LOVELY ALICE FAYE

Wairarapa Times-Age, 22 August 1939, Page 8

LOVELY ALICE FAYE

A BRILLIANT ACTRESS. Miss Alice Faye is really an exceptional person, and a brief glance at what she has done during the course of her twenty-three years brings forth conclusive proof. When she was just a youngster in New York her whole ambition centered around the stage. To prepare herself for this career, she studied dancing for two years and then, at the age of fifteen, got a job in the chorus line of a Chester Hale unit. Shortly after she landed a job as specialty dancer in the world-famous Hollywood Restaurant. A month later she signed to appear in the same capacity in George White’s "Scandals.”

It was this show that started her on the road to stardom. Rudy Valee and his Connecticut Yankees were appear-

ing in the same show and Vallee signed her to appear with his band as vocalist. When the company headed for the Coast to make a film of “Scandals,” Alice was cast in a starring role. Well, Alice found herself a star in movies, but as musical succeeded musical she. wished she had never learned a tap routine or sung a note. Then bit by bit she began to get away from musical comedy and into more dramatic roles. “Stowaway,” with Shirley Temple, started it and “Alexander’s Ragtime Band” showed her as one of the top-notch dramatic actresses of the screen.. .

In “Tail Spin” (which will be seen at the State Theatre, Masterton, this week) Alice; is given a chance to display every phase of her talent. In a night club sequence she sings, a new Gordon and Revel tune and taps' a few steps to the same melody. In the flying race and crash sequences she is given an opportunity to display the histrionic ability which has been acclaimed by critics the country over. It is reported by enthusiastic followers of Miss Faye, who have seen the film, that nowhere in her career has her versatile talent been so perfectly brought out. It seems that she is seen in the role of Trixie Lee, racing pilot who flies to support her mother and brother. Also starred in similar roles are Constance Bennett and Nancy Kelly. The latter two fly because flying means so much to the men they love. The critics applauded her work vigorously in '“Alexander’s R'agtime Band.” The cast of “Tail Spin” features, in addition to those mentioned. Joan Davis, Charles Farrell. Jane Wyman and Kane Richmond. —, e —