Photoplay (Jan-Jun 1952)

to play with — or a brother.” Geary supplied this need for Jane. too. for marriage to him gave Jane two sisters. It was while visiting in the home of his married sister that she and he learned to know each other so well. “We were engaged for eleven months,” Jane recalls. “We knew so much about each other when we were married that we were spared a rude awakening. Our marriage was more of a transition. We danced together, skied together, tobogganed and skated together. Geary even ate my cooking before we were married. If I advocate anything for a successful marriage, other than being in love, it’s an engagement long enough for two people to learn all about each other.” Geary, of course, had to learn that — married to a celebrity — he must make adjustments. Fortunately, he was familiar with the entertainment world and so realized the demands that are made on a star. For before Geary married Jane he was an ice skater. Wisely, he turned to a business career, opening his insurance agency. THEY own their home jointly with all of its contents. Each month they contribute to their far-from-lavish Brentwood household— run with one maid, Gladys — on a fifty-fifty basis. “Nobody ever can say that anybody carried me,” says Geary proudly. However, he is sensible enough to know that a movie star is required to dress like a movie star. He adds, “Whatever Jane wants to do with her money after we divvy household bills is all right with me. If she wants to spend $5,000 for a mink coat, I don’t care, but she can’t spend five cents more on the house than I do.” Jane Powell was a pert young miss of twenty who was doing all right when she met Geary Steffan, but to hear her now you’d never even know it. “Since I’ve been married to Geary I’m calmer, quieter, and have a lot more poise. I used to talk too much — just prattle — and never say anything. Now I don’t talk unless I’ve got something to say. He made me realize it was nervousness that makes people talk too much and act gay and life-of-the-partyish when they just want to sit and listen and relax sometimes.” What Geary has given Jane, of course, security and serenity, are things that money can’t buy; such things as keep escaping the Lana Turners, Elizabeth Taylors and many others in Hollywood. Geary also has given Jane a feeling of religion. When other little girls were raising their voices in Sunday school choruses, she was raising her beautiful young voice over radio and on stages — for pay. “Every child should have some religion in his or her background, but I had none, was connected with no church,” she says, wistfully. “I went to different churches as I grew older but that's not like belonging." And she added with determination, “Our baby will grow up in a church.” Geary is a Catholic and he and Jane were married at the Church of the Good Shepherd in Los Angeles. They started out their married life, as so many young' couples do, in a small apartment, with Jane doing the housework. She didn’t have to, of course, but it was fun, and she felt closer to Geary that way. When they knew their family was increasing, they moved into their own home, and Jane got Gladys, “a real jewel,” to help her. “I’m so lucky to have Gladys. She’s a wonderful cook, maid, nurse, housekeeper rolled into one, and how she loves the baby! When Geary and I went to Miami Beach last December, where I sang at the Copa City, Gladys was tickled to death to get me out of the house, so she could have the baby all alone.” CREAM HAIR DRESSING makes your hair behave! Has your hair lost its sparkle? Is it dry, stiff and hard to manage? To make it behave, rub a few drops of Lady Wildroot Cream Hair Dressing on those fuzzy-wuzzy ends! Is your hair dry, brittle? Just pat a few drops of Lady Wildroot Cream Hair Dressing along the part, at the temples, on the ends . . . and then brush for a neat, natural look. Is your scalp dry, tight? Pour a few drops of Lady Wildroot Cream Hair Dressing on your hngertips and massage your scalp gently. You'll love the way it makes your scalp relax . , . feel so good! Not sticky ... not greasy! Lady Wildroot Cream Hair Dressing is made especially for women s hair. It contains lanolin and cholesterol to soften dry ends, give hair body, gleam . . . make it behave. It's delicately perfumed tor an extra touch of femininity. tjjiikcct «»l» P» S. For a shampoo that gleams as it cleans, try new wildroot liquid cream shampoo. Personal size 50$ . . . Dressing-table size $1.00 (plus tax) P