Photoplay (Jan-Jun 1963)

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BECOMING □^TRACTIONS A. Be the gal with beautiful Dark-Eyes! One application of this permanent darkener for lashes and brows will last from 4 to 5 weeks — even at the beach. $1.50*. B. The slim new Sculptura lipstick in a brushed golden case does beautiful things for both your mouth and your morale. By Revlon in 15 shades. $1.75*. C. This Royal Blend of precious ingredients helps you towards a safer tan because it contains both sun-screens and moisturizers. By Coppertone for $3.00*. D. When DuBarry’s Bloom is on your cheeks, your whole complexion comes up roses! This magical tint comes in one shade to suit every skin tone. $1.50*. E. As fragrant as all outdoors — that’s Golden Woods, a fresh, sunny scent created by Max Factor especially for the P bath. Dry Skin Perfume Bath Oil. $3.00*. *Plus Tax 80 FRED: How do you feel about what’s happening to you so fast? SUZANNE: Well, it’s like anything — in the middle of it, it’s difficult to be objective. Some of it is very flattering, but it’s not really happening all that fast. There’s a lot of preparation that went into what is happening to me now. I studied for my craft, I learned in the theater, you know; I gradually grew in status — so that as each opportunity came, in most respects I was prepared for it. So, nothing has happened that quickly. What has happened is that people are discovering me today, but I’ve been around, you know. In television I tried never to do the same kind of part twice. Invariably I had a character makeup. When I did Dr. Kildare, I wore my hair as I always have in private life, and 1 wore my own clothes and people stopped me in the street — that’s the first time that’s ever happened. But it was my two hundredth television show. And once they became aware of me from that, and they would think back, they realized, oh. that was the same girl I saw in another thing. FRED: Do you have any fear of stardom, when you look at the unhappiness that so many stars have? SUZANNE: Well. I really cannot judge myself by what’s happened to anybody else; because, after all. I relate to things as me. Suzie Pleshette. and good, bad or indifferent. But. I look forward to the responsibilities. I've been trained to assume more responsibility in the theater, than 1 have to assume, actually, in film. Now, we’re talking on the set of a feature, and if you look around you. you look here at almost two hundred people who are responsible for my finished performance on the screen. I have a measure of responsibility, but they make as much of a contribution to my performance — more — than I do. you know. So. I’m very grateful to these people, and I just try to hold up my end; they’ll hold up theirs. Beauty or talent FRED: Unlike many Hollywood actresses. who are pretty girls first and actresses second — SUZANNE: I’m very lucky, I have very rare parents. And my parents never told me that 1 was a pretty girl, because they had always felt that one should not rely on good looks and pleasant appearance to get by in life. And they always encouraged me to develop other facets of my personality — my intelligence or sense of humor — whatever it was; so that if life was not kind and something should happen. I still would have other things to go on. I’m very fortunate in that respect. I didn’t come to Hollywood as a pretty girl, because I didn’t think I was pretty. You know. And it’s not solely a female problem. It’s very sad to see young men come out with very little ability or training. and find that it's just not enough to be a handsome man. They’re not equipped to deal with life. I think they’re only equipped to — in most cases — to get by on a certain attractiveness. You see, there’s no such thing, really, as an ugly man or ugly woman who is talented. Because artistry, talent, can transform someone. Beauty — there’s a way of creating that kind of thing. We’ve seen that in the theater. That magic creative moment. The same thing has happened with men. Some of our really fine actors are not beautiful men, but by nature, by what is happening inside, they become beautiful. And then they become the criterion for beauty, which is quite extraordinary. But they start out with something inside. A special marriage FRED: What do you expect out of marriage? SUZANNE: Well, of course, I’m a product of a very happy marriage and a very special marriage. You know, I think everybody I grew up with has made one or two mistakes, because they jumped into something. But, I’ve got my folks as an example and I’m very happy to sit and wait for a similar situation. My parents adore each other. They’re still on their honeymoon; they still amuse each other; they still spark each other intellectually. They care very deeply about me and what happens to me. I don’t know, how do you describe it? It’s that X quality. It’s like they’ve got angel feathers around them. I sure would like something like that. FRED: Your mom says that she never asks you about anything she reads about you. SUZANNE: They never have. They have never passed judgments on anyone I’ve gone with or questioned me. First of all, we're very close. If there’s anything they should know, they’re going to know about it. I can assure you, my mother doesn’t have to ask me; she’s been told in advance. FRED: How has it affected them. Sue? Your dad having been manager of the Brooklyn Paramount Theater; now an executive at ABC television. SUZANNE: Well. I think like any parents— any set of parents who love their offspring — they’re extremely happy that I’m (a) happy in my work and (b) doing well in my work. Whatever it was that I selected to do, they would certainly want me to do well in it and be happy in it. It happens to be that I decided to act. I think the nice thing is that they are so pleased with what’s happening, that they’re happy to know that other people who don’t even know them or know me, share their pride in their child. FRED: Remember the time one of your first pictures came out and your dad, at the Brooklyn Paramount, had your name above everybody else’s? SUZANNE: Right. Listen. I’m lucky he didn’t put “Gene Pleshette’s daughter, Suzanne,” you know that, Fred! Lesson from love FRED: What do you think you’ve learned from them? SUZANNE: Well. I think, coming from an atmosphere of love, I’m more secure than someone who would come from an atmosphere of less love. That’s one of the advantages I’ve got. Another is that they’re both very bright people and they’ve encouraged me to think and form ideas and I’ve always been encouraged to be part of any family decision, so that I had a voice in the family life. And if I decided I want to do something. then that was my choice and I had