Modern Screen (Feb-Dec 1959)

(Continued from page 64) on his wife's face that she was about to revise her estimate once again. Holding one hand over the speaker she turned to Lee. "I guess it's four hundred after all. That's quite a bit, isn't it?" "Enough for the two of us to think about it a little while," he agreed. They did— and decided against it. Gale can't live without her husband It seems fantastic that Gale, who was recently named Most Glamorous BusinessWoman of the Year, doesn't have the faintest idea if she makes $500 a week, $5,000, or exactly what her contract does call for. Here's an incident one of her closest friends swears is true: Lee, the boys and Susanna were still at the breakfast table when Gale, late for work, rushed through the dining room, gave every one a quick hug and kiss and ran out of the house toward her car. About a minute and a half later they heard her start her Cadillac, pull out of the carport — and come to a screeching halt. An array of doors flew open and shut again till Gale stood in front of her husband, hand stretched out like a first grader's, asking for her lunch money. "You forgot to give me my allowance, honey. ..." "I'm sorry," Lee agreed. "I did forget. With that he pulled some change out of his coat pocket and gave it to her. Two minutes later Gale was on her way to the Hal Roach Studio and another episode of The Gale Storm Show. ... Another day Gale decided to shop by herself for a garden party they had planned the following Saturday. Usually the cook takes care of the food — it was the first time in years Gale took over. When she came home a couple of hours later she sat down on the couch and cried out, "I'm a terrible wife. I don't even know how to shop. If I keep it up Til ruin us!" "What are you talking about? Lee wanted to know. "Do you know how much I spent for the party?" _ Lee figured a moment. "There ^ are about twenty of us, I would say. . . ." "Well, I might as well confess," she cut in. "Twenty dollars! Twenty dollars!" "But you did a wonderful job! No one else could have done it for that amount!" Gale had sincerely thought they were still getting along on about that much for a whole week— like they did when she and Lee were first married. The most powerful influences One of the strongest influences on Gale has been, is, and will undoubtedly continue to be her minister, the Rev. Dr. Cleveland Kleihauer of the Hollywood Beverly Christian Church. Gale and Lee first went there in 1941, before they were married. Said Gale in telling why they joined that particular church, "It wasn't just a matter of convenience because we lived in the vicinity at the time. We shopped around for it like a lot of people look at houses and cars — except that to us it was more important than either." They became so attached and so dependent on Dr. Kleihauer that even after they moved to Royal Oaks, over twenty miles away, they still attend services in Hollywood and go to him for advice. The biggest crisis Gale and Lee have faced in their own relationship occurred about the time she expected their third child. While Gale was doing nowhere as well as she does now, Lee wasn't either in his line of work — and he was beginning to get worried that if she continued to be the main breadwinner, she might lose her respect for him. 66 One afternoon as they were taking a walk, Lee suddenly turned to Gale. "Would you mind giving up your career?" It was posed as a question — but it sounded like a demand. Anything for Lee Gale hesitated for a moment, then agreed. "If that's what you want, Lee, I would give it up, yes." The next morning Lee changed his mind. "As far as I'm concerned, you can go on with your career. ..." . She looked at him, surprised. "I dont understand . . .?" "As long as you were willing to quit when I asked you, I don't mind if you go on with your work. ..." ■ Gale still felt uneasy about it. If Lee s opposition occurred once, what would prevent it from springing up again, and again, and again. ... She took her problem to Dr. Kleihauer who agreed with Lee. "He wanted to prove something to himself as well as to When DEBBIE REYNOLDS married EDDIE FISHER she didn't convert to her husband's religion. LIZ TAYLOR, however, has embraced the Jewish faith. Read the powerful story of the dramatic reasons behind Liz' conversion. § I In July MODERN SCREEN | I on sale June -4 you," the minister observed. "He's proved it. I don't think the problem will ever come up agairr." Gale continued with her career. Lee never brought up the matter again. When Gale's popularity grew to its present level with her work in television, they faced an entirely different problem. "WhatH I do with the boys when they realize their mother is the same Gale Storm who appears on television screens all over the country?" she asked her minister. "It may go to their heads. . . .' "It doesn't have to," Dr. Kleihauer insisted. "After all, their name isn't Storm. It's Bonnell. . . ." Gale wasn't sure what he meant. "They are enrolled at school as Bonnells, they make friends as Bonnells, they should no more trade on your professional name in school and with their friends than Lee does with his clients. . . ." How well the boys have learned to accept that status was evident not long ago when three of them met a new boy who moved into the neighborhood. "My dad owns a department store, the new boy explained. Not to be outdone, eleven-year-old Paul— youngest of the Bonnell boys — popped out, "My mother is Gale Storm. "Paul, let's take a little walk, his fifteen-year-old brother Phil urged. Peter, twelve, helped drag him away. "What's the big idea?" Paul protested. "We just want a little talk with you. Ten minutes later Paul faced his new neighbor. "My mother is Gale Bonnell and my dad's in the insurance business. . "So in a way," Gale laughed when she related the incident, "I couldn't get along without the boys, either. They make sure that my career doesn't go to their heads— and they make sure it doesn't go to mine! One day Peter grew very upset after seeing Gale on the screen. "You ought n have done it," he insisted when she kissed him good night. "Done what?" "Walked around like you did in tonight's episode— in a slip. It isn't right. "But that's just make-believe," Gale defended herself. "It doesn't mean anything. "Then why do you do it where a lot more people can see you?" Gale thought about if, and decided Peter was right. Just how right she knew by all the letters she got, agreeing with him. Lee's criticism — an asset Lee's criticism of her performances is another great asset, Gale insists. Showpeople are growing so used to compliments that unless someone dares voice an honest opinion— sometimes they don t get it till it's too late. Says Gale, "Lee wont always compliment me when he likes what I do, but he sure speaks up when I do something he doesn't care for!" And then she truthfully admits, it took her a little getting-used-to, as she puts it. The first time she wasn't sure about her performance, and asked Lee's opinion, he analyzed it as "Too broad. You overacted dear. ..." Gale said nothing in reply. In fact she didn't say anything all evening! "Why are you pouting?' he asked before they turned in that night. "Who's pouting?" she cried out. And then she had to laugh. "I guess I am. But honestly, did you really think 1 played it too broad . . .?" "Really," he smiled. "Of course if you d rather not have me criticize you, I'd be happy — " . . , "Oh, no ... I asked for criticism and I should be able to take it." • _ She does— now. And it's helped her immensely. _ . . „ About six years ago, after Gale had lert Universal-International, nothing, but absolutely nothing was happening to her career. She was offered a batch of poor scripts while the important parts were handed to other actresses. Television, at that time, was still concentrated mi New York. It looked like the end of the line for Gale. . , While she wouldn't have minded giving up her career as long as it was her choice, she felt differently about it when the cards were reversed. This grew constantly more apparent by a feeling of defeat and resentment that finally came to the breaking point when she and Lee had breakfast one morning. "I've had it," she exclaimed. 1 might as well give up and get out my knitting. ..." , She wasn't trying to be funny, either, because tears rolled down her cheeks when she said it. . Gently Lee took her hand into^ his. "You're trying too hard, honey. . . • She looked up at him. "What else can I do?" , , T _ „ "You are fighting too hard. Let go. Give God a chance to help you. ... They were silent for a long time. 1 guess you are right," she said at last. "Maybe if I just don't think about it, things will work out. ..." Three months later she got the first My Little Margie script which catapulted her to the top of the tv ladder. Says Gale, "Now you'll know why 1 can never, never feel that I could have done it alone. . . ." H"0