PERSONALITIES

Wairarapa Times-Age, 19 May 1938, Page 10

PERSONALITIES

SOPHIE STEWART, who plays Lady Blakeney, in “The Return of the Scarlet Pimpernel,’’ gained her first acting fame on the stage as the result of her very lovely portrayal of the name part in “Marigold.” She followed this with “The Sleeping Clergyman” at the Piccadilly Theatre in which she appeared with Robert Donat, and was next noticed for a very remarkable performance in the ill-fated “No Way Back” in which she started as a little girl fresh from school and ended up with a big emotional scene as a dope fiend. The critics were unanimous in their praise ■or her performance in the Bridie pl»’’ “Marriage is no Joke” which she followed with the “Maitlands.” In January of 1935 George King of Embassy Pictures chose her for his leading lady in her first film “Maria Marten” or “The Murder in the Red Barn.” This film was immediately followed by the lead in “The City of Beautiful Nonsense” with Emlyn Williams directed by Adrian Brunel. Sophie is the only girl in a family of six. One of her brothers is an M.R. and they all live together in the house in Surrey. Her hobbies are riding and motoring—she drives back and forth to theatre and studio each day—says it’s worth it to wake up in the country each morning.

ROBERT YOUNG— Attracted towards the stage when he was a high school student, Robert Young devoted himself to many other jobs before he eventually attained his enviable place on the screen today. He was born in Chicago, February 22, and educated in Seattle and Los Angeles. His father, Thomas R. Young, was a building contractor. Before he actually became a screen star Young worked as drug clerk, reporter, salesman and bank clerk. He appeared in 40 productions at the famous Pasadena, California, Playhouse, then went on the professional stage in “Enchanted April.” His first screen appearance was in “The Sin of Madelon Claudet” which established him in the new field. He has played in many successful pictures since under contract to Metro-Gold-wyn-Mayer. During production of “Navy Blue and Gold” Young became the father of a second daughter, now named Barbara Queen. The first, Carol Anne, is four years old. Young is married to the former Betty Henderson.

JAMES STEWART—Son of a hardware merchant in Indiana, Pennsylvania, James Stewart is a graduate of Princeton and entered film work from the stage. He was born on May 20. He attended preparatory school at Mercersburg Academy, then enrolled at Princeton where he became a star track man, hurdler and high jumper. He studied architecture but drifted to vaudeville. Joining the Falmouth Stock Company on Cape Cod, he appeared in “Goodbye Again” at a tryout performance and went to New York with the show. The following summer he went to Boston as stage manager for “Camille,” with Jane Cowl, after which he appeared in "Spring in Autumn.” A screen contract followed. Stewart appears currently in “Navy Blue and Gold.” He is regarded as one of Hollywood’s most eligible bachelors. INTERESTING SIDELIGHTS ON THE MAKING OF “THE ADVENTURES OF ROBIN HOOD.” “The Adeventures of Robin Hood” is the third great production in which Errol Flynn and Olivia de Havilland have shared starring honours. Their first was “Captain Blood” and the second "The Charge of the Light Brigade,” both tremendously successful. Moving a company which grew to 400 before it was complete, GOO miles from' the Warner- Bros, studio to location in Bidewel Park, Chico, Califgornia was a tremendous transportation problem. But everything well organised, moved with the precision of an army on the move. A special train of 20 carriages and 16 baggage vans transported stars, featured players technicians and labourers.

The number of properties manufactured in the studio shops for use in “The Adventures of Robin Hood” totalled more than 20.000. including nearly 10,000 arrows used in the archery tournament and other shooting scenes. Also included were long bows cross bows, lances, quarter staves broadswords, battle axes, maces, pennant. standards, armour, special trappings for horses, daggers, household utensils of the twelfth century, wagons, carts, brooms, dead ducks and quail and a dead deer which doublefor one Robin Hood is supposed to lay low with a goose-feather tipped shaft