Evening star., 1943-04-02
FilmCityReceives
Two Gay Ladies
To Its Delight
Skinner, Kimbrough
Set q Mild Precedent
As Visiting Authors
HOLLYWOOD

Studios have recorded some pretty
veXations experiences with authors
coming out to collaborate on film
versions of their stories, but Para
mounts relations with Cornelia Otis
Skinner and Emily Kimbrough, CO.
sponsors of Our Hearts We're Young
and Gay" have been just the op-
pOSite.
They're here to work with Sheri-
dan Gihney on the screen adapta-
ton of that amusing best-seller and
have endeared themselves to all by
their gracious, -effacing ways.
Combining an unsophisticated charm
with fine sense of humor, they
are getting great kick out of Holly
woodruff no more of a kick than
Hollywood is getting out of them.
1t is Miss Kimbrough's first direct
contact with the film colony, but
Miss Skinner had a previous movie
experience that she remembers we'll
and tells about even better.
1t was back in 1920 when her
father, the late Otis Skinner, did
silent version of his great stage
success, "Kismet," for Robertson
Cole Cornelia had bit in the
picture. She firmly believes she was
tolerated only as a smooch to her
father. Anyway, sWathed in wells
and with adolescent braces on her
teeth cutting off her smile, Cornelia
played a palace handmaiden.
COrnelia and the Slave.
"I had one scene with a Nubian
slave in the harem that troubled
me a lot Miss Skinner chuckled.
The director told me 1 was to look
out the window, spot an intruder
on the grounds below and question
the slave about him. I asked the
director what I should say and he
Just shrugged and told me to say
anything that might come to mind.
1t was Of no importance because this
was silent picture"
So. weighted with responsibility
and believing that Duse and Bern
hardt would pale into insignihcance
after that days work, Cornelia
called up to mind the poetic Ian
guage of the original play
stop. slavei" she commanded i'm
periously. Who is yon fair stranger
within the palace gate?"
And the Nubian slave from Cen
trail avenue made answer:
you couldn't prove it by me,
lady"
The Misses Skinner and Kim
brough have their own secret notions
about the film ladies who should
interpret the Skinner -Kimbrough
roles in the movie version of their
book-but they're not saying a word.
We're here to collaborate on the
script-not to tell Paramount how
We think the picture should be cast"
said Miss Skinner. And that's one
Of the many reasons why Holly
wood likes them. Their hearts are
really young and gay.
Just when it seemed that Holly
wood had exhausted the possibilities
of naming the 10 best this or that,
Director Sidney Lanfield comes up
with a new idea.
Lanfield names the 10 best pam
tOmimists of the screen. The mega
phoner thinks the public should take
more interest in the art which is
the basis of all acting.
More Work for Academy.
"Pantomime is the true test of
any actors ability" he maintains.
TO be able to dominate scene in
which another actor has all the dia-
logue is superlative trouping.'
Lanfield said he cast Zasu Pitts
in his current Bob Hope comedy,
Lets Face It." because he considers
her one of =the 10 outstanding pan
tomimists of the screen. The others:
Charles Chaplin 'rated in class
by himself. Harpo Marx. Eddie
Albert, Wallace Beery, Mickey
Rooney, Greta Garbo, Rosalind Rus
sell, James Cagney and Charlie
Mccarthy.
,"All of them great and under
standable without words" Lanfeld
adds
MGMs silent version of the opera,
Rose Marie" was capturing the
fancy of the screen fans in key
tlledlclo ID yedls dSO, tIle yellOWeQ
files reveal. Joan Crawford played
the title role. In the absence of
sound (Which was to arrive six
months later what do you think
those smart producers did? They
had Joan do the Indian Love Song
in a series of charmingly posed ex-
pressions, while the theater supplied
So10jct tn oiyo her voico fro,,,
back screen!
Other red-hot gossip items from
the chronicles of March, 1929
Norma Shearer and Irving Thai
berg were on a honeymoon trip to
Europe Ben Lyon (who married
Bebe Daniels was reported engaged
| to Marilyn Miller
lReleased by the North American