ORCH:

(FANFARE)

(SIGNATURE...FADES DOWN)

 

KEECH:

The makers of Hinds Honey and Almond Cream once again present the great motion picture director, Mr. D. W. Griffith, in another glamorous episode of his fascinating story of Hollywood. And speaking of Hollywood.....why is it that men sit up and take notice when you mention any of the lovely movie stars? Perhaps it's because they have glamour... but more likely it's because they are so devastatingly lovely in every detail. You see, men are so much more aware of details than women suspect. Above all, they notice hands.

Would you like to make your hands soft, white, tenderly smooth? The kind of hands men adore?...Three days of special care with Hinds Honey and Almond Cream will do it, no matter how rough, red, coarsened they are. Simply rub Hinds Cream on your hands after they have been in water, after exposure and before going to bed at night. The first day hands will be softer, the second day you'll see the redness disappearing, and the third day you'll have the beautiful white hands you've longed for!

And now...may I present........Mr. D. W. Griffith.

GRIFFITH:

Thank you, Mr. Keech. Ladies and gentlemen....the first thing I want to show you tonight is the projection room in a Hollywood Studio. Although the general public seldom knows it, the projection room is the place where often stars are made and un-made...where the hopes and fears of all the people of this mimic world are decided....by the men behind the films. Fortunes are made and hearts are broken....here in this tiny room...and the public never knows it. Listen...you can hear the humming of the projector...relentlessly carrying on..showing "rushes" of a film taken the day before. In the little auditorium are seated the financier...the producer...the director...the men behind the show. Then too, the fading star...eagerly watching...perhaps if the rushes are good, a renewed contract. They talk...as they sit there...apparently they're not watching....but little really gets by them as the projector grinds unheedling on....

(VOICES SWELL UP)

 

VOICE:

Say, Joe...I hear Barrymore's signed up for another.

2ND VOICE:

Yeah. What's the latest on Garbo?

3RD:

Nobody knows if she's coming back or not.

1ST:

Well, I heard...

2ND:

Don't believe everything you hear. She's cagey, that dame.

3RD:

Shut up and watch the picture.

1ST:

Aw..we're watchin'...

2ND:

Say..wait a minute..look at that!

(PAUSE)

 

(BURST OF APPLAUSE)

 

(MURMUR OF EXCITED VOICES)

 

(FADES DOWN)

 

GRIFFITH:

A burst of applause from that hard-boiled bunch! For whom...the star? No! For a bit by an extra. That girl's a comer...she made a bit stand out! She's on her way up...she may be a star, too. Not in a day...but very soon. After years of waiting...hoping...despairing...she made them sit up and take notice in the projection room. She is discovered...at last!

(MUSIC IN STRONG...FADES DOWN)

 

GRIFFITH:

Of course there is a lot of talk and gossip as to how the big stars really got started. Now I'd like to give you an example of the early work of one young lady whom all of you know; and who, if not really the greatest of the famous stars, certainly ranks with the very best of them. You all most certainly know her...the whole world does.

I was doing a picture which you may or may not have seen....called "Way Down East". The scene was placed in New England. In this picture, we have several New England home warmings, holiday celebrations, and barn dances, and in each of these scenes we used a great number of people in the background, in the dance scenes, frolic scenes and so on.

The first scene was the home of the father in the story where Lillian Gish and Dick Barthelmess were playing the heroine and hero. Miss Gish as a servant girl, serving the cider, cakes and so on...the lovesick farmer boy (played by Dick) looking on. There were various movements and old-fashioned dancing which was difficult to learn. The whole general action had to be kept up. Imagine us at the camera stand rehearsing this mob.

(ORCHESTRA FADES IN...JINGLE BELLS)

 

(MURMUR OF VOICES)

 

GRIFFITH:

For the lord's sake...can't you get those eggs in the back to move around a little more?.....Take more interest in it...I can't direct a hundred and fifty people at once. Move around!! That corner to the right...move around! Dance like you were having a good time! This is supposed to be a holiday. You are supposed to be happy. Forget your own troubles... put some life in it! You're not playing wooden Indians. I mean those girls in the back. Try it!

(CHORUS OF CHATTER AND MOVEMENT IN BACK)

 

GRIFFITH:

Oh no...no...no! That's nothing like it! Jones? Where is that girl that put so much life in that other scene? Where is she?

JONES:

She's on the other set.

