“The Merry Widow”

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 352, 12 May 1928, Page 23

“The Merry Widow”

FILM FOR THE STRAND John Gilbert and Mae Murray WHO lias not heard of “The Merry Widow”—the most popular character, possibly, in comic opera? Australian and New Zealand audiences have known a succession of Sonias. Gladys Monerieff, who recently returned from abroad to again play in this part of the world, was not the least popular of them. Now John Gilbert and Mae Murray appear as Danilo and the entrancing widow in a screen version of the success. “The Merry Widow” will be shown at the Strand Theatre

Mae Murray was born in Portsmouth, Virginia. At the age of 15 she entered the Ziegfeld Follies, where she distinguished herself a year later as “The Nell Brinkley Girl.” Despite the fact that she made rapid progress, and at the height of her

dance fever, she foresaw the greater possibilities of the screen. At length her stage performances led to a definite screen offer. Miss Murray’s first picture was “To Have and to Hold.” After this she starred in quite a number. Then in June, 1918,

she married Robert Z. Leonard, a direc-

tor of many of the pictures that had made her known to the world. They formed the Tiffany Productions, Inc., releasing their product through Metro-G oldwyn-M ayer. Her latest appearance as “The Merry Widow” is held by a large

number of critics to be her greatest Xiersonal success. John Gilbert is a versatile movie identity, though still quite young. He has been connected with the stage since early childhood. In moving pictures he started like many others, just as an extra for Thomas Ince, but was soon given an important role—his first —with Mary Pickford in “Heart of the Hills.” After a period of free-lancing, Maurice Tourneur then signed him up. Later on he became Tourneur’s scenario writer, and then a director He directed several good pictures in New York. Then Hollywood called' to him again, and he was engaged to star in “Monte Cristo,” and “Cameo Kirby.” He attended the Hitchcock Military Academy, San Rafael, California, and went to Los Angeles in 1915. Since Gilbert signed up with Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer he has played in “The Snob.” “He Who Gets Slapped,” “The Big Parade,” “Bardeleys the Magnificent,” and “The Merry Widow,” in which he takes the romantic part of Prince Danilo.