Photoplay (Jan-Jun 1948)

( Continued from page 74) moment, a representative of the gravel company showed up. “It was a mistake, but since we left it here we’d be delighted to let you keep it gratis,” he said with all the generosity of Santa Claus. Greta was even more delighted. Joyfully she signed for free ownership of the gravel. Then she waited for Greg to come home and rejoice over the gift from Heaven. Of course, both Greg and I, being males, instantly realized what had happened. Greg said it at once: “It would cost twice as much as the price of the gravel to haul it away,” he announced. “Which is why they cleverly gave it to us . . . and what, Greta, are we going to do with it?” That had never occurred to her. “We must have some use for it!” she said. But there wasn’t any. So Greg and I spent three weeks shoveling it out of the driveway and down the mountainside next to the house. But hard going as it was, we couldn’t help laughing. It was such a screwy situation! One of many that have happened to us since we met back in 1936 on the campus of the University of California. I was a law-student and he a medical student — but we met while savagely criticising each other in one-act plays put on by the students. Then we re-met in New York City, in the lobby of the Neighborhood Playhouse. We were both strangers in Manhattan, both hungry and both determined to act; and we went through a lot together. For several months I was the wealthier of the two — once every two weeks my dad sent me $15! (I had arranged for him to do this from a several-hundred-dollar amount I had earned by bartending in San Francisco before coming East.) Anyway, with my first $15 windfall, Greg and I decided to do something clever; we could go to the famous restaurant Sardi’s. There we would see famous people in the theater — and also be seen by them. Who knew what might not happen? The only catch was that, in our eagerness, we went at three in the afternoon — when the place was empty! So we sat there until midnight, toying with food and drink. By midnight everyone had seen us, we had seen everybody — and we had nothing to show for it but the complete expenditure of my $15! Greg always hated to borrow money as much as anyone does. But necessity made him adept at it . . . though I never remember him borrowing more than $5 at a time. But I’ve often seen him preparing for a touch. He’d clench his teeth, tighten his fists and then blurt in an ecstasy of embarrassment and shyness, “Give me a loan of five dollars!” He was almost rude about it, it upset him so much. But people always gave it to him after one look at his strained face — and he always paid it back the minute he could. Let me add here that we weren’t always starving; we were also acting. We went together to the Barter Theater in Virginia. We went to the Suffern Theater the summer of 1941; it was our first acting for real pay. We were in “The Male Animal” together— I was a football player, Greg leader of the school band. And finally, just before Greg went to Hollywood, we realized our many-years ambition: We were together in a Broadway play, “Sons and Soldiers.” Opening night we had a big celebration party at Sardi’s. IT was somewhere in those lean years that Greg got a present from a friend — a gray suit the friend no longer needed. I’ll never forget his pleasure as he unwrapped it. “Gee, Ken — this’ll be my prop suit to see casting directors in! Make a fine impression!” he said. Then he tried it on. The sleeves came up to his elbows! Silently he took it off and handed it to me. I got into it and it fit perfectly. There was only one drawback: It had a large hole in the seat! So all that summer skinny Greg went around in nis worn clothes and I went with him — sweating under a smotheringly hot overcoat in order to conceal the seat of my pants! Maybe he was thinking of that clothes shortage this Christmas when he sent me a swell lounging robe which I most certainly needed. He also sent my best girl, Sally Gracie, a bottle of perfume . . . which is, you must admit, thinking of everything! But more than anyone else he thinks of Greta. When her second baby was born, he had two big gifts waiting for her when she returned from the hospital; a new car and a string of pearls. Yes, visiting the Pecks is an experience in pure American family life. In all my four months’ stay, we never went near a night club; our social life was spent entirely in the Pecks’ home or in their friends’ homes. And I noticed that in spite of Greg’s busy acting life and his interest in his movies and records, he has time to read every best seller . . . his two favorites among late ones being “Look Away, Look Away,” and “The Foxes of Harrow.” Most of all I noticed how much I wanted to come back again. With that in mind, I tacked up signs all over my room when I was leaving: “Ken Tobey Slept Here,” and “He’ll Be Back!” I sure hope I am. Because you don’t find friends like Gregory Peck every day. And I’ll always want to see a lot of him. The End FOR A HALF-HOUR OF ACTION-PACKED DRAMA TUNE IN “True Detective Mysteries” Every Sunday Afternoon Join the millions of radio listeners who have become avid fans of "True Detective Mysteries" . . . the most exciting half-hour on your radio. Tune in "True Detective Mysteries" this Sunday and every Sunday afternoon. ON ALL MUTUAL STATIONS 4:30 EST • 3:30 CST • 2:30 MST • 1:30 PST