The announced effort of Harold Lloyd to secure Jean Arthur for his next venture, "Professor, Beware," has centred attention on a changed condition in the casting of players and the building of unknowns. There was a time when Lloyd or any other star of comparable stature was deemed strong enough to carry a picture to box-office success with the supporting roles assigned to lesser or little known players.
Lloyd always used leading ladies of standing, but they were never stars of the calibre of Miss Arthur, To-day nearly all pictures contain two or more names with fan appeal. The change came gradually and naturally and has resulted in the observing being able to tell by looking at a theatre marquee whether the entertainment inside is of A or B rating.
The condition has worked a hardship on struggling players who hope for star classification. They attain a certain prominence as supporting players, sometimes only in bits, and then they are featured in B pictures. To rise above these second and third rate films requires more than ability it takes luck,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.