davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-04-28
"vOICEs, AND NOT vISIONsp

BY MOLLY MERRICK.

and unquestioEed ability went down. be-
fore the test OF talk
Hollywood Loyalty bands itself against
the outside invasion. "Oh. an Eastern
Cast" it says coolly of certain produce
tons made with imported talent
Now and then Holl.wooden maiden
Is shrewd as well as pretty. When Ina
Claire came to the colony she looked
for the finest heautician this land Of
beauty had TO offer. The lady in ques-
ton was in the employ of Alice White
at the hours that Ina Claire wished
her. SO the lady Of the footlights sent
word to the studio star that she would
like to have the services OF Miss Blank
at the time given TO her. and what
would Miss White do about Il?
Alice White didn't fly into tantrum
and stand on her cinematic dignity.
She had come up from q script clerk,
and you don't do that standing on dig
nifty, but rather by seising such oppor-
tunities as are offered. She sent back
message that she would be pleased
to exchange the services Of Miss Blank
for an equal amount Of Miss Ina Claire's
instruction in voice work. Beauty won
out. And Alice White ID adding one
more hour TO her already paralyyins
day Of toll.
Laura La Plante, Billie Dove. Colleen
Moore, Janet Gaynor. Sue Carol, jean
nette Lon, Clar1 Bow, Mary Brian, Fay
Wray-one could 60 on indefinitely.
Each one will break into talk and
could go on indefinitely. Each one will
break into talk, and each will lose and
make new fans thereby. But the bat
tie Is on and the first talkie Is only the
beginning Of the fray.
Norma Talmadge will speak. Six
hard months OF vocal training precede
the venture Gilbert Roland will also
talk, there Is no alternative. Producers
do not consider the silent drama.
Constance Talmadge attended q first
night Of Shaw play recently In Los
Angeles. Attired simply In black with
string of pearls. A year ago no movie
star would attend an opening minus the
ernine cloak and the panoply OF star
dom. Does Constance Talmadge tacit-
ly admit her readiness to retire from
the limelight? Perhaps so. But much
Of all this has to do with the New
York invasion, and the new orbit OF
the movie comet.
| (Copyright 1929 by North American News
paper Alliance.)
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-04-28

r HOLLYWOOD, Calf. April al
The dread phrase of the West
ern actor has ever been "a New
4 4 York cast" One element alone
escaped its terror--the motion
picture profession. The danger hangs.
Damoclean sword. above their yellow
heads. but the ladies go gaily on; Sc
rene in their faith. The gentlemen
men bland in their egotism.
Yet every day players are dropped
from the studio casts. options are not
taken up. Raquel Torres and Gwen
Lee are among the most recent. head
q day is the usual thing. Nine. Gull
lotine Of the talkies viii not be cheated
Of her blood.
Six months ago, when Bob Flaherty's
Inflated picture was finiSned cy an
other director, Raquel Torres became
figure to reckon with IN celluloid COM
putation. She was young, animated ana
possessed of o Latin beauty. How mucn
Of her success depended upon scenery.
which was truly gorgeous, and SOUND
effects, which were among the nrst re-
leased. Is dificult TO conjecture.
Today. the very producers who felt
then that they had the prize catch OF
the cinennatic year. Topped her on the
pay roll. The kitten face. the green ana
tender personality, are not present. as
sets.
1T want a voice, not vision'" bawled
one director, when q studio beauty was
injected into his picture because she
was under contract to the company.
Voices, not visions. Then what Is 70
become Of the visions Of Hollywood? OF
those unbelievably perfect faces smootn
and unlined as the little brains within?
IT'S grim question and perhaps 1t Is
too early to do more than indicate the
path Of the movie comet. AT present IT
Is swinging away from pulchritude. A
Greek nose means nothing 10 . talkie
crew. They are q different race from
the men who took Maria Casa1uana
from a South American switchboard,
robbed her Of few Latin dinners, per-
manently removed candy and cake from
her aura, and in return handed her
fame and a savings account book.
Maria Casa tuana, or Marta Alba. as
she is called today, will survive If her
English is excellent and her acting and
voice At In. Not otherwise. Then she
will 20 the way Of Raquel and the rest.
Go with Camilla Horn, whose beauty
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-04-28
"Lured" by "Talkies. ="

