Photoplay (Jul - Dec 1943)

they did come — every one of them. Paterson never saw so many stars in one show before. Sure, we raised enough money to pay off the mortgage. And Paterson got a brand-new, beeautiful church, one of the loveliest in the country. After Abbott and I made our first picture, I went to Universal and told them how much St. Anthony's Church meant to me. "That church needs a tower and bells," 1 said, "and I won't be happy till I get it for them. I'm going home in November. Is it all right if I give a benefit then to raise money?" Universal said it was. Not only that but they agreed that the world premiere of the picture could be held in Paterson. The picture opened at the Fabian Theater in Paterson and the place was full of stars that night. Bud and I were there, of course, and the money we raised paid for a beautiful tower for the church. I THOUGHT of all these things as I lay • flat on my back. Somehow I felt that Abbott's and my work wasn't done yet. The old question still troubled me. Why had I fallen ill of a child's disease? There must be a reason. And then the answer came to me, as I talked to my doctor about rheumatic fever. He told me that many people suffered from terrible aftereffects because they got out of bed too soon. This was often true of children. I thought of the poor underprivileged children who were smitten with this terrible disease right in the midst of hovels and tenements; and of how often they got out of bed too soon. All of these children needed a place where they could get well, under supervision. The doctor and I did some research on the subject and we found rheumatic fever was the No. 1 enemy of the heart VLtt <a ^ *\* Wit **£ & im and that it was even more prevalent than infantile paralysis. We found that the most blessed climate to relieve rheumatic fever is that of Palm Springs. So Abbott and I decided that as soon as it was humanly possible we would start a rheumatic-fever foundation in Palm Springs, where sufferers could convalesce under the care of the finest doctors. Now Abbott and I know that such a project will take millions. But we are going to devote a generous portion of our movie and radio earnings to this. Universal has agreed to release "Buck Privates" again. When it's re-released in various cities, Bud and I will, whenever possible, make a personal appearance in each city where it is being shown. All the money we make from these appearances will go to the project that is so close to our hearts. It is our dream to be able to do for the sufferers of rheumatic fever what President Roosevelt has done for those stricken with the dreaded infantile paralysis. THIS dream is close to other people's ' hearts, as well as ours. During my illness I received two cables from Clark Gable. In the first he offered me the use of his entire collection of 16-millimeter films, covering both his and Carole Lombard's pictures. When I was in danger of the blues, those pictures, shown in my private projection room, cheered me up a lot. When Clark Gable heard of our plans for a rheumatic-fever foundation, he cabled me again. He himself had suffered with rheumatic fever eleven years ago so he sympathized with the poor kids who get it and can't afford the long period of care it requires. Clark offered to give a generous donation to the foundation. Bud and I have already had papers drawn up organizing the Abbott and Costello Rheumatic Fever Foundation as a nonprofit group. Our business agent has gone to 'Palm Springs and looked over likely sites of land. When we get a site that is just right, I hope to do the landscaping for it myself. In the past, I took for granted such simple everyday pleasures as walking in a garden. I took the use of my legs so much for granted that sometimes I didn't even bother to use them much, but let myself be driven from one place to another. This time, when I walk again, there will be a prayer of thanksgiving in my heart. By the time you read this, I will not only have taken those first steps, but I will be back on the air, back in the movies again, my doctor believes. My first picture when I return to Universal will be "Abbott And Costello In Society." I will alsc be making those personal appearances with Bud Abbott that will help us carry out the work to which God guided us, through my illness. The End Vanvmtt had memlv! My wedding day was only a week away! And my hair hung dull — lifeless — and worst of all, thickly sprinkled with ugly dandruff! I was frantic! Then on Sunday evening, I heard the FITCH BANDWAGON* over the radio. The announcer said, "Fitch Shampoo is the only shampoo whose guarantee to remove dandruff with the first application bears the backing of one of the world's largest insurance firms." I bought a bottle of Fitch Shampoo that night. I found that even in hard water it is effective. It really goes into the tinyopenings of the scalp. And it certainly rinses out easily! I believe it actually reconditions the hair! "The season's loveliest bride!" they said of me. And today, my husband says Fitch Shampoo keeps my hair as lovely now as it was the day we were married! GOODBYE |. This photogroph shows germs and dandruff scattered but not removed, by ordinary soap shampoo. 2 AH germs, dandruff and I other foreign ■ motter completely destroyed and /emoved by Fitch • Shampoc DANDRUFF 3 Microphoto shows hair shammed with ordinary soap and Rinsed twice. Note dandruff and curd deposit left by soap to mar natural luster of hair. luster of the hoir. ♦LISTEN to the FITCH BANDWAGON, presenting your favorite orchestras and five minutes of World News every Sunday at 7:30 p. m., EWT, over NBC. 1 DANDRUFF REMOVER THE F. W. FITCH CO. Des Moines, Iowa Bayonna, N. J. Los Angeles, Calif. Toronto, Canada