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Hollywood has glamourized movie stars for years, but now lumber steps into the limelight in motion pictures. George Pal of the George Pal Productions, Hollywood, home of the animated puppetoons, has his second picture in production, which like the first will be made fr.om animated wood models.

The first picture, "Western Daze" (which was finished on December 13) has just been released for showing, and will be distributed through Paramount Pictures, Inc.

All the characters represented will be made from lumber. Hundreds of these small wooden models will be necessary for a complete picture. The models are ma.de from clear and better grades, using various thicknesses, depending on what they want to make. At the present time they are using Yellow Poplar, Red Gum and Ponderosa Pine. Eventually, however, all species will be used.

A representative of this paper recently visited the Pal studio where he interviewed Mr. Pal, who is himself in charge of production, and watched their force of experts in woodworking making these small models, hundreds of them and minute in every detail. When the models are completed they are then inked and painted and ready for the cameraman who will shoot the films we will see in the theatre.

The third dimensional puppetoons evolved in Europe by George Pal are wooden figures performing in actual sets, synchronized with music, dialogue and special effects. There are no strings used as in puppets, and whereas animation requires drawing a separate figure for each motion, Pal builds a separate doll. The result gives a more fluid motion with the theatrical advantage of complete third dimension.

When Pal's heroine makes eves at the hero. 28 different sceaec tron "weere- jffi,.o#:?.":"T conedv-&c4rc ot rhe leading ladies must be fashioned, each a different phase in the progress from the starting point, eyes wide open, to the final phase, eyes closed.

Before Pal's hero can kiss the heroine, a large staff of woodworkers and artists must work for days, and some 56 heroes and heroines, each slightly different, rnust be fashioned. Each phase is photographed as a single frame of film.

First steps in making a Pal puppetoon are the writings of the script, the composition of the music (done first so movements of the wooden characters may be clearly defined before they are made) and the designing of sets. These sets are just as real as in feature films, but tiny according to scale.

Pal then makes color drawings of the first, middle and last phase of each movement, and assistants complete the 25 or more drawings of the intermediate phases of each. The drawings are filmed and projected, to test the movements.

Pal opened his own studio in Europe five years ago to experiment with his idea. He left Budapest at the beginning of his film career in 1932 and went to Paris, then to Vienna. A year later he moved to Prague and then to Eindhoven, Holland, where he maintained a stafi of some 3O assistants.

Most of his past films have been sponsored by advertisers, for no European studios had distribution channels to warrant the expense necessary to produce puppetoons purely for entertainment Purposes.

George Pal was born 33 years ago in Cegled, Hungary.

After receiving his degree in architecture ten years ago, he turned at once to film work, hoping to use his architectural knowledge in the building and designing of sets. His fine schooling made it possible for him to swing right into puppetoon production activity where building sets was just as essential as creating puppets.

Five years ago he began to use color and today all of his films are photographed in technicolor. Some of his Hollandmade films are "Philips Broadcast," "Love on the Range," "Sleeping Beauty," "Philips Cavalcade," "Southsea Sweethearts" and many others, all in gorgeous technicolor. Music for his films abroad was supplied by famous English orchestras like Jack Hylton, Ambrose, Somers, etc. In this country, his first puppetoon, "Western , Daze" features Andre Kostelanetz's music. The second one, "Dipsy Gypsy" also has Kostelanetz's music, and other American musical names are being lined up for future films.

His first puppet star is called "Jim Dandy," whom he recently christened with a bottle of California champagne. Somp people say Jim Dandy is a composite study of Gable-Taylor-Colman at their best, but Pal calls him cosmopolite's idea of U.S.A.'s Elmer.

The fact that lumber is going to be glamoaized. in motion pictures will be of great interest to the industry, and lumbermen will no doubt be looking forward to seeing Mr. Pal's pictures on the screen.

It will be interesting to lumbermen to know the picture was completed on December 13th, released on January 13th, and had its Los Angeles booking at the Paramount Theater on February 13th.

Houses And Homes

By C. L. Browning

Houses are made of brick and stone, Of lumber and cement; Homes are made of loving hearts, Who dwell in sweet content.

A house may be a boarding place, Where men and \ilomen eat, A home is where a man and wife, With smiling faces, meet.

A house may be a place to stay, A shelter good or bad; A home is made by boys and girls, A mother and a dad.

A house of many spacious rooms, And crowned with costly dome, May gain the praise of passers-by, Yet never be a home.

A house will yield to time's sharp tooth, And fall in sad decay;

A home will live throughout the years, In lives it sends away.

A house may voice a vulgar pride, Of wealth or jewels fine; A home, though built of un-hewn logs, May be a nation's shrine.

A Success

It was Mrs. A. J. Stanley who wrote: "'He has achieved success who has lived well, laughed often, and loved much; who has gained the respect of intelligent men and the love of little children: who has left the world better than he found it, whether by an improved poppy, a perfect poem, or a rescued soul; who has never failed to see earth's beauty, or failed to express it; who has filled his niche and accomplished his task; whose life is a blessing; whose memory is a benediction."

SECOND?

I'll never play with that doggoned crab again," stormed .a the belligerent g<ilfer as he stalked into the locker room of the country club. "I believe he's the meanest man in this club."

"Tut, tut, man !" said the club cynic. "You shouldn't say that. You forget yourself."

Evening

When I come home and see the thousand things, That your dear hands have found each day to doThe mellow shade for that old lamp of bronze, The spray of wild-rose in the vase of blue, The fickering fire; my slippers on the hearth; My pa.per folded on the old chintz chair, Your spirit, love, pervades the whole dear place, For there is peace and beauty everywhere.

Mind fagged, world wearied, f can find ne uTqidsBut kiss the hands that hold my happiness. Words are so poor, My darling, can you read Out of my heart the love in each caress? Then, looking up into your loving face, So woman-wise, so tender there above, I know no man may gain three greater gifts, Than home, the firelight, and a woman's love.

L. Fraser.

He Knew Why

First Drunk: "Shay. f can't shee a thing."

Second Drunk: "My God. Wassa matter?"

First Drunk: "I got my eyes shut."

What A Recipe

Tramp: "Lady, would you please give me the recipe for that cake you gave me a piece of this morning?"

Housewife: "Why certainly. Did you like it that well?"

Tramp: "It wasn't that, exactly. f want to settle a bet. I bet my partner that you use three cupfulls of cement to one of four, and he claims you use only two."

DR. THOMAS RILEY

The story has been told before but bears retelling, about Dr. Thomas Riley, a dissolute doctor of the old days, who nevertheless throughout his life furnished his medical aid and advice to the poor and needy, without charge. His fortunes drifted ever downward, and finally for want of rent money he had to move his office upstairs over the local livery stable, where they let him stay rent free. So he put a sign at the bottom of the stairs that read: "Doctor Thomas Riley-his office is now upstairs." He continued to help the poor and unfortunate as best he could, and when he died they buried him. and then moved the sign from the livery stable stairs, and put it over his grave, so that it continu.ed to read: "Doctor Thomas Riley-his office is now upstairs."