The New Movie Magazine (Jan-Sep 1935)

Gail Patrick for Governor (Continued from page 32) "Yes. I hope to become the Governor of Alabama." He looked at me as though I had kicked him in the shins. He could see by then that I was serious, but he still couldn't quite get it. Here I was a local winner of the Panther Woman contest — and oh, how I loathe that name! — seriously telling him I had no desire to act but wanted to be the Governor of a State. "Say, listen, we've been kidding around long enough. This 'life history" stuff is serious. Are you on the level about this wanting to be First-LadyGovernor-of-the-Old-Home-State business? Because, if you're not, you're just wasting my time." "Wasting whose time?" "Okay, Miss Patrick. I get it. Excuse please. . . . But, honest, this is the first time I ever ran across a dame with your looks, pardon me! who ever had an idea like that! AND I found out that that was the ■^ way Hollywood as a whole felt about it. In the first place, they didn't believe, for ever so long, that a friend of mine back home had entered me in the contest as a joke and that I never knew about it until just before I'd won. I wasn't an actress and had never considered myself a "type," so I didn't take it seriously until I found that I could take the trip west anyway. I needed a vacation. I'd been studying for my degree all year and I was really pretty tired. So I came. And here I am. I had no intention of staying and I'm afraid I annoyed a few people at the studio very much at being extremely careful about my publicity. Again I want to say that I wasn't being highhat about it, although some remarks were made to the effect that I must think I was a star. I had it figured out then just as I have now. For example this so-called "leg-art" — bathing suits and such — is perfectly all right in its place, but its place is certainly not on an actress who wants to become Governor of a State. It'll be at least eighteen years before I'll be old enough to run for Governor, but that wouldn't keep the opposition from dragging out the old files of pictures. A few years ago anyone seriously considering a public life would never have dared to be even indirectly connected with the stage or screen. Conservative people would go and see them perform and, possibly, enjoy themselves, but as for any other contact or placing the players in a position of responsibility— well, they never would have even considered it! To-day I think people are a lot broader in their views and understand that there are really quite a lot of sane and thoroughly normal people in the various branches of the acting profession. I'm quite sure that my work on the screen will never militate against me as a politician. On the other hand, I think my work out here will be very valuable in contacts as well as experience. You know, all good trial lawyers have to be good actors, too. And anyone today needs a certain amount of publicity, so the screen is helping me there. And no matter for what high office you're running, you must have funds of your own to finance the fight. And I'm saving that now. But please don't get the idea that I wear horn-rimmed goggles and read law books when I'm off the set ! That's really the one great trouble with being frank with people about a serious ambition. Most of them get the idea right away that you're a book-worm or a highbrow. And I'm honestly not either. Now that I've gotten to know a number of grand people out here who have ceased to be terrified of the thought of an actress-lawyer, I'm having a fine time. Not that I'm writing this for New Movie at my quiet little table in the Trocadero, but I do get a lot more fun out a night off and never missing a dance than a lot of people I know. Of course, some of them do think it's strange to see a girl of to-day in my position going dancing till three or so without having a drink or a smoke. And some of them think it's because I have what is known as a driving ambition. Well, for once, they're wrong. That has nothing to do with it. I just never happen to have liked drinking — makes me feel too fuzzy — and smoking always gives me the sensation of smothering. I do have one major weakness, though. They're Governors. I've met five of them; the Governors of Alabama, North Carolina, Tennessee and Kentucky — plus the late Governor Rolph of California. He was a grand person and one of the sweet ones who didn't even smile at me when I told him my own goal. Instead, we talked for hours — especially about my own pet reform which happens to be the raising of the school standards of my State. I particularly think it would be a splendid thing to introduce a course of elementary law in the senior year at high school. We're all surrounded by laws of every kind — insurance, inheritance, divorce, compensation, damages and such — -to say nothing of criminal law, and there are precious few of us who have the remotest idea of what our simplest rights are without blindly trusting to someone else. Personally I'd like a criminal practice, but I'm afraid that even in this day and age that branch of law is still a man's. Anyway there are better branches to follow when you're headed for the Governor's chair. And I am! HPHE one thing that really bothers * at times is marriage. People talk about a star's husband being in the back seat! If Garbo were married, he'd be Mr. Garbo and all that. Well, can you imagine being Mrs. Governor's Husband? No man would want that — no man I'd want to marry. A man really should be the head man in any family and when he's not they crack up sooner or later. Another thing that would make marriage more ticklish for me as a politician than as a screen star is that divorce is not an actress's finale, but you could never imagine the people of Alabama electing both a woman and a divorcee to the Governorship. Of course, I'm not in love now. What will happen to me when and if I do fall is something else again. I've seen it do some funny things to people, but I don't think it will to me. He's got to be the right man in a sense that is much more rigid than most — because I'm going to be Governor of my State, whether I ever get to be among the really great in Hollywood or not . . . Though I do want to hit the top out here, if only for the reason that I loathe any kind of failure in anything I start out to do. As Caesar is reported to have said in one of his more cryptic moments, so will I say in paraphrase — it's not that I love Hollywood any the less, but that I love the Governorship more. *fi ARM HOLE ODOR TEST No matter how carefully you deodorize your underarm — if any dampness collects on the armhole of your dress, you will always have an unpleasant "armhole odor" FAILURE TO SCORE a social success cannot always be attributed to a lack of personality. Often it is due to a condition that makes even sincere admirers turn away. No matter how sure you are of yourself, make this simple test. Tonight when you take off your dress, smell the fabric at the armhole. That stale, musty "armhole odor" may be the reason people are avoiding you. Perhaps you thought you were sweet and dainty because you were using a cream or stick deodorant. But these easy-to-use preparations do only half the work needed. They deodorize, but they are not made to keep that little closed-in hollow of your underarm dry. When you deodorize only, moisture still collects on the armhole of your dress. And every time you put on that dress, the warmth of your body will bring out a stale, unpleasant perspiration odor. No Quick and Easy way! NO QUICK AND EASY method to prevent "armhole odor" has ever been found. Women who want to be sure not to offend have learned to take the extra time needed to keep the underarm sweet and completely dry . . . with Liquid Odorono. You must allow a few minutes for Odorono to dry . . . but it is worth it! Odorono ends worry and guesswork because it ends moisture. Developed by a Physician TWENTYTHREE years ago, a physician developed Odorono for use on his hands when operating. Odorono gently draws the pores together and diverts underarm perspiration to other parts of your body where it evaporates without giving offense. Your own doctor will tell you that closing the pores in the small underarm area is absolutely harmless. With Odorono, you are entirely free from "armhole odor." You can be really unselfconscious — your most charming self. You need never again wear hot, bulky dress shields or be humiliated by wrinkled blouses or stained coat linings. Odorono comes in two strengths. Regular Odorono (Ruby Colored) requires only two applications a week. Instant Odorono (Colorless) is for especially sensitive skin and for quick use. Use it daily or every other day. Keep both kinds always at hand — for night or morning use. On sale at all toilet goods counters. If you want to insure complete daintiness, send today for sample vials of the two Odoronos and leaflet on complete underarm dryness. MAIL THIS COUPON TODAY— with 8<? RUTH MILLER, The Odorono Co., Inc. Dept. 8A5, 191 Hudson Street, New York City (In Canada, address P. O. Box 2320, Montreal) I enclose Zi for sample vials of both Instant Cdorono and Regular Odorono and leaflet en complete underarm dryness. Name The Neiv Movie Magazine, August, 1935 51