TV Radio Mirror (Jan - Jun 1955)

"It looks as though most of the breaks I get come in pairs. Usually, whenever I've latched onto something pretty good in radio or television, sooner or later I get a chance to do a play, as well." Dick, who's been with Love Of Life since its beginning three and a half years ago, made his first movie, "Three Hours to Kill," last summer, and was recently featured as the second lead in "The Rainmaker," a solid Broadway hit which was recently sold to the movies. Dick's biggest problem in holding two time-demanding roles was trying to get enough sleep and keeping fit. In addition to his six evening and two matinee performances a week in the play, he portrayed Paul Raven on television a minimum of three times and frequently as often as five times a week. Each minute on the screen requires approximately an hour of preparation, and — on matinee days, especially— Dick's schedule was sheer bedlam. Fortunately, Dick has an almost photographic memory, enabling him to remember his lines after only a couple of readings. He keeps from going stale by trying never to let his acting become stereotyped. As Paul Raven, whose character appeals to him, anyway, he finds the challenge of portraying continuous growth, change and development very much to his liking. Dick nowadays rarely is sick nor even catches cold, and he gives a major share of credit for his fitness to his long-time physician, Dr. Weinberg, who keeps a watchful eye on him. Despite his old heart condition, Dick is permitted to do enough exercise to keep himself in good physical condition. His weight of 196 hardly ever varies by more than a pound or two, and there isn't an ounce of fat on his hardpacked, 6'3" frame. Since he's no longer allowed to play tennis, Dick's great passion today is golf, which he plays consistently in the low eighties, with his score frequently going down into the seventies. He plays it summer or winter, whenever he has the time — and practices putting in his living room, when he hasn't. Although his son Ricky is strictly a cowboy at this point, Dick gave him a set of quarter-size golf clubs last Christmas and expects to get him started soon. He's already taught him to ski and roller skate, and beams with pride when telling of his boy's pluck and coordination. During the summer, Dick also does a lot of water skiing on Long Island Sound, where the Coogans have a summer cottage. He is considered an expert at it and has a couple of reels of film to prove it. Taking 8 mm. movies is another of his hobbies, as are carpentry and painting. Dick paints in oil and has done mostly landscapes so far. His work is surprisingly good for an amateur who's never had any formal instruction. He's particularly proud of a small landscape for which a stranger, who watched him paint it, offered him fifty dollars. (He didn't accept.) In New York, the Coogans live on the East side of Manhattan, in a neighborhood that's just on the outer fringe of being ritzy. Their apartment is very pleasant and comfortable, consisting of a large living room, hall, two bedrooms (a large one for Gay and Dick, and a smaller one for Ricky), a small television den whose walls are covered with souvenirs and photographs, a large kitchen, and — since they're located on the ground floor — a combination back porch and hobby room, and a garden. Their furniture is good, large and comfortable, their color schemes warm, and the over-all effect inviting and relaxing. They love to entertain friends, though at present Dick prefers quietly spending what little free time he has with just his wife and son. Aside from the Coogans, the apartment is shared by Shadow, their old black cocker spaniel, a couple of parakeets and a canary. All three Coogans love animals and would probably have half a dozen dogs if they had enough room. Usually mild-mannered and gentle, Dick is liable to lose his temper when he sees an animal being mistreated. Not long ago he was taking Shadow for a walk when he heard a dog squealing in the dark ahead of him. Catching up, he saw the dog's owner trying to "train" the pup to heel by kicking him each time he strayed to the wrong side. "I had to make an effort to keep from hitting that man," Dick recalls. "Even so, I must have scared him out of a year's growth, the way I yelled at him. I just hope he'll never kick a dog again." Dick admits to being conservative in money matters. He feels that an actor with a family to support should try to save what he can, during good years, so he'll be able to weather the lean ones which always may be just around the corner. But — conservative or not — he's never yet been known to let down a friend who's really been in need. Despite the heavy work load he carries, Dick Coogan gives every indication of being a happy and contented man who is grateful for the chance to be as busy as he is, and for doing as well as he does. He would like to be able to spend more time with his family and see more of his friends, but he finds his work tremendously gratifying and rewarding. Each year of his life has, so far, brought him a little further along in his career. And he's doing what he set out to do when he was a kid in high school. He likes his life just as it is, being a busy actor, proud father — and a very lucky husband in real life. L HOLLYWOOD ^^Kiss Many other exciting colors. Westmore Kiss-Tested Lipsticks proved BEST in movie close-ups. Smear-resistant • non-drying. Guaranteed no finer quality at any price. At all variety and drug stores. HOUSE of westmore, inc., new york • Hollywood