Evening star., 1938-05-30

- ~
| u her agent and laughed sar-
N donically over plans of her
Il n friendly foes, the Warner Bros
to wind up her S., 5,20O-a-week contract
In burst OF quicl:ies.
Let 'em come" challenged Kay.
I'm ready for any story they name.
And they won't find me too far from
the studio. There'll be no contract
preaching on my part"
The Warmers have just finished
Kay's latest picture. MY Bill" in
which the stately brunette plays the
role of a 46-year-old mother of five
children-one, the grown-up Anita
Louise.
That's nothing at ALL commented
Kay. wait until you see my next story.
I'm going to be Paul MUM in skirts
It's to be picture called Lady Doc
tor and understand it's remake of
Dr.. Socrates That was a gangster
story in which Mr.. Mum appeared two
years ago."
Kay was asked what she thought a
succession Of inferior pictures might do
to her box-of1ice rating and production
plans for the future.
What can a few more bad pictures
do? Nothing in my case, because that
matter was taken care of two years
ago. If my popularity at the box Of
flee has beer, destroyed, 1t dates back
that long. haven't had decent story
since then. Is it any wonder the fans
get tired of seeing an actress go
through the same old motions and the
/, same old story? You can't blame them
for staying away from the theater."
Kay believes her nemesis was the
Florence Nightingale story, White
Angel" of 1886.
Il shudder when I think Of that
one" she continued. In fact, it doesn't
do me any good to think Of all the
stories I've had to take since that
time"
Kay was enjoying a 48-hour breath
ing spell from the stiff program out
lined by the studio. which hopes to
take every possible advantage of her
presence on the pay roll until Sep
tember IL by working in three more
pictures. They're to be made on shoot
ing schedules much shorter and on
budgets much smaller than the aver
age studio product
Il never felt happier" said Kay,
and her appearance certainly bore out
the statement. I'm going to be a
good girl and do everything I'm told
waiting all the time for the dawn of
that great day, September H."
Kay has it all figured out to the
hour. The contract expires at high
noon, and then she'll be Free She
doesn't know exactly when or where
she'll marry the Baron Barnekow-her
fifth matrimonial venture-and says
she can make no plans until after her
obligations to Warmers are ended. The
marriage may take place in Europe,
she hints. At least she'll spend six
month honeymoon over there, probably
at the baron's country estate in POM
erania.
AS to her screen career after mar
riage, Kay isn't quite decided. II
poor pictures should kill off the de-
mand for Kay Francis pictures, that
will be quite all right with her, she
indicates. But she entertains su-
preme confidence that, regardless of
past hops, there is no box-ofdce situ-
alton so grave that one great picture
cannot surmount.
Meanwhile, Kay and the Warmers
are having none of their old argu-
ments. Everything Is quite friendly, at
least on the surface.
why, only this morning." said Kay.
Jack Warner phoned to say he'd just
sneak-previewed the picture in which
I play the mother of five. He said 1t
was terrific and that it was the great
est role ever played"
And Kay doesn't believe Jack would
resort to sarcasm.
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