The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1936-05-30
The Break
Ho1O Some Youngsters
IN Hollywood Got
an Opportunity


dreds Of letters are daily received
at Paramount Studio from girls
and young men, all over the coun-
try, applying for work in pictures,
but not one in 1000 ever realizes
his hearts desire.
Imagine what would happen II
the studio gave these youngsters
the least bit Of encouragement.
The studios Of Hollywood cannot
afford to buy pigs in a poke, SO
to speak. Neither can they assume
the responsibility of encouraging
boy or girl to leave home on the
chance that they might possibly
qualify for pictures.
A photograph, an elaborate deS.
cription Of personality and recitalS
Of past experience mean nothing.
Some aspirantS go so far as to send
records of their voice. Others ac-
company their application with
newspaper clippings and endorse
mentS from their teachers, but all
to no purpose.
On Getting Contracts
How, then, do those who get
contracts manage to interest the
studio in them? This is q natural
question and not difficult to
answer.
It often requires ingenuity and
cleverneSS to accomplish this. but
more often circumstance leads to
success.
Many a slick trick has been
worked by aspirants for screen
jobs, but they don't always jelL
Determination is factor that
should not be overlooked. For in
stance, take the case of Gail Sher-
idan, one of the dozen or more
girls recently signed by Para
mount.
After studying ballet dancing
for four years and dramaticS for
an almost equal period, she wrote
to the Paramount Studio for q
job in movies, setting forth her
charm, ability and experience and
enclosing a photograph.
This bore no fruit and it made
her more determined than ever to
crash the gates and reach the
screen. So she went to Hollywood
where she danced in night clubs,
in the stage production of "The
Vagabond King" and at the Hol-
lywood Bowl concerts.
She did all this in the hope Of
attracting the attention of some
motion picture executive, scout or
casting director.
Finally dance director Spied
her and she found herself in the
chorus of Strike Me Pink"
She had finally reached the
screen.
In this production she was dis
covered" by a Paramount scout
and was soon under contract to
that studio. She has since ap-
peared in several of it's pictures
including 81 Man." THE Sky Pa
rade," Florida Special and
Poppy" the w. c. Fields picture.
An Unique Case
The case Of Jane Rhodes IL
unique and unparalleled. The
voice of this youngest of Para
mount players, who comes from
Rockford, ILL.,, was heard on the
radio by a Paramount executive
and it so intrigued him that he
sent a scout after her. He was
not disappointed and Jane made
her screen debut in Forgotten
Faces" with Herbert Marshall.
Probably the only girl ever
| Oh fNVs n hn0n1IcA
her face on a magazine cover Sug-
gested possibilities is blond Terry
Walker, who, following the pub
fishing of her picture on the front
page of the Saturday Evening
Post, was chased from city to city
until she was finally located in
Miami, Fla, by Paramount
scout who found her singing in q
night club. She made her screen
debut in And Sudden Death"
Most of the other girls recently
placed under contract by Para
mount were found in night clubs,
working as models in gown shops,
or in small stock companies.
The only one Of the group who
reached the screen through the
medium of a letter is Veda Ann
Borg. She was a model in a Bos-
ton gown shop and becoming tired
of her job, wrote to the Para
mount Studio in New York sug.
costing a place in pictures. She
enclosed striking photograph Of
herself and much to her surprise
received a reply asking her to
come to the metropolis for an in
terview. She was on the next
train and the following day was
Hollywood bound. The striking
redhead's first role was in Three
Cheers for Love-"
One Of the young men recently
signed to a contract by Para
mount is Wolfe Hopper, son Of the
late DeWolf Hopper and Hedda
Hopper. He has had considerable
dramatic experience in stock. A
word from his mother to Jack
Votion, the talent department
head, served as an introduction
and resulting contract.