Modern Screen (Dec 1954 - Dec 1955)

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"But my face is filled with make-up," Pier said. "And I — " "Come just as you are," Vic said. And then he hung up. "I changed quickly into a skirt," Pier recalls. "And in a little while Vic rode up in a jeep. Mama and I got in. Was our first jeep ride. And we went to the show. It was wonderful. When it was over, Vic introduced me to the crowd. I was scared. It was the first time I'd been on a stage, j I told him not to. He didn't listen. ' "But he said to the soldiers, 'There is I a lovely girl in the audience. A young j actress from MGM.' And I went up on the j stage to take a bow. And all the soldiers, oh! They began whistling. Gee! I was so embarrassed. "Then he said, 'Would you like me to sing a song for you?' And I said yes. And then he made me sit down and he sang 'September Song.' Everybody, all thp soldiers, said hm-m, something's going j on! But this was the first time I had ever I been with Vic. Then he turned to the j audience and said, 'Now I will sing a song . for all the mamas in the world.' And he I looked at Mama and sang that song, 'Mama.' But first he dedicated it to 'a , lovely woman in the audience tonight, the mother of lovely Pier.' "It was a wonderful night. And after this night, we went almost every day for two months. I had my own car, and Vic would I get off from the Army every night. But ! then I was so young, only twenty, and I , was not yet ready for anything really serious. But on the last night when we were together, Vic said, 'Let's get married.' And I did not know if he was serious. But I knew I was too young. And I did not think Mama would say it was all rjght. So I said, 'There is always plenty of time.' " Sitting there in The Retake Room with Vic, Pier reconstructed the Munich phase of her life. And she wondered if she hadn't always been in love with Damone. After Vic, there had been Kirk Douglas, and after Kirk, so many other boys, just dates, nothing serious or memorable until Jimmy Dean came along. Jimmy was gone on Pier and she seemed to be gone on him. He'd flown back from New York after Pier had finished her picture, The Silver Chalice. She had met him I and they'd gone to Arrowhead with anI other group. Only last week she'd attended j the preview of A Star Is Born with Jimmy. "Jimmy Dean, the Brando-type of Tshirt actor," one columnist had written, "hopes to take Pier Angeli for his wife just as soon as he establishes himself." On the evening of the day Vic Damone proposed to her, Pier went out with someone else. "I am sorry. I am not going to tell you his name. He is a friend. Just a friend. Besides, I really did not know if Vic was fooling or not. All that night I thought of him. I "Next morning I went to the golf course ' — the one on Wilshire Boulevard — it is ■ funny that Vic and I should play at the L same course. Vic was there. He was waitling for me. 'I'm feeling the same way,' he isaid. 'I haven't changed my mind. Let's get jiengaged. And I am not d'-imk.' "Well, I have always felt very strong about Vic. There was always much love in my heart for him. So I said yes. "That night when I went home, I was wondering how Mama would take the news. How should I tell her? So I said like a joke, kidding, 'Mama, I am engaged to Vic Damone.' And Mama said, 'Ah! You are crazy.' And she did not think it was serious. But at least I had mentioned his name. It was to prepare her. "The next night Vic came to my house and he gave me my engagement ring. It's a beautiful diamond. It was seven o'clock when he gave it to me. And he said, 'Let's get married right away, right away.' I said, 'But we will have to tell Mama. When are you going to tell Mama?' Faye Emerson, guesting on a radio panel show, We Take Vour Word, was asked to trace the derivation of the word "glamour." "That's easy," said Faye. "Glamour comes from, 'Gee, 1'amour.' " — Paul Denis "Vic said, 'Don't worry. I will tell her tomorrow. But I don't want you around. You stay in your room, and I will do the talking.' And when it came tomorrow, Vic drove up with a big box of spumoni. "Mama was surprised. She had not seen Vic for five or maybe six months. The last time he had called for my sister. He had taken Marisa out on dates. Anyway, Mama began to eat the spumoni, and Vic began to talk. He said, 'Mama, I am going to marry Anna.' (Pier Angeli's real name is Anna Maria Pierangeli.) Mama got so excited she couldn't stop eating. For one hour she ate the spumoni. Not maybe an hour. But she was so shocked, so surprised. "Finally, she said, 'Are you sure, Vic? Are you sure Anna is for you? You must ©1954 Ex-Lax Inc. be sure because this marriage is for good. Does Anna know what she is doing? She is really a child.' I am twenty-two, but to Mama always I am a child. " 'I am sure,' Vic said. Then he came to my room and got me. In front of my mother he asked me again, 'Do you want to marry me? Are you really sure?' I was glad to get out of my room. I was so nervous waiting there, wondering what they were saying. I said, 'Yes, I want to marry you.' And Mama began to cry. She said, 'Oh, I am so happy.' "By then it was very late. After Vic went home, Mama and I — we had a womanto-woman talk. It was four in the morning. Mama told me many confidential things about marriage. She told me Vic was a nice boy, a good boy, but that I must be sure. I said I was very sure. I did not go to sleep until five-thirty. Before I did I woke up Marisa. I told her Vic and I were going to get married. She shook her head and went back to sleep." On October 4, Pier Angeli announced her marriage to Vic Damone on November 24 in the Church of the Good Shepherd. "But I thought," one columnist said to Pier, "you were going steady with Jimmy Dean. Isn't this whole thing with Damone rather sudden? How did it come about?" "I tell you," Pier said, "I met him in Germany two years ago. When he came back to Hollywood, I was going around with Kirk Douglas. "Vic thought I was in love with Kirk. I know many people thought that. Just because we made The Story Of Three Loves. Anyway, it was never love. We are still good friends, Kirk and I. Anyway, Vic did not ask for any dates although in Germany we had plenty. "I never drink here but in Munich Vic and I used to take a little champagne. 65