February 20, 1932

DAUGHTER BORN TO BESSIE LOVE
Hollywood, Feb. 20 (AP)

The role of motherhood has been given Bessie Love, film favorite since the silent days, who, in private life is Mrs. William Hawks, wife of a Beverly Hills broker. Mrs. Hawks yesterday gave birth to a seven and one-half-pound girl. The baby has been named Patricia.
Miss Love was one of the first actresses of the silent film days to gain fame in talking pictures.




ROACH, FORCED DOWN IN HOP FOR RECORD, TO TRY AGAIN
Chihuahua City, Mex. – Feb. 20

Beaten by bad weather in his first attempt to set a new speed record in a flight from Mexico City to Los Angeles, Hal Roach, noted director of motion picture comedies, declared today he would try again.
Roach, his wife, and Mr. and Mrs. Clare Brunson of Los Angeles, left the civil aviation field at Mexico City yesterday in their speedy plane, piloted by Captain James Dickson, U.S. army flier. Their hopes of making a two-stop, ten-hour flight to Los Angeles were shattered when they ran into stormy weather and were forced to “sit down” here last night.
Today Roach said he and his party would continue their air jaunt at a more leisurely pace to Los Angeles as soon as weather permitted, but planned to take another try at the record later.
Roach is completing an air tour of Central and South America. While in Chile, he and Arthur Lowe, also of the movies, were fined 80,000 pesos for violating airport regulations at Santiago.

DEATH CLAIMS MOTHER OF MABEL NORMAND
Hollywood, Feb. 19 (AP)

Mrs. Mary J. Normand, 65, mother of the late Mabel Normand, who was one of the most famous of the early film comediennes, died at her home here to-day from complete bronchitis. She is survived by another daughter, Gladys.




FILM ACTOR MUST SHARE CHILDREN
Los Angeles, Feb. 20 (AP)

Theodore Von Eltz, film character actor, has lost his fight to obtain sole custody of his children, Theodore, Jr. and Lora. Superior court yesterday ruled that Von Eltz must share custody with his former wife, now Mrs. Joseph Moncur March, wife of an author, in accordance with an order made last September following a divorce.
Von Eltz claimed the March home did not provide the proper atmosphere for children. His attorneys introduced into court records some of March’s writings including a description of a kiss, which was offered to support Von Eltz’s contention. The court made no comment on March’s writings.

FILM ACTOR TO BE BURIED IN HOLLYWOOD
Safford, Ariz. Feb. 20 (AP)

The body of Otto Matiesen, 38, Hollywood film character actor who was killed near here yesterday in an automobile accident, was to be sent to Hollywood today where funeral arrangements were being made by his widow.
Matiesen was riding with Duncan Renaldo, another film actor, when their machine skidded and overturned. Renaldo was injured slightly.
A native of Copenhagen, Denmark, Matiesen had appeared on European and American stages before entering films seven years ago.




BROADWAY LIGHTS ATTRACT BARBARA, AND FRANK, TOO
Barbara Stanwyck is a gal who likes her Broadway. And that means Broadway, New York, not Los Angeles or Hollywood.
Nothing would suit her better, it appears, than a chance to do her picture-making here. It isn’t because she dislikes the people of Hollywood. It isn’t because Hollywood has been unkind to her. Quite the contrary.
It’s only because her affections are lodged with New York City and with one Frank Fay, and not in the order named, either.
Of course Frank, who happens to be her husband, is in Hollywood now too, making another picture. But at frequent intervals he feels an overpowering yen to be back on Broadway. Then of course she feels it too.




HE WALKS OUT ON CONTRACT
To walk out on a contract requires courage. To walk out without another job in sight , and with conditions as unsettled as at present, is indeed the act of a brave man.
Donald Cook left Warner Brothers and the chance to play the lead in “So Big!” one of the seasons most coveted roles, because of salary trouble. He is already signed for the leading role with Joan Bennett in “The Trial of Vivienne Ware,” at Fox. He can now draw a sigh of relief, and congratulate himself for living up to the strength of his convictions.

Lilian Bond was another who could not see her way clear to accept the cuts which most studios are now making. She also left Warners’ and curiously enough, is signed for the same film as Donald Cook. Lilian is a very beautiful girl and should do well.

Neil Hamilton and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer could not work out terms of another contract satisfactorily, but they are keeping the actor busy on their lot, even though his contract did expire some time ago. Salaries for free-lance work and contract naturally vary. Hamilton is playing the young poet in “Wet Parade,” along with Wallace Beery and Walter Huston. His next release is “Tarzan.”




