Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-06-23
Speech Crlpples' and the Sound Doubles of T
of Hollywood

Buster. Nor for Lon CLANCY either. who re
fuses to talk himself or have any one else do
it for him.
Louise Fazenda. known as "the girl with the
Lon CLANCY voice." because it can be adjusted
to at any characterization she wishes Is one
OF the few old-time favorites whose popularity
has increased with talking pictures While
prettier girls gloried in stardom and improving
their physical charms, clever Louise studied
ventriloQuism. Which has made 1t possible for
ner 70 change her voice to suit each diversified
characterization-prim old maid, simpering
Happier, silly chorus girl, or dignified aunt
Screaming is one of Miss Fazenda's long suits
In half dozen recent pictures her blood-cur-
ding shrieks have been immortalized ST had to
scream so much during the making of The
House OF Horror,' she declared my Jaws ached
for days. In the old days you could open your
mouth wide and feign shrek. But in the
talkie 1t has to be the genuine thing"
Singing doubles usually stand In the wings
or back stage under a microphone while the
player goes through the lip ENTHUSIASTICALLY
rehearsed beforehand Here the screen stars
knowledge Of timing comes in splendidly Some
times the singer stands where he or she can
see the players lips or vice versa during the
actual recording
Such was the case In Mary Philbin,s s'The
PHANTOM Opera" which recently has been re-
made as musical picture. AS everybody knows
Mary Phibin is no opera singer, but as the
picture formerly had been made with Mary
In the stellar role, naturally to save expense
and Mary, the little Universal star was re-
tanned.
"A s her singing double, Mary Fabian was en-
gagged. Miss Fabian, who has what they
call q dramatic lyric" has doubled for quite
number Of the film luminaries including
Gloria Swanson in Queen Kelly" Only don't
think she told me this. It would be as much
as her unique job was worth. All the data
In TINS article were CLEANED from those mysteri-
GUS sources available to inquisitive reporters
Any publicity person connected with any motion
picture studio who would give out for publica-
ton any item such as I have obtained would
be shot at the noon hour on Hollywood boule-
ward
tightening explanation on why Laura La Plante
was chosen for the role of Magnolia in "Show
Boat" Universal purchased the screen rights
of ziegfelds production for use as silent
Ziegfeld refused to allow either dialogue or
music. After Laura La Plante had been Sc
lected for the role and the picture was prac-
ticaily finished as silent, the New York pro.
ducer came around and consented to both dia.
logue and musical version. The production had
to be made almost entirely over Naturally
Laura La Plante remained the star. do not
know who doubled for her in the singing roles
She played her own banjo. that do know.
Furthermore the experimentation of her voice
with that of the singer was exceedingly clever.
1t was rumored that Helen Morgan,s voice was
used In the concert scene. That, I doubt Al
though paid $4,000 for one afternoons work
in the prologue, I understand the elusive night
club queen practically had to be dragged to the
microphone and tied there, at the Long Island
studio.
In "The viennese Charmer." Betty Compson's
(CcTt.Rued on Eleventh Pc-c.)