Photoplay (Jan-Jun 1944)

were married quietly during the winter Jeff was nineteen. The little New Englander had only to set her foot on the stage when she was snatched up for the screen. Her debut as an actress was made at the Farragut Playhouse at. Rye Beach, New Hampshire, with Columbia executives Max Arnow and Max Gordon fortunately seated in the “straw hat” audience. A couple of arrows shot from the bow would have made slow time compared to the expediency with which the two Max-es left their seats after the performance. She was given an option that night and was film-tested in New York three weeks later. THEN the studio got the sort of shock * which makes Hollywood the world’s greatest breeding ground for stomach ulcers. It came when they wrote Jeff to fly Coastward and she wrote back that she didn’t see much use In leaving home before the advent of Michael Phineas, who was the son she expected to have in about six months! “I just couldn’t understand why they were so nonplussed. Having a baby is such a natural thing — even if it does take a little time. I told them when they were testing me that I was afraid I was beginning to look a little stout, but they didn’t seem to care. But then, they hadn’t cared when I said I didn’t think I was photogenic, either. I might have been more explicit about the baby business if I had expected the screen test to be successful. To tell the truth, I had just gone to New York for the train ride.” Michael Phineas arrived duly, was promptly nicknamed Mickey Finn and accompanied his proud parents to the Coast. (By that time Dad had a contract as dialogue director for Columbia.) He is now two years old and will probably grow into long pants before Jeff grows to look old enough to be his mother. There is no doubt that Mickey has been a great help to Mom in her career. Before his advent she used to go up the street talking out loud to herself — because a diction coach once told her to talk as long and as often as possible — and now that she has Mickey to talk to, policemen don’t look at her suspiciously any more. Her first picture was “My Sister Eileen” and anyone stooping to tie his shoelace during the unreeling could have missed her entirely. She played the meek little gal afraid to tell her mother she had taken one footballer known as Wreck for husband— a role so brief it had little chance to shine between Rosalind Russell’s robust humor and Janet (Eileen) Blair’s spotlighted loveliness. In “A Night To Remember” she was again a young wife, but with more lasting results. The role wasn’t much when she stepped into it but after watching her work, stars Loretta Young and Brian Aherne decided it would do their picture a lot of good if her part were built up. They kept snagging new lines and situations for her until, all in all, those who saw it didn’t have much trouble remembering Jeff when the “Night” was over. On Columbia’s shelves now, awaiting future release, is a merry melange of mirth and murder titled “Nine Girls.” With a baseball team of beauties to select, the studio was extra careful about the casting. The part of a female character known as Butch was a stickler. Butch, the script said, was a toughie, whose costume for the whole film consisted of a pair of levis and a sweat shirt. Even more importantly, she was a big girl — and did you ever stop to Dig deep and be glad you can — give to the Red Cross \Yar Fund. "I know Bln Needed "The More Women at War — The Sooner We’ll Win!" Getting a war job is easy — in most communities — once you’ve made up your mind to help speed Victory! Millions of women are needed, at once. Even if you’ve never worked before, you can learn while you earn in a job that’s suited to you. 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