 56th year in pictures on the set of Paramount's "Perils of Pauline," the story of the silent days serial queen, Pearl Wliite. The sight of last week at Hollywood was 5ft. lin. Peggy Cummins kissing 6ft. 4in. Vincent Price for a love-scene in "Forever Amber." Peggy had to stand on a ladder. Olivia de Havilland's performancc in playing a middle-aged woman with complete dignity and rcaJism in Paramount's love . story of two wars, "To Each His Own." earned high praise from critics in New York last week. In the film Olivia, like her leading man -Tohn Lund, grows old. Comel Wilde, now revelling in th° role of Robin Hood's son in "The Bandit of Sherwood Forest." hareccived to date seven sculptuxed busts of Chopin, 98 paintings and skctches of Chopin, more than 20 books on Chopin, about 700 sh'eets of Chopin mu.sic. These gifts from fans resulted from his portrayal of Ihe composer in the recent film Ihat liftcd him to stardom, "A Song to Rcmember." "I thank both the "•ms and Chopin," said Wilde, "T owc cverything, literally, to them." "If you cver go highbrow and try

to analyse humour, as certain writers have done, that will be thi surest proof that you don't have any" is the opinion of the late Robert Benchley, now appearing in one of his last films, "Kiss and Tell/ Benchley said that he had just tried at the request of a friend, to write a parody of one of these analyses, but admits" it can't be done. "The serious writer has already topped me," he said, "He was funnier unintentionally than I could have been intentionally. He even had a graph of a joke." Alfred Drake attributes an extended range in his voice to the Californian climate. While rehearsing for Collumbia's film version oi the Coast Guard stage musical. "Tars and Spars," Drake was pieasantly surprised to discover that hf had no difficulty whatever in reaching several notes above and below the two and one half octave range that had previously been his vocal limit. Top B fiat and low E flat had marked his already larger than normal range prior to going to Hollywood from New York. Drake's brother, former Metropolitan Opera soloist, had a range of three octaves.