Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1935-09-26
Melcher in FINLAND Among the Stars
Being One Dramatic Critic
BY E. de S. MELCHER.

form. This season shes
Il "Klondike Lou" and she's
loving It, Her face is little fuller
she's got a new dimple-and her grin
is as effective as ever. On the set OF
her new picture she holds court.
Dressed in a black velvet dress. her
platinum curls done up in some sort
of pompadour, she receives her Wis
itor with that graciousness and what
not which has always characterized
her every gesture. She positively
beams through those yard-length eye
lasheS She enthusiastically well!
We suggest that she seems to be in
Al condition. Il am" says she. land
why not? I don't smoke or drink or
dissipate, you know" We nodded that
we did know-or rather that we sus-
pected-and she went on to tell us
about the letter she had received
from some woman that morning.
She wants to know what kind of
a fifth husband she should pick. the
first one having been 20. the second
80, the third 40 and the fourth. who
died last week, So If I tell her to
take a guy who's so, he'll probably be
dead next week-and she'll be writing
me another letter. People write me
the darndest things" She laughed
and put her hands gently on her hips
and looked slyly out at Photographer
Goben, who just then had snuck up
in front of her with camera.
Miss West still speaks affectionately
of Washington In spite of the fact
that her last appearance there was, to
say the least, brief. She is doubtful.
however. if she will return to the
stage. II haven't time" says she.
And why should 1, when things are
breaking o. K. for me out here? No,
'Klondike Lou isn't going to be the
final title of this picture. Yes, I'm
meant to be on boat" and, the
camera having gone "click." she
spread her small white hands-and
they are small-out to where a state
room suddenly took shape in the mid
die of the studio. And I think this
/ is going to be good picture And,
according to rumors around the Para
mount studios. she is probably right.
Miss West, who has probably gained
three to four pounds, is not. however
the rollicking bucksome fraulein that
some people think she is. She is
short. COURAGEOUS" not fat and gen.
orally pink and white. Between scenes
she kids around with her troupe, max
ing it fun rather than pain to work
uyif6 hcr Che
remembers very well two years age
when her visitor landed suddenly al
her feet and was photographed in an
attitude of vonderment and prayer
She says: Things like that ought tc
happen every two years, shouldn't
they?" So with that the cameramar
pops up again and plants its muzzle
says Miss West, you'd better not be
st my feet"
When the agony Of photography Is
over with it Is time for her to be
back at work She waves goodby. says
Give my love to the boys and girls
back home" walks off and is last seen
as Klondike Lou again - swayins
slowly in the soft studio breezes.
T UNCH then at Paramount and
brief chats with Bill Gargan
LOANED to Paramount for Harold
Lloyd's picture, THE Milky Way') and
Wendy Barrie The latter is Britain's
Katie Hepburn and one of the most
attractive of the younger actresses out
here. From there on to the Anything
Goes" set. where Bing Crosby sits be-
tween shots" chewing modestly on a
piece Of gum. while Ethel Norman
looks on. The scene is that familiar
boat which Mr.. Victor Moore on
Broadway has universalized. Fifty fair
females stroll around in various state
of wardrobe-some of them with as
tonishingly small wardrobe. We Won
der why this is-and then realize that
! by mistake we have walked into the
chorus dressing room!
When we have left-!--it is time
for a couple of those quaint Holly
wood afternoon tea parties at which
Gladys Swarthout and Clifton Webb
actually drink tea. The tennis matches
are still in clover-Robert Montgom-
cry acting as sort of master of cere-
monies-and there is much to be done
before the preview of The Last Days
of Pompeii.'' new R-K-O picture to
which Perry Leiber and the R-K-O
squad have kindly hidden us.
Here again the arc lights flood the
street, this time in downtown Los An
geles, the celebrities arrive Uttered
with orchids. the cameras blink and
flash and little Susie Simon stands
with her mouth open in the lobby,
waiting for Garbo-who never comes.
When the picture is shown. it
proves to be a new story - not the
Bulwer-Lytton yarn. and the busting