STARS WHO BEGIN IN THE CHORUS

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 60, 27 March 1937, Page 11

STARS WHO BEGIN IN THE CHORUS

The next time you xead that a ' 'chorus girl has been gaoled as a gunman's accomplice," think twice before believing it. Ninety-nine times out of a hundred, tbe girl in question bas never been nearer to a stage than tbe tentb row in tbe balcony. Giving tbeir oceupation as "chorus firl" is a favourite device of young women — and older ones — wbo are being fingerprinted and questioned at police beadquarters. Tbe average cborus girl is a hardworking, clean-living, self-respecting young person, wbo is figbting bard for success, supporting berself, and ofton eontributing^ to tbe upkeep of a bome. Nor are cborus boys all "sissies." Some of tbe most popular picture stars of to-day daneed as cborus boys yesterday, for no otber reason tban that tbey could dance, and bad to eat. No man knows 'tbe men and women of Broadway and Hollywood bettor tban does Bobby Connolly, tbe dance director. Mr. Connolly is on record as stating tbat cborus girls make exeellent wives. He should know, for tte married one. In Borrowed Plumes. So f ar as tbe records show, Clark Gable was never a cborus boy, but Marion Davies, wbo is an outstanding star, was a Ziegfeld girl, and sbe is exeeedingly proud of tbe fact. Tbe daugbter of a Supreme Courfc judge, Miss Davies was born in Brooklyn, New York, and cbristened Marion Douras. Sbe was not quite 15 years old wben sbe borrowed an older sister's dress and got berself a job in the cborus of tbe Ziegfeld Follies. Within a week sbe was one of Ziegfeld 's glorified beauties, 'but sbe did not stop at tbat. Sbe could dance and sing, and .bad developed a flair for mimicry. Sbe kept on workipg and learning. Sbe went up tbe ladder of fame, and stayed tbere. The list of tbose wbo bave done likewise is long. Tbere is Barbara Stanwyck, for instance, and Virginia Bruce.l You bave beard of Joan Crawfords Tbere is a girl wbo really bad to figbt ber way up. Every film ' 'f an " knows ber to-day. Buby Keeler, wbo is tbe wife of A1 Jolson, was in tbe cborus of a nigbt ' club before sbe went into tbe Follies, but sbe bad tbe talent. Darucing Bacterioiogist. Ann Dvorak is anotber wbo not only began in tbe cborus, but learned to dance so well tbat sbe become a dance director. To-day sbe is not merely a film star, but is one of California's most versatile young women. Sbe is a bacteriologist, and is seriously interested in otber sciences ,but sbe can still dance. Tben tbere are Gloria Swanson, Billie Dove, June Knight, Ca:ol Hughes, Alice Faye. Toucb a leading feminine film or stage star, and you will probably toucb a girl wbo bas been in tbe cborus at some time or otber. Tbe cborus is the* start — tbe end of tbe Toad is fame and fortune for tbose wbo bave ability and tbe courage to persuade others tbat tbey bave it. To a lesser degree tbe same tbing is true about men. Time was wben tbe name ' 'cborus boy" was not an bltogether complimentary appellation. It used to be said tbat, while tbe cborus was tbe starting-place for girls, it was tbe stepipng-off point for men. But tbat bas long been disproved. Cborus Men. Many a former cborus . boy baa xeacbed a stage success, but the dancing page in tbe book was kept carefully closed. Tben Budolpb Valentino broke tbe spell. To-day, consider sucb film stars as Pat O'Brien, Allen Jenkins and William Powell. Beally and truly, Mr. O'Brien danced in tbe cborus, and Mr. Jenkins tells many amusing chorus-boy stories if one catcbes bim in a talking mood. "Talent scouts are always watcbing tbe cborus for exceptionally gifted players," says Mr Connolly. "If tbey bave tbe particular sometbing tbat lifts them above tbe crowd, tbey get tbeir chance."