Evening star., 1933-05-28
BY MOLLIE MERRICK.

HOLLYWOOD. Calf, May q (N.A.
NAD.-"A pretty face means nothing
in Hollywood"
A radical statement-but coming
from the best known casting director
in cinema circles, such a declaration
is nothing short of a bombshell
Fred Datig, who has chosen the types
and picked the winners OF the screen
for Paramount these many years, says
Just that about trying to get into the
pictures.
In the II years that Datig has held
this responsible position, he has inter
viewed enough prospective movie aspl-
rants to populate city the size OF But
falo. N. Y. From every walk OF life
these eager ones have come-both sexes,
all ages. all sizes and all types.
This present financial crisis, plung-
ing as it has new thousands into the
working ranks-or into the ranks who
are circumstanced so that they must
earn their own living-has brought a
new group and larger quota per week
to his casting office window.
People who yesterday would nave
laughed at the idea of working come
and stand patiently for hours hoping
to get hearing of some sort,' ne
told me.
"rhe present new influx IS largely
of .Women-daughter of men who nave
kept the min sufficient pocket money
that they could shop lavishly, keep thelr
own apartments, gamble of afternoons,
and altogether lead the life OF the IDLE
rich.
MANY of these girls now find them
selves on a budget that will scarcely
nav for their laundry. They have had
to give up their own living quarters ana
the homes they have moved back into
are a succession of montonous money.
saving days. They can't gamble OF
afternoons. SO the day may as Weu oe
spent in work. But to find work!
"I have interviewed and observed
hundreds and hundreds Of these girls,
I have not selected even so much as
one for a screen test. None OF them
had that personality spark which Woulo
make them distinctive"
I intrude here to say that over 15O
present-day stage and screen stars are
directly responsible to Fred Datlg 1oI
their careers. So what is the matter
with our former idle class that they ap-
pear by the hundreds and stand ac-
cused OF lacking personality? Is per-
sonality something that thrives only In
adversely? Is the vibrant magnetic type
one that is fostered by tussle with
life. largely on an empty stomach?
"A handsome person may have
slim chance for movie career, where
as one not so good-looking might sue
ceed," Datig tells me. This is par
ticularly true of women, for beauty has
far less value than personality. Per-
sonality is what we are after. Per
sonality is what we rarely find. And
that is the true reason why so many
people are refused screen opportunity.
Every day some aspiring young wo-
man complains to me: IF could only
get test. How do they know how
am going to look if they never make
test of me?" The answer is, movie
men have decided she hasn't the per-
sonality they want. They are not al
ways right-many people have been re-
fused for months and even years and
finally broken through successfully
Nobody is omniscient-but the casting
directors have pretty fair idea Of what
will 60 in camera and in sound.
The most interesting angle Of the
society girl phase of cinema work is
her frank admission that she doesn't
hope to be made a star right off the
bat. Any work. just a job. extra
work. anything. But the cinema cast
ing Offices try hard to keep that great