1959-02-07 — Page 7

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THE CHINA MAIL, SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 1959.

THE MAN WHOSE MAGIC TOUCH TURNS UNKNOWNS INTO HOLLYWOOD'S GREATEST NAMES

(Continued from Page 6)

According to Zanuck he was "the most brilliant animal that ever lived,"

Rh-Tin-Tin was probably hs talented as any of the stars Zanuck has since handRd, He responded immediately when the lirbelor said "Action" turned his best angle to the camera, and lay down when he knew the Ereik was over, even before lite director shouted "Cut."

He could do practically any thing except write his own scripts

But he was also as tempera- mental as any star Zamurit bos shee handiwei. Everyone who worked on the net was bitten at the time or another in one place or another by Rin-Tin-Tin,

Zumuck escaped for two or tre is, but his time, was coming. The unit went on loca tion to Oregon, when they were making a Alm titled Lighthouse on the Sea.

One of the scenis was filmed on a boat on a lake.. When

Zanuck was leaning over th Lide talk to the director, Run-Tin-Tin, who presumably didn't approve of the script, saw its chance.

Ife utt.

Zanuck finished the film, but #hortly afterwards he ended his association with Bur-T.2 Tìn und trousferred his talents general non-canine features.

to

He never made unother fin And be, never starring a dog. allowed Bhiwell to be caught with his back turned to an

pry star.

Sudden farce

Ex the nuxi your Zanuck sempted 19 ms. His name ap

often 90

serech

peared

ercuits the exhibitors started to

Warner

complain that

should be able to afford than one writer.

Bros.

more

His besses told him to think up sume other names and keep on turning the stuff."

One of the diree preudonymus he we ked under was Melville Crossman, who impressed a rival tud-M.-G. -M-50 much that they offered hin

Zemuck, on behalf, turned it down.

His writing may have been pret fic, but his pay was poor,

01-

Crusinan's

BELLA DARVI. a meeting in a Riviera casino.. and a

chance of stardom.

CAGNEY, BETTE DAVIS, and HARRY DAVENPORT ... three of Zanuck's stars in" The Bride Came G.O.D.," one of hla long list of successes with Warner Brothera,

How Bette Davis had her first

After four years he was earning ouly 125 dollars 11 reward WIR week. Bas

sudden and hage.

before going

One night just home after a hard day over a was told 40 het typewriter he

and Jack report to larry Warner, basses of the studios,

their panelled He entered

wonder- office apprehensively. mit one at his scripts had misfired.

The brothers Warner invited him to sit down. They offered Brother Harry lum cigar.

L held cut a gold lighter. Brother Jack said:

"We've just red the studio recurve producer. Who do you think should take overi"

Zenick said he had no idea. Brother Jack went on: "I'll tell Starting you. You take over,

5,000 dollars It KRYPTOW PA week."

Zanuk dreptil the essur. When he was ginally passing the through the studio gates watchman whispered-

film

The

executive

test

the inverted V shape he still favours, which gives him the bold, dellant air of o

Mexican bandit.

""

New ideas

"They're flung the boss out. Wonder who'll get the job?" Zanuck said: "I've got it."

watchinan laughed nysterically and hicredulously.

Other Hallywood citizens

The Warner brothers had made rughed 5. At 24 Zanuck was the

a shrewd chowe, Zanuck stopped youngest-ever

At that akc. sald up their production. He brought prozueer.

new ideas, new ine Invahers, he lacked the new vitality.

knowledge 10 atars to their studios. experience cand

On a visit to New York he went rule a big studio.

They under-estimated Darryl to see a play called Penny Francs Zanuck. He slutted Arcade. His latereal was caught with Napoleonir by two young players, a blonde into command

with an infectious smile and a naturalness.

with &tocky young man electric spring in his step.

for

years The slutter which

the flow of and interrupled

disuppeared. A-TJUNFIVO. takk His bigh-pitched voice began to develop a cutting edge

R moustache sprouted

into

He went backstage after the Tin-Tin was elting in 1:500 The talkles had then taken show and met them in Cagney's executive chair. dressing-rom.

Cagney eard, then looked at. crubryonic moustache Gald:---

Zanuck's

and

Just after they left his office, after sling their first

Holly Zanuck's wood looked at

LL contracts,

young, nervous giri was shown in.

She wasn't the comely blonde

Blondell. type ke Miss

She to be wasn't an all-American beauty, Her eyes were too big. Her galt was ungainly. She jerked across the floor like a neurotis ben,

"You lock too young the boss. You must be the boss's son."

