POPULAR PROGRAMMES

Waikato Times, Volume 127, Issue 21247, 18 October 1940, Page 8

POPULAR PROGRAMMES

Cinema , , ♦ Snapshots A Colourful Actor One of the most colourful actors in Hollywood and a leader of the British colony in the film capital. Alan Mowbray contributed another of his now famous comedy characterisations in R.K.O. Radio’s “ Cuutain Call,” comedy drama of theatrical life in which he was featured with Barbara Read and Helen Vinson, among others. Mowbray was bom and educated in London, but had no thought of a dramatic career. He had just graduated when the World War came along and he promptly enlisted in the artillery, went to France with the “ Old Contemptibles,” the first British Expeditionary Force. Mow- ' bray won five medals for gallantry in action, remained at the front lines throughout the war. After the Armistice he returned to London with no particular ideas for the future. Through a close friend he got a small role with a touring company of “The Cinderella Man.’ Later he was brought to New York. After several years on Broadway and with road companies he made his film debut as George Washington in George Arliss’ “ Alexander Hamilton,” scoring an immediate hit. Since then Mowbray has appeared in more than 25 films, some of the most recent being “ Music in My Heart,” “ The Llano Kid,” “ Topper Takes a Trip,” and “ There Goes My Heart.” Mowbray’s experience in the theatre stood him in good stead during the filming of “ Cui*ain Call.” The brilliant actor is cast as a stage director and some of the mannerisms which distinguish his characterisaisation he claims to have obtained from certain theatrical personalities he has known in the past.

‘Too Many Husbands” What is a girl to do when she finds herself possessed of an extra husband? This is the problem which confronts Jean Arthur in Columbia’s Wesley Ruggles production, “ Too Many Husbands.” Fred Mac Murray and Melvyn Douglas are the husbands in the picture, and it takes Miss Arthur all her time to decide which one she really wants. Macmurray is seen as the lovable devil-may-care type, while Douglas is considerate, home-loving, and devoted. The critical situation arises when Jean’s first husband, Fred Mac Murray, returns to life after having been reported drowned and finds his wife wedded to his best friend. Both men want Jean, and Jean wants both men •—and the law won’t allow! Just how she works out this perplexing problem provides material for one of the comedies of the .year.

“Our Town' 9 —A Prize Play The New York film reviewers were unanimous in praise of “ Our Town,” the Thornton Wilder Pulitzer prize play which Sol Lesser has brought to the screen. Here is an extract of the review provided by the New York Daily News: “ Only once in a blue moon is a moving picture reviewer impelled to shout from the housetops the praises of a Hollywood production. 4 Our Town ’ is far and away the finest picture to reach the screen this year. In bringing the Thornton Wilder play to the screen Sol Lesser moves up to front ranks of Hollywood’s producers. He has lavished a great deal of loving care on the picture. He has widened the scope of the screen, in the manner of the film's presentation, and he has raised the standards of Hollywood. Martha Scott possesses that intangible quality that has made Bette Davis the outstanding actress of the screen and that will bring her immediate stardom. * Our Town ’ is a picture with a soul, as well as a heart.”

Deanna Durbin $ Marriage Now that Deanna Durbin is grown up it seems impossible to keep real romance out of her life. You will have seen her as a charming young woman, imagining she is seriously in love, in “ It’s a Date.” Her love story seems to be coming true—not with Walter Pidgeon, upon whom she set her heart in the lilm —but with boy-friend Vaughan Pauli. They have been seen around together a lot. and their engagement has been frequently announced and denied. Now it is stated that a 4 ‘ marriage will shortly take place.” Young Vaughan Pauli is assistant director of the Durbin pi ’tures, and rumours of the young couple’s romance have been going around ever since Deanna’s appearance in “ Three Smart Girls.” Universal, who have never been too keen on their youthful star tieing herself up in marriage bonds, are getting panicky as to the effect the news is likely to have on the fans. “Oscar 99 It is not generally known how the Academy award statuette derived the name “Oscar.” It happened this way. The t me was 1935, the occasion the annual dinner of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Bette Davis had been presented with the foot-and-a-half high bronze statuette for having given the best performance of the year in “Dangerous”—she later received it again for “Jezebel” —and it was then that she remarked in the caustic, comical way typical of her, “So this is Oscar!” And “Oscar” he has been Iruni that day to this.

