The Washington times., 1930-08-23
By HARRISON CARROLL
Copyright. 1880, Premier
Syndicate, Incl

Syndicate, Inc,)
HOLLYWOOD, Calf, Aug. %
Despite the influx of stage people,
Hollywood studios are still picking
potential stars from among the
1900 extras listed at the Central
Casting Bureau.
Within the past year, more
than 20 extras have graduated to
the estate of contract players at
the various studios.
One of the outstanding exam,
pies is Frances Dee, who did
dress atmosphere" until Para
mount suddenly recognized her
possibilities and signed her to a
five-year contract. Her first role
was the lead opposite Maurice
Chevalier. and her second lead
opposite Charles Rogers. All the
other studios in Hollywood are
bemoaning the fact that they did
not pick her from the crowd.
Rita Leroy is another lucky
player. When Cecil B. De Mile
made Dynamite she played one
of the girls in the hoop-race ept-
sode. Today, She has a five-year
contract at R-K-O. 'Lita Clfevret
and Velma Valentine also have
been signed on long-term con-
tracts by this company.
Warner Brothers chose Leon
Janney, the boy-star of Courage" "
from the ranks of child extras at
the Central Casting Bureau. Only
this week Hal Roach has elevated
two 4-year-old children from eX-
tras to members of Our Gang"
They are Shirley Jean Ricketts,
and Dorothy De Borba, each four
years of age.
Raoul Walsh picked John
Wayne from the atmosphere peo-
pie, and gave him one of the leads
in "The oregon Trail" Univer-
sal has given Kane Richmond the
lead in THE Leather Pushers. I"
Metro Goldwyn.Mayer has Lucille
Powers.
Of course, the percentage rep
resented by 20 out of 1900 is
small. But the extra route still is
one way to stardom.
A Safe Guess
John Barrymore tells this one
on himself: When "Moby Dick
was being filmed, the star was re-
uuired to stand on the deck OF a
ship while 400 tons of water was
hurled upon him.
"Lymey," Warmers cockney
prop-boy and devoted admirer
of Barrymore, stood by and
watched with a froWn.
That's more water than the
governor has drank in 20 years, I"
he observed lugubriouSly.
Classy Thieves
Two daring and ingenious jewel
thieves are now working the film
colony. One day this week an Of
ficial of the Chaplin Studio re
turned home early. He saw an
expensive sedan parked in front
of his house. A uniformed chauf.
feur sat in the front seat. An
other man, dressed in a neat gray
suit, was standing on the porch
of the house. AS the official en-
tered his driveway, the man on
the steps inquired for a fake name
When the film man got out Of the
car, however, the stranger hoped
into the sedan, which drove rap
idly away. Entering the house
the official discovered that all OF
his belongings had been thoroughly
searched. Apparently, the thieves
had been looking for jewelry, fol
nothing was missing.
Coaches Doug
None other than AL Jolson is
coaching Douglas Fairbanks ir
several songs that the star is tt
sing in his forthcoming talkie
Reaching for the Moon"
Finishes Up
Hollywood Is due for a jolt
when it learns that Fred Niblc
is no longer associated with
Metro GoldWyn-Mayer. He fin
ished up his contract there yes
terday, and no new arrangement
was made.
Niblo has been with M-G-M
since the company was formed
He became one of its act directors
with the legendary Ben Hur,'
which he finally got onto cellu
loid after several others hac
tailed.