He passed the card

to Miss Blundell, who looked at it scepticully. She cald

"New York's full of young walves with

phoney cards and phoney offers of film tests. If you're

the big toes of the film studios I'm Rin-Tin-, Tin's mother."

business

New phase

ber

iraight line by the edge of the ever and Hollywood had swimming pool. Protected by entered a

new strident ex- the alcoholles good Ilry prstanist phase in which Bette Barrymore walked straight. The Davis was to prosper under actor fell in. Zanuck's producership.

About this Ame there werd unmistakable aigns that the talles had advanced beyond the experimentul stage.

But for Zanuck, the transition from allcat Alms to sound had meant difficult decisions.

He had produced some of the at big eples of the silent screens ke Moby Dick with John Barrymore.

In Zanuck's more was

1

But Zanuck had just completed Noah's Ark, which was to be the biggest silent epje of them all. When it was previewed the opinion, Barry audience received it enthusiasti "one of the greatest colly,

Zanuck, however in a charac- arters who ever breathed." But there W10 something. When Barrymore was criticised teristic gesture, withdrew it and

thai

of it fascinated for his drinking habile Zanuck reniade sectiona

with a about Zanuck, He sent her to see would say: "Sure he drinks too sound track, bringing the cost to George Arliss, who was then his much but even tohen he's drunk" well over a million dollars. most respected

actor and he can out act anyone sober." At Its second sound showing

At a director.

party they attended it flopped disastrously. Aritas tested her and rent together another. Hollywood

Thess now-fangled talkies, Zanuck left angrily, but next Zanuck à memo which read:- actor told Barrymore he was a

TEST: BETTE DAVIS.

disgrace to the profession. anday he instructed the New York

office

thits "I think 10

older,

recited 3 virl has the

Barrymore an send

Tong dignified-looking

of C executive tú malcings

great actress speech from a play the actor ike them a formal offer to though she lacks the obvious had attempted on, Broadway the

skison, physical attributes previous come to Hollywood,

Barrymore When they first arrived ant

SOTEEN success. I would pays it more meaning than the entered his office Zanuck was give her a contract.",

octor had ever done and then standing beside his deals.

Zanuck did.

challenged him to walk In a

Zanuck locked Tit Their hamea In the programme: Joan Blondell and James Carney.

Revenge proved not-so-sweet for "Scarface”.

CHICAGO in the 1920's WHEN HATE WALKED

was no place for a

Jaw-abiding citizen. It

was a of

troiled, and uncontrol- ON VALENTINE'S DAY

lable, sin.

Gun-toting thugs not Seven died, shot in the back

only mowed each other down in the streets but anyone else fool enough to get in the way. Gang warfare was rife. It was the heyday of the big racketeers.

الامانة

One of the biggest of them was the sinister. heavily

Was "Scarface" Al Capone. 1

than 500 reckened that more inen died on his ortrs.

Yet the police conld not

Dac touch him. Na

would testify

Him Any potential squealers were taken "for a ride" and never came back.

against

all contacts; a trusted mem- ber of the fans.

lay on the stone floor.

The entire neighbourhool!

So the

St Valentine's

But that phone call was the was rou5.4 by the shooting. Massuere went unavenged Judas kiss. The trap was set, Hiuusewives and their menfolk but not quite.

- The police were unable

Jo Chi no's Clark Street the rushed to the windows to Fee pin any criminal charge on next morning life weit, on its what had happened. do praceful are

drab, m.notonous Way.

Clark

the

sort of place where nothing ever happ

Block 2110 was fairly typical a few houses, a few shaps and

A

By

Day

A

But Capone had even bar Capone, but they knew he was

this

10

gained for that. What they saw behind the kings. And was thrie "policemen' Icading time they were determined away Ewo

fn civilian put him behind bars. clothes,

His days as the King of the Gangsters were drawing to a closc.

Olvicusly it was a "fair cop,"

GRAHAM WILSON

large garage which had

Greedy for power entrance in the back alley,

So Capone ruled, violently; nassing

great

one

after another-until that

fortune

Crim St Valentine's Day of 1929. Just 30 years wto.

Then Capone brought off his of all, Seven bicodlest coup men died brutally that day, on Bu orders--but he had

Over stepped his mark. An outraged public would Like no more.

From then Da he A bounded. He was charged and charged again with one trifi- ing offence after another. Where criminal charges failed they could it The householders

shrugged the police fntind

evidence on taxation thelr shoulders and went back gather

wag charged some charges. So he to their work. Not until 02

mr. later were the bodies dis- with evading income tax. covered. And by then the gang

had made a clean get-away.