HARRY GREEN, international vaude-
l. Vile and stage headliner and
owner Of the Lyric Theater In London,
is said to have been "lured" into mo-
ton pictures by the talking Aims.
Green plays an important part IN Close
Harmony" the stage story which brings
Charles Buddy" Rogers and Nancy
Carroll together In all-dialogue roles.
The famous stage comedian and char
acter star portrays hard-headed thea
ter manager.
Green. IL is said. came to Hollywood
for q vacation. with no intention OF
playing In pictures. he planned 70 pro-
duce the stage play. The Shyster," In
Los Angeles theater. and probably may
do so after all More than 20 years
ago. Green started his stage career in
New York. playing the vaudeville cir
cults while continuing his Law course at
New York University. When he gradu-
ated from the university he had become
q full-fiedged stage success and 80 gave
| up his infant Law practice % devote
his full time 10 the theater.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-04-28

audible screen In the gay COMEDY,
Nothing But the Truth" the ALI
talking screen version Of the well re-
naembered play. ct the Earle Theater
this week.
In this Paramount talking picture
Dix bets $4,000 Of somebody's money
that he can tell the truth for ~ con-
secutive hours. Now II any one be-
lieves that telling the truth under all
circumstances Is an easy task; some
thing to be dismissed a. an everyday
occurrence, they ought TO try 1t some
time In the spirit Of good, clean run.
Dix Is uproaricusly funny as he extri-
Gates himself, more or less gingerly,
from series Of embarrassing situations.
A. the 24-hour dead line draws onni-
rously near the men Dix has bet nsie
Of which, by o stroke OF fate, is the
father Of the girl he loves. make things
exceedingly merry for him than ever,
Helene Kane, one Of the stars OF the
musical comedy Good Boy" now play
ing on Broadway, and Q popular Victor
recording artist. plays her first role In
this picture. She sings Q number OF
songs, among them do Something" q
new one. Others In the cast are Louis
John Bartels. Dorothy Hall and nerton
Churchill. Victor Schertzinger directed
the picture, and william Collier, g.,
wrote the dialogue.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-04-28
THE screen "Lummox" ct last has

THE screen "Lumnox" es last mas
been foundi
She a winifred Westover, former wife
of william s. Hart, who Is returning TO
Aim work after eight years retirement
10 Dlay the title role In Herbert Brenons
ail-talking production for United Artists.
Brenon's selection Of Miss Westover
for the coveted role was approved py
Mr.. Schenck, John W. Considine, IT,
general production manager at the
United Artists Studies, and Miss Hurst
after the director. over . period OF six
months, had personally interviewed
hundreds OF actresses In Hollywood, New
York and Chicago. and had made screen
and voice tests Of more than %
actresses, including dozen Of the best
known stars. Brenon revealed that at
least one famous star, who has been
highly successful In talking pictures,
was so eager 10 play "Lummox" that she
offered to work without salary.
Discovering Lummox' was perhaps
the most difiicult problem In all my ex-
perience as director" declared Hrenon.
Indeed, the quest was q harder one
than when ! was searching for o
Peter Pan and finally found Betty
Bronson. I believe that In Miss West
over We have the Lunnnox' who might
have stepped right out Of the pages Of
the book. She has the spirituality 30
vital to the character. the sex quality,
the naivete and the racial background.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-04-28

COME difference of opinion seens 10
~ have arisen in accounts Of an ex-
pertinent recently conducted In New
York when Is members Of the New
York League for the Hard OF Hearing
were guests at performance OF THE
Singing Fool to determine their reac-
ton to sound pictures.
The press agent OF Warner Bros, pro-
ducers of the film, declared that the
guests asserted that dialogue sequences
are perfectly conveyed by the lip-niove-
ments Of the players" adding that ut
was found that they are particularly
partial to all-talking productions. the
action of which they are able TO follow
In It's entirety"
The World, devoting q full.page fea-
ture story to the event. stated. on the
contrary. that the talking moving pic
ture furnished practically 100 per cent
less enjoyment for the deafened than
did the silent moving pictures using the
phrase the groups violent denurcia-
ton Of the audible movies" Responses
to most of the questionnaires distrib-
uted," the World reported, revealed the
bitterness with which the hard Of hear
ing resent the encroaching vogue"
Among the main contentious OF these
partially deafened persons were that
there Is much less dramatic action In
the talkies than in the silent form, that
the technical defects overbalance any
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-04-28

THE honor Of directing Norma
Talmadge in her first all-talking
picture. Tin Pan Alley" which will
enter production soon ct the United Ar
lists Studios, goes to Lewis Milestone,
the young Aim craftsman who made
Two Arabian knights" THE Racket,
and other successes. Milestone was Sc
lected by Joseph M. Schenck. head Of
United Artists. and John w. Considine.
IT,, general production manager, from q
for the prestige of plotting Miss Tai
nladge into the new world of screen
dialogue.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-04-28
Talkies and the Deaf.

