Modern Screen (Feb-Dec 1957)

LOU ELLA PARSONS in Hollywood Continued SUSAN IS SO HAPPY At this writing it will take a very, very good picture to bring Susan Hayward back to the screen. She's so happy with her bridegroom, Eaton Chalkley, that she's content to stay right on the farm in Georgia. But what a farm! She tells me there are possums, deer, all kinds of birds, horses — in fact, it's a huge estate. She and Chalkley with her twin boys, Timothy and Gregory, are living in the guest house until the big house is redecorated. When I talked with her, she told me she came back to Hollywood to send her furniture to Georgia, and not to get a job. "I don't want to work over the holidays. I want to be with my family," she said, "until after the first of the year." I have known Susan for many, many years, and never heard her as relaxed and as happy. Neither she nor I mentioned Jess Barker, who that day was announced as having become engaged to a nurse, Joy Blaine. AS THIS IS WRITTEN . . . there's a chance that the Jack Palances will call off their lawyers and get together again. Because of their three children, this is greatly to be desired. But I heard a very funny remark at the time of their estrangement. It was just as Jack was doing the life of the bullfighter Manolete on TV that the judge ruled that Mrs. Palance should receive $50,000 yearly and $1,000 monthly support. The day of the television show was the day the judge made his decision. After seeing 'Manolete' killed by a bull at the finale of the show, a watcher turned to a group and said, "Looks like Jack got gored twice today." THE LETTER BOX: John Guszah, Chicago, asks bluntly: "Why is it that the actresses who many and divorce and tall in and out of love at the drop of a hat — 7 refer to Ava Gardner, Lana Turner, Rita Hayworth, Elizabeth Taylor— get all the important roles at the highest salaries? Does notoriety breed talent???" Maybe it's vice versa, John. '7s Eddie Fisher, the singer in the tarnily, sore because Debbie Reynolds' record. Tammy, is a smash hit — and Eddie hasn't had one in a long, long time?" asks Carrie Cummings, Newton, Pa. I wouldn't say so. On Eddie's first TV show of the season he kiddingly asked Debbie how to get a hit record. Helen Troy — amusingly, from Troy, New York — wants to put in her 'two cents' on the burning question of Elvis Presley vs. Pat Ooone: "Pat is the best looking and the best singer. But Elvis has a more socko personality 24 ^nd singing style." You'll probably get an argument from both camps. Miss Helen of Troy. . . . "1 wish Kim Novak would marry Mac Krim. He seems so devoted and 1 think he would make her a much better husband than that rich Italian," writes another Kim — Kim Morris, of Fort Worth. Don't rule Mac out of the running yet. Kim hasn't. Dennis Smith, Polk, Ohio, complains that he doesn't read or hear enough about his favorite, Rita Hayworth. "She is the most magnetic woman star of the screen," he opines. Wait until PaJ ]oey is released, Pal. There will be a Rita boom all over again. . . . There were a large number of people plugging young John Smith — all out of Kansas City, Mo., this month. He's either got a lot of admirers there, or one admirer working overtime under various 'noms de plume'. . . . "I think it is very snobby of Robert Taylor and Ursula Thiess not to let their fans see a picture of their little son, Terry. Why shouldn't they want to share their joy and happiness with the people who admire them so much?" protests Ima Weir, Brooklyn. Bob is one of the actors who does everything to keep his private life privafe, Ima, plus the fact that many stars fear kidnapping by making a child's face too familiar in print. . . . Althea McCutcheon, Toledo, Ohio, says: "Don't you think Tommy Sands should get a hair cut? He's got more bangs down over his forehead than I have." Tommy is just a kid, Althea. Let's leave him young and 'natural' for a while without trying to change his looks. He's done all right so far with his looks and voice. . . . "Glenn Ford is the best actor in movies for either comedy or drama. How come we never read any stories about him in Modern Screen?" asks Allen Ford, Cleveland. You'll have to take that up with editor David Myers, my friend, although I seem to recall that Glenn is pretty well covered in the magazine. . . . Conrad Forrester didn't like Joan Of Arc with Jean Seberg. "When are they ever going to quit making 'Joan'? Even the great Ingrid Bergman couldn't make it a hit — and cerfainfy not an inexperienced novice like Jean Seberg." Well, give her another chance. You may change your mind when you see Jean in Bonjour Tristesse, another movie for Otto Preminger. That's all for now.