Evening star., 1941-11-15

in film houses a few years back.
Once it was automatic that fl
front a spread on New York, Paris,
London or some other glamorous
world center or they would turn
from the ticket wickets in disgust
But all that's changed. The movies
have gone completely cosmopolitan.
In fact, producers today leap at any
chance to film yarns in locales still
virgin to the cameras.
New York still does all right, but
no longer is the rest Of the Nation
forced to take its slim celluloid leav-
ings.
Today the Midwest and South
seem to be the seat of most movie
stories Three fine productions
have been backgronnded on New
Orleans in the past 18 months. San
Francisco averages a yearly picture.
Producers have recently shown a
passionate fondness for many Mid
western cities, notably Chicago.
And not all of the latter are based
on the gangSter theme.
"One Foot in Heaven comes right
out in the first half reel and men,
tions Iowa as the principal theater
of its action. And it remains there
most of the time.
Kings Row" has a small Midwest
town as its locale Ann Sheridan's
"JuKe Girl makes the most of
Florida Bob Taylor's Johnny
Eager" is 100 per cent Chicago and
so is Ginger Rogers Roxy Hart
Such superwesterns as Bad Man
of Missouri" and "Badlands of Da-
kota' speak for themselves as to
scene of action. And there's no
possible mistaking the section where
The Male Animal" unfolds, even
though the authors refer anony-
mously to it as "Midwestern u"
The Hardy family-don't forget
still resides in Carvel. and that's a
long way west of New York, the
dialogue leads us to believe.
When a producer comes up with a
backstage plot or big musical it
almost has to unfold in New York
but discard those and you find the
big town isn't doing so we'll any
more. The corn belt and the citrus
regions have taken over.
When a major studio sets It's
heart on building a new star and 25
ballyhooers leap at their typewriters
to bat out superlative praise in her
behalf the results are sometimes
astounding.
Paramount at the moment is con-
centrating its all on lifting former
stand-in, Jean Phillips, from OBJ
Scurity to national prominence. If
verbiage counts Jeans future is in
the bag.
One piece of copy exploiting the
charms of Miss Phillips says "she
looks like Ginger Rogers, has Jean
Harlows figure, talks like Jean
Arthur and also has something of
Carole Lombard about her"
The latest candidate for pressure
stardom is a Sioux City girl who
once did stand-in turn for the late
Jean Harlow. Five months ago she
was only transparent face in
montage for Kiss the Boys Good
bye"
When Oracle Allen reported at
M-G-M to make Mr.. and Mrs.
North" the studio handed her the
routine biographical form and asked
that she fill it out. The results
were just about what any one might
have expected. Here are few gems
culled from Gracie's own personal
diagnosis:
Professional name-"Gracie Allen
(big letters)."
Travel, cities and countries, with
dates-"Have travelled but not with
dates. When I have a date I'd
rather park than travel, wouldn't
you?"
Where educated - Partly in
school, partly listening to the Quiz
Kids"
Weight-"Yes, but not where it
should be-"
Military record, if any-"Have one
record: Sousa's Stars and Stripes
Forever and play it all the time" :"
How often attend picture shows
1.-TWO or three times-after that
picture get monotonous.
Opinion of Hollywood-"I think
it's wonderful! It's done as mu eh for