esthetic benefits, that the enuneiation
Of the actors was bad. and that strain
ing to catch the vocal and sound effects
was wearing on their nervous systems.
There have been runors for some
time that various national organizations
for the hard of hearing were protesting
against the new audible Aims and the
consequent decline of the silent ones.
since there are 100000 individuals Of
varying degrees of defective hearing In
the United states. their objections take
on significance which must be recog-
nized FOR years, the World points out,
these 100000 persons have proved the
most constant motion picture audience,
forced through their own limitations 10
depend upon the silent drama as a prin-
cipal form OF entertainment.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-04-28
Musical
Comedies
on the
Screen

musical comedy producer" is d.
recting the dances for the screen
production, and she will also have
athand in the film version OF Hit
the Deck" Other pictures plan
ned by radio include "Compan-
tomato" an all-talking romance
which will star Olive Borden. The
story was written by George
Kibbe Turner. Betty Compson
will be presented In THE Wen
nese Charmer," directed by Wes-
lev Ruggles. "Forty-ninth Street"
will be directed by Nal st. Clair
and will bring the three Moore
brothers-Owen, Tom and Matt
together for the first time on the
screen.
radio Pictures Co. has signed
Eetro Cimini, well known con-
ductor, and a chorus OF 80 voices
u sing exclusively for its produc-
tons.
THE French film, Joan Of Arc, :"
I has been making a big hit
With New York audiences, critics
also hailing 1t as one Of the out
standing features Of the season.
betty Bronson, who took care
Of Sonny Boy when he was not
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-04-28
Draft Former Mrs. Hart.

She Is the mother Of young son (Bill
Hart, jr), and only an actress who Is
a mother could give q faithful inter-
probation Of Miss Hurst's heroine. Miss
Westovers voice also fits the character
Of Lummox' Ideally"
1 can trutnIuily say tnat tne cnsnee
ambition of my life" said Miss West
over. Nothing else could have ever
caused me to return 10 pictures"
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-04-28

ture," he says. "The dummies
can 60 home and the plain little
vRudevilleans who lave had to
live on their wits, and so developed
al natural intelligence and per-
s0naiity, can come into the lime
light. The stage, rather than
Hollywood, will supply most OF the
talking picture actors. Intelligence
ID the chief requisite for the talk
ing screen, and can state it as
al fact that intelligence Is at a
pkemium among the Aim stars.
Everyone praises the photography
Id my pictures, but no one ever
gives me credit for the contracts
IEachieve. All the, shadows In my
pictures are painted-eyery one
OF them. / do not believe that
ahy one director can turn out
more than one good picture a
YEAR"
y a.
ALL the favorite musical shows
will probably find their way
to the screen, according to present
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-04-28
Flashes From the Screen
BY c. e. Nelson.

climbing upon knees, will be seen
and heard in THE Locked Door"
an all-dialogue effort which
George FitZmaurice is directing
for United Artists.
Sound pictures have certainly
resulted In a topsy-turvy condi-
ton in Moviedom. Stage players
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-04-28

"audien";; he knows that he must
have a capable cast to support
the featured players. A single
badly selected character in the
talkies may ruin the picture. A
star has, in the past, been paid
according to the amount Of money
he draws at the box office window,
and, according to many producers,
the featured player has COM
manded the producer, and the
latter has had very little defense.
At the present time, there are
IS stars under contract with the
various Aim companies. Now, the
producers plan to keep $50 persons
of starring caliber in Hollywood,
but to refrain from placing them
under long-term contracts. Grad
ually, the present signed stars are
expected to become free-lanceS
and the field will become con-
tract-lesS one. The exception to
this scheme, according to The Ex-
hibitors Herald World, is the star
producer who is big enough in his
drawing power that he can de-
raand a year-to-year release.
Hollywood feels that 1t will never
become strong enough to break
down that particular system.
The German Aim companies,
which are turning out some
mighty fine silent pictures, have
never gone In strongly for the
star system. They pay particular
attention to entire casts, and the
finished pictures speak for them
selves as to the wisdom of the
plan. In many an American pic
ture, the star has been the only
feature. His or her name was
supposed to attract the crowds,
regardless of the character of the
picture itself. Werner Kraus, at
the present time, is about the only
real featured player.
=
POLAND WEST, who recently
gained considerable attention
in the photoplay world with his
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-04-28

heretofore I'M
known to photo
play audiences
are W a XII n g
away with first
honors in many
instances. Silent
players, W h o
have long since
been passed by
the Oarade are
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-04-28

