NOT THE ROMANTIC TYPE

Radio Record, 6 May 1938, Page 13

NOT THE ROMANTIC TYPE

Hollywood Cameras Have Never Flattered Lawrence Tibbett some Impressions of the Greatest ‘* BoxOffice Voice" of Today

by

ROGER

HOLDEN

tone and star of New York Metropolitan Grand Opefa, isn’t going to make any more films until they find him a story which he is satisfied will be able to combine the technique of opera with the technique of the screen. There are scenarists busy now looking for that story, and Tibbett thinks | AWRENCE TIBBETI, world-famous bari-

that eventually it will be found. Tibbett expressed those yiews on his film work when he passed through Auckland recently on his way to Australia for a concert tour. And he also made it very clear to all who met him that he is very far from being the temperamental person that all opera stars are popularly supposed to be. He made this clear by his straightforward, naturally charming persuonality, hig sense of humour, and his utter lack of conceit. All ‘who came in contact with him jin Auckland freely expressed Fthe opinion that his engaging / nersonality. auite apart from

' his marvellous voice, will make him a firm favourite in Australia and New Zealand. "Funny Little Face" ‘OR New Zealand is going to see more of Tibbett than it saw of him on that one day in Auckland. His present tour is the culmination of five years’ effort, by both the singer and J. C. Williamson, Ltd., to bring him to this part of the world, and after his Australian seasons have finished he will make a tour of the main centres in this Dominion, beginning about the end of August. Tibbett has been such a long time visiting us because he has had his hands completely full with engagements in America to the Metropolitan Opera, the films, concert tours, and---very important-his radio work, Even now he is fully booked up for 18 months ahead,

ACCORDING to Frank Ansell, who went to Auckland on behalf of J. C. Williamson to meet Tibbett, he is one star whom the Hollywood cameras have never flattered. And when one comes to look back on Tibbett’s films that is probably a very sound judgment. Turning back the files one comes across this typical remark in a criticism of one of his pictures: "A marvellous voice to come out

of a person with such a funny little face." And another: "He certainly does look like a baby with a moustache stuck on its top lip.’ Anyone who met Tibbett in Auckland would probably be willing to cross swords with the critic who made those remarks, such is the charm of the singer. Yet Tibbett himseif probably wouldn’t take them so seriously, for he frankly admits that he was never built or intended for some of the over-sentimental romantic roles allocated to him by

Hollywood in the past. As to the suggestion, made at the time "Metropolitan" was released, that he had been to a plastic surgeon and had his tip-tilted nose lengthened and straightened, one doubts if that was anything more than an inspiration by a publicity writer; for Tibbett strikes one as being the last person on earth to bother with plastic surgeons, Haphazard Methods Fail HOWEVER, that’s pure speculation. More to the point is Tibbett’s attitude toward his film appearances. He thinks that the movie people have come to realise that there must be a formula for successfully adapting opera te the screen that so far has not been discovered. The hap hazard methods of the past wou’t (Continued on page 38.).

VJ ELL- KNOWN already for his films and gramophone records, Lawrence Tibbett-possessor of one of the finest voices of this modern age and certainly the greatest "box-office voice’ in the world at the moment-has at fast realised an ambition to visit this part of the world. Now in Australia, he will make a concert tour of New Zealand in about four months’ time. Here are a few impressions of Tibbett, gathered by someone who met him when he passed through Auckland recently.

Not Romantic

LAURENCE TIBBETT’S VISIT (Continued from page 13.) do at all, he says, but he feels that, from the wide field of opera, something cinematically worthwhile must come eventually. HEN Tibbett’s first picture, "The . Rogue Song," was released in 1930, it was Frank Ansell who took the film round New Zealand, and the star was interested to hear from Mr. Ansell that the two numberg in that film, "Little White Dove," and "When I’m Looking At You" were the biggest sellers as gramophone records at that time in the country. So he promised to include those numbers during his New Zealand tour. WHILE Tibbett was in Auckland, he was puzzled by a message he re y ceived. He brought it to the members of hig party, and sought an explanation, ; "Here’s someone wanting me to give an interview over the radio," he said, "and it’s signed ‘Hyezeebee,’ ’" "Who? they asked. "Hyezeebee." Then an Aucklander had a look at the mysterious message. "Oh, that’s 1ZB, the radio station," he explained. However, the _ radio interview couldn’t be managed, and nothing came of a suggestion that Tibbett sing over the air from the commercials. The fee offered is said to have been about 10 times lesg than the sum of £500 ndmed by Tibbett’s manager-a sum, incidentally, that is also said to be a long way below anything Tibbett would expect for a similar engagement in the States. UST before reaching Auckland, Tibbett received a cable announcing the death of Chaliapin, who had heen his great personal friend. He believes that Chaliapin has exercised the most profound influence on opera of any man of the present age, Tibbett is also a great friend. of Richard Crooks, whom he refers to as "Dick." R, and Mrs. Lawrence Tibbett are eamera-fiends. Armed with remarkably intricate little cameras they were taking photographs of Anckland throughout the day, under -conditions which the average. amateur photo-. grapher might consider impossible. , They also carry a movie camera about, with them on their tours and make it ™ work overtime, . During the reception to Tibbett, he was lost sight of for several minutes, eventually being run to earth in a corner discussing lighting and lenses with a Press photographer, and utterly oblivjous to everything else. The other evening I saw an Australjan newsreel featuring Tibbett’s ar- rival in Sydney. That personality which had so much impressed Aucklanders "came over" to the audience better than I have ‘ever known it to do in hig longer pictures, Perhaps that was hecause he was just being Lawrence Tibbett-not* a romantic hero. And as for his voice when he sang-ye gods, what.a voice!