The Washington times., 1935-06-25


much older.
Max Baer was not a box office
wow. Why, it is hard to explain.
The lad had color, he was an
agreeable clown, was glib enough
to please the publicity department
and really had some ability as an
entertainer. Yet the women
summed theaterS where he ap-
peared. His only featured picture,
THE Prize Fighter and the Lady"
was a dandy movie but took the
count at the box office. M-G-M
was happy to let the Baer option
lapse.
Taking up Mr.. Braddock'S case
the showmen feel that his wife and
his family arouse the mother in.
stinct in us all. Yes, so help me, I
read an eminent psychologists
opinion that the male Of the spe-
cies has the mother instinct con-
cealed somewhere in his carcass
and that success such as Braddock
achieved brings it out. Showmen
think "he did it for the wife and
kiddies" can be transposed into
"He did it for the box office"
Let's hope so. =.
I hate to hang the crepe, but
the average ring champion Is a
box office palooka. Audiences
were amazed to discover that Jack
Dempsey had a high tenor voice
and they expressed their d1Sap-
proval by remaining away from
"The Big Fight" the David Belasco
play in which he appeared with
EStelle Taylor.
Gene Tunney made one picture.
'"cThe Fighting Marine" ana the
records show he never made an
other. Which is the answer as to
whether he was a success.
You can 90 away back into the
musty records and not find any
bodv except Jim Corbett who was
worth much to the theaters. Cor
bett was an excellent actor; that
is, he developed into one; was able
to tour vaudeville and play IN
musical comedies as a stralgnt
and comedian feeder on his foot
light ability alone.
Kid Is Clever
Exchange Manager Sam Wheeler,
Of FOX, sends word that little Jane
Withers will be nothing short OF
a sensation when "Ginger" Is re-
leased, This is the kid who took
a big bite Of the apple In Shirley
Temples Bright Eyes" the young
hellion who liked to play machine
gun and operate on her dollies
for appendicitis. In Ginger" she
is the star and does a burlesque OF
the balcony scene from Romeo and
Juliet, with O. P. Heggie as her
Romeo. Gene Ford dominates this
as a fun riot. Little Jane Is not
good looking, but clever and a
rare little actress.
Another who gets Sam Wheeler's
gardenia wreath Is Henry Fonda,
new partner for Janet Gaynor.
Sam saw him when Farmer Takes
a Wife" was screened at the Fox
convention, and sees Henry as the
1885 Find" He Is the exhuSband
of Margaret SULLIVAN, and played
here in the stage version OF
'Farmer Takes a Wife"
Praises "Stranded
Zone Manager John ]. Payette
forwards this letter as a tribute
to the Kay Francis picture,
stranded" at the Earle, which
he really appreciated.
Dear Mr.. Payette:
Iwant you to know how much
every worker Of the Warrington
Travellers Aid Society appreci.
ates the splendid portrayal
given by Miss Kay Francis In
the Warner Brothers picture,
STRANDED" The sympathetic,
understanding manner in which
Miss Francis handles this role,
. role which we of the Travellers
Aid Society live daily, reveals, to
us, at least why she Is among
the really great actresses Of the
screen.
This is the first picture I have
seen that has ever given to the
public q true picture Of social
work In any form. Many authors,
who have no understanding Of
the work done by the social
worker, are inclined to CariCa-
ture any phase of social work
which may appear in their
stories. STRANDED" on the con.
trary, presents this wonderful
star in a sympathetic role which
she acts 50 naturally that no
one can fail to understand just
what Travellers Aid means.
I would like to congratulate
Warner Brothers on . very ex.
cellent picture and incidentally
y very fine exposition Of the
work Of our organization.
Sincerely yours,
MARGARET FORD,
Executive secretary Travellers