Photoplay (Jan-Jun 1959)

A LITTLE BOY’S PRAYER Continued from page 42 from muscular dystrophy and that his case was incurable, although, thank God, he didn’t know he was going to die. But even worse, in a way, was the fact that no one came to see him, no friends or relatives. The other children received postcards, presents, letters, and love ... he received none of these. Mrs, Reynolds wheeled Francis back to his own room. Carefully she helped him into bed. She sat down next to him and brushed a wisp of hair back from his forehead. He smiled at her for a second, and then he started saying his prayers. “Dear God.” he prayed, “this birthdav, please have someone send me some cards for my birthday . . . funny cards with clowns on them . . . not many . . . iust a couple. And God bless everyone . . specially Mrs. Reynolds and Dr. Jellinek and Jerry Lewis. He’s funny . he makes me laugh. Good night, God.” Mrs. Reynolds turned out the light and bent over and kissed the little boy. Softly she said, “Little Boy Blue come blow your horn. The sheep’s in the meadow, the cow’s in the corn. And where is the bov who looks after the sheep?” And Francis whispered, “He’s under the havstack, fast asleep.” Mrs. Reynolds left the room and went in search of Dr. Jellinek. That night the two of them made a couple of telephone calls, one to Henry Bosworth, a feature writer for the Boston Herald, and the other to Jerry Lewis, national chairman of the Muscular Dystrophy Association, in California. And Mrs. Reynolds and Dr. Jellinek told both men about Little Boy Blue and his prayer. After Jerry hung up the phone, he sat for a moment looking blankly at the far wall. Then he picked up the picture of Patti and the boys from his desk. He gazed at the face of each of his sons as if he were seeing it for the first time. One little boy. One little boy. Each of his own youngsters was one little boy. More precious to him than anything, more precious to him than life itself. And in Massachusetts, another little boy, one little boy, was dying but didn’t know it, had a dream but didn’t think it would come true. Jerry heard the front door bang closed. “Gary,” he thought, “Gary . . . Who else bangs the door?” And aloud he called. “Gary, that you? Back from the game already?” His son came into the study. Jerrv stared at him, studying every feature of his young face, noticing the glow of health and the smile of happiness he saw there. “What’s wrong, Pop,” Gary asked, “Why are you staring at me? Did I do something wrong?” “Nothing,” Jerry answered, “nothing. I was just remembering that you were once a little boy.” “Huh?” ' Then Jerry told him about the phone call he had just received, and about Little Boy Blue. For a second, Gary said nothing, but just for a second. “But Dad, that’s awful . . . terrible . . I mean can’t we do some thing about it?” Jerry smiled for the first time since he’d received the phone call. “I’m glad you used the word ‘we,’ ” he said. “Yes. we are going to do something about it We’re going to see that Francis has the riproaringest birthday party a little boy ever had. And you’re my number-one assistant in charge of practically everything.” Jerry glanced at his calendar and grunted, “Just a few days . some committments T just can’t get out of. But we’ll do it Somehow we’ll do it.” The first phone call he made was to New York City, to General David Sarnoff, head of RCA and NBC-TV. He asked that an hour and a half closed -circuit TV time be made available from Hollywood. California, to Lakeville, Massachusetts, on the afternoon of Tuesday, October 7th. While the General was still sputtering “impossible,” Jerry told him all about Little Boy Blue. All the gruffness went out of General Sarnoff’s voice and he said gently. “Okay We’ll do it.” Then Jerry and Gary divided up a list of names Between them they had all the top entertainment figures in Hollywood. Jerrv made calls from the study and Gary made calls from the other phone, in the living room. At one point, Jerry took a break and went in to see how Gary was doing. The boy was saying. “. . . this means everything in the world to him . . he thinks nobody cares . . . that must be awful. Okay? You will? Gee, thanks. And my father thanks you, too.” Jerry tiptoed from the room and returned to his study. He made more calls. In half an hour or so he and Gary tal’ied up the results. The stars were coming! Little Boy Blue would have the rip-roaringest birthday party ever. 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