Charles Lamonte — Movie Director (1933) 🇺🇸

Editor’s Note: This is the sixth of a series of articles, published exclusively in “Movies” and written by or about producers and directors. Another will appear in the December, 1933, edition.

by Mary A. Roberts

Educational Studios claim one of Hollywood’s most versatile directors: Charles Lamonte [Charles Lamont]. It isn’t usual to find a man who is equally capable of getting the best out of both kiddie actors and adult ones. Charles Lamonte is the one who can do both, and do it well.

You’ve seen the kiddie comedies, starring Shirley Temple. Most of the children in those series are only three years, none are over four. And all are within the range of 36 inches. Taller ones cannot be used.

“I never wanted to direct kiddies; I didn’t want to be known as a baby director. Now and again, I did do a kiddie picture, but if there was a way of escaping the job, I did just that,” he said. Then, one day I was called in on a comedy, to be sort of trouble man. I saw the picture; it was really awful. In it, there were a few shots of a kiddie, not yet able to walk, and that baby did exude personality.

“The only suggestion I could think of making was to have more of that kiddie. I figured that because people like so to see babies, more of that child might save the picture. I explained my idea, and to me was given the task of fixing up the film. The baby was Big Boy [Malcolm Sebastian]. And from then on, I made all of Big Boy’s pictures, and the public loved him as much as I did. He is a big boy now, too big to play in kiddie parts.

“We tried to keep Big Boy a boy. His parents agreed not to send him to the inevitable dancing and elocution schools. We wanted him to be just a real boy, and he was. Big Boy and I are really responsible for each other’s success.

“Then I got the idea of making real kiddie pictures. We made a series of six, last summer. This summer we made another series… How do I manage them? Oh, I don’t know. There isn’t any trick to it, though some of the other studios seem to think there is. We’ve found spotters on the set many times, but I don’t use any ‘methods.’ I simply explain the parts to each one of the children. I show them what to do and how I want it done. I rehearse the lines with them until they know just how to pronounce the words. Many times, it happens that they have some very large word to say, but they get the pronunciations quicker than you’d think.

“Children have good memories, so that once they know exactly what they’re expected to do, they remember to do it. Another thing, I never use make-up on them. That helps to make them act more natural. Make-up would tend to make them self-conscious, and that’s something we must avoid. Incidentally, make-up sometimes makes adults overly conscious.

“Working with children is easy; if you can control yourself, you can control them. If you lose your temper, they’ll lose theirs and also their respect of you. When you tell them to do certain things, you must mean it. It isn’t necessary to be a taskmaster, but it is necessary for you to mean every word you say. I treat each kiddie as an individual, and I don’t make favorites. Children like fair play and they’re very quick to sense when one is belittled or made much of.”

The ‘phone rang. Mr. Lamonte took the receiver,

“Hello,” he said. “Let me talk to him. Johnny? Do you know who this is? Well, Johnny. I want you to eat your spinach and carrots. You want to be a good boy, don’t you? Well then, you have your lunch. And the next time you’re out with mother, ask her to bring you over here.”

He turned from the phone with a laugh “That happens every now and then; sometimes it’s because Mary or Johnny doesn’t want to take a nap or won’t do something they should do. Why they obey for me, I just don’t know.”

The kiddies love their director. We saw Shirley Temple, doing a bit in one of the Clyde [Andy Clyde] pictures. Mr. Lamonte strolled onto the stage, spied little Shirley. She went to him, and the two were soon in deep conversation. doubtless about dolls or dogs, for she likes both. The gallant Mr. Lamonte pinned a little rose on her, and she looked as pleased as punch. No wonder he gets results. He knows how to do things and how to talk to the babies.

He doesn’t fall behind in his dealing with the grown-up children, either. Mark the successful direction of his Moran and Mack comedies, especially. In our forthcoming issues, we hope to tell you more about his work in the adult field, together with some interesting sidelights on the side-lines of his “Black Crows.”

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Miss Roberts interviews Director Charles Lamonte

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Collection: Broadway and Hollywood “Movies” Magazine, November 1933