Evening star., 1929-11-15
MOVIES AND MOVIE PEOPLE
BY MOLL1E MERR1CK.

HOLLYWOOD, Calf, November is
(NANA).-Back of the engagement
of Bessie Love and william Hawks is
the fascinating tale of mothers girl
who became belle.
A professional romance and two
broken engagements are indirectly
linked with the story Of Bessie Loves
n1etamorphosis. 1t began with an in
different success in silent films and a
vaudeville tour. BeSsie's advisers then
gave her that ancient Hollywood recipe
for success:
Change your personality. Cultivate
TT"
When Bessie Love returned to the
village she became the life Of the party
where formerly she was demure little
blond who Cinderella-like made for
home when midnight struck. She got a
lead in a big talkie hit. A publicity
romance was started with huge success.
Every one was talking about the wealthy
Chicagoan who phoned Bessie every
evening.
Just prior to this Sally Eilers broke
her engagement to Matty Kemp to an
nounce one to Bill Hawks. The size Of
the diamond Bill Hawks gave the little
Eilers made the village gasp. Then
Bessie Love was seen at intense lunch
cons with Bill Hawks, those kind OF
tete-a-tetes where walters get fat tips
for lean service, and there was def
mite runnor abroad that Sally EilerS and
Bill Hawks weren't SO keen on each
other as of yore.
Then Sally Eilers broke her engage
ment to Bill Hawks and became the
village belle, and Bessie Love chose Bill
Hawks from flock of suItors who a
few months before had considered her
a pretty mothers girl, a swell dancer,
bit rather slow company.
put on my false whiskers and took
my magnifying glass and stole of to
unearth the secret of Rudy Vallee's un-
dying charm via preview of his first
picture, 1.-THE Vagabond Lover"
This sleuthing to find the hidden
mystery Of what is known as 1T" has
become more of mania than out
Sherlock Holmes. / had heard that this
was Americas newest idol-or at least
the large portion of America reached by
radio. And I had read the following
description penned by Rudy's publicity
agent upon his arrival here:
1T is easy to describe the man. A
tired-eyed dreamer with Byronesque
profile. regular features that indicate
good ancestry; a poets hair; slim
manner; intelligent, quick of thought"
That Is enough to embarrass Rudy
and to give you a rough idea that thu
P. A. was earning his weekly stipend
So I gumshoed out preview to hnc
the secret of such charm.
1t isn't there in the talkie. One findc
q young gentle as large and sincere
and sweet as bale of alfalfa, and to.
tally without sense Of humor. 4
young man who on the words 'heart'
and part" and depart" breaks int
the Irishisms of John Mccormack. Hi
drew sappy story and he needed {
good one He moves like an eight-times-
slower motion picture, and the tempC
of the thing needs quickening sadly
And Rudy has just one asset-a pleas
ing way of singing a sentimental bal
lad, obviously patterned, as l said be
fore, on the method of the Celtic John.
Now If I bring down upon my heac
the enmity of many thousand friend
of the air" by these frank remark
about a popular idol, do wish they't
back up their enthusiasm by pointing
out to me just what charms they flnt
that missed. I'm keeping a perfectl,
open mind--a wide-open mind. But
still think Rudy should be heard ant
not seen in the talkies.
Now that the dread word "talkies
has come up, want to tell some OF tn
anti-talkie faction a few things whicl
may make this rapidly growing form 0
entertainment more bearable for them
And these hints GO to make talkleS evel
better for the talkieite.
II you want to see talkie, go a
soon as possible; that is, if you ca
manage to attend the first showing Q
the picture, so much the better. TIL
first run is clearer. smoother and wit
less Of the annoying seratchings an
been run some dozen times.
A new record is always smoother o
your talking machine than an old on
The engineers who make talkies tell m
that only first runs are given In pre-
views here, No wonder I find them s