Modern Screen (Jan-Dec 1960)

continued Louella's not saying Karl won't win Debbie. Lindsay Crosby's 'heart' is Barbara Fredrickson, and Papa Bing approves. Lindsay's Doing It Too Well, my pet among the Crosby boys. Lindsay, is going to follow in the footsteps of his twin brothers and marry a former Las Vegas show-girl beauty, Barbara Diane Fredrickson. And I mean she's a beauty. Ran into Linny and Barbara at the reception honoring Johnny Mathis after Johnny's opening at the Cocoanut Grove — and a brilliant opening it was! Everyone was there — but I'll tell you more about that later. After Linny introduced me to Barbara, he leaned over end whispered in my ear, "We are going to be married. Haven't set the date yet — but I wanted you to know first." He told me that until they marry, Barbara will continue her present career as a dress and photographic model. Papa Bing thoroughly approves of Linny 's choice. "Dad gave me a wonderful birthday party," Linny said. "We're all the best of friends again — and I know you'll be happy to hear that." Harry Karl Will Have To Be Patient Millionaire Harry Karl is very much in love with Debbie Reynolds — there's no doubt in anyone's mind about that. And he's going to do everything in his power to get her to marry him. (See full-length story on page 20.) Harry's Christmas gift to Debbie was an emerald necklace, emerald earrings and a matching bracelet and ring — the cost of these trinkets being 540,000! Not long ago, the Karl Shoes tycoon purchased a 3200,000 home in the exclusive Truesdale Estates district (where Dinah Shore lives) and Harry admits to his pals that he hopes it will be a honeymoon home for himself and Debbie. But I don't know. I don't know. . . . Harry is a handsome and personable man in those interesting (for a man) middle years — and he's rich, which never hurt any suitor. It's happened before and it will happen again that a young woman, hurt by an unhappy first young love, turns to an older, more mature man, and finds happiness in a second marriage. And, if there had not been an unusual factor in Debbie's life, the same thing might have happened here. But that unusual factor did happen — I mean the extraordinary zooming of her career. When she was married to Eddie Fisher she was Dick says baby's beautiful like mama. doing well. But she was not the sensation she has become since the Debbie-Eddie-Liz Taylor triangle hit headlines. Few women in the world ever hit such world-wide headline publicity as Debbie did in this marital rift. Rightly or wrongly she received almost hysterical sympathy. Witness her trip to Spain during the filming of It Started with a Kiss which was covered by national 'news' magazines because of the adulation the Spaniards heaped on her — even to carrying Debbie on their shoulders through the streets. She is a very talented young comedienne, singer, and performer, and I'm not saying that her unhappiness is the sole reason for the rise of her career. But rise it has — to astounding proportions, including a million-dollar contract for four TV shows! She is one of the most 'in demand' stars for pictures (she has done four in a row) and during 1959, for the first time, she made the elite circle of the ten stars who have brought in the most money at the box offices. Debbie's career has become Big Business. As she told me, "I never dreamed that I ever would be making this much money." Next to her two healthy, happy children, her work is the greatest thing in Debbie's life — and I believe it will be for the next several years. This is why I believe that Harry Karl will have to be a very patient man. I'm not saying he won't win the girl of his heart. But I don't think it will be any time soon. That Egan Girl At last — a girl in the Egan family — and no one in the world could have been happier than Richard Egan was when he called me to report that his beautiful wife Patricia had given birth to a daughter (5 pounds, 4 ounces) at St. John's Hospital. "My parents and my brother (Father Willis Egan) are so happy to have a girl in the family," Dick enthused. "Like the Crosbys, we've been mostly a family of males." Because the new arrival was a bit underweight, having arrived a month early, she was put in an incubator. "But she's beautiful," said the proud father, "the most beautiful girl I ever saw — -except her mother." 10