Movies Want Bright Young Men, but Colleges Must Give Practical Training

Bald, genial Cecil B. DeMille, producer of a score of movie "speciacles," stated in a speech here last night that the movie industry is ready and willing to absorb the bright young men of the colleges providing they're well trained.

For clarification of that somewhat hazy statement Producer DeMille was located in the roar of the Metropolitan Theater last night, surrounded by what turned out to be a bevy of the local gazetteers.

On further explanation Mr. DeMille's first description of the land of golden opportunity for the Hollywood-minded collegian paled somewhat. Mr. DeMille is after the bright young men all right but he won't train 'em. He expects the colleges to do that.

He says he would like to see the colleges instituting practical courses of instruction in film lore that would train the young man for later executive positions in Hollywood.

"Hollywood is so vast and complex" he said last night."

"And half the people out there don't know what it's all about."

"Could a person, making a detailed study in Hollywood learn the fundamentals of picture making in eight or ten weeks?" he was asked.

"No," said Mr. DeMille. "Nor in eight years."

What Mr. DeMile was after, it developed, was the smart young man who had been trained in the functions of the necessary 64 departments that go to make up a major studio. But he didn't want the responsibility of training him himself.

He seemed to think that to throw an untrained man into the hurly-burly of modern Hollywood would be like throwing a monkey wrench into the works.

"You wouldn't put a fellow who wanted to learn to play the violin with a symphony orchestra," he said. "He'd just spell the concert and probably wouldn't get much out of it himself."