GRIFFITH:

For Heaven's sake, get her...bring her here.

JONES:

(SHOUTING) Norma..Norma..come here. Mr. Griffith wants to talk to you.

NORMA:

(VOICE OFF) All right, sir...coming...(APPROACHING) Did you want me, Mr. Griffith?

GRIFFITH:

Yes, Miss Shearer...Miss Shearer, will you go back in that group in the right corner there. Put some life into the scene. They will follow you. You tell them what to do. Move around and make it live. You know what I want you to do...you headed that other group. Get them to move around amongst each other and put some life into the dancers! The ones in the back. Try to cheer them up. I'll give you that corner. You take charge of it.

NORMA:

I'll try my best.

GRIFFITH:

Thank you, Miss Shearer. Hurry up now...rehearse!

(OLD TIME DANCE MUSIC)

 

(VOICES OF PEOPLE CALL OUT: "BALANCE...FORWARD..TO THE RIGHT....PARTNERS ROUND...GO TO THE CENTER.")

 

GRIFFITH:

That's great...that's great! Miss Shearer, where are you?

NORMA:

(AWAY) Here, Mr. Griffith.

GRIFFITH:

Don't forget that business of running and tripping across to whisper into a lady's ear about a couple dancing on the floor. That's great business..puts life in that corner!

NORMA:

Thank you.

GRIFFITH:

Ready for take!

NORMA:

(APPROACHING) Mr. Griffith...had I better change my dress? I used this dress in the other scene.

GRIFFITH:

Yes...that's right. Wardrobe....Wardrobe... where are you? Hurry up, please. Got to take this scene.

WARDROBE:

Coming...

GRIFFITH:

Get Miss Shearer another dress, will you? Something that looks entirely different from this one she has on. Hurry...hurry! We've got to get on.

NORMA:

Won't take a moment, Mr. Griffith...will be back in a jiffy.

(MUSIC IN...FADES DOWN UNDER)

 

GRIFFITH:

The second house visited was supposed to be a surprise party where all of these visitors, amidst the jangling of sleigh bells and cries of Merry Christmas, opened the door of the old farmer's house most unceremoniously....bust into the hall and then into the living room upon the two old people, with presents and general salutations of merriment and excitement.

The leaders of the mob composed of men, happened to be trained troupers and got the idea clearly. But the girls, as before, evidently must have been thinking that they were wearing pretty costumes and were in no hurry to get through the hall into the sitting room. Three times we tried to get some life into them but still the action did not have the proper spirit. Again went up the cry.....

Miss Shearer....Miss Shearer....where are you?

NORMA:

(AWAY) I am here in the background, Mr. Griffith. I didn't want to get front for fear they'd see me and recognize me again from the other scene.

GRIFFITH:

(IN DESPAIR) Well, please...please come out here.

NORMA:

(APPROACHING) All right, Mr. Griffith.

GRIFFITH:

I can't...I can't get these girls to come in there with the spirit they should. You know how it's got to be...alive like the other scene...only more so! We are building now...

NORMA:

Well, Mr. Griffith...I have been in so many scenes...

GRIFFITH:

Have you got another dress....a different dress?

NORMA:

I can get one...but I don't think that would hide me.

GRIFFITH:

Well, can't you put on a beard or do something?

NORMA:

(LAUGHINGLY) Anything to help the picture!

GRIFFITH:

I'll tell you what...you lead them in but have a girl this side of you...next the camera...and you come in sideways.

NORMA:

All right...I think I can do it that way. I'll get a girl next the camera...another on the other side and I'll stay in the center. I'll do the handkerchief waving. Then when we get inside the room, I'll get behind the door and keep the other girls circulating around the back.

GRIFFITH:

Sure..sure...that will be all right...they'll never notice you're on again. All right, Miss Shearer...Get your girls together. Now come on, girls...you've got to show the same spirit as Miss Shearer. Do as she tells you....put some life in it, for Heaven's sake. We cant stay here all day. All ready now!

(SOUND OF MOB COMING IN.....

GRIFFITH:

(GRIFFITH'S VOICE OVER MOB) That's fine...that's action! All right...Miss Shearer...that's it. They're waving their handkerchiefs...That's right, girls...you've got to keep up with her! Don't pay any attention to your dresses; they're all right. Let your hair alone! Now you've let Miss Shearer get ahead of you! I told you you had to keep up with her! Come back and take it over again....

