Evening star., 1943-06-13
By Sheilah Graham.
HOLLYWOOD

HOLLYWOOD.
The villains of Hollywood are usu-
ally mild. tinid souls in private life.
And l oftelf have wondered why they
are willing to play despicable char
acters on the screen. Is it money?
Is it the desire for a good part-ba-
cause most villain roles are what is
known in the trade as "meaty"?
Or is it a longing to release the dew
lis inside most of us that makes the
actor Or actress accept a role that
guarantees hatred from the audi
ence?
Here's a roundup Of several of the
villains Of HOLLYWOOD and why and
how they are what they are today.
"A lot Of loW-grade mentalitieS, "
says Archyillain Erich Won Stro-
helm, now a Nazi in North Star"
and recently Field Marshal Rommel
in Five Graves to Cairo cannot
disassociate the individual from the
character. Once when I was play
ing in Arsenic and Old Lace some
one in the audience yelled: That
Nazir It hurt a little, because l
like to believe I'm professional &C
tor. but in Hollywood I'm only a
Nazi. But III play all they give me
until they stop paying me. I pride
myself that I have been an honest
scoundrel
"As Field Marshal Rommel I pre-
sent living personality with as
much dramatic and historical fidel-
ity as possible, He IS arrogant, ruth
less and vain I tried to show him
as he is"
Martin Koslcck, who has been a
Nasi more times than you can count
on YOUR two hands, told me, The
nastier I can make them the better
like it. I feel it is my duty to
expose them. I was worried at first.
! thought it would hurt my career,
but it didn't
Being a Nazi in Mrs. Miniver"
launched a career for young Helmut
Dantine. He is now playing what
he hopes will be his last German in
ITO the Last Man" Dantine &C
cepted the part in Mrs. Miniver"
because it gave him an opportunity
to show Hollywood he could act.
That has now been proved, and he
will be hero in his next picture.
Margo plays Jap girl who has
been brought up by the American
Red Cross in Behind the Rising
Sur" She accepted the part be-
cause it IS a good role and, right
now, Margo will play any part in
the movies provided it gives her an
opportunity to e-establish herself
in FINLAND. The only thing Margo
has against the role is the torturous
eye makeup that goes with it.
Sir Cedric Hardwicke was on the
verge of leaving Hollywood in dis
couragement when he was offered
the leading Nazi role in The Moon
Is Down This part was offered first
to George Sanders. who turned it
down because he was getting good
and tired of playing villains But
Cedric is frank enough to admit that
he took it on because at that time he
wanted the money that went with
the part. He gave brilliant per-
formance and now has more offers
Of pictures than he can handle
Cedric's temporary eclipse, by the
way. YVES caused by the two years
he devoted to Forever ard Day"
which kept him out of producers Of
fees. And incidentally. without pay,
as all proceeds of the picture went
to relief funds.
AS mentioned above, George San
ders has had his fill of meanie roles
and his last two pictures show him
in a better light. In Columbia's S
Appointment in Berlin" he is a
British agent posing as a Lord Haw
Haw, In THE Night Is Ending"
George is hero all the way through.