FOLLOWING a prediction
- made in these columns
many months ago, Holly
= wood producers are at last
attempting to get away from the
star SYSTEM" which has in
f1uenced the photoplay industry
since its birth, more than 80 years
ago. In the past, the picture and
the story have often been mini
mixed and the stars name en-
blazoned upon the billboards. The
star was paid, and is being paid,
an enormous salary. Small at
tention has been paid to other
members of the cast-and the star
is featured. He or she is supposed
to be the box office attraction.
With the advent Of the sound
pictures it has been clearly de-
veloped that the star Is not as i'm
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-04-28

SHOW Boat" Carl Laemrnle's Movie
tone version Of Edna Ferhef's famous
novel, beginning today enters upon its
second week In Washington at the Ri
alto Theater. Much praise has followed
the initial showing OF this picture, not
alone for the incorporation In the must
cal synchronization Of Jerome Kerns
song hits, "Or Man River" That's
Why ! Love You" Make Believe"
Cant Help Lovin' That Man" and
BILL" hut it Is generally agreed that
Laura La Plante and Joseph Schiidkraut
have outdone themselves Ia the roles o.
Mr.. Laeminle has spared no expense
In producing this Aim epic, the river
background, the show boat" and ia
vari-colored dramatic surroundings, It's
period costumes and incidents. Al.
though the perturbation cliags close 10
the plot lines OF the Terber novel, the
high lights In terms Of musical decora-
ton from the Ziegfeid version are skill
fully Incorporated In the production. .
Though the opening was Q special
event With special prices, the Washing
ton run of the picture continues ct pop
ular prices-50 cents daily for orchestra,
rs cents for boxes and Is cents for chill
dren, none of the seats being reserved.
The picture is being run continuously
from IL am. till IL pm. daily.
LITTLE THEATER--"shiras."
"Shirsz" based on Q legend of India,
the story Of the building Of the famous
Tai Mahal. will be presented ct the Lit
tie Theater for q week, beginning Satur-
day, by the Film Arts Guild OF Washing.
ton directly following It's four weeks
run In New York.
The story Of "shiras' 10 presented
with an entirely Hindu cast. with III.
mansu Raj In the title role. "Shiras"
was directed by Franz Osten, with the
| cooperation Of UFA and the British
Institutional Films. eeventy-five cam
| els. 30 elephants and i20 horses were
used In several Of its scenes. The stand
| ing army Of Jaipur was drafted into
service TO represent the escort Of Prince
| Khuyrar1.
The entire production Of "shiraz" was
shot without the use Of artificial light
ing,
! Supplemental attractions will include
| Charles Chaplin In "Vagabond." the
weekly news reel and an overture.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-04-28

important as he
once waS--or, at
! e st, as he
thought he was.
T h e producers
have discovered
that fact. He
knows that he
must h We a
good story to
- - % - ~ q
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-04-28

l n q l c q I ] o n 5.
From the radio
studio, in Holly
wood. comes the
report that re-
hearsals Of Rio
Rita" have been
started. Pearl
Eaton, known as
New York IS
only " o m q n
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-04-28

q ] + e e I o n OF
"Alibi, " says the
sound picture
win succeed In
Chasing the
b e q U I'll { u !
dummy from
the studios. ut
Is personality
which counts In
the sound pic
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-04-28

HOLLYWOOD, Calf. April al
The dread phrase Of the West
ern actor has ever been "a New
yCrk nast Oy1e eleuaer,t alone
The Daily Alaska empire., 1929-10-25
Attractions At Theatres
THE DESERT SONG"
 RETURNS, COLISEUM

Following popular demand, "The Desert Song" the Vitaphone won- der, a brilliant operetta, will be shown again tonight only at the Coliseum.
 "The Riff Song" and all the other inspiring choruses of "fhe Desert Song" come to the audience in volume as melodious as it is re- markable. The desert settings are exceptionally beautiful.
 Important roles in this epoch making production are played by John Boles, Carlotta King, Louise Fazenda, Johnny Arthur, John Mil jan, Marie Wells, Jack Pratt, Myrna Loy, Edward Martindel, Otto Hoff- man, Robert E. Guzman and Del Elliott. "The Desert Song" was directed by Roy Del Ruth and liar vey Gates made the, screen adapta- ton. ss nA
 The tuneful melodies of Sigmund Romberg, it's composer, are played by the Vitaphone Symphony Or chestra and sung by magnificent chorus of one hundred voices.
The Daily Alaska empire., 1929-10-25
FABRIC
 IS IDENTIFIED
Seamstress Positive Cloth Is that from Mer-
 rill's Airplane

