| New Faces On The Screen! |
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The Prettiest girls and handsomest youths in America -- all new faces! -- in a sparkling comedy cocktail of joyous, dancing, romancing entertainment. A fashion display of gowns - a carnival of sports. A swift, moving love story of an entirely new type! |
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Paramount Released:March 17, 1926 7 Reels
Directed by | Sam Wood
Writing credits
Cast (in credits order)
Cinematography by |
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Of "The Junior Stars of 1926" only
two would go on to bigger careers.
Charles "Buddy" Rogers made his mark a year later starring in WINGS, He would go on to marry "America's Sweetheart", Mary Pickford.
the first motion picture to win the Academy Award for Best Picture.
Thelma Todd made 115 films in a scant 9 years acting in all kinds of pictures.
She was a gifted comedian, working with
Laurel and Hardy, the Marx Brothers and
made a series of shorts with Patsy Kelly.
Todd starred with Richard Dix in The Gay Defender.
Mysterious circumstances surrounded her death in 1935.
| Richard Dix, (right) lent his stature as a major Paramount star by doing a cameo to help The Junior Stars of 1926. |
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16 talented young actors were selected from 40,000 applicants for admission to the Paramount Picture School. By the time of their debut in Fascinating Youth they were heralded in a tremendous publicity campaign that had been in progress for months. |
Teddy Ward, wealthy society idler, falls in love with Jeanne King, a Greenwich Village sketch artist. Father has set his heart on Teddy's marrying Loris Lane, a society girl.
"Make good on a job I'll give you and marry anyone you like. Fail-- and Loris will stand by your side at the alter," is the older Ward's final ultimatum. Teddy accepts the challange and is given the managership of Mountain Inn, a winter resort that has always failed to make money.
With the help of his Greenwich Village friends, a whirlwind advertising campaign is begun. It's main feature is an offer of $10,000 to the winner of a 100-mile ice boat race, which is to be a part of elaborate ice carnival Teddy has decided to stage.
But father, on hearing of the prize offer -- refuses to sanction the advertising and also stops payment on the check. In desperation, Teddy hits upon the idea of inviting a group of movie stars to the big event. He prepares his newspaper publicity and then goes to New York with Ross Page and Loris.
Arrived at the studio, the stars all plead previous engagements. However, through Loris' scheming, the publicity story gets to the papers.
The "big" night finds the hotel crowded with guests all eager to meet the players. Teddy is frantic, realizing that when the truth comes out, he'll be ruined. His friends try to help him by dressing as stars. But -- Jeanne, who has been doing some sketching at the studio -- arrives with half a dozen famous stars. The evening is a succes.
The worthless check isn't worrying Teddy. Randy Furness has promised to win the race and then refuse the prize. At the last minute, "Duke" Slade, world's champion racer, arrives. The sheriff warns Teddy that non-payment means jail.
Furness, in fear of Slade, deserts his boat. Teddy takes his place, and in a race of nerve-tingling thrills, manages to win by a matter of inches. His father, who had arrived while the contest was in progress, forgives him and admits that Jeanne won his heart as well as Teddy's.
