The Southern Jewish weekly. [volume] (Jacksonville, Fla.) 1939-1992, 1940-05-31
OUR
FILM FOLKS

founding feat of Weber and Fields
-. and marks a record in career
starting. They impersOnate Them
selves in LILLIAN RUSSELL are
allotted but one sequence. where
in Weber teaches Fields the game
Of casino. It's a riot!
Execs thought them so good
they signed them to another pic
ture in which they'll have feature
parts.
Because the present is too
CHASTITY to think about, films are
more and more turning to the
past for escape. Gillian RUSSELL"
saga of sixty years ago, is one of
these. It's a pleasant picture, guar
anteed to take ones mind off grue-
some headlines for an evening. To
Director Irving Cummings, the era
is photographed. He played the
juvenile lead with Miss Russell
in her last legitimate play. He al
so knew Diamond Jim Brady, the
famous 81. L., Alexander Moore,
and other satellites in the Russell
orbit. Thus he deftly creates real
istically human characters.
Historically, the beauteous Lill-
ian reached exalted heights during
the eight years in which Weber
and Fields starred her at their
famous Music Hall. They say they
never had a contract with her {.
nor an argument.
Mary PiclzfOrd rushed back to
town this week to be on hand for
the Donors Luncheon given for
the Jewish Home for the Aged. Z.
she and Elsa Maxwell being chair
women of the affair.
A little less Information, Please.
Oscar Levant is playing havoc
with the script of his first "silly-
loid" feature. He ad Ibis with
lightning wit through every scene
5. then forgets his quips. :.
and each retake is different!
Conrad Veidt, just arrived on
this side of the big and murky
Pond after making a London pic
ture dealing with bIackOuts, re-
lates how his boat was complete
ly BACKED for the entire six-day
voyage.
Ink Spots and Jots:
In this age of destructive sci
ence it is agreeable to hear David
SarnOff's prediction that one day
we'll be carrying pOcket-size radio
telephones and be able to call up
our friends any time at any dis
tance. Ether fans may thank Jack
Benny for the return of Eddie Can
tor to the networks. Benny
clinched the deal with Ipana via
lOng-distance phone. Slapsie Make
is scheduled to do a ROmeO-Juliet
balcony scene with Elsa Maxwell
i'm their next vehicle( not a trucIk)
Llise Rainer this week completed
the marital severing started in
1888. claims two careers in
one family was the cause of fric-
ton. The neWSreeI showing that
Indian tribe burning it's goods
Ornamented wit the sWastika
symbol evoked terrific applause.
Good to note the cinecritics ap-
prevail for George Tobias in "TOr-
rid Zone" he's New York
import, and appears to be going
places in these parts.
The Ratoffs are in the movies
now. one brother works in the
sound recording department. E.
another is a studio gardener. :.
and a brother-in-law just Joined
the studio police force.
Joseph Schenck is a dOllar-a-
year man. With seventy-five 9th
er business men he signed up to
promote Worlds Fair prosperity
by speaking enthusiastically about
it to a hundred people a day.
Friends approached Sol Lessor
with lugubrious looks after his
Our Town" preview. condoled
him with, "It's too bad, Sol, pears
like you've got a hit on your