Evening star., 1941-05-17

M-G-M.
In the plot, Lana breaks just
about every commandment in the
Hays office code Following code
demands, she died a bitter death in
the criginal-one intended to make
all the little girls out front stop
and ponder before putting too many
beer parlors on their route for the
night.
Hollywood was asking today
whether Joe Breen's departure as
code chief is to be followed by a
broader" Interpretation of rules
promulgated in 1884.
This seems to be mad -at-the-
moviec season.
Salvation Army officials took one
LOOK at Major Barbara" English
movie from Gabriel Pascal, and
screamed about indignities and
ridicule heaped on their group.
Lady's wear chiefs are incensed
at the Hays Offices banning of
sweaters for its form m-divine starlets
ana threaten to do something legal
about it. Hurting business, they
say.
Not forgetting the dentists.
They're passing resolutions con-
demning Footsteps in the Dark"
Remember Ralph Bellsmy as the
unctuous and efficient driller who
turns out to be the nastiest sort of
killer in the end? That's why. They
were long enough living down that
old slogan, Dentists hurt you" They
don't want it broadened to Den
lists kill you"
The poor movies. They step on
everybody's toes.
Her stiff dieting campaign caught
up with Maureen O'Hara this week.
During one of the first hot days
Of the season the young Irish screen
star collapsed at her home and was
put under the care of physician.
Ever since she came to this coun-
try two years ago, Maureen has been
prodded constantly by weight trou-
bles. In that time she has gone up
from 112 to 142 pounds. Losing
two important roles in recent
months, she began rigid dieting.
This and the heat brought on COL
lapse.
She's slated to make her start in
How Green Was My Valley" at
Twentieth Century-Fox next week
If physicians permit.
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Movie assignments are sometimes
handed out by the strangest. most
devious processes. Take, for exam
plea casting conference at Republic
Studio the other day. The producer
of Judy Canovas "Puddin' Head"
was frantically searching for a dig
nified comedy character. The cast
ing office had failed him badly.
The producer yanked a packet of
cigarettes from his pocket, picked
one out and happened to glance at
the Federal. tax stamp which ap-
pears on each package. 1t contains
the likeness of De Witt Clinton, New
York Governor of the early 10th
century.
Here's just the kind of fellow I
want" shouted the producer JOY
ously. Where can I get a man who
looks like that and can act?"
The casting director went through
his photo file. He came up with a
picture of Raymond Walburn. He
does look like the old-time New
York executiye-and that's why he
got the role.
A publication for the theater
manager called Box Office Digest
rates pictures and stars as they reg
lister at the box Office. Latest issue
shows philadelphia Story" leads
the hit parade, with Meet John
Doe" Road to Zanzibar" kitty
Foyle," Tobacco Road" and Men
of Boys Town" following in that
order.
The top male stars are ranked:
Cary Grant. Gary Cooper. Bing
Crosby, Bope Hope, James Stewart,
Spencer Tracy and Don Ameche.
Feminine stars at the top are:
Ginger Rogers, Barbara Stanwyck,
Alice Faye, Viyien Leigh, Bette Da-
Wis, Rosalind Russell, Olivia De Hav-
illand and Deanna Durbin.
Many will disagree violently with
those tabulations. Some definite
box office hits are excluded. And
plenty Of theater managers have
been listing kitty Foyle" as q box
ofhce weakiG
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