Cinema: All Through

For more than a decade cinemaudiences have known short-tempered, pince-nezed Actor Robert McWade as the crabbiest, crustiest crosspatch that ever foreclosed a mortgage or sicked the dogs on a luckless swain. Last week in Hollywood, 56-year-old Actor McWade, in the oppressive regimentals of a Civil War officer, went wearily over & over a scene with James Stewart in Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer’s Benefits Forgot. He couldn’t seem to smooth out his lines. Finally he got them straight. Veteran Director Clarence Brown shouted orders, “Cut, save the lights,” and rubbed his hands. “Fine,” he exulted, “fine. That was the last scene, Bob. You’re all through now.” White-haired Actor McWade scuffed off the set, sat down in a canvas folding chair, slumped over, died.