Evening star., 1940-02-24

This and Heaven Too is finished L
pictures in a row. After Dark
Victory there came The Old Maid,
and I wanted to play that. Next
there was 'Juarez,' and was eager
to do Carloyta. And then came the
chance to try something different
by playing Queen Elizabeth in The
Private Lives Of Elizabeth and Es-
sex Now that the good Queen is
over and done with, I'm definitely
through with old woman roles
for long while.
But then I suppose costume roles
are really more my type. I hap
pen to be a peculiar sort of indi-
vidual. AS an actress I seem bet
ter equipped to play tragedy than
light comedy. They tell me I suf-
fer very well. And 1t just seems
to happen that good strong dramas
and not-too-tragic tragedies hap
pened years ago. Most modern
stories you read today either are
light, frothy things. concocted to
carry q boy-gets-girl, boy-loses-
girl, giri-gets-boy romance, action
dramas, detective stories or ro-
mances in musical framework
When they want to film tragedy
they dig down in the trunk"
Spencer Tracy ACADEMY Award
winner in 1939)-"That reputation
I've earned (deservedly or other
wise) for not knowing a good movie
story when I see one really put me
on the spot in connection with
Northwest Passage I heard sew
eral friends on the lot discussing
the book, so I went out and bought
a copy. I knew my own studio
had bought rights to it and I knew
NO casting assignment had been
made. sat up most Of one night
reading it, and the conviction grew
that this Maj. Rogers was a part
any actor would love to sink his
teeth into.
"But-with my reputation for be-
ing 100 per cent wrong about stories
and roles-could I 60 to the front
office and ask for the part? Don't
be silly. They'd figure the thing was
jinxed right away. had to sit
tight for six weeks until the boys
made up their minds. Then, when
Producer Hunt Stromberg told me I
was elected I didn't dare show how
pleased I was. If I'd smiled he'd
probably have given 1t to another
actor"
* \
George-(former big-time silent
star, now playing extra and bit
roles)-"I used to earn 81 500 week
and for lot of weeks, but I haven't
got dime in the bank today. Ger
tainly I'm glad to get work such as
this. We can't live in the past. We've
got to eat. And some day maybe a
director will yank me up front and
give me a chance. Will I save my
money if / get another break? I
don't suppose so. Extravaganza is a
habit you find 1t tough to break.
Wish had learned q trade or some
thing when I was kid. II some
body'd offer me . steady day job
I'd never want to look inside q movie
studio again!"
Bobby Webb, casting director
Fans often complain that the back
ground types they see in pictures
aren't true to life. Maybe so, but
If we made crowd scenes in real life
fashion the folks out front would
laugh themselves sick. Put the usual
bunch of society people-New York,
Boston, Washington, any city-into
the background of q motion pic
ture cafe, night club or dance scene
and they'd look like a country fair
crowd. They'd be short and dumpy,
tall and skinny. and q whole lot OF
'em would be dressed in pretty bad
taste. They don't dress nearly as
well as the average Hollywood pro-
fessional dress extra That's why
about 600 dress extras are making a
good living in pictures-and why
they are mighty important atmos-
pheric effects"
Released by the North American
.' NeVspaper Alliance Inc1