inema . . . Snapshots The March of Time Embarking in the near {utu ls the sixth year of distribution in Great Britain, the "March of Time new •ierie> is assured of playing in more cinemas than ever before in its distinguished history, comments writer in Kinematograph. A statement. emanating from R.K.0.-Radio, tells of the remarkable success enjoyed by this entertaining news magazine in recent years and the great plans made for the future. Since the inception of the "March of Time” in the United Kingdom the film has become a welcome feature at cinemas throughout the country. The originality and topicality of its presentation have been praised by newspapers in all territory, and every special issue has been made front-page news in leading national journals and magazine!. In their choice of stories the sponsors of the "March of Time” select subjects with a widespread appeal. Such episodes as "The Vatican of Pius XII," "Japan. Master of the Orient,” "Inside Nazi Germany," "Czechoslovakia." "Poland and War," “The Battle Fleets of Britain,” "Soldiers With Wings," "The Mediterranean. Background of War,” "Britain, Peace and Propaganda,” have been screened when these national subjects were occupying first place in the public eye. Greta Gynt—A Norwegian Actress A Norwegian actress of great charm is Greta Gynt, who is now happy in England making pictures. Her home is in Oslo, and her father is an engineer who has made trips to England. At one time the family spent some years in England, when Greta learned to speak English fluently. Miss Gynt has been kept busy since her arrival in England, and has appeared in many films, as well as acting in stage plays. She has the role of a temptress in the British picture, “ Room for Two, ’ in which Vic. Oliver, American husband of Sarah Churchill (daughter of England's Prime Minister) is starred in the leading male role. Frances Day, another charming blonde, plays the wife whose husband is lured by the fascinating blonde Norwegian.' Miss Gynt has figured in the popular British releases " Arsenal Stadium Mystery ” (with Leslie Banks), " Middle Watch.” and " Bulldog Sees It Thiough (with Jach Buchanan), "Two for Danger” (with Barry K. Barnes), and "Crooks’ Tours,” the film version of the 8.8. C. serial (with Basil Radford and his engaging partner, Naunton Wayne).

Herbert Marshall Honours In English The journal Picture Show announces that Herbert Marshall, the noted British actor who has been resident in Hollywood for many years (he is a veteran of the last war and still limps as a result of a leg injury), has had the honour of being chosen by the Department of English of the Linguaphone Institute of America as the screen actor who has made the greatest contribution in the field of English speech, diction, and articulation for the year 1939. He received a parchment scroll from the president of the Institute, the presentation being made on the set where the British actor was appearing in “Foreign Correspondent.” Mr Marshall is very popular in Hollywood; he was formerly married to Edna Best, the beautiful English actress, who is also immensely popular, and has a big following in the colonies by reason of her superb acting in British films, n.-.tably "South Riding,” "Prison Without Bars,” and “Mary and Michael” (in which she was co-starred with Mr Marshall).

“Hr Stayed For Breakfast" Newest starring comedy combination is Loretta Young and Melvyn Douglas. They began work in “He Stayed for Breakfast,” Columbia studio’s latest Hollywood production, under the direction of Alexander Hall. The picture is B. P. Schulberg's first under his new producing contract with this major studio. Miss Young and Douglas are aided and abetted by a supporting cast which includes Eugene Pallette, Alan Marshal, and Una O’Connor. “He Stayed for Breakfast” is based on the Broadway stage success "Ode to Liberty,” which the late Sidney Howard adapted from a French play. The set is a Paris background, the story concerns the romance of a politically radical writer—played by Douglas—and the estranged wife of a pompous banker—played by Miss Young. The situation is complicated by a second suitor for the lady’s hand, a newspaper publisher played by Alan Marshal, who is out after the political scalp of her husband. Charles Boyer and Bette Dai is Charles Boyer and Bette Davis are to appear in “The Gambler." They recently co-starred in "All This and Heaven Too." It is reported there was a lack of warmth in the relations of the two players during the filming of that picture. Ronald Colman and Ginger Rogers feuded while making "Lucky Partners." both Colman and Miss Rogers being susI picious of the importance of the other's role and filming was halted several times while writers balanced the number of words and scenes