Hollywood Studio Magazine (July 1972)

t“She was an Earl Carroll Beauty.” That phrase applies to the numerous girls who started their careers as one of the “60 Most Beautiful Girls in the World,” appearing at the Earl Carroll Theatre-Restaurant on Broadway. Their charms were touted by the large, circular neon sign which boasted that “Through These Portals Pass the Most Beautiful Girls in the World.” Carroll’s policy was to display his girls like goodies, temptingly laid out in a show window. They were meant to be looked at, but not touched. Still, to wear the Carroll stamp for some meant fame, success and prestige JEAN WALLACE AND FRANCHOT TONE - Stork Club ’41. Patti McCarty appeared in the Columbia production, “She Knew All The Answers.” She was an Earl Carroll beauty By Kirk Crivello marriages. For others, it was the key to tragedy. Their Showcase The girls’ showcase, the legendary Carroll Theatre, opened in December of 1938, and had the first double revolving stage ever constructed. It was the first with auxiliary stages in the auditorium walls, had the first florescent illumination on the ceiling and every seat had to be reserved. It had an acre and a half of parking space; the main dining auditorium seated one thousand. The design of this unusual theatre was created by Architect Gordon B. Kaufmann. Sheree North None of Carroll’s girls ever achieved superstar status, although Sheree North, Yvonne De Carlo and Marie MacDonald came closest. Volatile dancer Sheree North was the last of the Hollywood chorus girls to become a star. Groomed to be the second coming of Grable and a threat to keep Monroe in order, she was born Dawn Shirley Mae Bethel in Los Angeles on January 17, between ’30 and ’33. At 13, made her debut in the Greek Theatre chorus of “Anything Goes” and “Rose Marie,” later did modeling and chorus work. In this capacity worked around the L.A. area while attending Hollywood High, as a “Fanchonette” at the Paramount Theatre, Larry Potter’s Club in North Hollywood, Shrine Auditorium, Florentine Gardens, Carroll’s, the “A La Carte” review, Club Papagallo and the Vegas Flamingo. When choreographer Robert Alton discovered her at the Macayo in Santa Monica, she worked as Norma Scott. She danced in Bob Hope’s “Here Come the Girls” and MGM’s “Excuse My Dust.” Auditioned for Alton’s “Hazel Flagg” (’54) on Broadway, the supporting part made her a star and LIFE cover girl (March 21, 1955). At 20th, she played roles from giddy, empty-eyed ingenues (“How To Be Very Very Popular”) to musical star (“The Best Things In Life Are Free”). Her dramatic breakthrough came in “No Down Payment.” Recently she was featured in “The Gypsy Moths” and played opposite Burt Lancaster in “The Lawman,” also receiving brilliant notices for “Rosebloom” at the Mark Taper Theatre. Exotic DeCarlo Exotic Yvonne DeCarlo embodied a hard-boiled no-nonsense approach to sex in her early films. Born Peggy Middleton on September 1, ”22 in Vancouver, Canada. She made her first try at Hollywood in ’37, studying dancing with Fanchon & Marco. She went on to become “Miss Venice Beach,” danced at the Florentine Gardens nightclub two years prior to EC. At Paramount (’42), she had bits in “This Gun for Hire,” “The Crystal Ball,” and others. She became a full-fledged Universal star with “Salome, Where She Danced” (’45). By ’49 she had graduated to such important roles as that in “Criss-Cross.” She reaped new laurels as B’way star of “Follies,” singing one of the shows best songs, “I’m Still Here.” The Basic Blonde Basic-blonde Marie MacDonald had the magic but unfortunately was better known for her troubles than her talents. A favorite GI pinup girl, her parts were primarily ornamental. Born Marie Frye on July 6, ’23 in Burgin, she was the daughter of a former Ziegfeld Girl. Starting in' ’39, she progressed from “Miss New York City,” to George White Scandals, to Carroll, to singing with Tommy Dorsey. By ’41, she was background in Abbott & Costello’s “Pardon My Sarong.” At Paramount, Marie had impressive roles in “Standing Room Only” and “Lucky Jordon,” but the studio had peekaboo-tressed Veronica Lake. A press agent dubbed Marie “The Body” to perk up a publicity campaign for “Guest in the House.” She changed her hair coloring almost as often as she changed her men, going from brown to blonde, to brown again, to red in “It’s A Pleasure.” When wed to Vic Orsatti, a prominent agent, she co-starred with Gene Kelly in “Living In A Big Way” (’47). Marie was quoted as saying, “Nobody saw