Modern Screen (Jan-Nov 1956)

.OUELLA PARSONS in hollywood the letter box The stars you mention most frequently in your letters this month are, in the order named, Marlon Brando (topping the late James Dean for the first time since Jimmy's death), Doris Day (top femme leader), Frank Sinatra (coming up fast) and Sal Mineo (the newcomer attracting the most attention). I'd like to set "j.j., Chicago" right about Sinatra "permitting" movie theatres to charge such high prices to see his Man With The Golden Arm. Frank has absolutely nothing to do with theatre admission prices, j.j. "Is Doris Day fearful of discussing her religion?" asks doris dayton (similar name) also of Chicago. Doris Day is a Christian Scientist and most certainly not fearful of admitting it. She just prefers not discussing religion in any way in her interviews, feeling it is too personal a thing in everyone's life. As for Sal Mineo — Wow! Such praise for his work in Rebel Without A Cause. There are many, many letters praising Sal as a fine young actor going places in a big way. LINDA SUTHERLAND, DIXON, California, writes: "I'd like to call your attention to that very fine actor Jack Sernas, in Helen Of Troy. And, I'd like to call your attention, Linda, to the fact that his name is Jacques Sernas, again. MRS. LAURA WARD, of BOSTON, asks: "Why isn't more written about Kim Novak, a beauty who can really act? This girl deserves far more attention than she's getting." You must be kidding1. 28 Very much present was Bing's mother, and "her gracious presence completely knocked of! those rumors that Mrs. Crosby is opposed to her famous son's romance with the twenty-two year old Kathy. Helping Kathy receive was Mrs. Mary Rose Pool, Bing's sister, who came down from her northern California home to. help receive the fifty -odd guests. The house was ablaze with beautiful spring flowers and Kathy pinned a big white gardenia on each guest. Certainly no other girl Bing has gone with since he became a widower has ever so completely taken charge of a social affair in his own home. It makes you wonder if his feeling for this very charming, poised young beauty isn't far more serious than his dating of other beauties, including Mona Freeman and Mary Murphy. It's true that Kathy is only one year older than Bing's eldest, Gary. But for such a young girl she has remarkable maturity and plenty of good common sense. She's a graduate of Teachers' College in Denton, Texas and make no mistake about it — she is no lightweight. Kathy is under contract to Columbia Pictures (the very next day following the party she was starting a picture) but 111 bet anything that if Bing wanted her to she'd give up all thoughts of a movie career to be Mrs. Bing Crosby. I'M SORRY FOR BOB MITCHUM. He was a heartbroken man when I talked with him long distance to New York soon after his fifteen-year-old son Jimmy got in serious trouble, along with Johnny Weissmuller's son and two other school boys. The youths took a car which did not belong to them for a joyride and are charged with pushing it over a cliff. Said Bob, "This has hit me harder than anything else in my life." He hardly had to tell me that. All his usual I-don't-care bravado was out of his voice. He sounded shocked and sad. "Dorothy and I came to New York to celebrate our sixteenth wedding anniversary," Bob told me, "and also I had important business appointments about the picture I'm going to make in Europe for Cubby Broccoli and Irving Allen. "When the news came that Jimmy was in trouble. Dorothy flew straight home. I wanted to come with her," he gulped, and the usually carefree Bob was pretty close to tears when he added, "but I thought I might hurt my boy more than help him." There's a very sad implication in those words — but then Bob is a very sad and crushed father. OH, ERROL — HOW YOU'VE changed. I've been having a ball with Errol Flynn and Patrice Wymore, going out to dinner with them and visiting them in their home. It's good to have a guy as colorful as Errol back in our midst. This man has been accused of many things — but never of being duU. While we were dining at La Rue, Patrice put on her big hom-rimmed eyeglasses to read the menu. Errol said to me, "Look at that dame with the eyeglasses. You know she's not really my type. I'm just crazy in love with her, that's all. Can't stand to be away from her. She's the only woman I've ever missed." I've never thought of Errol as a family man, and I'm sure you haven't. But when I went up to the house to call on the Flynns, the place was running over with relatives, Pat's mother and father out from Kansas, and in addition to their youngster, Errol's daughters by Nora Flynn Haymes, Rory and Diedre, were very much present. There was the dashing Flynn lapping it all up. "I'm as domesticated as a tabby," he grinned. He told me that the day before he had given a party for Rory on the set of Istanbul. About twenty kids (Rory's classmates) showed up. "We served the very finest ice cream and most wholesome cake," said Errol dead pan. "Not a Martini served during the entire wingding," he chuckled. THAT'S ALL FOR NOW. SEE YOU NEXT MONTH! I'VE NEVER BEEN SO PROUD AND HAPPY in my life as I was the night Climax did the story of my life on TV. Teresa Wrigkt played me and I just don't know how to thank her for the wonderful job she did. So did everyone. My daughter Harriet was on hand to enjoy it with me. Of course, I felt as if a lot of things were left out— but it was all so nice I didn't care.