The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1951-08-04
STARS
!, ON THE
HORIZON

+ One OF the foremost stars OF TN
silent era, Dorothy Gish, is re
turning to the screen in Column
bias production, The Whistle A
Eaton Falls" Her previous ap
pearances in talking picture
were in Our Hearts were Youn
/ And Gay"--a 1916 film, and an
kother called, Centennial Sum
inner"
She was born in Massillon, o
in 1898. She and her equally ia
fmous sister, Lillian, were notet
"Stage Children" Dorothy mad'
her debut as little Willie in "Eas
Lynn" Her first appearance il
New York took place four year.
later with Fiske O'Hara in dior
EO'Dare."
In 1912 the Gish girls became
aware of the flourishing movie
business through their close
friend. Mary Pickford. Mary in,
vited them to visit her at the Bi-
pgraph studio. Dorothy and Lii.
Han decided to try the profession
about which Mary was SO enthu-
siastic.
The Gish girls began as extras
but D. w. Griffith was quick to
recognize talent and charm. He
starred the sisters in a picture
called "An Unseen Enemy" This
was the beginning of their careers
as international favorities.
While fragile-looking Lillian
had audiences weeping, vivacious
Dorothy clowned her way across
the screen and had movie goers
roaring with laughter. Although
Dorothy was best-known for her
comedy antics, she turned in
some outstanding dramatic per-
formances, too. Griffith, a great
director, put her in such master
pieces as Hearts of the World"
and Orphans of the Storm
Later Dorothy began a cycle of
comedies that further established
her as one of Hollywood's top
stars. Then, in 1924, the Gish sis
tiers went to Italy, where they
co-starred in Pomona"
Regularly throughout her ca
reer, Dorothy Gish kept announ-
cling her return to the theater.
After all, she was originally from
the footlights and the old thrill
of an opening night in front of a
real audience had never quite
been compensated for by studio
activity e
A noted director. Norman Tau
rog, says that the wonderful
thing about child actors is that
they don't act. AS he explains it,
work to them is play, and their
|~emoting consists of natural reac-
tions."
Mickey Rooney, at Is, had to
cry in Boys Town" Taurog told
him sad story and pretty soon
Mickey's tears were flowing. "To
me-" says Taurog, That's not
acting. It's the natural reaction OF
child" The same thing happen
ed in the case Of nine-year-old
Daryl Hickman. He didn't want
to cry because the other kids
might call him sissy for doing
so. But with his usual technique,
Director Taurog got the results
he wanted for the cameras.
Taurog has directed many chill
dren without losing his sanity or
his good humor. They've included
Jackie Cooper in "Skippy". This
production, incidentally, won
Taurog an oscar. He also directed
Jackie Coogan, at II, in "Huckle-
berry Finn" Judy Garland in
three of her teen-age films, and
Margaret O'Brien in a picture
when she was eleven.
Recently Taurog interviewed
nearly 500 youngsters in New
York City. He wanted new faces
to play Cary Grants and Betsy
brakes children in Room for
one more"
A black-haired, large-noSed
comedian named Danny Thomas
is well-known to night club GO
ers, and in cities where there
are stage shows accompanying
movies. But now Danny is play
ing important parts in pictures,
and we predict that before long
he'll be familiar to movie goers,
too. He's refreshing, too, because
he has a style all his own. No
one can call him "a second Bob
Hope" or another Danny Kaye
And incidentally, Danny Thomas
has one of the most effective
voices in show business. When
Danny speaks, no one can COM
pete. You'll see--and hear--Dan-
ny soon as Doris Days co-star
in, I'll See You In My Dreams. >
He's elated over this role of a
song writer. This is really off
i beat casting" he says. This is 9
case in which an ugly guy gets
the girl"
He goes on to say, playing 9
lead has been an entirely new
experience for me. In my other