Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1943-02-12
Russian Ballet
Star to Become
Screen Player
Tamara TOuman0va
To Appear for R.K.O
In Dramatic Role
By SHEILAH GRAHAM,

HOLL Y WOOD. - Iamara lou
manova starts her first feature film,
This Is Russia" at the end of
March. 1t has been more than a
year now since the famous star
dancer of the Russian Ballet decided
to abandon her ballet shoes in favor
of a career on the screen At that
time she made her first appearance
before a oamera-for a dancing
short at Warmers, and was imme-
diately bitten with desire to be as
big a shot on the screen as she was
in the ballet.
She signed a personal contract
with Writer Producer Casey Robin
son. and waited patiently for him to
come through with a film that would
give her an opportunity to show
herself as a front-rank dramatic
actress. Well, now she has it.
The picture will be made at RKO-
Radio, and the beautiful brunette
will soon discover the wisdom Cor
not of switching careers. This Is
Russia" is by Melchoir Lengels, who
authored "Ninotchka" for Carlo.
who, incidentally, wanted to play
in the new picture herself.
Raft Returns to Paramount.
If George Raft goes to Paramount
for Salty O'Rourke" it will be his
first picture for that studio since he
bought up his contract some four or
five years ago. At that time he was
receiving $4,000 a week. And the
studio heads did not bubble when
George was determined to leave.
Mr.. Raft, who prefers his art to all
the money in the world, also settle
his contract with Warmers, for the
same reason-he did not like the
pictures he had to make It is said
he likes SALTY O'Rourke," so he will
probably forget and forgive his for
mer Paramount bosses.
I overheard Betty Cradle telling
pal the other day that the reason
Raft turned down the role with her
in Sweet Rosie O'Grady" was be-
cause. in addition to keeping pleas
ure and business apart, he did not
like musical movies. He wanted
more dramatic stun. Betty is try
ing to sell him the idea of doing
yet another remake of "Burlesque'
with herself in the role created on
the stage by Barbara Stanwyck. 1t
seems like a good idea.
From Nurse to Doctor.
Claudette Colbert graduates from
BEN a nurse in $50 Proudly We
Hal to a doctorship in China
SKY It the RKO studio, to which
she goes on completion OF the for
mer film. Claudette is one actress
who will not allow the salary to
curtail the number of films she
makes a year. In the past it has
been around two or three, with an
average yearly salary OF between
100000 and 100000. And this
year she will make three films
Claudette was asked, why work
SO hard when all you get is S25, O0O?'
She replied, Because like to be
busy" Which is the sensible an.
swer. Her leading man in the new
picture Is Randolph Scott, who Il
we'll over Army age. He Is abou
A years old.
Janet Blair is starred in Victor,
Caravan Lana Turner wa
supposed to have the lead in 9TH,
Harvey Girls" but it will be a lonl
time before she faces Gamer;
again. And Metro is now selling tn,
story (Which cost them $25,0OO) t,
the highest bidder Charlie Chap
lin is again talking about maxim,
another picture and it probabl,
means something this time becaus,
three years have elapsed since hi
last, In which he impersonated Hit
Ter. And that is the usual interva
between Chaplin pictures. In tn,
next he will avoid politics. It!
called The Lady Killer" and has f,
| Bluebeard theme. Chaplin has alst
promised to make Shadow and Sub
stance from the play in which Si
Cedric Hardwicke appeared OF
Broadway.
Joan Leslie in Army Film.
| Ginger Rogers will not play thu
small role of Eileen in This Is TIL,
Army" She was willing to appea
in the film without salary but {
rule Of the Screen Actors Guild pro
hibits this. Instead, the part goe
to Joan Leslie who is under contrac
to Warner Brothers twho are max
ing the film and she gets a salar,
whether she does the movie or no
!. Mary Martin has won her figh
with Paramount and has departed
for Broadway and the lead il
Dancing in the Streets And yol
can bet a War bond that Mary vii
do another version of the strip teas
that brought her fame in the M,
Heart Belongs to Daddy number.