Hollywood Studio Magazine (July 1971)

uncommonly common people in “The Crowd,” “Street Scene,” and “Our Daily Bread,” to a surrealistic treatment of sex and spectacle in “Duel in the Sun,” “War and Peace,” and “Solomon and Sheba.” Actresses of the silent screen were there, including Vidor’s constant companion Colleen Moore whom he directed in “Sky Pilot” 51 years ago, Marian Nixon, Claire Windsor and Frances Howard Goldwyn. Others were Betsy and A1 Bloomingdale, Tom Drake, Mona and Karl Malden, Dana Wynter, and Steve Preston of Club John. * * * And more days of yore “Is it a talkie,” That’s a question few people ask in 1971, but a couple of nights after seeing “Show People,” came Samuel Goldwyn’s 1926 western, “The Winning of Barbara Worth.” Once again, this time at the Wiltern, stars of the silent and early talkie era joined patrons to see a film classic complete with organ accompaniment by Gaylord Carter. What a turnout. Imagine looking around and seeing Betty Bronson, Mae Clark, Eddie Quillan, Madge Kennedy, Evelyn Brent, Jack Oakie, Babe London, Harriet “Baby” Parsons, and Mrs. Harold Bell Wright, widow of the novelist. Sort of takes you back, doesn’t it? COWBOY GARY COOPER, age 25, had been a genuine rancher, and it was partly because he didn't like that kind of life that he embarked on a theatrical career. His first big acting break came with his role as a cowboy in King Vidor's "Show People", a 1928 Satire which starred Marion Davies. Even though the stars of “Barbara Worth” were Vilma Banky and Ronald Colman, the picture is remembered for giving a lanky, 25-year-old cowboy his first acting break. Gary Cooper grew tired riding the range on his father’s small Montana ranch (“Gettin’ up at five o’clock in the mornin’ in the dead of winter to feed 450 head of cattle and shoveling manure at forty below ain’t romantic”) and came to Hollywood. He was a five-dollar-a-day extra when he got the second lead in “Barbara Worth.” At that time he said, “I was down to the essential starting point for all actors. I was broke.” With talkies, strangely enough, despite the monotone voice, his “yups” and “nopes,” Cooper established a brave new style of screen heroism which carried him over from horse operas to three decades of comedies and dramas playing opposite such femmes fatales as Clara Bow, Marlene Dietrich, Carole Lombard, Tallulah Bankhead, Rita Hayworth, Ingrid Bergman, Patricia Neal (this romance was also off-screen during “The Fountainhead”) and even after he was leathery and prairie-worn, a young Audrey Hepburn. Downtown George Lim’s has been a favorite restaurant since genial George opened it two years ago. Finding .myself downtown, I welcomed the opportunity to have dinner there again. The food and service are as good as ever and the exotic atmosphere is conductive to dining leasurely. The waiter stopped by and said a pretty young lady wanted to say hello. He was right. Waving from across the room was restaurateur Edna Earle, on a busman’s holiday from her Fog Cutter, with Bob Arnold. Monkey business After years of attending parties for people who acted like monkeys, I went to one for a monkey who acted like people. His name is Baby Milo and the swank soiree in the Grand Trianon of the Beverly Wilshire followed the preview of “Escape From the Planet of the Apes” at 20th Century-Fox. Milo wasn’t happy about the flashbulbs exploding, but at least he didn’t act like that long ago star who went ape, King Kong. Producer Arthur Jacobs was host, and, in addition to Milo, other cast members greeting guests were Jacob’s wife, Natalie Trundy, Ricardo Montalban, Eric Braeden, Bradford Dillman, and the film’s director, Don Taylor. Suzy Parker and husband Brad Dillman came for the evening from their home in Santa Barbara. They try to avoid the party circuit. As Suzy explained, “Even in my heyday I didn’t smoke, drink, go to nightclubs, or even dance.” Nor would she go to men’s apartments (If I was going to have a war, I wanted it fought on my grounds”). Referring to her days as the world’s most famous model, Suzy says, “I was an animated clothes hanger.” She must have been the highest paid clothes hanger in history. One-Man Woman “I’m a one-man woman . . . one man at a time.” Who else but Mae West? Looking and acting like the greatest female impersonator of all time, she went to college (UCLA to be exact) and spoke to students who had just seen “I’m No Angel” which she made before they were born. Undulating on stage, standing with her hand on her hip (“It’s resting”), 77-year-old Mae bridged the generation gap and showed the youngsters why their parents (and grandparents) regard her as a phenomenon. Students howled at such lines as “I used to be Snow White, but I drifted,” and “It’s not the men in my life, it’s the life in my men that counts.” A couple of years ago, Mae invited me up to her white-on-white Rossmore apartment. She neither smokes nor drinks and expresses her disdain by offering no liquor or having ashtrays around. She is a firm beliver in ESP and often sponsors psychics. At this time she had sent ESP authority, Dr. Kelly, to a party were drinks were served. Poor Dr. Kelly imbibed, got the wrong vibrations, and forecast all the wrong futures. I was holding my sides with laughter when I heard the story and was informed by an icy voice, “It isn’t funny.” I haven’t been invited back. *** La Costa Nestled in the hills near San Diego is one of the most luxurious resorts in existence, La Costa. Something new has been added to the constant round of activities. Pancho Segura has opened a tennis clinic using his experience and ability to pinpoint problems, so go on down and improve your game. At night, La Costa can become a festive social club, and did while we were there. Manager Barry Henry and his attractive wife. Barbara, were hosts for cocktails and a gourmet dinner. Guests were the spa’s pretty and competent public relations head, Zetta Castle, Rosemary and, David McDonald from Palm Springs, Dolly and Bob Maw * * *