Cinema: Chatter v. Lies

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That the distinction between chattering and lying was one too delicate to be perceived by many cinema executives became apparent again last week in a recrudescence of a major controversy concerning the services of Cinemactress Ruth Chatterton.

Last January, Warner Bros, announced that they had signed contracts with, among others, two prominent Paramount stars, Ruth Chatterton and William Powell. '"Chatter-Chippies"—female reporters of Hollywood studio gossip—became vastly excited, spoke of a war between Paramount and Warner Bros. Paramount executives remained calm, insisted that Cinemactress Chatterton was still a Paramount star.

Nothing more was said about Paramount v. Warner re Chatterton till last spring when chatter-chippies relayed rumors that, at a quiet conference between Paramount and Warner executives, Warner Bros, had returned Ruth Chatterton to Paramount, agreed not to take her away. It was clear, by this time, that there was something in the situation which the reporters had failed to unearth but those familiar with the vagaries and deceptions of their sources supposed that the reporters were not to blame.

The Chatterton chatter became an uproar for the third time last week when Hearst-Chippy Louella O. Parsons reported that "Ruth Chatterton goes to Warner Bros. That is definite and final." Paramount announced that they had made arrangements to buy Author Philip Barry's stage success Tomorrow and Tomorrow to be made into Cinemactress Chatterton's next talkie, stated that there had been no change in the situation since the agreement last spring. Warner Bros, officials refused to comment on the rumor.

Ownership of Cinemactress Chatterton was a newsquestion of interest to more than the gumchewing public of chatter-chippies because, 1) she is so far the only famed female stage-star to make an even greater success in talkies than she had previously made on the stage; 2) she has probably made more successful talkies than any other cinemactress.