NEWS AROUND HOLLYWOOD
- Layne Britton – make up artist at MGM was cleared of complicity in a scheme to defraud using the forged name of Louis B Mayer on promissary notes. The real culprit George Donald Smart asserted that he was using Britton as an unwitting tool. Smart plead guilty. [See July 11] – [Britton must have just been starting out in the business. His credits on IMDB begin in 1939 on Gunga Din, uncredited. He had a long, long career. Along the way he held positions doing make up for Jane Russell in the 50s- and Frank Sinatra in the 60s and 70s. He was active into the 1980s (The Blues Brothers)].
- Pearl White, silent film actress, passes away in Paris, France. [She always did her own stunts when making her serials. One particular accident to her back led to drug and alcohol use to alleviate the pain. The consequent damage to her liver was a major contributor to her death. Her main antagonist in the serials was Warner Oland, the current Charlie Chan at Twentieth Century Fox, who will follow her in two days].
- Louise Brooks, silent film star, the quintessential flapper is set to begin work at Republic today on ‘Overland Stage Raiders’ the latest Three Musketeers with John Wayne. [This marked the final film for Brooks. She turned to a literary life afterwards].
- Jackie Coogan gave his deposition today in his suit against his mother and step father. He testified as to how his father repeatedly stated that Jackie in his acting only worked for his own benefit.
- Director Henry King returned from the mid-west yesterday upon finishing his location search with his assistant Robert Webb. They will take a 150 man crew back out at the end of next week to begin location work near Pineville, MO, on their Technicolor epic ‘Jesse James.’
- RKO is negotiating with Louis Hayward to be The Saint once again in the second installment of the series – The Saint Strikes Twice. It holds a place in common with the Annabel series on the lot, as both were indvidual productions, with no original plans for additional sequels. The success of the originals have prompted the execs to plan for more. [The first Saint film with Hayward was ‘The Saint in New York.’ He did not have the role in the second, which was released as ‘The Saint Strikes Back’ (not twice). The role went to George Sanders instead. Hayward wound up with producer Edward Small, taking the role meant originally for Jack Dunn in ‘The Duke of West Point’ for 1938; and his big production for 1939 ‘The Man in the Iron Mask’ in which Hayward played the dual roles in the Alexandre Dumas story].
- WB has acquired a bunch of old Jenny airplanes to crack up in their new version of the ‘Dawn Patrol.’
- WB is negotiating with Selznick to take over the production of ‘Gone with the Wind.’ And solve the troublesome lead issue by putting Bette Davis and Errol Flynn in the Scarlett and Rhett roles.
- Twenteth Century Fox announces another title change for the John Ford film – originally ‘The Splinter Fleet’ – then ‘Wooden Anchors’ – now ‘Submarine Patrol.’
OUTSIDE HOLLYWOOD
After four days of confinement at her Boston hotel, Shirley Temple finally was well enough yesterday to see the sights. Out again today, she suffered an injury when her hand was caught in the limousine door. They had just finished their visit to the Boston Navy Yard and the USS Constitution. Her doctor Leo Madden reports that her injury is not serious.
ITEM OF INTEREST
Elmo Lincoln (Otto E Linkenhelt), the silver screen’s first Tarzan, has applied to the WPA Federal Theater Project for a job. Separated from his wife, he needs to earn $15 per month to pay support for his 2 year old daughter.