The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1930-08-18

Dee in the taIkies Less than a year
AFRO she was an extra Eirl' during col
Iere vacation. Now she is a star.
BY DAN THOMAS
NEA Service Writer
HOLLYWOOD, Cal, Aug. 10
II once upon time fairy god
mothers used crystal slippers when
they wanted TO choose their tav-
orite Cindereilss.
NOW they give a movie test in
stead. And so this is a true Clnoer-
ella story from real life.
A cinema star needed a leading
lady. He knew the type that he
wanted, but nobody else did. 50 ne
started TO look around. one day ne
walked into the cafe on the Para
mount lot. Frances Dee, an extra
girl. was eating a sandwich ana
thinking about the weather.
She glanced up and saw Maurice
Chevalier coming toward her. Nat
urally her heart missed a beat ana
thumped a little louder Maurice
Chevalier was one Of the adored OF
the screens adored! His kisses, his
eyes, his acting. 49,.
! The handsome French star, who
has been such a success in American
films, kept coming closer and pretty
soon it dawned on Frances that ne
was going to speak to her.
She put the sandwich down and
swalloked. Since she had been
in the movie world for only six
months, she still had the satisfac-
ton of thrilling now and then.
HEAURICE CHEVALIER did
IVl speak to Frances Dee. II he
had been doing a version OF the
first Cinderella story he would have
pulled a glass slipper from his peck
ct. placed it on Frances foot, and
informed the rest of the sandwich
eating maidens in the cafe that he
had found the girl he wanted.
AS it was he gave her something
much better than slipper
an opportunity to be his leading
lady in his new picture, The Lit
tie Cafe"
Come and rehearse with me this
afternoon" Chevalier suggested.
Frances smiled and said she |
would. That test showed the French |
star that he had found the girl !
whom he needed for his leading
lady.
So Frances Dee, pretty college girl |
with only a few months movie |
experience. played role that lots
of actresses in Hollywood would like
to have. The most popular star on
the silver screen made screen love"
to her! And he chose her for the
part!
TN addition she has a long-term |
i contract with Paramount and a
salary that would make life worth
while even if she couldn't play with
Maurice! More than that. her work
opposite CheYalier was so excellent
that this young lady has been Sc
lected for the feminine lead for the
next production of Buddy Rogers.
About six months ago we met
Frances working as an extra on the
Fox lot and at that time predicted
a brilliant future for her. 1t was a
perfectly safe prediction. too. Any
girl with her ambition, ability,
beauty. personality and willingness
to work couldn't possibly be a fail
ure.
ORANGES always had liked to act,
Il but she didn't know anything
about motion pictures until g short |
time ago. AS a girl, she thought she
wanted to be a star of the stage. A
friend of hers told her that Fox
was getting ready to shoot college
picture.
Frances was a college girl. For
two years she had been q coed on
the University of Chicago campus,
A very popular coed, too. She de-
cided that she could put the college
spirit into the college play and went
over to the lot.
But when she arrived she discov-
cred that none of the other girls
knew any college yells. They weren't
claiming sorority sisters from here,
there and everywhere by the Greek
emblems on their dresses.
College just was another set"
Most of the movie college girls
never had been to high school.
FRANCES received a small part
L in the play. words and Music"
She wanted to be in the play so
badly that she just knew she would
be placed in the cast.
Ever since she was. a child,
Frances had the habit of getting
what she wanted, and she did not
seem to be boasting when she
said so.
She had wanted to be vice presi-
dent of her class in high school
and she received the highest num-
Der of votes. She wanted to play
the lead in the senior play and it
came her way. She wanted to ap-
pear in class shows at the Univer-
city of Chicago. And sheedid.
She wants to be star in her own
right some day. through her own
ability. Her never say-die" atti-
tude already has carried her far
toward outstanding success.