Evening star., 1944-08-08
Hollywood Guessed Wrong

along similar lines. At that, the
film boys proved no more inaccu-
rate than plenty OF professional
cOlumniSts and commentators who
exposed their views at the same
time.
However, Hollywood leaders don't
have to leave their own sphere Of
activity to kick the prophecy ball
around. The all-time low for bad
guessing was SET by Jesse l.. Lasky
back In 1928 when the talking pic
ture was beginning to beat the
brains out Of the silent movie. Said
Mr.. Lasky, who since has produced
some of the outstanding speakies,
There always will be room for a
good silent picture"
tn to find even a bad one!
Ralph Bellamy ran out on Holly
wood eighteen months ago because
he had become typed as dull
witted, stupid hero and couldn't
get any other brand of role. He
was always the good-natured chap
who bowed out to the smart hero
at the end, probably falling over a
settee at the same time.
Il never realized the situation" :"
said Bellamy, until one day was
in producers Office at Warner
Bros. Waiting for him, I picked
up a script and began to run
through the list of characters. I
read the following: Jerry Carter. A
dull fellow from the Middle West.
An oaf. Just like Ralph Bellamy.
That did it. On the spot I concluded
that I needed to get out of Holly
wood"
So Bellamy took over the lead
role in Tomorrow the World" on
Broadway and is back now doing
aa real up-and-coming hero type
in Hunt Stromberg's Guest in The
House."
Esther Williams, former swim
champ and new star of Bathing
Beauty" spends all her spare time
putting on swimming exhibitions
for servicemene The other day she
was at the Naval Air Station at San
Diego, Calf.
After lunching in the mess hall,
she made tour of inspection of the
base, put on a half-hour show at
the North Island pool, dedicated
new hangar at the airf1eld, and
danced with score of sailors in
the recreation hall. Before dinner
she decided on another swim in
the surf for relaxation.
She spent half an hour riding the
breakers, and when she finally
came in, one of the Navy men asked
another why she quit.
THE breakers got tired" was
the answer.
One Of the outstanding beauties
of the silent era. Corinne Griffith.
can't quite make up her mind about
a screen return. Jack Warner has
offered her a chance, and she's
still debating.
Twenty years ago gentlemen fans
used to argue bitterly in barber
shops over the respective beauty of
Miss Griffith and the more brunet-
tish Billie Dove. Just for the rec
AAos boeAl SOlA AlilC dllu Dllue mar .
ried wealthy men and have no
burning desire to take up their
old careers. incidentally, both are
still striking beauties. and espe-
cially does this apply to Miss Dove.
whose lovely features now are
framed in coiffure gray.
Thousand dollar clouds. That's
the estimate put on the billowy
miSts to be seen in "Thunderhead,
Son of Flicka" The company has
been on location in Utah for nearly
two months and has another couple
OF weeks to go. The picture is in
color and the grandeur of the
mountain setting can best be en-
phasized by including beautiful
cloud shots. At the same time, Di-
rector Louis King is concerned with
keeping enough sunshine on Roddy
McDowall, Preston Foster and all
members Of the cast. Keeping
plenty Of clouds ard plenty of
sunshine together is some job. Try
1t with your 16-mm.
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