IN LOS ANGELES

Wairarapa Times-Age, 7 December 1939, Page 4

IN LOS ANGELES

WHERE THE STARS WILL SPEND CHRISTMAS. A letter from Columbia studios. Los Angeles, tells how quite a number ol the stars are going to spend their holidays. There are one or two unfortunate people who have to run through on a picture even although others are enjoying their weeks’ vacation It is going to be a busy weekend this Christmas as there is Sunday on which all the picture shows are busy; there are lour, five and six screenings a day in the theatres in U.S.A. Philadelphia is the only city which observes a quiet Sunday similar to that of New Zealand. This is because it is a Quaker city and has always been what the Americans term a "Blue Law City.” If the people in Philadelphia want to go to a show they drive 90 miles to Atlantia City in their high powered cars, this being only’ one and a half hours' drive. Playdays and holidays for the studio people are just the same as they arc for other working people. They all have their favourite resorts, their beach houses, or their ranches. Of course, they probably have a good deal more to spend than the average New Zealander because they earn higher salaries. Christmas day in the west is usually a balmy summer day. Just out of Los Angeles at Passadena they have the Parade of the Roses and this is a lovely sight —J wonderful procession of cars and chariots all bedecked with beautiful summer flowers, mainly roses. The Little Theatre Group is here, and it is in this city—ten miles from Los Angeles —that a great many talent scouts pick out the future promising stars.

However, let us see what the stars are doing this Yuletide .... Barbara Stanwyck, who has just completed “Golden Boy" for Columbia, is going to spend her well deserved rest on her ranch at Santa Monica with her husband, Robert Taylor. She breeds very fine race horses and is eagerly awaiting race day —New Year s Day —at Acqua Caliente, where she hopes that at least two of the horses will win praise. Joan Blondell and Dick Powell have two charming youngsters and the latter is going to play Daddy Christmas this year at their home in Beverley Hills. They are not going away this year as Joan is busy’ working on a delightful comedy entitled “The Incredible Mr Williams ” Melvyn Douglas, who is Joan Blondell's co-star in this picture, is married to a charming young lady. Helen Gahagan. He married her after he made .his stage debut but it was only two years ago that they took a belated honeymoon round the world. This holiday will be spent .at thp l * beach house in Santa Monica with Peter, a six-year-old. Tennis is Douglas's favourite sport and he hopes to indulge this year. Penny Singleton and her husband. Dr Laurence S. Singleton, have a summer house at Burbank Beach. Burbank is about 125. miles out of Los Angeles. They’ are leaving their Westwood home for a few days with their four-year-old daughter, Dorothy, and going to revel in the sun and bathe in the briny at Burbank. . , , Popular Jean Arthur is married to Frank Ross. Junr., a flourishing builder in Los Angeles. They are making a hasty trip by 'plane to New York for th n festive season. They will be bacK in "Hollywood on New Year's Day as Miss Arthur must start another picture the following day. Lew Avres, as most people Know, is married to Ginger Rogers, but tney have been separated for a few yeais,

mainly it seems on account of Miss Roger’s going ahead so fast and Lew being at a standstill for a year ormore. However, this must now be at an end. Lew has certainly staged a comeback. Perhaps it is a coincidence that both Miss Rogers and Mr Ayres are going to Atlantia City for Christmas. Miss Virginia Bruce and her husband, J. Walter Ruben, who is also well known in Hollywood have arranged for three week’s vacation. They are considered very lucky as this is rather difficult in Hollywood. They are taking this opportunity of going a little further afield than usual and will probably go over the border into Canada, although so far this is not certain sure yet. It seems the stars wish to retain a deep appreciation of home life and spend Christmas together this year. There seem lo be little or no talk of world cruises and the like. Probably on account of the European strife and the increasing insecurity of other's lives—if not their own.

MARIE BURKE BREAKS NEW GROUND IN SYDNEY Marie Burke, well remembered in Williamson musical comedies, broke now ground last week, when she appeared in a “straight" comedy, "Yes. My Darling Daughter," at the Minerva Theatre, Sydney. The next production at this theatre will bo the- strong drama "Gaslight," in which John Wood, an Australian actor. who iias won success in England, both on the stage and in films, will make his re-appearance.