Modern Screen (Jan-Dec 1960)

"Why should I do that?" Dick asked. "Please," said Kim. Dick looked at her, for a long time. "You know something?" he said, finally. " — I'm scared right now, too." "Sure, Mr. Quine — sure," said Kim. "I mean it," he said. "Look . . . This happens to be my first picture, too, in case you didn't know that. It's a big thing for me, too, this whole project. Oh, my teeth may not be chattering, and my knees may not be shaking much — and I may not be shedding any pretty tears, like yours. But I'm scared stiff, too. Believe me." Kim looked away from him. He clicked his fingers. "I know what's wrong," he said. "I read somewhere — I'd forgotten — but I read that a decent director, first day of shooting, sends all the ladies in his cast a bunch of flowers." He shook his head. "I didn't send you any," he said, "and that hurt you, huh?" "It's not that," said Kim. "Don't be silly." "Champagne then, is that what you expected?" Dick asked. " — First thing in the morning, two men in red coats walking into your dressing room, one holding the bottle, the other the glass. Both of them saying, in chorus, 'Miss Novak — something to calm your nerves, compliments of the nervous director.' " The beginnings of a smile came to Kim's face. "Don't be silly," she said again, and looked down. "Well," Dick asked, after a moment, "will this do then?" He bent, and kissed her forehead. Kim looked up, suddenly. "Don't be shocked," he said. "It's an old show-business custom. It means good luck . . . It's like shaking hands." He looked at Kim again, for a long time. "How about it," he asked, " — coming to work?" Kim, silent, stared at the floor. 9. I LIKE ROCK HUDSON: U] more than almost any star 0 a lot 0 fairly well 0 very little 0 not at all 0 am not very familiar with him 1 READ: 0 all of ROCK AND WOMEN 0 part 0 none IT HELD MY INTEREST: 0 super-completely 00 completely QO fairly well GO very little 00 not at all I LIKE LINDA CRISTAL QO more than almost any star 00 a lot 00 fairly well 00 very little 00 not at all 00 am not very familiar with her 1 READ: 0 all of their story 00 part 00 none IT HELD MY INTEREST: 0 super-completely 00 completely 00 fairly well 0 very little 0 not at all "If you really want," Dick said, "I'll close down the set now, for the day. It won't mean much. Just a few thousand dollars. Only money . . . And the front office won't be sore with me when I go and tell them what's happened. 'Your first picture, boy — take it easy,' they'll say. 'Go to the beach. Take it easy the rest of the week. We'll find somebody else for you by Monday. We'll—' " Kim interrupted him. "Mr. Quine . . . ?" she asked. "Yes?" She breathed in deeply. Slowly, the words came out. "Can I have a few minutes?" she asked. "What for?" "I'd just like to look at my lines again, before I come out," she said. "Okay," he said. "Mr. Quine. . . ." Kim called. Kim walked over to him. "May I?" she asked. Without waiting for an answer, she stood on her toes and she kissed him, lightly, on the cheek. "For good luck," she said. "For you. For me. For both of us." Dick nodded. "You've got five minutes," he said, softly. "I'll be there," said Kim. . . . A quiet love The rest of our story, the ending — covering these years between 1954 and 1960 — is short and simple and. eventually, happy It wasn't long after they'd met, after they'd worked together for a while, that Kim knew she was in love with Dick Quine. She knew, too, that he was married, that she had no reason nor right to love him. But, still, she did. It was a quiet love. At least, Dick never knew about it. Kim. as the years passed, as her career skyrocketed, as she became one of the most famous and dazzling stars in the 10. I LIKE MARLON BRANDO: 0 more than almost any star 0 a lot 0 fairly well 0 very little 0 not at all 0 am not very familiar with him 1 READ: 0 all of his story 0 part 0 none IT HELD MY INTEREST: 0 super-completely 0 completely 0 fairly well 0 very little 0 not at all 11. I LIKE CONNIE FRANCIS: 0 more than almost any star 0 a lot 0 fairly well 0 very little 0 not at all 0 am not very familiar with her 1 READ: 0 all of her story 0 part 0 none IT HELD MY INTEREST: 0 super-completely 0 completely 0 fairly well 0 very little 0 not at all world, tried to push this love from her heart. She dated lots — with Mac Krim, Frank Sinatra, Mario Bandini, Cary Grant, Aly Khan, Rafael Trujillo, others. She began, this quiet girl from Chicago, to live flamboyantly. She became, in a sense, the total movie star — given to hollow laughter, hollow quotations, a hollow life. She grew older, as single girls, glamour girls, go. Twenty-five, they said two years ago — when's she going to settle down, marry? Twenty-six. they said last year. What they didn't know was that Kim had made up her mind that she would never marry. Not so long as she could not marry the only man she ever really loved. . . . Sometime during the fall of last year — while Kim and Dick were working on Strangers When We Meet (their third picture together) — Dick and his wife, Barbara, announced that they had given up on their marriage. "It hasn't worked."' Dick said to whoever asked. "That's all there is to it. . . ." Somehow, after the announcement was made, Dick, a rare party-goer, attended a party at which Kim was present. She'd come alone. He asked her if he could take her to dinner. She said yes. He took her hand, and they left. . . . The romance that has followed has been as quiet as anything else that Kim has ever felt for Dick. She's wanted it this way. There have been no headlines, no ballyhoo, few column mentions. But we at Modern Screen have it, from people who know them both, that they will be married soon. And we couldn't be happier. END Kim stars in Strangers When We Meet for Columbia. 12. I LIKE CYD CHARISSE: 0 more than almost any star 0 a lot 0 fairly well 0 very little 0 not at all 0 am not very familiar with her I LIKE TONY MARTIN: 0 more than almost any star 0 a lot 0 fairly well 0 very little 0 not at all 0 am not very familiar with him 1 READ: 0 all of their story 0 part 0 none IT HELD MY INTEREST: 0 super-completely 0 completely 0 fairly well 0 very little 0 not at all 13. I READ: 0 all of NO TEARS NO TROUBLE WHEN YOUR DATES ARE DOUBLE 0 part 0 none IT HELD MY INTEREST: 0 completely 0 fairly well 0 very little 0 not at all 14. The stars I most want to read about are