STAGE AND SCREEN SILENCE IS GOLDEN. NOTABLE ARTISTS. WHAT DO YOU THINK?

Evening Post, Volume CXXV, Issue 22, 27 January 1938, Page 21

STAGE AND SCREEN

SILENCE IS GOLDEN.

NOTABLE ARTISTS.

WHAT DO YOU THINK?

;- Not since her amazing success as one af the "Three Smart Girls" has Nan ZJrey been acclaimed by critics as she ias -been for her ■ role in Universal's i 'Some Blondes Are Dangerous." This story of the rise and fall of a boxng champion, whose career is ruined when he follows the lure of the Gay White Way. finds Nan Grey portraying ludy Williams, lovely girlhood .sweetheart of the "iron man," who deserts lis friends after fame and fortune are showered upon him." She is called upon Eor a much wider range of emotion than-heretofore, yet' critics-assert thatler characterisation of the loyal girl who comes to the champion and takes lim to her heart again, when nearly all others have failed him, is her finest bit of stagecraft.' Noah Beery, jun., is cast as the "iron man,1" who Srst loves and' then forgets her, tuning instead to the Broadway siren. Rose Whitney, who is portrayed by Dorothea Kent. William, Gargan is 3eorge Regan, astute manager of thp :hampion, who finds that his only saltation is in bringing about the "iron nan's" defeat. Following on the heels j£>her work in leading roles in' "The \Jan in Blue,"' "Love in a Bungalow," uid "Let Them Live," Universal' is iow preparing Nan Grey for increasngly important parts. They believe she.will be one of the~stellar ornanents of that rising young constella.ion -at Universal headed by Deanna Durbin. Nan Grey is a blonde, 'sft sin ,aIL ■ Sh? weighs 1151b, has blue eyes, md1one"of-the most graceful figrires in Hollywood:- She has been in pictures1 ;ince"l934:' •• .

In the Fay Compton company com-" mencing' al Dominion toUr at Auckland* on February 5 are several stage stars of the London theatres. MissrCompton herself bears a name-honoured in theatrical- records, and her associates ; are all people of rare distinction. The. first-play in which Miss Compton will ! be presented by Messrs. J. C. William- 1 son to Auckland audiences will be 1 "Victoria Rcgina," in which she enacts ' the role of Queen Victoria, an incqm- i parable performance which Australian ' audiences have lauded highly. Bruno « Barnabe, her leading man, who is'the < Prince 'Consort, is a well-known actor ' of London, New York, and Canada; - Stafford Hilliard is an Oxonian who •; has a high reputation as an actor, stage ] manager, and director; Ann Codring-'. ton, his wife, is a gracious lady <of .the British stage. Peter Dearing is Miss Compton's producer; he has had ex!- j perience on the silent films, with the ~, Ben Greet "Players, and ha is a Shakespearean producer of note; Michael ] Wilding was born in Russia, and has a , reputation as a painter as well as fame , on the, stage; Hyley Bell, born in , Shanghai, is the daughter of the head ■ of the British Intelligence Department in the F.M.S. Her uncle is Charles Bell, famous explorer, and a cousin is i Sir Hugh Poynter, 'of Sydney; Mary ; Charles is a• Queenslander who 'has , been in>England for some time.

The leading role of Felicitas in London Film Producers' picture of the climbing of 'the Matterhorn has been awarded Joan Gardner. She is in Switzerland with the unit which has been working there under director Milton Rosmer. Gunther Stap'enhorst has received , some wonderful shots secured by the unit on the higher slopes of the Matterhorn. The parts of the three climbers, Hudson, Hadow, and Lord Douglas, who lost their lives in the descent, are played by Frank Birch, Moran Caplat. and Geoffrey -Wardell,-while-Edward Whymper is played by ■Robert Douglas. Ralph Truman has the part of Giordano., The Swiss hotelier, Seiler, is played by Denier Warren, and.it is hoped that Mary Clare will be free to play an important part also. Photography for (he Swiss sequences is by Bonitz. thr specialist »in alpine photography r ' •'

1 When Director Ted Slomau nad to faho'ut "Quiet down, everybody," to end a noisy football debate among Fay Wray, Kent Taylor, and Larry Blalrc, featured in Universal's "Deadlock.1' Samuel S. Hinds, the actor, drew a big laugh- when he stated he could prove that silence is golden. In his first motion picture, he said, he receded £5 for-speaking 19 words; for his second he got. £26 for repeating lour words: and for .his third,'"Guest at the Banquet," he was paid '£9 for not talk in;! at all!

Twelve Hollywood film, .players serving as-a "jury" have answered some of the questions whichvare constantly discussed in the film colony. Marlene Dietrich was judged .to possess the, most beautiful face upon .the screen.. Madeleine Carroll .!was selected- alternatively. Glaudette-Col-bert took most votes as Hollywood's best actress, with Beulah Bondi second. Clark Gable was deemed Hollywood's most romantic actor, and Gary Cooper was named as an alternate. These and other,matters were decided by a "jury" composed of Mac West, Fred Mac Murray,. Bing Crosby, Lew Ayres, W.- C. Fields, Ida Lupino, Gary Cooper, Ran,dolph Scott, Carole Lombard, Gladys 'Swarthout, / Claudette Colbert, and .Charlie Ruggles. Ernst Lubitsch won the-jury's <palm for cleverness among directors. Mitchell Leison won second place... Carole-Lombard was voted the best hostess, and Joan Crawford was a 'close second.' Francis Lederer was judged the greatest idealist among the stars, and Lionel Stander was given second place. Greta Garbo was deemed . Hollywood's greatest enigma. Her name was the only one given in answer to this question. Marlene Dietrich won first place on a second poll. Sheiwas judged to come closest to'embodying all the'qualities, of a perfect movie star, beauty, dignity, reserve, glamour, and background; "Katherine Hepburn was the runner-up.