We use Optical Character Recognition (OCR) during our scanning and processing workflow to make the content of each page searchable. You can view the automatically generated text below as well as copy and paste individual pieces of text to quote in your own work.
Text recognition is never 100% accurate. Many parts of the scanned page may not be reflected in the OCR text output, including: images, page layout, certain fonts or handwriting.
■ When it was announced that Brenda Marshall had signed to play opposite Alan Ladd in Whispering Smith, Hollywood was agitated. "Is Brenda discontented with being a plain wife and mother? Is Bill sore? How now. Holdens? Quarrels? Separation? Divorce?"
You see, Hollywood had had the Bill Holdens neatly catalogued. "They know two careers in a family won't mix. How sensible Brenda was when she gave up her career for good."
But Brenda and Bill, patiently denying all the rumors, remained unagitated. They also remained a happy couple — as they obviously were when 1 dropped in the other night to see them in the charming den of their new valley home.
"If you ask me if I'd rather have my wife at home or at the studio," said Bill, "there's only one sensible answer: At home, of course. Smelling of Chanel Number Five, and ready to enjoy a cocktail with me. On the other hand, I know how she feels, not acting. I had that same feeling myself during the war."
"But I don't always feel that way," said Brenda. "Often there's nothing I'd rather do than stay home and wash windows."
As you can see, it's no simple black-and-white picture. It's the story of two young individualists who, through the flux of eight years, have adjusted themselves to their changing lives and times, to marriage, to work, to children and one another.
The story goes back to the days of their courtship. Brenda, fresh from the New York stage, had been signed by Warner Brothers. Bill had come from the Pasadena Playhouse to Golden Boy and a Paramount contract. Both ate, drank and argued acting, both were bent on careers, both were wrapped up in the Hollywood dream. Differing in trifles, united by fundamentals, they fell in love and the future lay bright ahead of them. It included marriage, hard work and no more children for at least two years. They were young, they had Deedee by Brenda's former marriage, and brothers and sisters for Deedee could wait till their prospective parents got more than a toehold on the golden ladder.
Two things changed their minds: (1 ) separation and (2 ) terrible parts for Brenda.
At first it was kind of a tragi-comedy. They were married on a Sunday in July, 1941, went back to work on Monday, and parted on Wednesday, when Brenda took off for location in Canada. She was gone just over three weeks, and the day she returned. Bill left for 10 days' location in Carson City. It would have been nice to say hello and goodbye, but even that wistful hope proved a mirage, since she didn't get in till eight hours after he'd gone.
Well, what's 10 days? Merely an eternity to honeymooners. But they passed, and Bill reappeared, rubbing his right (Continued on page 77 <
Bill handles the dialogue while West, Scott, Deedee and Brenda give rapt attention at one of the Holdens' nightly bedtime story sessions. Bill has just completed Sunset Boulevard for Paramount.
Bill, who is the culinary genius of the Holden family, qei I work on a late snack. He's also the chef every Thursday evening the • cook's night out. Brenda — admittedly— is no Fanny Former.