Photoplay (Jan-Jun 1948)

Sonny Tufts, in a real diver’s outfit, cleared the room with a lemon pie. The bevy of beauties — Joan Davis, Marilyn Maxwell and Mrs. Sonny Tufts INSIDE STUFF ( Continued from page 19) Party Notes: A house warming party found Cal at the front door of Lana Turner’s new home in Brentwood and a cozy, comfortable home it is. In the den Van Johnson was holding forth with the young and handsome director, George Sidney, who directed one of his earlier pictures. Van and George were amused at the cute and fetching Mrs. Sidney (in private life Lillian Burns, the M-G-M drama coach) who insisted everyone taste her vodka. Van and Cal sputtered and choked in unison. Lana’s leading man in “Green Dolphin Street,” Richard Hart, brought his lovely wife. The Harts are expecting an heir around Christmas. Hart, who possesses an extremely sensitive face, looks more like an actor than any of the newcomers, we thought. But maybe it was just the long hair he wears for the role. Van Heflin, also in the picture, is one actor who is so imbued with his work it’s difficult for him to talk of anything else. But he did tell us how Cheryl, Lana’s little daughter, visits his little girl Vana every afternoon and how he built a play pen for the youngsters. Van said Cheryl always greets him with “Hello, Van,” until she’s nudged by her nurse into saying, “How do you do, Mr. Heflin.” Johnny Green not only played his own composition “Body and Soul” but several new numbers he’s composed for an M-G-M musical. They were so good Van was humming along with Johnny at the piano. But the surprise of the evening was the boogie-woogie playing of Evie Wynn. It was so terrific Van and Lana swung into an impromptu jitterbug that would have wowed movie audiences. Because her home is not completely furnished, we all sat on the floor around low tables to eat the wonderful food. It was that rare kind of evening where everyone was just himself which is always the sign of a good party. Thoughts in Passing: Deanna Durbin wears too much eyebrow pencil which lends her very pretty face an odd expression . . . Wonder why Peter Lawford so freely reveals to friends he’s an adopted child (Peter is a Belgian, one hears) but never mentions it in stories? . . . Why in the world does Beverly Tyler take herself so seriously — and after only two pictures? . . . When that true heart of Gene Tierney’s is revealed, Cal expects the “ohs and ahs” of surprise to shake a Hollywood that is used to surprise. He’s a biggie in the East . . . Too much dieting, all at once, put Linda Darnell out of the cast of “Forever Amber” for a spell. But to date it hasn’t put her back into ex-husband Pev Marley’s heart . . . The break-up between Ann Rutherford and David May may leave Ann with injured pride but a fat purse. Ann has received very generously from her wealthy merchant husband. Turhan Returns: Turhan Bey is home again after several years in the Army and Air Corps. Overseas as a member of the special service division, Corporal Bey constantly flew over Japan, Guam, China and Honolulu. In Shanghai at the International Club, he told Cal, he suddenly came upon his father whom he hadn’t seen in nine years. His father, an influential attorney in Ankara, looked at his son quizzically. “A corporal,” was all he said and walked away. Turhan had been expected to take his father’s place in Turkish political and diplomatic affairs. As we sat at dinner in a small foreign restaurant in Hollywood, Turhan con FILMED IN ALL THE GORGEOUS COLOR Of The Valley Of The California Missions starring •RIN TIN TIN m DONALD WOODS • BOBBY BLAKE Gaylord Pendleton • Claudia Drake Directed by Produced by Max Nosseck * William Stephens Released by PRODUCERS RELEASING CORPORATION P 21