The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1939-07-07


Santa Fe, was delayed the other
...,, day when a
Compared TO blew the tents
Directors Past away. The pug
nacious William
Wellman, the director, long known
as "Wild Bill" enjoys fighting sand
storms, having licked one almost
single-handed when he was filming
"Beau Geste," in Arizona. He
probably got a few good shots of the
storm and will work them into
the film, with his gift for IMPROVE
cation. }3A
He was the flying partner Of
Tommy Hitchcock, the polo
player, in the Lafayette Esca-
drille in the World war, and re-
vealed an instinct for Snowman
ship by playing tunes on Ger
man tower bells with machine
gum as he tipped around the
belfry. It was said that, before
the Germans dropped him in
tree and sent him home, he
could peg out "Silver Threads
Among the Gold' without a
sour note.
h In aviation films, he has employed
effectively both his histrionic talents
and his training in air acrobatics.
His film, ''Wings," of 1928, touched
off his expanding fame. "Men
With Wings Of last year, rated
by discerning critics as a top
bracket film, told the story of avia-
ton from the day of the Wright
brothers. first flight. ajs
He was known at times,
around Hollywood, as "Screwball
Bill" but has simmered down
considerably since he married
Dorothy C0onan, finding des-
ert sandstone only mildly di-
verting, considering his rough
and-tumble past.
He is, however, as Irish as ever,
and his famous serial fight with an
unknown Paris antagonist probably
will continue. On leave in Paris,
he found it nee
Engages W q essary to re-
Serial Fight buke an often
WIKI Tynkno,nn sive stranger
: by knocking
him stiff as a plank. Late, in Chi
cago, the stranger, spying Mr.. Well
man on the street, did the same to
him. A year or two later, in Holly
wood, seeing his unknown sparring
partner crossing the street, Mr..
Wellnan put himself one up by
blow to the chin. There have been
other encounters. believe the score
is now even. But he bears no grudge.
It is just a detail Of his native ebul-
Hence, which leads him to such de-
vices as galvanizing the chairs on
the lot SO his working crew can't
sit down.
With Capra, La Cava and
Hitchcock, he is achieving a
sharp characterization and fin
ished technique, as the movies
get into long pants and offer
adult entertainment. He grew
up in BroOkline, Mass, tried
: to sell chocolates and wooden
goods, but didn't, went to the
war with an ambulance unit
y, and wen the, CrOix de Guerre
with the Lafayette EscadriIIe.
His friend, Douglas Fairbanks
+sS ST., steered him to Hollywood,
4 soon after the war. as mes
senger boy for Goldwyn. In 10
years, he did almost everything
for every studio in Hollywood,
before he hit his stride with
swings"
He is 43, slender, whippy, with a
touch of gray in his curly brown
hair, and is apt to sock anybody in,
an argument and then affectionate-
1y buy him a drink. "a Star Is
Born" hiked bis fame considerably.
.issa& esnosa s.e
THIS reporter asked several in
= formed persons if they knew
that. a woman was assistant secre-
tary of the United States treasury.
None of them
women IN Omce did. Mrs. Blair
No Longer Rate Banister, who
Scare Heads noids tnat Of
announcement in that. She tells
the Regional Conference of Demo-
cratic Women at Washington that
the decreasing public excitement
about women in Office is a good
sign. Their status in public Life,
if that's what interests them, is SO
assured that they no longer rate
CLEARING headlines" when they are
put in a responsible post.
Mrs. Banister is q sister of
Senator Carter Glass, one of
q family Of six. boys and six
girls, all following their fathers
business-newspaper work. Her ..
sister, DR.. Meta Glass, is presi-
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