Photoplay (Jan-Jun 1963)

Lindsay and Phillip are working for their daddy's company while Gary is trying to make it as a single on the stage. Bob Horton walked (not rode) off wi th the much-sought-after lead in the new Rodgers and Lerner musical comedy. Bob always felt that he could sing, but Hollywood ignored his musical talents. Now smarter Broadway has recognized them and here he is, to star along with Barbara Harris, who is sort of a Cinderella herself, having come up by way of "Second City" and "Oh Dad, Poor Dad." Tragedy was in the making for Dick Powell in October. Checked into a hospital complaining of a backache. Turned out to be cancer so embedded in his chest cavity that doctors couldn't even operate. Goes to show — enjoy each day to the utmost. Dick accumulated a $42 million fortune on which he planned to one day just sit back and relax. Dick once was concerned that June Allyson had cancer. Dick probably maintained the bravest outlook of any cancer victim. "I'll beat it," he said. "I'll beat it." Even refused to remain in the hospital when the disease was detected. Against doctors' orders he went back to work. What really hurt worse than the pain was that he didn't want his condition publicized. I knew, and others did, too long before it made the headlines that he had the disease. We had the courtesy not to print it, but one editor decided he could make a name for himself by breaking the story. Didn't help matters either when a freshman reporter sounded off to Dick when the latter said, "I'm confident I'll recover." The reporter (who should get a medal for the Fool of the Year) smirked: "That’s what Gary Cooper told every one, too." With that Dick turned his head and tears trickled down his cheeks. Nan Morris (she's Troy Donahue's old galfriend) apparently is deeply in love with George Chakiris. But is he with her? The two sipped tea and held hands for two weeks in Tokyo. Then when they returned George brushed off the interlude of romance by saying: "We're only friends. I don't plan to marry her." So, Nan, you lose again? Jerry Wald's widow (the producer died last July) married the family doctor in October. Mass confusion at Bobby Darin's opening of a four-night stand at the Moulin Rouge. The hot-tempered Bobby blew a fuse when the man working the spotlight missed several lighting cues. Half the evening the spotlight was directed at the bottom of Bobby's feet. Bobby nearly walked off in disgust. Only Sandy's loving smile at a ringside table kept him going. The Rock Hudson-Marilyn Maxwell love affair drifted out to sea when the actor got the altar jitters again. Poor, poor Rock. Poor, poor Marilyn. Advice to his future girls. Don't rush him or you'll lose him. Short Takes: The new man in Lana Turner's life could get her into as much trouble as the late Johnny S ... It didn't set too well with Christine Kaufmann when Tony Curtis related to a news buddy that when he marries the teenager he wants her to give up her career ... As one of our fourth estaters, Walter Winchell, would say: don't invite Doris Day and Angie Dickinson to the same party. Doris and Marty invested some of their loot in the play, "The Perfect Setup," starring Angie. Some say it was perfect for Angie and Marty, but I know those rumors just aren't true . . . Elaine Stewart and Bill Carter called it quits . . . Day after Edie Adams obtained legal custody of the two girls by the late Ernie Kovacs she left for London to make a movie. The girls were left with a maid . . . Hasn't Gladys Robinson (first wife of Edward G. Robinson) disowned her son, Eddie, Jr.? . . . The curious may have stopped visiting Marilyn Monroe's tomb, but the roses from Joe DiMaggio will come for as long as Joe lives ... I hope the rumors about Alan Ladd aren't true . . . Frankie Bay took comic Milton Berle back into the Clan when he apologized for shooting off his mouth as Sammy Davis once did . . . Give a man like Robert Mitchum a film title like "Rampage" and he'll perform both on and off camera. Just ask the ones who were on location with him on the feature in Hawaii. Bob Logan is planning to pull another Gardner McKay. Unless they give him more to do on "77 Sunset Strip" next season he'll sail to the South Pacific on a 42-foot ketch for an indefinite stay. WOW! Did Elvis Presley and Sharon Hugueny ever have a fling? Only dated twice while he was making "Take Me to the Fair” but that was enough. Talk about stars and their images. Sammy Davis, Jr. is trying to create a new one and has about as much chance as Jayne Mansfield remaining on the high-neck dress kick. Sammy obtained a new wardrobe of tightless pants from Sy Devore. Figures wearing baggy breeches will make him appear more as a family man rather than a Playboy. Maybe he's right. I caught Judy Garland's Las Vegas return at the Sahara and couldn't see anything to even cry about much less brag about — despite her recent great notices. She was nervous, forgot the lyrics to songs she's been singing for years. Wouldn't even surprise me if Sid Luft moved back into her life in 1963. She filed a d ivorce action against him. Anything to make headlines? Evy Norlund let James Darren back into the house. Jimmy's pal, Michael Callan, wasn't so lucky. He's still locked out, as Caryln Chapman has a memory like an elephant. Connie Stevens' papa, Teddy, is now a personal manager. He's not handling his daughter but claims he has discovered a much needed HE-MAN actor. His name, Eric Matthews. Looks like a combination of Gardner McKay, James Garner and Richard Beymer. Teddy even thinks so much of him that he wouldn't mind him as a sonin-law either. However, Connie hasn't given Eric a second look. Mild fling for Ava Gardner and Hugh O'Brian when the latter was in Madrid. However, didn't last long as Hugh doesn't like to work the graveyard shift. Ava stays up most of the night — then loves to sleep f* most of the day. (Please turn the page ) 5