The Washington times., 1931-02-27
PUBLIC WANTS
STARS, FILM
MEN FIND
BY HARRISON CARROLL

BY HARRISON CARROLL
HOLLYWOOD, Calf, Feb. ~.
On every side one hears of the
triumph Of the star system.
Pathe has just announced 81
starring pictures for the coming
year. Back Of this program lies
the verdict Of theater men all over
the country. When polled by the
Pathe sales department, they an
swered that they want to sell the
star first, last and all the time.
They even hesitate at booking
aIl-star productions because in the
past these have brought them Sec
ondary performers.
AS a result, Pathe will bill a
star in every picture Of its next
years program.
Incidentally, Constance Ben
nett's "The Common Law will be
the first of the new series to get
under way. This actress, whom
Warner Brothers has agreed to
pay $4,000 a week for 10 weeks,
will make three more films, in
elusive Of "The Common Law"
for Pathe this year. She has just
completed another, "LoSt Love-"
AS you may recall, 'The Common
Law" is Robert Chambers novel,
which twice was made as silent
film. Clara Kimball Young and
Corinne Griffith starred in the
earlier versions. Lew Cody, who
is much in demand these days,
has been engaged for the second
masculine lead in the talkie.
IT'S . Wise Producer
This one came too late to be
included in Moss Hart's and
George Kaufmann's "Once In a
Lifetime"
A Hollywood agent recently
suggested to producer that he
had made a mistake in letting 4
certain actor go. IT think you
could have built him into STAR"
he said.
els that SOP" replied the pro-
11dNC Ok1
the lot at 500 a week."
It's big lot, but If he had
scanned the production sheet, he
would have found that the actor
in question had been re-enegaged
and was working in one of the
company's many pictures for
$1,000 a week.
No Plagiarism Either
Harry Brand, who is a great |
time-SaVer, has invented a nine
word synopsis that will fit any
film at any time.
boy meets girl. tear 'em
apart. together for finish"
Latest Gossip
When studios issue a call for
fashion models. the applicants
usually show up wearing bath |
ing suit covered by a big coat.
Robert Lords new story at First |
National boasts the title, Merry
Wives Of Reno. AN RK-O di-
rector recently had an embar-
RAISING experience. He chose a
spot in for a location scene and
asked for permanent plumbing to
be installed. In some way, it came
out that the lot which had been
rented from a real estate COM
pany actually belonged to him.
France Edward Farragoh, who
wrote the scenario for Little
Caesar" has a Russian wolf
hound. which won't pay any at
tention to the command "sick
'em." but which attacks at the
word supervisor" Arthur Cae-
sar is to become an actor in Ed
ward G. Robinson's new film,
Smart Money" He plays a gam
bier. The King of Siam is put
ting on a celebration for Douglas
Fairbanks, and Doug will have
it photographed. Here's some
thing for the stars to worry
about. A newly created director
has installed a microphone in
the spare bedroom, which also
Is used as q cloakroom in case Of
parties. Any conversation will
emerge from q loud speaker
downstairs.
Horton Signed
Upon the completion Of "The
Front Page" Edward Everett
Horton will go to Fox to play a
comedy role in six Cylinder
Love-" Spencer Tracy and Sid
ney Fox have the lead in this
production which is being di-
rected by Thornton Freeland.
Incidentally, Freeland finishes his
United Artists contract with this
picture. He has been loaned out
to other companies since
''Whoopee."
Do You Know
That Richard Barthelmess
barely won out over the late
Rudolph Valentino when the lead
was chosen for D. w. Griffith's
Broken Blossoms?
n ! ;5S !