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Leila Hyams (1905-1977) |
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- Kay Johnson, Dynamite, 1929. Assistant director Mitchell Leisen ran screen tests for Cecil B DeMille’s first all sound movie - on December 18, 1928. For the leading lady he filmed Sally Blane, Dorothy Burgess, Carmelia Geraghty, Leila Hyams, Merna Kennedy - and heartily recommended the fast-rising Carole Lombard. To no avail. CB played safe with theatre actors: Charles Bickford opposite Johnson’s debut. Bickford called the script a mess of corn with terrible dialogue. True enough - tt flopped. Famous for her Venus in Tod Browning’s Freaks, 1900, Leila retired in the 40s after 54 movies.
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