z SEWARD, Alaska, Oct. 25.-A piece of airplane fabric picked up on the beach near Tyonek, Cook Inlet, has been identified in An chorage as part of the stabilizer of Russell Merrill's plane.
 Tyonek is 40 miles from Anchor age where Merrill was last seen heading over Cook Inlet
 The cloth was viewed in Anchor age by seamstress who recognized her own stitching done at the re- quest of Merrill when the piece was repaired before the last flight.
 Alonzo Cape, Anchorage mecha- nician. also identified the fabric as part of Merrill's plane.
 The fabric looked to some as if it had been used for a sail while others believe the finding of the fabric indicated part of the rud- der or stabilizer broke away, forc- ing landing in remote section. Col. Ben Eielson continues a relent- less search for Merrill and is keep ing Joe Crosson also on a daily search.
The Daily Alaska empire., 1929-10-25
DOG STORY IS AT
 PALACE ON SUNDAY

Dynamite" Universals wond e r police dog screen star, who plays the leading role in "Fangs of Des- tiny" which comes to the Palace Theatre Sund ay, was originally trained for police work by Louis Vokali, the well-known trainer of fcur-footed film actors. Vokali was at one time a member of the Calf- fornia constabulary and Dynamite was his inseparable companion, while on his tours of duty, partici- pating in a dozen or more arrests of criminals.
 "Fangs of Destiny" was made un- der the direction of Stuart Patton. The canine star is supported by a notable east, including Edmund Cobb, Betty Caldwell, George Perio- lat, Carl Sepulveda, Al Ferguson and Joan Hathaway. The picture is a screen adaptation of the story by George Morgan, who also wrote the scenario.
The Daily Alaska empire., 1929-10-25
FOREIGN DEVILS"
 AT PALACE TONIGHT

Foreign Devils" at the Palace tonight and Saturday, was written by Peter B. Kyne especially as a starring vehicle for Tim Mccoy, and is based on authentic historical data gathered by various writers during the Boxer rebellion and the famous siege of the white lega- tions.
 Claire Windsor plays opposite the star, while the supporting cast in- cludes a large number of we'll known character artists, among them. Cyril Chadwick, Frank Cur rier, Emily Fitzroy, Lawson Butt, Sojin and Frank Chew. .
 AntiQuated pieces of artillery used
The Daily Alaska empire., 1929-10-25
THE LEATHERNECK"
 COMING TO COLISEUM

That Diane Ellis should have been a stenographer before she crashed | the gates of moviedom has nothing to do with the fact that Pathe and the jubilee are all keyed up about her work in "The Leatherneck, :"
 William Boyds latest starring vehi- cle, which will be on view at the Coliseum soon.
 This picture, which is a story of the United States Marines in Chi
 na, shows Miss Ellis as beautiful girl, and her cameo face adds much
 to the romantic interest of the drama. Alan Hale, Robert Arm strong and Fred Kohler are fea- 1 tured.
 Drama and thrills aplenty abound 1 in this remarkable picture story of
 three Devil Dogs whose motto is
 "all for one, one for all.' The picture was produced and directed
 by Ralph Block and Howard Hig- l pir
The Daily Alaska empire., 1929-10-25
COMING "Leatherneck''

gineering staff of the Guggenheim interests exploiting tin ore there.
 MT. Smith is graduate of the Fairbanks High School He won a sch olar sh p in the Colorado School of Mines and attended that institute for about one year. Ill., health forced him to leave the school After he recovered, he enz tered the Alaska College at Fair
The Daily Alaska empire., 1929-10-25

in the Boxer uprising, were loaned to Metro-Goldwyn- Mayer for this production and roared with ter rife detonation. Settings repre- senting the gates of Peking, were blown high into the air.
The Daily Alaska empire., 1929-10-25
ALASKA COLLEGIAN
 GOES TO FAR EAST
 WITH BIG COMPANY

Clifford Smith, Fairbanks boy, son Of MT. and Mrs. Murray Smith of that city, passed through Juneau yesterday enroute to the Malay States where he will be on the en-
The Daily Alaska empire., 1929-10-25
TALKlES FOR
 INTERIOR FANS

FAIRBANKS, Alaska, Oct. s. Talking pictures will be heard by interior Alaskans for the first time on January l. Capt A. E. La- throp, proprietor of the Empress theatre here, leaves for the States next week to purchase equipment for his theatre here, Anchorage and Cordova. .,s ~
 LODE MINING CLAIM LOCA- TION NOTICES AT THE EMPIRE