Evening star., 1949-01-09
Movies Look
For New Faces.
Trained Ones
Film Costs Place
Accent on Young
Who Know Art
Rv HoroId Heffernnn
By Harold Heffernon
HOLLYWOOD.

Not much doubt about 1t, Holly
wood will become a much changed
industry In the course Of 1949.
There are O lot Of things to con-
template, many with great deal
of sadness For instance, the ap-
plication Of practical methods in
making pictures may eliminate
much Of the color, fantasy, mysti-
cism and all-'round extravaganza
that is Hollywood itself.
Taking one item at a time, let's
ponder the future of the "oyer-
night" star-that is, If she has
a future in 1949. Many hard-boiled
experts say she's through. They
base their assertion on the obvious
fact that studios no longer have
the money or the time to gamble
on the girl with the pretty face who
walks out of nowhere to sudden
fame on the screen.
It's Tougher Today.
Hollywood was never more of
tough competitive place for the
newcomer than 1t is now" said
Otto Preminger, one of the towns
foremost producer directors. There
has been a radical change in our
system of discovering new stars.
There was time when we could
afford to cast girl in one picture
after another If we were convinced
that she was star material We
could wait three and four years,
If necessary, for her to win the
favor of moviegoers. But now we
can't add to 10 days to shoot
ing schedule.
"As a result, we are finding our
future stars among boys and girls
who have gone out on their own
who have had training either in
little theaters, or on the legitimate
stage, In small film parts or on the
radio. So now when we put an un-
known into good role, we know
that she can handle the part with
some degree of professional skill.
aside from background of prac-
tical experience, most of the new
comers are highly intelligent. Many
are college trained. They are sensi-
BILE young people who look upon
acting as a business rather than q
playground"
Out of this highly competitive
market are coming such prospective
stars as Colleen Townsend, the 20
year-old Brigham Young University
coed who plays the author in
Chicken Every Sunday" She's
typical of the new discovery. She
spent two years in a studio stock
school, played in television shows
and has had radio and Little Theater
experience.
Another star possibility, on the
same Goth Century-Fox lot, Barbara
Lawrence. who was Jeanne Grains
gum-cheWing, f1apper-age neighbor
in "Margie," also knows her way
around the sets. These two, who
stand good chances of becoming
stars in 1949, are largely the products
of studio stock schools which have
become almost non-existent.
Cliff a Certainty.
Many of the studios went to the
legitimate stage to find their star
hopes for next year. Cary Grant
was the talent scout who "discov-
cred" Betsy Drake He saw her in
a London production of Deep Are
the Roots" and talked about her so
much around Hollywood that both
RKO and Selznick rushed to sign
her. She is tabled as a definite
addition to the 1949 star list.
AS one of its chief contenders for
stardom in 1949, Warner Bros. will
offer Patricia Neal, who scored
heavily in the Broadway production.
Another Part of the Forest" AL
though fans haven't seen her on the
screen yet, she has played the femi-
nine lead in John Loves Mary" and
(See HEFFERNAN, Page CD