The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1938-04-16

The camera is pushed up close
to a small set representing a
room in the CaSbah, or native
quarter. A card game is in
progress on the floor. One of
the players Is Charles Boyer,
who portrays Pope LIE Moko, a
French crook who has taken
refuge. in the lawless area. Other
players are Alan Hale, Gene
Lockhart and Stanley Fields.
Iockhart is a police informer
who has betrayed one of the
band. He is sweating under a
subtle third degree. To make
sure that he sweats properly,
Director John Cromwell has q
prop-man spray his face with
oil.
In the picture, the scene will
last two minutes, the informer
will die at the end of it.
MINUTES DRAG INTO HOURS
Cromwell already has spent a
day and a half photographing
these two minutes. It is II
O'Clock when I reach the set.
At noon, the third degree is
still on.
I ask Boyer when the actual
shooting will take place. He
Ehrugs. "Oh, about 5 o'clock
this afternoon" he says. May.
be 4. Who knows?"
A busy columnist has no time
TOR such leisurely murders.
So. once again, I go away
without seeing the shot fired.
On the way out of the stage,
I meet Hedy Lamar, who ap-
peared in the sensational &c
gtasy."
Miss Lamar has been under
contract to M.G-M for months,
but "Algiers" will be her first
Hollywood picture.
I ask her a few questions
about herself.
ct made two pictures before
Ecstasy" she says, then I
worked on the stage. Then
married and now I am here
that sums it up quickly,
American tempo"
At least, there's nothing
leisurely about Hedy Lamar.
BING CROSBY SINGS HYMN
On a darkened Paramount
sound stage, we proceed eau
tiously toward the lights where
the Sing, You Sinners" com;
pany is working. "Quiet!" calls
the voice of an assistant. We
stop lest a creaking board spoil
o take.
Expecting to hear dialogue, or
perhaps Bing Crosby grooming
o popular song, we hear instead
o trio of voices raised in the
old hymn, Shall We Gather at
the River?"
Moving up after the take, we
discover it is Crosby, Fred
MacMurray and a boy actor,
Donald O'Connor.
They are singing to a con-
gregation in a small country
church.
This is one Of the early scenes
IN the picture, Director Wesley
RuggleS explains. Later on,
Crosby will Groom the familiar
type of numbers.
But this isn't the first time he
has sung to a church congrega-
ton. AS q boy, he was a men,
Der Of the choir of st. Aloysius
Church in Spokane.
SWING IN CARNEGIE HALL
Quite different, the music to
be heard on the "Alexander's
Ragtime Band" set at the Fox
Western Avenue studio. Tyrone
Power is leading what is sup.
posed to be the first swing band
concert at Carnegie Hall in New
York city.
The orchestra Is playing a
modern swing arrangement Of
the early Irving Berlin hit.
Having a Heat Wave"
Power has a real orchestra
leader out front to cue and
criticize him on the use Of the
baton. But he has become sur.
prisingly adept in the art Dt.
rector Henry King, Alfred New.
man, in charge of the studios
recording orchestra. both will
tell you this.
After the scene, we compli-
ment Tyrone on his skill.
Yeah" he says. but what am
I going to do when the picture
gets out? mean, when I'm in
q night club some time and they
ask me to get up and lead the
orchestra"
Copyright, 1888. by King Features
Syndicate, Inc.)
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