Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1944-09-23
BY HAROLD HEFFERNAN.
HOLLYWOOD,

HULL I WOOO.
Many years ago when the movies
were too young to know better and
the first "TarZan" picture was hit
ting the screen, a Undetermined
f1ctioneer named Harry Reichen-
back struggled a real live lion into
a New York hotel and promptly be-
gan calling room service for large
quantities of red, raw beef
Every hour he kept ordering the
meat. and finally word spread
around town that a wild man was
registered at the hostelry. The news
papers got wind Of it and sent re-
porters over. The room was regis
tered to q Mr.. Leo Tarzan.
That was the beginning of decep-
tive press agentry in the movies
1t took Is years or more for the in
duStry to live 1t down. Hard-boiled
editors who had fallen for the
Reichenback stunt became ice-cold
toward any sort Of material from
Hollywood. Even the legitimate
news was thrown out or buried. 1t
was Reichenback and his wild Gre
atoms that caused copy desk men
to originate the expression. press
agent stunt"
Today Hollywood publicists are on
pretty good terms with the press as
whole. They still 60 for stunts.
hat the difference between the old
and the current method is that now
adays they're plainly labeled as
stunts before the press Is notified.
The fiack of modern times who ex-
poets to cut any kind of swath
through the pulpwood forests is a
arm addict Of honesty is the best
policy"
Probably the most deliberate ex-
ploitation stunt Of 1914 was the one
cooked up the other day by Samuel
Goldwyn's press boys. Aptitude
test" 1t was termed, and according
to the handouts, science has been
enlisted to aid Mr.. Goldwyn in Sc
lecting the 1945 class of Goldwyn
girls for The Wonder Man. starring
Danny Kaye"
1t turns out to be an "A" public
ity production In every respect. A
whole sound stage has been con-
verted into classroom, with fan
armed student chairs, a blackboard.
pencils, notebooks, chalk and all
the props.
Guest professor for the day Is
DR.. Paul Popenoe, a psychologist of
high standing and general director
OF the American Institute of Family
Relations. He has devised a test
consisting of several hundred ques-
tons to be answered by marking
one Of three columns: Yes" no"
and undecided"
AS usual Mr.. Goldwyn's bows
have somehow managed to let the
press get wind Of the affair and
hashlight bulbs explode with the
arrival Of DR.. Popenoe. The doctor
is a jovial, egg-faced, glib charac-
ter in his midforties, with a ready
smile. an infectious laugh and
quite serious about the goings-on.
After the doctor has briefed the
IA girls they become solemn. At
least three forget glamor and put
on eyeglasses. They chew on their
pencils and think-and oh, how
they think!
Every time a girl does something
cute half a dozen photographers
rush in and ask her to hold it,"
The press agents watch the growing
pile of burned-out bulbs and Choir
tie with glee. Now Danny Kaye
drops in from the set where he's
working on The Wonder Man"
Funny how an actor senses the
presence Of a camera. After all he's
supposed to be working three stages
away.
The big event Is now reaching its
climax. One by one the girls finish
The press agents count the flash
bulbs and estimate the stunt burned
127 more than the Republican con-
vention. Dr.. Popenoe puts the
surplus papers into his brief case
and bids the girls good-by.
One cutie sits alone, ruefully
chewing her pencil. 1T sounds like