The Wampas Baby Stars were created in 1923 in which 13 new actresses were chosen "who during the past year have shown the most talent and promise for eventual stardom". The first ceremony was almost akin to the Oscars - Bebe Daniels sang and Buster Keaton, Wallace Reed, Nazimova and Jackie Coogan appeared. In the beginning a lot of the stars really made good and exceeded all of the expectations (Colleen Moore, Evelyn Brent, Laura La Plante, Clara Bow, Dorothy Mackaill) but by the early thirties (1931 being an exceptional year with Joan Blondell, Frances Dee, Sidney Fox etc, in fact the majority became stars) with the depression and hard times forcing economy, the contest came to an end. No Wampas Babies were chosen in 1933 but in 1934 Paramount and Mascot created films in which the "babies" were to appear - Paramount's was "Kiss and Make Up" and Mascot's was "Young and Beautiful". By the time William Haines made "Young and Beautiful" he was established as one of the best interior designers in Hollywood and his heart just wasn't in movies anymore. He was still playing the wise cracker go getter.
Bob Preston (Haines) is a publicity agent for Superba Pictures and his latest stunt is a doozy - June Dale (Judith Allen) has been kidnapped!!! of course she turns up but she is getting pretty fed up with all the silly stunts. Ted Fio Rita is on hand with his band to provide the proceedings with some catchy dance music. Bob is trying his hardest to get June a Hollywood contract - but someone else is very interested in her as well. It's John Miljan - so there may be some underhanded tricks along the way!! There is a very snappy musical number - I didn't catch the title but given as good a production as Mascot could give. Girls dance on tables, on a piano, even a painting comes to life!! everyone gets in on the act.
Wampas baby Katherine Williams is the only girl who stands out with her dreams of serious roles conflicting with the reality of cheesecake and publicity. When she finally gets her chance, nerves get the better of her and it ends tragically. Funnily enough, Judith Allen was not a Wampas Baby and she should have become a star. She started out in a Cecil B. DeMille movie "This Day and Age' and starred opposite Bing Crosby in "Too Much Harmony", she also played in "The Witching Hour" and with Shirley Temple in "Bright Eyes" but she finished up in westerns and quickies. Stardom can be fickle. 1934 was a lean year for Wampas Babies - the only two that made a mark were Jacqueline Welles (who didn't appear in this movie) who continued on through the 1940s as Julie Bishop, and Lucille Lund, who appeared as Bela Lugosi's wife in "The Black Cat" (Welles had the female lead) and played the villainous "Duchess" in the serial "Blake of Scotland Yard" (1937).
