The caption on the reverse of this photograph reads as follows:

'Will Rogers, Fox Film star and international humorist, spent the day prior to acting in his current production Life begins At Forty by showing Sir Charles Kingsford Smith, the famed aviator, how movies are made at the Fox Film Studio in Beverly Hills, California.'

In his column in the San Bernardino Sun of 6 December 1934, Will Rogers reported that he had lunch with Smithy in the studio cafe on Tuesday 4 December 1934, so this photo was probably taken on this occasion - but before lunch, because it was during lunch that Smithy was called to the telephone to receive the news that his friend Charles Ulm was missing on a flight to Hawaii.

San Bernardino Sun Vol. 41, 6th Dec 1934

Picture: Tim Kalina Collection