Photoplay (Jul - Dec 1938)

Robinson & Co. (Continued jrom page 27) examine your throat," he continued. "My, my, that doesn't look so good. Guess those tonsils better come out." Manny agreed with him. "Well, let's see. We better test your blood to see that it is good and red." Whereupon he pinched the lobe of Manny's ear as if taking a blood specimen. "That didn't hurt more than a little pinprick, did it?" After that they rehearsed Manny's being wheeled to the operating room, pretending, of course, he was on the stretcher. Then his eyes were covered and the imaginary anesthetic given. Then Eddie pretended to remove the tonsils. Then the trip back to the room. "Now you're awake again," he said. "Better swallow this drink of water. There, does that hurt?" "No," Manny answered, playing his dramatic role to the hilt. "Wait a minute," Eddie cautioned. "Eetter swallow again. Doesn't it hurt just a little? Feel kind of sore?" "Well, yes," Manny agreed. "It does hurt a little." "There, that's all there is to it," Eddie wound up. "Nothing to be scared of, is there?" Manny said no, and meant it. He no longer was afraid. On the way to the hospital on the day of the operation, they sang songs and had a high old time. And at the hospital everything went exactly as rehearsed. Only there was one slip-up. When the doctor went to administer the preoperative sedative pill, Manny balked. "Daddy didn't do that," he informed the puzzled physician. Whereupon, Daddy quickly had to admit he'd been so dumb as to forget all about that important part. I ARENTS who are running into a few difficulties in getting young Johnny's or Mary's interest in music aroused can afford to take a leaf from Eddie's book on that subject, too. Every child has a natural love of music and an instinctive sense of rhythm and melody, but it is no good trying to force them into formal patterns too soon. That only arouses a subconscious resentment that may result in a lifelong prejudice. Eddie makes it fun for Manny. If he sees the boy aimlessly fingering the piano keys, he'll say, "Let's see what you can do. Can you make up a song about a baseball game?" Or an airplane ride, a picnic, the school teacher or any other subject common to Manny's knowledge. It becomes sort of a challenge, and Manny promptly makes up songs. When symphonic music is being played on the radio, Eddie directs Manny's attention to it by pretending both of them are great conductors. They grab big kitchen spoons and lead the orchestra. Or they may do a dance to its rhythms, or he may try to describe what the music is saying, making it into a fascinating story. He has done nothing definite as yet to cultivate in the boy his own great passion for fine paintings, other than taking him with him to galleries on occasion when he was about to purchase another canvas. If there is one thing in which Eddie is attempting to guide Manny, it is in learning values. He wants him to consider himself an important person, yes; but at the first sign of young Master Robinson's beginning to think himself too important, Papa cracks down. I HE other day the youngster came strutting in. "I'm to carry the Queen's crown in the thing at school," he announced. "That's fine," Eddie said.. "Important fellow, huh? Well, what are the other boys to do?" "I'm to carry the crown," Manny insisted. Finally Eddie pried out of him that the other fellows were to be in the production, too, although Manny was a bit vague as to just what they were to do. Nothing very important, probably. "Listen, young man," Eddie said, "if they are in it, they're just as important as you, and don't you forget it, crown or no crown!" Again, the question of autographs came up the other day. Manny was trying to get it straight in his mind why everyone should want Eddie to write his name for them. Eddie said he supposed it was because they all knew who he was. Manny countered with the suggestion that the kids at school probably would be wanting his autograph. "Why?" Eddie asked. "Well, they all know who I am," he answered. "Who are you?" Eddie prodded. Manny, taken aback a bit, said he was Edward G. Robinson, the movie star's son, and all the kids knew it. "So what?" Eddie let him have it. "Does that make you any different or better than the rest of them? Forget it!" Manny goes to public school and Eddie intends that he shall continue in those democratic institutions. Aside from that, he has made no plans for his future. He intends to let the boy discover his own aptitudes and follow them. Naturally, he said, he would like to see him in some sort of creative work. If, however, Manny chooses some other field, he will put no opposition in his path such as he encountered from his family when he decided upon the theater as his career. He might try to influence him by diverting his interests into other channels, but he would not block him with refusals. "Wouldn't make any difference if I did," he said. "Not if the kid was really set on it. We Robinsons are like that, you know." Only a father as wrapped up in his son as Eddie is in Manny could have failed to see the humor in what he said next. "But do you know," he concluded in all seriousness, "that boy*s a naturalborn actor. You should see him in some of the plays we do around the house. And you know what? He has every last one of my discarded radio scripts up in his room!" Paramount^ Famous Star j? tattce^ ee CHOOSES THIS Make-Up A, ^re YOU blonde or brunette, brownette or redhead ? Do you know what shades of powder, rouge and lipstick will bring out the most beauty in your face? 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