EUROPEAN STARS ARE RELEASED

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 329, 14 April 1928, Page 23

EUROPEAN STARS ARE RELEASED

GIVEN NO WORK POOR YEAR SO FAR That the Hollywood Studios have had a bad year so far. says an American correspondent, is obvious. Attention is also drawn to recent unsuccessful importations of European artists. CO far this year the studios have certainly had a bad time. Christie’s is closed till May 1. "Warner Brothers is also closed, with the exception of work on Vitaphone playlets. First National has one company working, where in times past, from 6 to 12 pictures were going a: the same time. Universal is shut down. Samuel Goldwyn has been on leave from work. United Artists with all their various units have one working, and two in preparation. A certain studio that is at present suffering from a prolonged shutdown is run by an elderly man who has tecently given a pretty good exhibition of the sort of extravagance that has put the picture industry into the slump that it is at present undergoing. In the last two years this produ- er imported several European actors, kept them on salary for periods running up to a year and a-half, gave them no work, and then let them go. One of the young men so released secured a good contract with Paramount immediately after he left the studio in question, and has been mak- ; ing great progress as a leading man. Another is being songht by two studior The third, a feminine i ‘find.” aas an interesting history. While the old man was travelling | abroad with his son, visiting various watering-places, his son saw a beautiful girl on the beach, who turned out to be the daughter of a wealthy and aristocratic family. She was signed at once to a contract, and brought to this country. On her arrival at the studio, and in Hollywood, a great reception was given her. At considerable expense the yOins Continental charmer wss sent to ■ Arrowhead Springs to take off weight. When she came home, she had gained exactly 20 pounds. Her contract has been bought from her for 10.000 dolilars, and she is being sent back to I Europe, without a camera ever being i trained on her. Another famous European male star was brought to the same s. > at great cost, and given a role li at was absolutely unsuitable to him. and unlike any of the roles with which no had made his fame. Of course, the picture wa3 i : and the actor's five-years contract w bought from him. He is bad to Europe enjoying an increased pope I larity in Berlin-made pictures.