MINNA GOMBEL IS SIGNED AGAIN
Upon expiration of her contract last week, Minna Gombel was re-signed by Fox Films. Miss Gombel left the stage last year to join the Fox roster in the dual role of dramatic coach and actress. Her splendid portrayal in her first picture, “Doctor’s Wives,” and in succeeding pictures, led to the new contract.


From Luella O. Parsons:



Margaret Perry May Get Red-Headed Woman Role

Take a good and careful look at lovely red-haired Margaret Perry, daughter of Antoinette Perry, and well known as a capable actress on her own.
Miss Perry arrived in town today to become a Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer actress. And, unless I have a wrong hunch, she is the gal who will create the leading role in Katherine Brush’s widely discussed novel The Red-Headed Woman.
She has just finished an engagement in New York in After All, which is to be a M-G-M picture. But Miss Perry has not been approached to play the part in After All which she created on the stage.

With only her faithful maid, Erna, and the efficient secretary, Mrs. Louis, Mary Pickford is dashing across the country. A radio offer that will bring her in a moving picture salary, is taking her to New York.
The afternoon before she boarded the train she was in conference with Frances Marion who outlined a story she is to write for Mary. Joseph Schenck likes the idea, which is a complete departure from anything Mary has ever done on the screen. She will return to Los Angeles after she completes arrangements for her radio appearance – and that will not be for some weeks.

John Levee, son of the Mike Levees, asked his mother for money to buy Ditty Bennett Fox (daughter of Joan Bennett) a pearl necklace. Ditty had a party to celebrate her fourth birthday. Mrs. Levee compromised by buying blue enameled bracelets. John, at the age of 7, says Ditty is his favorite blonde.




FILM SHOWS POLA NEGRI IN NEW COMEBACK
Actress on Orpheum Screen Mysterious as Ever and Retains Her Old Appeal

It has been a long time since the name of Pola Negri twinkled in lobby lights over a picture but it is functioning at the Orpheum this week in connection with her newest attempt at a comeback and her first dip into the talkies, “A Woman Commands.”
Miss Negri has grown stouter since she left Hollywood to its own devices at the birth of the talking pictures and she has more than a trace of a double chin, but she retains her potency as an actress when given half a chance, her eyes are as mysterious as ever and she has a warm contralto voice.
“A Woman Commands” does not really give the returning star a fair chance to demonstrate what talent she may possess in the new form. The story never seems able to make up its mind whether to be opera bouffe, satirical comedy, or second-rate melodrama.




PREMIER STARTS A NEW POLICY OF DOUBLE FEATURES
Vaudeville Program Made Important Part of the Showing of Film Thrills

The new policy of vaudeville and double feature pictures starts today at the Premier theater.
On account of the few theaters showing vaudeville at present, an abundance of talent is available, according to the management, and the choice of this is he outstanding feature of today’s show.
Topmost of entertainers on stage and radio are the King sisters harmony trio. These girls will be seen in an act featuring songs and dances.
George Purcell, banjoist, will be heard in a few minutes of banjo-mania; Farrell and Caprice in a novelty skit of laughs, and Henry Star, the “hot spot of Radio.”
This first offering is to run three days. Included on the program are two feature pictures with Tallulah Bankhead and Fredric March in “My Sin,” and Lew Ayres in “The Spirit of Notre Dame.” Added novelties include weekly newsreels and a Mickey Mouse cartoon.




LOVERS COURAGEOUS AT THE STRAND
Lovers Courageous, starring Robert Montgomery and Madge Evans will open an engagement on Sunday at the Strand Theater.
This M-G-M talking picture version of Frederick Lonsdale’s story of Love Conquers All, shows Montgomery as a jack off all trades. In the beginning of the picture he is a bell-hop in a big hotel. Later he becomes a cow puncher and a cigarette clerk, and in this latter position romance enters in the form of Miss Evans.

NEWSPAPER FILM IS ATTRACTION
When Tiffany productions set out to make the newspaper picture “X Marks the Spot,” an effort was launched to cast Walter Winchell, New York newspaper columnist in a featured role. The Broadway writer was unable to accept the assignment and Wallace Ford received the assignment.
Featured in the cast with him are Lew Cody, Sally Blane, Mary Nolan and Fred Kohler. Ford’s role is that of a young newspaper man suspected of the shooting of a Broadway girl.