The tour of "Ziegfeld" ended in Los Angeles in January 1935. Cummings enjoyed the city and wanted to move there. He returned to New York, then heard King Vidor was looking for Texan actors for "So Red the Rose" (1935). He auditioned, pretending to be a Texan, having acquired his own version of a Texan accent by listening to cowboy bands on the radio. His ruse was exposed, but Vidor nevertheless cast him, under his actual name. In their review, the "New York Times" said that Cummings "does a fine bit" and "has the only convincing accent in the whole film."