Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-12-29
FILM STARS MAKE
THEIR RESOLUTIONS
Propose Economy Following
Stock Losses and New
Picture Demands.
epseiai Dispsteh to The Star.
HOII,YwOOn Calf /

6pSclal DlSP8ICa 70 Inc star.
HOLLYWOOD, Calf, December 20.
Most of the film colony Is nibbling
pencils, looking thoughtfully into space
and registering economy 1t is the sea-
son for New Year resolutions and the
one about saving your money is being
taken pretty seriously for 1890.
The lesson of Wall Street has been
emphasized by the example of ex-stars,
who spent all they earned while the
movies were silent and failed to get
jobs when the shadows began to speak.
Those actors who have not already put
themselves on an allowance Of $50 q
week, nicked from q 81 ,000-a-week SAL
airy, or who have not yet handed over
their finances to fiscal experts, are put
ting their households on budgets. How
long this state of things will last, who
knows? But at the moment, wad in
the bank is worth two in the pocket.
It has been a year of dramatic ups
and downs for both producers and pro-
duced. Talkies, color pictures, the
wider f1lr1, and progress toward capture
Of the third Observation-Disclosures
which the camera is searching, have
sent some pictures and stars up with
swoop and others down with wal
as numerous as new comets.
Precarious Stability.
Out of this whirligig, however has
emerged q certain precarious stability.
The movies now know approximately
where they're at, even If they aren't
certain where they're going.
It's a period Of readjustment such as
follows any war and is frequently worse
than the war itself. Just at present the
great need seems to be elimination from
the microphone Of the adenoids and
lispS and from the producers hearts Of
the theory that plots should be aimed at
at 14-year-old intelligence.
Meanwhile, musical comedy and light
opera, hopping like kernels of popcorn
briskly to the screen, constitute one of
the most significant film features of the
new year, as they did in the old. Some
times these films contain grand opera
voices. Sometimes they bring enlight-
eminent to millions Of fans who never
knew their favorite star could sing. AS
q matter of fact, sometimes she can't.
Hence the gag, Silver screen"
About equally important with the in
PRODUCTION Of musical n1ovieS-Some con-
tend more inportant-is the introduc-
ton Of the foreign tongue in celluloid.
You snatch up casts that can speak
same play with two different casts, one
American and the other not; or you
grab on q supporting cast of foreigners
and plump foreign grammar-Spanish
in three leSsons-down in the lap of
your star. Anyway, however you do 1t,
you make films In foreign language or
count yourself old-fsshioned. Culture
Is coming into its own. Out here they
are speaking English even.
Some Other Resolutions.
But there are other resolutions than
70 save money or spout Spanish epon-
taneously or nirt frightfuliy in French.
Moren and Mack, cornered as they
edged toward a film hen house in a
blackface act, said they'd decided to
give the worm a better break with the
early bird.
Nancy Carroll resolves never to saw
hello. everybody" over the radio at an
opening.
mo more speed tickets" says James
Hall
The invention Of q luminous shirt
stud for er-the-furniture searches
Is William Powell's ambition for 1880.
Helen Kane, she is going to try to
grow up and talk plainly" if producers
enamored Of her voice permit.
Dick Arlen will resist all efforts to
GUST him as unohcial mayor of Toluca
Lake, and Neil Hamilton, amateur
magician. Is pledged to learn how to
Tie himself Into Hungarian knot and
escape from a cigar box"
CARA Bow, owner of 100 dogs to
date, resolves not to have more than
10 new pets during 1880.
JACK Oakte, champion wise-cracker.
Is starting campaign to become the
wit OF hollywood, or at least half that"
Kay Francis intends to begin Christ
mas shopping now; Skeets Gallagher
has sworn on horseback riding after
falling on; Harry Green will practice
his dialect, and IL it gets any better
YOU can't understand it, and Give
Brook decides to KEEP all his bad habits
because he's had them for a lifetime. -
Harry Langdon Is going to be funny
without tripping over my own foot"
Stan Laurel resolves to be more
polite to Mr.. Hardy" and big Hardy
promises to be more patient with Mr..
Swears or Drinking Milk.
Lon CLANCY isn't going to drink milk
any more, 1t shocks his fans. James.
Lucille and Russell Gleason aren't going
10 mention their beloved swimming
pool, not even the dedication tablet
Natalia Moorehead won't buy any more
clothes TIL the styles stop changing
Robert Armstrong wants to stop being
a pug" on the screen Ken MAYNARD
won't take any risks making Westerns,
except such things as jumping from q
horse to a freight car going IS miles
an hour.
zelma ONeal will try to look
sophisticated, and Anthony Bushell will
try to visit England. Marie Dressler's
resolution Is to see the humorous side
OF hfe-and If she doesn't, who does?
Colleen Moore's Is to 60 thoroughly
Irish; Albertina Rasch's to put cameo
like ballets on the color screen; Harry
Tterney's to wipe out shallow stuff and
bring back musical plays Of the Gilbert
and Sullivan type, and Alan Crosland's
to make bigger and better costume
plays with more knee breeches and
iron cannon"
But Louise Fazenda, ankle-deep in
last years broken resolutions-notably
the ones about not buying perfume and
not rushing in costume from studio to
homes making the resolve supreme
as film ad writer may say, and prob
ably would. II hereby resolve not make
any resolutions. Who" asks Louise
reaching for any one of a dozen per-
1unae bottles "eVer Eeeps 'em?n