Modern Screen (Dec 1934 - Nov 1935)

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And ^ while he was getting his hat and coat I heard the director calling a familiar number (that of one of the biggest studios in Hollywood, a number I had called dozens of times with no success) ; heard him give his name to the operator — a name I knew well, that of a famous director (I'll call it Nolan) ; heard him say he didn't care whether it was Sunday or not that he wanted some workmen taken off a set he knew was working that day and to make a test of a girl he had just discovered; heard him order requisitions put through for cameras, lights, everything ; heard him call his secretary at home and ask her to come to the studio with the make-up man, who it seemed was a friend of hers. Yes, there I stood hearing such exciting orders given. I was to have a test. I, who had struggled to get a test for weeks, was to have one to settle a silly argument between a couple of men. Can you possibly imagine how I felt? That was some five years ago and yet as I write about it now I get gooseflesh. And they said I had no emotion ! We were whisked to the studio in the director's car. Trying to keep myself from being too excited I listened to the conversation between these two and discovered that the director was the artist's uncle. So this was a family fight. Well, hurray for family fights ! The gate was opened for us, the magic gate I had been unable to crash. The lot was quiet, it being Sunday. Only one company was working, but I was taken directly to the director's office where the make-up man and the director's secretary were awaiting us. The director started to introduce me to his secretary and then realized that he didn't even know my name. I had to tell him what it was. I wondered what that girl thought of me. I was in a daze. Make-up was slapped on my face. We hurried out to the test set. The secretary gave me part of a script and told me to memorize some lines. How I ever did it, I'll never know. I discovered that the lines were a speech in which I was supposed to be talking to an imaginary lover who had left me for another woman. I DON'T know how I got through with that scene, but somehow I did and when it was over the artist turned to his uncle and said, "Well, I win." My hopes were high, for the artist had claimed that anyone could act. Then the director said, "Not so fast, Bradley, wait until we see it on the screen." They started to walk away, leaving me standing there. I rushed after them. "Don't you want my address?" I asked. "Er — in case you might need me for a part or something ?" The director looked down at me. I saw that I had been merely an experiment. "Oh, yes," he said, "it might be a good idea. Give it to my secretary." I had to keep back the tears as I scribbled my name and address on a piece of paper and handed it to the girl. She smiled sweetly at me but I could not smile back. I ran off the lot before I realized that I had gone to the artist's studio only to make a little money to tide me over until Monday and that instead I had had a screen test. But it was Sunday, I was miles away from home and had just nine cents in my pocketbook. I stood at the gate bewildered, not knowing what to do next. And then I saw the secretary in a little roadster. She motioned me to hop in. I was too upset to speak. She smiled at me. "Listen, dear," she said. "Don't let Hollywood get you down. It isn't always like this. In fact, this is all very unusual. It just happens that Mr. Nolan is one of the most eccentric directors on this or any other lot. His nephew is just about as crazy. Mr. Nolan wanted to give Bradley a big job at the studio, but Brad wouldn't take it. They argue all the time. Mr. Nolan gets away with more nonsense like this episode this morning than any man in town, but because he's such a wonderful director and makes so much money for the company they give in to his whims." I told her then how I happened to meet him. She laughed. "That's typical," she said. "Say, we'd better get some lunch, and here's half a dollar for you for dinner tonight." I thanked her. She laughed again. "Gosh ! That Nolan. Imagine him dragging me to the studio today for this." "I'm sorry," I said. "It was my fault." And I began to cry. "Forget it," she said. "Forget everything, dear. I'm sorry to disappoint you. This has all been fun for you, but you'd better forget the test, too. You'll never hear from it again." I don't know how I spent the rest of that amazing Sunday. I'm sure I did a lot of crying. MONDAY morning a box of flowers was delivered to my door. The card read, "You're a sweet kid. Let me take you to dinner tonight." It was signed Bradley. I was furious. I wouldn't even telephone him, so I sent him a wire saying I had an engagement. I tramped around to the studios all day that Monday but I was terribly discouraged and when I got home that night I found Bradley sitting in the little lobby waiting for me. "I told you I had an engagement," I said. "I never want to see you again, anyhow. You and your funny uncle shouldn't be allowed to do things like that to girls — get their hopes up and then dash them away. I don't like either of you." He took my hands and looked into my eyes. I had noticed that he was handsome when I first met him on the bus but I didn't realize how good looking he was until now. "I'm sorry," he said. "It's too bad when I like you so much and stop by to tell you that if you're foolish enough to want to work in pictures, report tomorrow morning at nine on the set. It may be a pretty good part." My heart pounded but I said, "I don't want to work for your uncle. I don't want any favors." "This isn't for my uncle. Someone else saw your test and liked it. No one is doing you a favor." I didn't know until much later that my test had not then been printed and that Bradley had simply wangled a job for me because he thought he had done me an injustice and because he liked me a little. And so I was happy because at last I was actually to work and — the picture was a Garbo film "Romance." (To be continued)