Evening star., 1932-10-30
Artistic Integrity May
Be a Players Handicap
Out in Hollywood the Fine Character Actors Have
Difficulties in Obtaining Suitable Roles, AL
though They Are Recognized Stage Stars.
Ey Mollie Merrick.

two sraes luminarieS that they are otter
accepted as part of the picture as cas-
ually as the stage settings into which
| they merge themselves SO artfully. Botf
disdain a snowy performance and botf
know how to get the last bit of vc,ut
| from the text Dorothy Peterson's per-
| formance in Payment Deferred" be-
came so true a thing that it held its
own unswervingly even against the
brilliant playing Of Charles Laughton
who has given one of the most amazing
| performances the cinema has evel
| known.
Elizabeth Patterson's subtle interpre-
tation of the aunt in "A Bill of Divorce
ment"-a bigoted, determined, haraSsed
woman who yet revealed i'll flashes some
of the terrible confusion which beset
her brothers brain and which was the
cause of their family tragedy-will long
| be remembered among the valuable
character studies of this year.
When you think of subteltieS, think
Of the critic in The GuardSman' and
of Roland Young. who played it to the
hilt. Each time I encounter this artist
on some studio set-frequently playing
part all too small for his inimitable
talentS-I wonder why some playwright
of cinema doesn't capitalize on his tai
ents and write in a part for Roland
Young which will give him, and Incl
dentally the film, the uplift which pic
lures so sorely need. Young, weary OF
the fare which the character actor often
encounters in seeking to build a per-
manent place in pictures, has deter
mined to return to the stage and has
found very fine play for himself. His
absence from Hollywood should he full
afcl hn
Each of these artists l have men,
toned is brilliant and capable. OF the
five, only one. Charles LaughtOn, has
scored a success from his first appear
ance. In Hollywood less than four
months, he is about to begin his fifth
role. Only one-the role OF the admiral
in Devil and the Deep" with Tallulah
Bankhead-haS been released The
others are still unreleased or in the
cutting room. His Island of Lost Souls"
is completed. and Immediately before
that he played the part of Nero for De
Mile in Sign of the Cross" His next
part is sheer comedy and will be one of
the episodes from If 1 Had a Million
Dollars" After this. he goes to Eng
land to play in a legitimate production
for Gilbert Miller, returning to Holly
wood at the close of the English season.
EtlS experience is notable departure
for his type of actor. The slow sure
progression of Dorothy Petersen and
Elizabeth Patterson, of Roland Young
and Ralph Morgan are more character
lStic. Frank Morgan. if he has the
patience to stand the Hollywood mill,
will undoubtedly find himself cast in a
picture which will give him opportunity
TO register his talents, even in small
way.
But in Hollywood your artistic in
tegrity may be handicap instead of an
accelerant. The ShOWy performance
the ham version with a glam5rouS light
on it's still going strong with the ma
jority of producers. Such fine artists as
the ones mentioned may thank di-
rectOrS in the main for their place in
the cinema strugglc-casting directors
and picture directors. who fight fer
them and the higher salaries they bring
even for small parts-fght for them be-
cause directors know in their hearts
that one moment with such as these
may lift an entire picture out of the
rut of IS cents worth of diversion into
something with thought behind it and
an incentive to come back into the the
ater again.
(Copyright, 1882 by North American News
paper Alliance, IncD