Modern Screen (Dec 1949 - Nov 1950)

Advertisement Hmv.B This is discovery month, gals! Old Chris Columbus crossed the oceans JOAN LANSING blue in 1492 and discovered America and all its pleasures. Well, all YOU have to do to discover America (n) is cross the room, turn the radio dial and let yourself relax to the greatest "discoveries" in pleasurable listening. Yes, ma'am, there's a treasure of wealth on the American Broadcasting Company — and through your local station you can enjoy the "riches" of great programming. Just take Thursday night, for instance. At 7:30 PM (EST) JACK ARMSTRONG, the famous young man of heroic action, is heard in an exciting new series, ARMSTRONG OF THE S.B.I. You'll find JACK engaged in scientific adventure on Tuesdays as well as Thursdays . . . a double treat from General Mills. Another ABC Thursday-discovery is SCREEN GUILD PLAYERS, the most fabulous show in dramatic radio, now presented on your local station for a full hour, 8-9 PM (EST). The greatest stars of Hollywood fame lend their considerable talents to SCREEN GUILD PLAYERS, appearing in thrilling dramatizations of well-known screen stories. Here is a program of diamond-studded brightness. You'll be missing a real treasure-trove if you don't discovei* SCREEN GUILD PLAYERS by NEXT Thursday! Next in this luminous line-up is the biggest "discovery" of them all . . . the program that specializes in exploring talent. ORIGINAL AMATEUR HOUR, heard on your local ABC station at 9 PM (EST), has zoomed many an unknown into the star-spotlight of fame and fortune. Wonderful TED MACK, of course, is staunchly in back of every ORIGINAL AMATEUR HOUR performer in Old Gold's treasure-of-a-program! Coming up at 9:45 PM (EST), via your local American Broadcasting Company station, is ROBERT MONTGOMERY . . . speaking on events that make news of today and tomorrow. This outstanding commentator has been in on many an astonishing news "discovery" . which he doesn't keep under his hat (even though it's a Lee) but passes right along to you every Thursday night. j had my nose fixed ebon Uonstcxp (Continued jrom page 82) wanted them to accept me for my talent and personality lather than for a pretty face. I wanted to be liked or disliked on the basis of myself. hi4 sh°rt ,while after I graduated from high school my father came home one evening very excited. A good friend of his who was quite an important producer was having auditions the following week tor a feature part in his next picture. Mv try out, but I was reluctant. My fear of rejection returned in full force. They pleaded with me just to try it and see what would happen. At last I agreed to go, although I had no confidence that I would be successful. I went to the audition, and my fears were confirmed. They finally narrowed the choice down to me and another girl Before the decision was announced I knew what the outcome would be. She was more attractive, and photogenic. It was no surprise to me when they gave her the part It was just another blow to my already battered eg0. The producer, however was a kind and discerning man He must have sensed my disappointment, be backe ^ t0 l6aVe he Called ™e V0nfd0rY' he said' "y°u have a gieat deal of talent. A really fine voice. Strngr°U eV6r Ught °f trying radi0 R ^a^ng had never entered my mind. fatal], radio might be a stepping-stone to that great and glamorous world I was determined to make my own. Before I could start out for a job, though, my lather became involved in a business deal which necessitated our moving to Waterloo, Iowa. Waterloo, Iowa! The end of the world as tar as I was concerned. No stage No pictures. The only glimmer of hope was ™ ■Could go ahead with radio t u 6 j?'* been in Waterloo long when I heard that Gloria Swanson was sponsoring a radio contest. Naturally I entered at once. For the first time I was confident that I had an equal chance of winning. This would be behind a microphone, not a camera. The voice was of paramount importance. I won the contest, and for a number of months I was satisfied with the importance that being a disc jockey on the local radio station gave me. And occasionally I had an opportunity to do dramatic roles on some of the shows. It was flwr\?r a,while Then I began to feel the old restlessness. I was miles away from the only place I felt I could really pursue the career I longed for Unexpectedly something happened which gave me the chance I'd been seeking A telegram from Hollywood arrived. The magic of the name made my hands shake as I tore it open. It was from a studio talent scout He had heard me on the air and asked me to send him some photographs. My heart sank. Pictures. My doubts surged up again. How could I send him ... but wait. This would get me back to Hollywood if everything went right. Certainly, I'd send him pictures 1 tore madly down to the local photographers shop explained the situation to him, and together we cooked up a scheme. He would take pictures of me. The left profile would be all right, and the fullrace ones he would retouch. Yes I was going to fake it. I'll be honest about it But bear m mind that I wanted desperate y to get back to California; back to real, honest-to-goodness acting instead of an occasional fifteen-minute radio part I would have done almost anything to assure my return. I mailed the pictures and the next week ?,Hmlsera,Uf One moment I was sure theyd send for me, and the next I was certain they would see through my ruse and Id never hear from them. I haunted the mailbox. But the news came in another telegram. Oh, those beautiful, wonderful words: "Pictures fine. How soon can you be here?" tjow soon? Would immediately be too ' soon? I could have flown there under my own power the way I felt. I wired back that I would arrive the following week and broke the news to Mother and ♦ « Pley Were reluctant to let me go at first, but I talked so hard and so fait they finally consented. /+u6 H?Tin Tas hardly twenty miles out of the Waterloo station when it hit me. faure Id fooled them with the pictures but I wasn t going to fool anyone when I walked into the studio. In the back of my mmd was always the hope that once i got my foot in the door I could make good on my ability. If they'd just give me a chance to act for them, to talk to them. But they might be so angry at my deception they would throw me out immediately. All the way across the country I worried and fretted and planned strategy after strategy. I had imaginary conversations with Mr .Big. t 'uYjU. ?ant d,° this t0 me. You thought 1 had talent when you sent for me You brought me out here on the strength of my voice and ability, and now you turn me down because I don't photograph well You know all about cameras and tricks with photography, why can't you use some ot them? In spite of my solitary bravado the palms of my hands were damp with nervous perspiration as I got off the train m Pasadena to meet the studio representative. Once at the studio the reaction was what I had feared. Raised eyebrows, fahrugs of the shoulders. But since thev were committed to the test, they made it All the way through I was in an agony ot self-consciousness. And when it was over despite my imaginary brave talk on the train, I was out in the cold again without having laid eyes on Mr. Big £ 68 ™ Fairfax High B"t now I was older. My experience with radio in the past year had shown me that I could overcome my inferiority complex. I no longer accepted defeat passively I was ready to fight for what I wanted.' they didn t want me at the studio Well 1 d show them. I G°T ™yself a small apartment and L I . T°Ut t0.find a dramatic school. Now that I was here I had to be acting and I would not go back to Iowa a failure I went to the Geller Playhouse; auditioned tor them, and was given a scholarship tt seemed incongruous that I could win a scholarship at one of the best drama schools in town and still be turned down by the studios. But I didn't let myself become morose. I worked like a demon instead of brooding. The third night after the initial play opened, a short, dark man with intensely blue eyes came backstage to see me. He introduced himself. w Tm S«lly, Baiano Miss London, from Warner Brothers. I hate to admit it, but I m afraid I was just a bit snide "Here we go again," I jeered. He looked so taken aback that I softened my remark by adding, "I don't mean to sound rude. Mr. Baiano, but your studio will only laugh at you if you bring me in. I photograph very badly." His rei^y startled me.