The Washington times., 1934-09-07

better. But she has yet to win
her letter as an actress.
Acting is an art not acquired
by reading books or being blown
into prominence by press agent
blasts. Those in Hollywood who
exhibit it in the highest degree
and in it's fullest expression are
those who have been schooled Ia
experience. Chiefly on the stage.
You have but to watch the
women who have worked with
John Barrymore-one of the
greatest living actorSto realize
what working with a genius
means to youth and inexperience.
Recall the performance of Armids.
in General Crack; of Marian
Marsh in "Svengali"; of Kathar-
inc Hepburn in Bill of Divorce.
ment";; of Myrna 10y in "Topaze";:
of Carole Lombard in Twentieth
Century" They were great be-
cause Mr.. Barrymore, jealous of
his own reputation, buoyed and
sustained them through scenes
where his own performance de-
pended for full effect upon their
competent support.
ArIiss Hell ps Them
What actress has failed with
George Arliss supreme techni-
clan of the drama and its re-
lated arts? Arliss instructs and
directs them in some of the little
things that not even high sal
aried movie director knows any,
thing about. I have never seen
Bette Davis do anything on the
screen any aspiring ingenue
couldn't do as well except when
George Arliss rode her to glory
in MAN Who Played God"
Walter Huston is another fin
iShed actor, one who can i'm.
merse himself completely in any
role to which he applies an
abundant art. He can act rings
around Clark Gable and what
Franchot Tone offers as acting
but Gable and Tone in the movie
marques mean 10 times as much
as the name of Huston.
Take Katharine Hepburn. At
least four brilliant performances
in the movies. Returning to the
stage the heavy majority is
against her in "The Lake." Al
though I believe that the play
and not the actress caused the
failure.
Helen Hayes brought to Hol-
lywood the ripened experience of
years of trouping. Her triumph
over what the screen required
was as quick as it was inevitable.
Know the Business
7 don't mean by this to imply
that few of the established big
names in Hollywood are not Ca
pable of acting. What I hope I
have made clear is that the best
screen acting through the sea-
sons is supplied by such mines
as Paul Lukas, Ricardo Cortez,
Edward Arnold, Lewis Stone, Jean
Hersholt, May Robson, Mary Bo.
land, Hugh Herbert, Guy Kibbe,
Charlie Ruggles, Minna Gombell,
Give Brook, Alice Brady, Eliza
beth Patterson, Lionel Barrymore,
Laura Hope Crews, Frank Nc
Hugh, Robert Barratt, Edward
McWade and Berton Churchill.
All of those named know more
about visualizing emotions, tim
ing and emphasizing lines, ges-
lures and expressions, voice mod
ulation and the value of under
playing than the Mae Vests, Joan
Crawfords, Norma Shearers, Con-
stance Bennetts, Dick Powells,
Bing Crosbys, Joel McCreas and
Miriam Hopkins combined. I
mention Mae West because she
can play only one type of role
convincingly. Buxom Mae could
do no better with the drawing
room manners than a dramatic
school tyro.
Requires Experience
The good actors and actresses
Of Hollywood learned their pro-
fession through years of toll on
the stage and in most cases with
adversely that has left scars.
The experience is definite asset
beyond mere youth and beauty.
I would not have you believe
that you can become q movie star
in Hollywood without knowing a
little something about acting even
though Joan Blondell's pessimis-
tic opinions might lead to that
impression.
I do think though with Miss
Joan that starting out with an
attractive figure, tender years,
definite pleasing personality the
ambition and enthusiasm of the
beginner, plus opportunity-and
influence in the right places-a
girl or boy can come to the top
in Hollywood with about ten cents
worth of acting ability.
Chanoee Addreee