Friday, June 13, 2008

More on Beverly Gray and Ruth Fielding

In Beverly Gray, Senior, a film company decides to film at Vernon College. The proceeds from the film will help the college build a new swimming pool. The company holds a contest to see who can write the best scenario. The first place winner's scenario will be used as the script for the film that is made at Vernon College. Beverly and her friends enter the contest, and Beverly wins.

Soon after work is begun on the film, the leading actress leaves the film company to work for a rival concern. The film company is left without an actress for the college film and must cancel its production. Beverly and her friends suggest that the director use Shirley as the leading actress as Shirley has already proved herself a capable actress in school dramatics. Shirley completes a film test and is hired.

These plot elements mirror plot elements from both Ruth Fielding in Moving Pictures and Ruth Fielding at Golden Pass. In Ruth Fielding in Moving Pictures, Ruth writes a moving picture scenario that will be filmed at her school. The proceeds go towards rebuilding the dormitory, which recently burned down. In Ruth Fielding at Golden Pass, the leading actress for Ruth's latest project jumps contract, leaving Ruth without a leading lady. Mr. Hammond suggests that Ruth take over the leading lady's role.

Since
Beverly Gray, Senior appears to have been inspired by two Ruth Fielding books, this is further evidence that Clair Blank may have read the Ruth Fielding series and modeled her books after it.

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