HOLLYWOOD STARS AND OPPORTUNITY

Taranaki Central Press, Volume IV, Issue 326, 6 January 1937, Page 2

HOLLYWOOD STARS AND OPPORTUNITY

MANY PASSED OVER AT BEGINNING. \ NO TALENT RECOGNISED IN TO-DAY’S INTERNATIONAL FAVOURITES.

That old saying, "Opportunity only knocks once,’’ does not apply to the screen, otherwise some of the most popular stars now playing would never have been heard of by the big public, states the Perth "Sunday Times.” In the eyes of the big producers in Hollywood Grace Moore was a film failure when she first appeared with Lawrence Tibbett in a singing picture. Miss Moore must have given up hope, but opportunity came again with "One Night of Love,” and she is now one of the most popular stars in the business, in the case of Miss Moore the first failure was not her fault, The picture public was not ready for operatic stars when she made her initial venture, and she was not the only operatic artist who Buffered in this way. A Big Mistake, One o< he biggest mistakes Hollywood ever made was with Walter Pidgeon, a very fine actor as well as a splendid singer. He made a big hit in one of the first singing films, "Viennese Nights.” Then he was cast in such unsuitable roles that he left Hollywood in disgust and went back to Broadway. Walter Wanger enticed him back to Hollywood with a fat contract, and since then Mr Pidgeon has made two hits in "Big Brown Eyes” and “Fatal Lady." Madeleine Carroll had depressing first experience of Hollywood. Now she is regarded there as a -sure fire winner, as you’ll agree when you. see “The Case Against Mrs Ames.” Eddie Cantor, though one of the biggest names in vaudeville, did not cut much ice in Hollywood on his first venture. But he was persuaded to make a second try and "Whoopee” eventually brought, him to the top. Gable's Failure. Clark Gable, now one of the most popular screen actors, completely failed to attract the producers of Hollywood at his first attempt. And It was not for lack of trying. He spent one year working as an extra, but an extra he remained. A year is a fairly long time to try anything, and small wonder that Clark Gaible came to the conclusion that Hollywood was not for him. Like so many more he went back to the stage. While he was playing the part of "Killer” Means, in “The Last Mile,” a Hollywood talent scout “discovered” him, and Gable came back to the film fold. His second year

was very different from the first, for within 12 months he had reached the front rank and he has stayed in it ever since. Clark Gable is only one • of many present-day film stars who had to leave Holly-wood before Hollywood could see anything in them. It will be news to most people to learn that Warner Baxter almost gave up hope in Hollywood. He was ■ about to quit the game when he was [ offered a good role in “In Old Arizona.” Mr Baxter made a big success in this film, and since then lie has never looked back. At the present time, in his own line, he is one of the most reliable and popular players on the- screen. He has specialised in roles depicting suffering humanity, such as his Dr Mudd in “The Prisoner of Shark Island,’’ and he has no superior and few equals in this type of character. Margaret Sullavan and Henry Fonda had given up hope of getting on the screen when they were spotted playing at a theatre. * Since then both have made good. Another Instance. The case of Eleanor Powell is another instance of Hollywood not being able to spot talent first time. Miss Powell was a big name on Broadway when she came to the coast to play in “George White’s ; Scandals.” Hollywood did not see anything in her, and she returned to New York. There she was “discovered” and signed up for the star role in “Broadway Melody of t 1936,’ in which she made a sensational success, her dancing being a revelation in artistry. Yet Eleanor Powell was a star when she went to Hollywood the first time. Ginger Rogers is perhaps the bes-t instance of the bad judgment of Hollywood. The producers took such a long time to find star material in Ginger that she had given up hope. She was given small parts in big pictures, and she looked like playing minor roles all her life. Yet audiences spotted Ginger as a potential star right from the moment she played a small part. Mention of Ginger's name calls to mind that of Fred Astaire. He was nearly, lost to the screen, for after making a hit in “Gay Divorce” on the stage he was given a very small part in a Joau Crawford film, ‘‘Dancing | Lady.” But Fred hung on, and eventually he made a big hit in “Flying Down to Rio.” Since then he has scored colossal successes in “The Gay Divorce,” “Roberta,” “Top Hat,” and “Follow the Fleet.”