Moran's gang arrived rebule at the garage. Moran and a couple of others were the only latecomers-and that saved their lives,

As they strolled towards the reling place a saloon pulled into the kerb a few yards away from the garage. Three men a uniform cond IWO it Dolica

frem civilian clothes stepped the car.

February 14, 1929, was a "Police" raid ·

but fine day, in Chicago. Alt

over the world lovers were re-

other: membering cach

The

postmen were delivering nony-

incus, trivalous messages

Everyone knew, of course, who was the "brains" behind what became known as the "St Valentine's Day Massacre." But where was the proof? No one had witnessed it; no clues were left behind.

It was all going to be tough -Capone had too many friends to be convicted without struggle. Yet that is just whol happened.

4

Contrary to all beliefs he pleaded guilty. The police toere amazed-but quick to take advantage of the heaven- sent opportunity. -

Capone had a lot of justißen -

dodge the law on this sue as

tion for beleving that he could Given 10 years

direction. It was cbviously But here was no love in late raid...

Bugs Moan and his buddies he had on every other,

During the trial Capone ex- Epposite But he had reckoned without plained he wanted to go to gaol. kept walking-in the

opinion. public

The whole

Again he had made a mis- world was shocked at the utter calculation-by underestimating the seven callousness of this brutal mass- the probable length of his son-

the heart of Al Capour. Hete

Wax

Inside the garage

the malevolent instinct other members of the gang were killing. which had sown the seed of sitting arcand chatting.

It

tence.

They denended retribution. He tried to change his plea- his latest plot in his twisted There were the two Gusen- The police had to act-bil

bern brethuns; Joha May, gift was

hotel breaker; Al Wolnshenic

Clark, Adam with keeper; Junces

mind.

It was inevitable that Capone

and his mob should clask

Rugs Moran'a gang.

Judas kiss

for

thankless task.

Heyer and young Dr Rinhard Three named

Schwimmer, who

the was in

Came just for the excllement,

this scene with

73 at The

with

was

but I was too inte. The judge adurmant in his refusal. Capone was sentencest to 10 years, and still ho downtali was not complete.

In rasi, even the hoodisera After three weeks they named The policemen" burst in three men wanted in connection

he had been brought up with Both were gang chiefs with acady. Resistance was obvious. Lolerde, Fied Burke, and James

the hot Joseph turned against him As » powerful man they had' feared boundless ambition and greedy by useless. The gang raised

Ray.

and respected him. more power. Butl were their aging without a protest

Burke Lalordo disappeared. deeply involved in the let and allowed themselves to be

were both and Ray

fugitives His former friends and allies liquor racket. Both were stop- "troked" for weapons.

states, ganged up against him; bullied at-nothing killers.

They ob:yed the terse "police" from several Amerienn

could To add fuel to the Are two of order inpllcitly.

not be and taunted him. For the dura- Diyway. They Acting 011

Zouad.

tion of his acntence he was per- Capone's key men had been offers they moved over to en-

Then the spotlight fell on two secuted... shot down just before that grim other part of, the garage and

henchmen-Jolm After one articularly vicious St Valentine's Day, on Moran'a lined themselves up against the other Capone

Scalica and Jnek McGurn, incident when n, fellow. convict ordern.

wall.

to limits him; hia · nervo So with terrifying thorough-

unsuspecting and still Sculise made a quick exit when tried

inally gavo way. He broke anger's bullet got him. turned his plan in acting on orders--they ness Capone set

down and wedi. to face the wall. Then, In motion.

Only McGurn remained to liis chreer stormy and On Wednesday, February 13, brutal cold-blood, they were aland trial. The sute tried to spectacular, Wit over. When Bugs Moran received a phone movn down where they stood, make the charge blick, but their he was released he was a sick call. A truckload of liquor was in a few staccalo bursts of gun- evidence was flmay, The trial man. He retired to lend a quiet waiting ot Heyer's goinge In Arc.

erard he pick

Clark Street..

it up next moming?

to

Moran agreed. A time was fixed. lis had no cause suspect trouble-the mcarape was from one of hto most rell-

Still

ידי

dragged on while the State. life. Scarfaco Al Capone had sought more evidence. taken his revenge. With ter- riblo

hla

· précision

Jaho It was never forthcoming- policemen had orried out After 10 montis the prosecu→ - thoir

gharity deed, in 19 lon

gave up... McCutti VOI trafat peconda soven corpses freed,

In 1947 he died. it 'was not aflug end for the king of. Ho pamed the Gangsters: AWAY pencetolly... in his

2. loop

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said the Hollywood pundits, ure doomed.

And so is this guy Zanuck..... London. Express Service.

NEXT WEEK: Making of Monroe

4-4447