LATEST DOINGS FROM THE STUDIOS

Chronicle (Levin), 24 May 1947, Page 7

LATEST DOINGS FROM THE STUDIOS

Les. M.

Murphyl

(SPECIAL — Fronr

It is u'nderstood that as soon as he finishes "The Egg and I" Fred MacMurray will retire from the screen. Fred is keen to get a i'arm &,'nd become a son of the soil. Another actor, who has signified his inte'ntioii of retiring from the screen is William Powell, star of "The Thin Mau" series, whose health is not of the best. He wants to devote his full time to furihering the career of his you'ng actress wife, Diana Lewis, who has a promisi'ng future. Although the two British films in which she plays opposite James Maso-ii and Soewart Granger have not been released yet, offers from Hollywood have been made already to 23-year-old Kathleen Rya'n^ the Irish actress. At present she is still workih,g on .tbe British film "Captarn Boycott," and says that if there are opportunities of making * pictures anywhere else, she would prefer to make films i'n France rather than accept the ott'ers from the American companies. Rex Harrison's "Secret Pimpernel" picture i'n England is not a remake of Leslie Howard's version. It's a pre-Howard picture 'episode in the llfe of the Pimpernel. Rex soated i'n Hollywood that he would sventually return to England to iive — in about five years when his Hollywood contracts are fulfilled." A private screening in London of "The Jolson Story" was arranged for the Duchess of Kenl and party after it was learnt oi the Duchess' great desire to see the picture, which depicts the story of the world's greatest entertainer. The screening was quite informal. The duchess was impressed . by the picture, ana while no quotable comments would oe issued from a member of thc Royal family, it was evident that "The Jolson Story" had great interest for the -party. Though he considers he is not too old at 62 Wallace Beery is thinking seriously of giving up films. Larry Parks will star in his fourth Cclumbia technicolour fea- | nre, "The Swordsman." It makes his- fourth technicolour film in a row — the three others being "The Jolson Story," "Down to Earth" and "Regenades." "The Swordsman" is the story of a bitter feud between two Scottish Highland clans in the , early, „ 18th century, and is filled with thrilling action I and swashbuckling swordplay. The perfect casting note of las^ year comes from the set of "The Return of Monte Cristo," and its one of those hard to believe, bu1 nevertheless true coincidences. [Twenty years ago a charactei ! actor, Leon Lenoir, was actually the clerk for the Prefect of Police in Marseilles. After he had been signed to play the supporting role in the Alexander Dumas story, hc discovered the exact identity oi the character. Yes, he plays the clerk of the Prefect of Police.