Photoplay (Jan - Jun 1943)

/ The biggest excitement in Hollywood: This blazing romance between two of the town's most daring personalities — Paulette and Burgess Meredith AT this very moment, Burgess /\ Meredith and Paulette Goddard * » are as inseparable as the hydrogen and oxygen molecules that go to make up water. That is, as inseparable as a lieutenant in the Air Force and the busiest star in Hollywood (he's just finished some fast work on 'Street Of Chance") can ever be in times like these. "It must be the uniform," Meredith's civilian cronies say with part envy and part surprise, amidst a cloud of wild rumors that one fine day there will be Mendelssohn music and orange blossoms in the offing. The envy is ionly natural and the surprise is perfectly legitimate, considering the fact that the Goddard is, and has been for some time, the most sought-after belle in the movie colony. The uniform reference is strictly a canard, although if anyone is prouder of Meredith in uniform than Paulette Goddard, it is Lieutenant Meredith himself. The romance, however, began long before the duration, just to set things right. In a way, Boris Morros, that moonfaced, cherubic-looking producing gentleman, can be credited with sponsoring the great conflagration a couple of years back, during the shooting of his picture, "Second Chorus," in which the two figured. Mr. Morros, a man of peace and igood will (among other things), was ! FEBRUARY, 1943 BY RICHARD ADDISON transcribing an air from Tchaikovsky behind a very imposing green door marked Boris Morros — Private, when the telephone rang. Miss Goddard was on the wire, with a bee in her bonnet. "There's a madman in the next bungalow," Miss Goddard said hotly. "And he's quoting Shakespeare at the top of his voice." "What play?" Morros wanted to know. " 'Romeo And Juliet.' " "From where I'm sitting, that's no madman," Morros reassured her. "It sounds like Mr. Burgess Meredith. We start shooting his scenes tomorrow and apparently he's rehearsing." "Are you shooting 'Romeo And Juliet' or 'Second Chorus?' " Miss G. demanded. "Buzz — I mean Mr. Meredith — is a strange man. He gets himself into the proper mood only by reciting Shakespeare." "To himself?" "Usually. Unless, of course, he's overheard." "How very fascinating!" Miss Goddard said. At which point Mr. Morros did the gallant thing, brought them together, performed the introductions and diplomatically retired. "I understand you quote Shake speare by the mile?" Miss Goddard said, the minute Mr. Morros had disappeared. "I'll hear any suggestions for improvement," Meredith said. "Fine," said the Goddard. "Why don't you hire a prairie?" And she stomped off. WITH such an auspicious start, a five-alarm blaze was inevitable. True, it took quite a little campaigning, much of it rewarded by an infuriating yawn from Paulette, but in the end, it happened: Burgess Meredith, who likes his ladies mettlesome (as well as beautiful), and Paulette Goddard, who likes her men imaginative (as well as gifted), became an item. Repercussions of the amalgamation were first felt at "Pandemonium," the ex-lovenest of the Wayne Morrises which had been taken over by Meredith and the then-bachelor, Franchot Tone. "I don't know what's come over Mr. Meredith," Wood, the Meredith butler, confided to Tone one day. "Lately the master can't make up his mind which of his two suits to wear, the grey or the brown." "Calm yourself, Wood," Tone came back. "Love has overtaken the master. I have it on unimpeachable authority: My best ties are starting to disappear. I wonder who it could be." Jimmy Stewart, (Cont'd on page 74) 67