Evening star., 1943-01-24
Harold Lloyd
Conducts Quiet
National Survey
He Wants to Know
Whether a Neso LIovd
Film Is AdvisabIe
By Harold Hefernan.
HOLLYWOOD,

I1oLlII WoAJD.
Harold Lloyd is quietly conduct
ing survey among motion picture
exhibitors throughout the country
in an effort to determine whether a
series of feature comedies starring
Harold Lloyd would be we'll received.
Lloyd, who has produced two in
genious comedies, "A Girl, Guy
and Cob" and MY Favorite Spy"
since his retirement from acting, is
anxious to retrieve his lensleSs specs
and return to the shy, blundering
character that won him fame and
fortune with such epics as Grand
mas Boy" Safety Last" and THE
Freshman" But he does not wish
to make the attempt unless def
nitely advised that there is field
today for his antics.
A new generation of movie fans
has come up to know Lloyd only
as name from the far distant silent
days. but to oldtimers there is little
question that such a revival would
be enthusiastically received. Lloyd
will be so years old next April.
Realizing he can no longer make
up young enough to play freshman
roles, he would make his character
middle aged. The specs and other
familiar accoutrements of old would
be retained, however.
Let's hope the exhibitors give
Harold the "go" sign. What the
fans want more than anything right
now are rollicking comedies and
plenty of them. For proof, look at
Abbott and Costello, the screens
top-ranking money-making stars by
exhibitor ballot.
No Fanfare for Idols.
No bands, no parades, no shouts
from the multitude as today's Yam
kee standard bearers go off to war
camps-and the pampered movie
star is not excepted. He picks up
his duff1e bag, usually takes bus
to the station and is there lost in
a maze of other recruits.
Two extremely quiet departures
we're made by Tyrone Power and
John Payne. Ty was accompanied
to the station by Annabella. He
looked tired and anxious. He board
ed train along with other marine
recruits, headed for San Diego.
They got there early but Ty went
aboard at the last minute only to
learn that the transportation check
Uncle Sam had sent him should
houo booy oyol,onpad for . tiol,o
There wasn't time then and for a
cold moment or two the star saw
himself starting his marine career
in the brig However, a noncom
squared things for Ty as he prob
ably would have. for any other new
conner.
Payne got on his motorcycle and
took off for Phoenix, Ariz,, to be-
come q private in the Army Air
Corps. Two nights before he said
goodby to Hollywood, Payne dropped
by at the home of his divorced wife,
Anne Shirley, and then went to the
Mocambo.
There was neither fuss, feathers
nor parties when they departed.
Combine Turns Serious.
Charlie Bracket and Billy Wilder,
writer director combination that
turned out The Major and the
Minor" one of the funniest of re-
cent films, started work this week
on their first serious picture, Five
Graves to Cairo" They describe it
as combination of Alfred Hitch
cock, E. Phillips Oppenheim and
Wilder. incidentally, they say their
future plans include comedy for
Bob Hope, Bing Crosby and Dorothy
Lamour. 1t will be another mad ex-
cursion, with the trio off again on
the road to somewhere.
Eric Won Stroheim returns to
Hollywood for "Five Graves" and
will play the role of Field Marshal
Ronmel. His contract stipulates
that he shall have exclusive control
and okay over any uniform he is re-
quired to wear. Sounds like the