Walt Disney was awarded an honorary Masters of Science degree at USC for “recognition of distinguished achievements in cinematography.” [Another honorary degree is on the way before the end of the month].
Also on the Disney front, ten artists from his studio were dispatched to San Diego today to witness the birth of a fawn. The studio had put out word to zoos up and down the coast that they wanted to be on hand to observe the first movements of a baby deer in order to reproduce them for their upcoming production of ‘Bambi.’
News Around Hollywood
Italian actress Isa Miranda [see May 19th] was involved in an auto accident today and confined to her home. Knocked unconscious in a car to car collision, the doctors have declared there were no serious injuries.
Actress Clara Blandick turns 62 today. She appeared in five films for 1938 – including, ‘Professor Beware’ with Harold Lloyd, and ‘Tom Sawyer Detective’ playing Aunt Polly to Tom and Huck (Billy Cook and Donald O’Connor). She is busy for 1939, acting in seven films – including, ‘Adventures of Huck Finn’ with Mickey Rooney; ‘The Star Maker’ with Bing Crosby; John Ford’s ‘Drums Along the Mohawk,’ and ‘The Wizard of Oz’ (she was Auntie Em).
New on the Screens for This Date
‘Josette,’ a comedy film built around a love triangle and mistaken identity has just opened from 20th Century Fox. It stars Simone Simon, Don Ameche and Robert Young, but what Ed Sullivan finds most interesting centers around the director Allan Dwan. Dwan’s pedigree in film stretches clear back to 1911. He gained international fame for directing films with Mary Pickford, Douglas Fairbanks, and especially Gloria Swanson. Once the calendar changed to the 1930s he had a struggle getting work – until Zanuck brought him into 20th Century Fox, and put him to work on Shirley Temple films. [1939 would see him involved in The Three Musketeers, The Gorilla, and Frontier Marshal].
Pat O’Brien got a work out in one of the scenes for this recent WB offering ‘Women Are Like That.’ He had to carry his co-star Kay Francis (120 lbs) up a flight of 42 steps, five times (once in rehearsal and then four takes). [Always on the Ten Best Dressed List – Kay Francis had 35 changes of dress in the film].
