Photoplay (Jan-Jun 1948)

My Hollywood Friends ( Continued from page 75) starting to “go steady” and Dick was doing a picture with Bob called “Stand by for Action.” Of course I was a set visitor quite often. That set didn’t sit, it jumped. There were no women in ninety per cent of the picture and if you’ve never seen some fifty men cavort when unleashed from feminine chains you’ve missed a clambake. For every foot of film there were twelve hotfoots — six hotseats, four wrestling bouts and five water fights. The Peck’s Bad Boy of the troop was a Chief Specialist (Hot Foot) named Taylor. He appeared to be one of the leaders because he thought up more Satanic practical jokes than any of the other kids, such as releasing a tank of water on his standin or dropping a sack of white powder from the top of the stage onto a group of unsuspecting, sailor-suited card players. Having just been told I was to play opposite this Katzenfammer Kid, I was somewhat apprehensive. It seemed I must not only act opposite Robert Taylor but do it with my back to a wall and one eye cocked for hotfoots! But when we actually started the picture my fears were allayed. Bob Taylor didn’t scare me a bit. He’s as easy to work with as anyone could possibly be and as for the hotfoots, when he’s working with a girl he uses much smaller matches. But seriously. Bob has a happy faculty for fitting in with any group. Men go for the guy because he’s as regular as they come. Women just plain go for him. BOB is a director’s dream. There’s darn little about this picture business he doesn’t know. His years as a star haven’t been just a free ride. He’s worked hard and has absorbed more knowledge and polish than most because he wants to be a craftsman. He’d make a fine director and I think maybe that’s what he has in mind. In my opinion, Bob has never had his just dues as an actor. His work in “Waterloo Bridge,” for example, was as fine as anything I’ve ever seen. His acting has great feeling and strength. Somehow’ many of his fans think of him only as the very handsome Robert Taylor. There are many decorative stars whose acting ability is, shall we say, enough to get by on. Then there are those whose talent more than suffers for their physical mediocrity. If Bob looked like Mr. Average, he’d still be a star and would probably receive more recognition as an outstanding actor.Yessir, Bob knows his business. The first time we worked together, the picture went badly. It was intended to be a rootin’ tootin’ Western, but it didn’t quite toot. After a week or so of shooting, all parties concerned realized the picture wasn’t jelling. Rather than foist a bad picture on the public they called the whole thing off. Bob seemed to sense it from the beginning. He worked that much harder to pull it out of the fire but his first diagnosis was right. It is certainly a credit to M-G-M that they know when to give in. If all producers were as willing to admit their vulnerability, a much higher standard of entertainment could be maintained. But that’s another subject and a complex one. Despite our initial effort together laying the proverbial egg, we had fun. Bob was sporting a new motorcycle at the time, an English job, all chrome and speed. I’m sure he took it to bed with him. For days I heckled and pleaded for a ride. He finally relented and was I delighted? Not for long! Actually Bob is one of Hollywood’s best motorcycle riders but it seems the best riders are the fastest and trickiest. It’s not bad enough that they have only two wheels to start with — they have to try riding on one yet! I’m sure I didn’t thank Distress of his cold is relieved as he sleeps Let this picture remind you that ■ tonight you can relieve distress of your little one’s cold even while he sleeps!... with nothing to swallow . . . and nothing to upset his delicate stomach. What you do is rub warming Vicks VapoRub on throat, chest and back at bedtime. Even as you rub it Used by 88 out of 100 Mothers in Rochester In a special door-to-door survey in Rochester, N.Y.— a typical American city— 88 out of every 100 mothers called on said they use Vicks VapoRub whenever their children catch cold. So benefit from their experience . . . and when anyone in your family catches cold, rub on Vicks VapoRub. When you see what grand relief it brings you’ll understand why most mothers always use Vicks VapoRub! on, VapoRub starts right to work to relieve distress. IT PENETRATES to upper bronchial tubes with special medicinal vapors. IT STIMULATES chest and back surfaces like a nice warming poultice,. And . . . VapoRub keeps up this special penetrating-stimulating action for hours to bring relief while the child sleeps. Often by morning most distress of the cold is gone,. Remember. . . only VapoRub gives this special penetrating-stimulating action. So be sure you get the one and only Vicks VapoRub. Best -Known Home Remedy You Can Use to Relieve Distress of Colds. p