(MUSIC IN....FADES DOWN UNDER)

 

GRIFFITH:

Then we moved [to] the scene of dancing and merry-making which was the barn dance. This time the script called for two comic lovers...an old maid and an old guy with fringed whiskers who had been courting the old maid for forty years or thereabouts. The comic lover is supposed to be standing looking goofily at the old maid who seems cold to his lovelorn adoration. One of the frivolous young dancers in the old-fashioned dance, dancing madly around holding hands in a circle, is supposed to be thrown from the whirling circle and spun across the floor, bumping into the two comic lovers...

Again and again we tried it, with the lady selected for the part. But she would insist upon looking where she was going, which gave the whole trick away. She must do it as though she didn't see the lovers and the bump must appear to be an accident.

(MUSIC FADES IN..."TURKEY IN THE STRAW")

 

GRIFFITH:

(AGAIN IN DESPAIR TO THE CAMERA STAND).....Oh, that's no good....we'll have to cut it out.

JONES:

Mr. Griffith...I think you should keep it in...Vivian Ogden and Porter Strong will get plenty of laughs out of it if they bump right. The girl hits Porter and he falls against Miss Ogden and Miss Ogden blames Porter for it.

GRIFFITH:

But she can't do it right. The other one couldn't do it...they will look to see where they're going. They just can't do it right! I know what I'll do..! Miss Shearer...Miss Shearer!

NORMA:

Here I am.

GRIFFITH:

Miss Shearer...you saw that action...breaking out of that line. Do you think you can do it? Is there anything difficult about it?

NORMA:

I think I know what's wrong in the way they do it. They look as though they are falling...they should look before they break out of line and gauge the distance.

GRIFFITH:

I know that...but nobody seems to be able to do it. Do you think you could do it backwards?

NORMA:

I'll try, Mr. Griffith.

GRIFFITH:

All right, try it once. That's right, Miss Shearer, get in line....Start the dance everybody.

(CONFUSION AND CRIES)

 

GRIFFITH:

Now, Miss Shearer, break out of line....bump into Porter Strong...that's great! Now get back in line again...that was swell! You bumped him so hard he couldn't help falling...and yet it looked perfectly natural. All right, everybody...that's enough rehearsal. Wardrobe Woman!

WARDROBE:

(APPROACHING) Yes, Mr. Griffith...

GRIFFITH:

Get another dress for Miss Shearer...I don't care what it is. And give her one of those bonnet things to hide her face. Don't want the audience to recognize her!

(MUSIC IN)

 

GRIFFITH:

And so Miss Shearer played I can't remember how many parts in those mob scenes; and she did them all beautifully. I think this was her first experience too in pictures, and though she was a very young girl, she had brains and knew how to use them.... also good looks and temperament.

But things go so fast in our business; and I had to get money for the next production... and that took time. And Miss Shearer went on into other minor roles where she worked just as industriously. This struggle continued for several years until she finally won her chance...not got it...but won it. I suppose I was dumb or I would have made some desperate effort to keep her in my company, but dumbness is the fault of most of us, so we won't weep about it now.

Now I suppose most of you have seen Miss Shearer in her recent productions...particularly that beautiful performance she gave in "Smiling Through"... and this little explanation will perhaps help you realize how she got there.

ORCH:

(SIGNATURE)

ANNOUNCER:

(Keech) Mrs. R. L. of Kansas City writes us an interesting letter. The names, of course, are fictitious. Here it is: "Cousin Ella had been crazy about Will Emerson for years. Will never paid much attention to her. Ella did a lot of farm chores and naturally couldn't keep herself up extra well. Of course Will wouldn't say anything, but I had seen him look at Cousin Ella's red, rough hands in kind of a disgusted way.

One night Ella and I were listening to the radio and heard about the Hinds 3-day test. She made the test and her hands turned out so white and soft she started fixing them up with polish and things. Soon after Will was over one night. I saw him looking fascinatedly at Ella's hands. He took hold of her hands to see how soft they were. Right there Cousin Ella's romance with Will Emerson started. Six weeks later they were married!"

Thank you, indeed, for your letter, Mrs. R.L.

By the way, ladies, why don't you make the 3-day test? It may not bring you a romance like Cousin Ella's but it certainly will give you soft, white alluring hands!

In tonight's Hinds Honey and Almond Cream program Norma Shearer was impersonated by _____________.

ORCH:

(MUSIC)

This is the National Broadcasting Company.