"Make Me a Star"

We get a quick look at Grauman's Chinese in a montage when grocery store clerk Stu Erwin leaves his sleepy town and heads to Hollywood in "Make Me a Star" (Paramount, 1932). He's going to succeed in pictures because he's graduated from a mail order course in acting. After seeing some photos, the head of the school wrote "You have a face."   

The footage they used in the montage was from the April 1931 premiere of "The Dirigible." See the pages about Grauman's Chinese on the Los Angeles Theatres site. 

The film also features Joan Blondell, Zasu Pitts, Ben Turpin, Charles Sellon, Florence Roberts, George Templeton, Ruth Donnelly, Sam Hardy... and many uncredited cameos. William Beaudine directed. The cinematography was by Allen G. Siegler. 

 

Stu finally got a part in what he thinks is a serious picture but Mammoth Pictures is secretly making it a comedy. Near the end of the film they hold a sneak preview. We're at Jensen's Melrose, 4315 Melrose Ave. There's no way to tell that from this shot but details in the lobby are the tipoff. 

 

A quick pan to show other ticket buyers approaching.  

 

 

Charlie Ruggles and Jack Oakie in the lobby. They're trying to remember what Stu's adopted name is. "Oh, yes -- Whoop Ryder."  

 

 Charlie and Jack heading in. Note the rather distinctive style of the arches in the lobby. 

 

Fredric March in the lobby.  

 

They don't tell Stu about the preview for fear that he'll be appalled. But he shows up. With hat. 

 

 

Heading down the aisle.  

 

We see a bit of ornament on the house left wall.  

 

 

Interesting decor on the back wall visible as Stu finds a seat.  

 

A bit of the proscenium revealed as a "preview" notice appears. 

 

Stu looks down on comedies, especially those with the "cross-eyed man." But it turns out he's in one that also features Ben Turpin. He hates it but the audience has a great time. 

 

Leaving part way through.  

 

 A bit of entrance terracotta work is seen as he heads back to his boarding house. 

 

 

His plan is to give up and go back home, thinking he's a failure. Joan Blondell gives him a talk and convinces him that although it's not what he was aiming for, he has a great career ahead as a comedy star.  

See the page about Jensen's Melrose on the Los Angeles Theatres site. It opened in 1923 and is now the Ukranian Culture Center. 

Other than a 50s shot toward the booth where we see nothing of interest, these views are the only images of the interior of the Melrose to surface so far that show it when it was a theatre. Thanks to Quentin Tarantino's New Beverly Cinema: the Melrose was spotted during a screening of the film at their 2026 William Beaudine festival. 

On IMDb: "Make Me a Star"   

The film is available via the Warner Archives collection. It's paired with "Merton of the Movies," a 1947 less interesting remake with Red Skelton, Virginia O'Brien and Gloria Grahame. That film used the title of the source material, a 1922 play by Marc Connelly and George S. Kaufmann.  There was also a 1924 film version with Glenn Hunter and Viola Dana.  

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