The Waterbury Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1917-1946, 1936-12-18

BOOU SAOWnen. Iney are DOC dUlc
to make a great many pictures, and
the ones they do make are by no
means so popular in their own coun-
try as are American imports. Ger
tainly very few are considered good
enough to buck the market in the
United States.
AS result of some of these em-
barrassments. together with med
ding by money-grubbing Amer
leans, few of the English concerns
have fallen into financial difficult
ties or into American control. A
little Hollywood extravaganza, wise
ly distributed, might have been a
good thing.
Spending Necessary
James Hilton, the writer, admit
ted 1t when he was in Hollywood.
He told me, II realize now that pic
lures are no ordinary business. and
I am losing patience with all the
funny stories I have heard about
Hollywood's wastefulness. The
cinema has to waste money to
make it."
When brisk Michael Balloon
bounced over here from Gaumont-
British several months ago on a
talent-wooing tour. he had some
caustic things to say about our lack
of appreciation for the fine histri-
onic talents of Boris Karloff. Mr..
Balloon said that he was going to
take Mr.. Karloff back to England
and give him worthy vehicle.
Already Used
During their private conferences
Balloon told the actor that the
worthy vehicle would be 1.-THE Man
Who Lived Again." He had got
about half way through the plot
when Karloff interrupted: 80 sor-
ry, but 1 am already working IN
that picture, over at Warner Broth
ers. Only they call 1t The Walk
ing Dead"
"Nonsense!" exploded Mr.. Balloon,
who wasn't going to have mere
actor criticizing his stories.
Nor could anything sway him UNI
til 1.-THE Walking Dead" was fin
ished, edited, shipped to England,
and there viewed by other exec
utives of the British company. They
were Mortified to discover that it
was the same story In every essen
tial as the one they had intended
to film. And by that time Karloff
was on ship, London-bound.
Hollywood TO Rescue
What to do? They telephoned
Hollywood. They cabled Holly
wood. They bought from Holly
wood a story titled 1.-The Man Who
Changed His Mind" This yarn, Sc
lected as a showcase for Karloff's
dramatic skill. happened to be an
item which the actor had fatty
turned down some years before. In
addition to the selling price, the
English studio paid approximately
$4,000 to have the story rushed
across the ocean by cable.
WAS 1t horror story?" l asked.
at was horribly silly" said the
actor. Something about Johnny
who invented machine to change
peoples brains from one skull to
another"
So Mr.. Karloff is very glad to be
back In Hollywood among his ger
anium and his Bedlilgton terriers,
and to have some jobs of real acting
to do.
Joan Fontainc looks amazingly
like the late Jeanne Eagles.
And Dorothy Lamour could dou-
BILE for Evelyn Venable.
Joan Crawford is singing in
the night spots again; the GUS
toners always clamOr for
melancholy Baby"
! Name Your Date
You can get odds that Mary Pick
ford and Buddy Rogers will marry
before they sail for London the day
after Christmas.
An actor whose name you know
was begging Billy Grady, the cast
ing director, for certain role.
Grady said maybe, and to leave
his address. But II don't get
this part" said the actor, II won't
have any address"
II you want to know what Bob
Burns Is doing with his money, he's
putting It in real estate. He has
bought four houses and two ranches.
That's the man who. less than a
year ago, was living In $3.50
apartment and driving an asthmatic