Movieland. (1946)

DON (DEFORE) COMES ALONG I CONTINUED FROM PAGE 29) Don and wife at the shindig Betty Hutton gave for husband Ted Briskin. Don's going to RKO for "Thanks, God, I'll Take It From Here." mother. Cedar Rapids is no slouch, when it comes to cultural matters. Didn’t you know? The late Grant Wood hailed from there; Don had known the great American painter of American scenes, ’way back when he played kick-the-can in the alley out¬ side Wood’s studio, and when he was in Wood’s Junior High School art class. Grant Wood designed the sets for the first play Don did at the Cedar Rapids Community Theater. “Broad¬ way” was the show. It was through the Community Theater that Don met Albert McClary, director from the Pasadena Playhouse. And McClary encouraged him to make acting a career. “But first, go to school and learn,” McClary advised, and recommended him for a scholarship at Pasadena. So Don went to California. Left the pre-law course he’d started at the University of Iowa, and competed at the Playhouse for a scholarship. There were 250 aspirants; Don was one of six who were chosen. Three years followed; years filled with the hardest work Don DeFore ever hopes — or wants — to see. He had what is called a “working scholar¬ ship,” which meant doing all kinds of odd jobs, primarily janitor work, in payment for his tuition. “Besides which,” he adds, “I had to earn my board and keep, in odd times on the side!” It was three years of food that was bad and never enough. It was three years of too little sleep. It was work¬ ing in a restaurant for room and board; hash slinging, washing, cooking. It was house painting, carting, car¬ pentering — anything to keep himself going. It was looking for professional pic¬ ture work, when he had time, and it was getting buffeted from all direc¬ tions and playing small parts with beards — until finally, after three long years, things began to happen. A group of young actors in Holly¬ wood was starting a theater, opening with a play called “Where Do We Go From Here?” Don was given the lead. “It was a wonderful group,” says Don. “The kind of thing I like, and would like to be connected with again. A gang of serious young actors who love the theater in a good, honest, not at all ‘arty’ sort of way.” The night “Where Do We Go From Here?” opened in Hollywood, Oscar Hammerstein III was in the audience, liked the show, bought it, and signed the troop to go with the play to New York. “Unlike many actors,” says Don, “my lean years were in Hollywood. Once I hit New York with this show, things began to get easier.” While “Where” was not a big success, it ran for four weeks, and gave Don DeFore a chance to be seen. After that, he was not just another neophyte trying to break into the theater, he had already broken. The future looked good. Parts in the World’s Fair Railroad Pageant, and in “Steel” done by the Labor Stage, followed in quick succession. Then the three years of bad food and hours caught up with him, and catastrophe hit. A triple major ab¬ dominal operation, for which Don has only recently finished paying. The convalescence was slow and long, but once he was back on his feet, Don was cast in an important role in “The Male Animal,” which starred his good friend, Elliott Nugent. This was Don’s first solid hit on the stage. He was in the play for two years, both in New York and on the road. He later played in the picture version of the play and was given a contract by Warner Bros. — which con¬ tract ended in Don’s first packing up to do a stage play, a revival of “Sailor Beware.” This, after listening for months to Warners’ “no leading man” routine. The aforementioned Metro contract was the outcome of “Sailor Beware.” All of this Don looks back upon with both a grin and some serious re¬ flection. For this DeFore guy is a man of many facets: husband and father, business man, gangster and haranguer. Don can talk by the hour about politics, an interest that was stimu¬ lated at a very early age. The elder DeFore was by way of being an ama¬ teur politician. He was a popular and active figure in the railroad union, and took a great interest in both local and national affairs. He was always an active campaigner in his precinct dur¬ ing the election. So Don grew up in an atmosphere that taught interest in such matters, along with thinking soundly for himself and expressing what he thought. Don is a family man of deep and reserved emotion, with his lovely wife, Marion, whom he married in February ’42. She was Marion Holmes then; they met in Chicago. She was singing with Art Cassell’s orchestra and Don was playing in “Male Ani¬ mal.” Marion has done no professional singing since she and Don were married. “She hasn’t had much time,” grins ffi' ’'Foremost Hollywood n Riding Apparel & Accessories Shop Now Features Delivery By Mail RODEO SHIRT masterfully tailored of Quality wool and rayon with many extra features to make it a favorite with everyone . . . say contrasting colors with braided piping throughout, snap but¬ tons, 5 button sleeves, form fitting, half-moon piped pockets. BROWN COMBINATIONS, BLUE COMBINATIONS, GREEN COMBINA¬ TIONS, RED COMBINATIONS, TAN COM¬ BINATIONS, and BLACK COMBINATIONS. Originators of our lines in California i for 26 yrs. A Est. 1919 M Plus Postage Plus Postagi ORDER BY MAIL FROM HOLLYWOOD WOMEN EVERYTHING FOR HORSE & RIDER Mayfair Riding & Sport Shop, Dept. H2 Hollywood Blvd. at Wilcox, Hollywood 28, Calif. Please send Rodeo Shirt for man — for woman — at $12.85 plus postage. 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