Browning chief. [volume] (Browning, Mont.) 1941-1953, 1945-03-23


aspires to enter a1Issasa
the highest ranks c.,-,,.,...
Of the British no. eS A""s n'on
bility. He is obsequious to the point
of utter disgust in the presence Of
his betters while plotting to stab
them in the back-which he accom-
plishes with the utmost glee and the
foulest treachery. This story could
have the modern setting of today,
but this is Charles story, so let's
get on with It'll
It's a Trade Secret
What I want to know is, how does
"Cuddles" Laughton do it? No use
asking him. How does a fish swim,
a bird fly? No star in pictures is
tougher to interview than my friend
Cuddles. He has genius for throw
ing an interviewer off balance with
one shrewd crack brusquely tossed
out. I know. He's tried it on me.
1t just happens that swing a mean
bludgeon myself. We get along, but
beautifully.
"You know, Hedda," he said to
me when I asked him about his Cap
tain Kidd role, nothing so titivates
the vanity of an actor as giving his
versatility a workout And his
voice trailed off in one of those droll,
deep throated chuckles that can chill
the spines of audiences.
1--WE always had the feeling" he
went on, that Captain Bligh was a
piece of unfinished business. We left
him in midair, so to speak. It's in
teresting to speculate on what would
have come off had Bligh been the
one to desert the law instead of
Christian. I have often said to my
self, What pirate Bligh would have
been! A man of such tenacity, pow
er, self-discipline, real master of
men, could have become king of all
buccaneers.
"You may imagine my pleasure,
then, at having role of exactly that
flavor dropped into my lap.
A Dream Come True
when Ben Bogeaus proposed that
[ play Captain Kidd for him, said,
Have you got script?' Where
upon he placed in my hands lit
erary creation by Norman Reilly
Raine which, in my opinion, is as
| fine a contribution to screen litera-
ture as you'll uncover in months
search. And of course I'd wanted
all along to play Kidd I suspect
most of US, if we told the truth,
would own to a suppressed libido
where pirates are concerned"
Captain Kidd" promises to be
something more than just another
Laughton film. It's an outward
manifestation of something that
keeps stirring beneath the surface
of things in Hollywood. l mean the
constant and ceaseless upthrusting
of new personalities, the struggle of
talent to rise to the surface and
above it.
Even 1 was impressed by a re-
mark Bogeaus made about Laugh
ton.
captain Kidd was handed me-"
Bogeaus said, "by Rowland v. Lee,
who has always yearned to direct it.
Instantly l thought of 'Mutiny on the
Bounty And what did I remember
about it? Why, Laughton, as Bligh.
1t wasn't Clark Gable you remem-
bered, or the others. 1t was Laugh
ton. He dominated even the scenes
where he didn't appear. l thought
Laughton's other flms-'Henry the
Eight 'Ruggles of Red Gap The
Beachcomber, ETC., You couldn't
get away from it. I simply had to
have Laughton."
Chuck Laughton, who has feelers
like cat, is happy about Captain
Kidd" incidentally, if it clicks, it's
going to make Laughton a wad of
money, cause he's got an interest
in the profits. Just about everybody
on the Kidd picture has a percent
age deal Other producers talk
about such a plan. Arthur Lyons
and David Loew have one up their
sleeve. But Bogeaus is really doing
it. l shall watch the future of this
young man with much interest l
don't know where he's going, but
he's headed somewhere.
Living and Learning
One of our boys now in Germany
sent me clipping about Mickey
Rooney from Belgium. 1.-The fog
came down. Where the fields we're
there was a great Darkness, and a
soldier in jeep said, 4 want to get
out of the army and go home to
my wife as soon as this is over. But
I pity the guy who doesn't see this
for himself. Seeing the way these
guys suffer makes me appreciate ev-
erything I have!' The private was
Mickey Rooney, who's touring the