Photoplay (Jan-Jun 1953)

The Things I've Learned (Continued from page 41) looked startled when I whizzed into the parking lot, but I just breezed by with a wave of my hand. He didn’t have a chance to do his duty, I was parked and inside looking for the Casting Director’s door. There it was in big, black letters. Solly Biano, Casting Director. I upped to the door and in I popped. “I’m R. J. Wagner, and I want to be in pictures.” Mr. Biano about fell out of his chair and gave me a double-take, as if to say, “No. Nothing like this can happen to me.” Then he looked me up and down, and for no good reason had a coughing fit. He then said with a very straight face, “Okay, Boy, read this, and we’ll see if you are an actor.” He handed me a script. It was going better than I’d planned. There I was with a script in my hand. I didn’t dare say, “What do I do now?” But, oh! Reading from that script. I must have sounded like a 78 rpm record on a 33 RPM turntable. The words came out one after another all right, but there was a full two-minute pause between each word. “Thank you,” said kind Mr. Biano, “we’ll keep your name on file.” Yeah, file. It’s there yet, I guess. But I learned a lesson. It was a couple of years later that something really happened. Agent Henry Willson sent over his card during a clowning session with the piano player in the GourI met Restaurant. I love to sing, and that night I was having a ball just kidding around with the pianist. Henry heard me ‘ and invited me (and my parents) to come to his office to talk over a contract. That was a twist — somebody coming ! after me for a change! I But that’s how it began. Shortly, I got a ninety-day option contract at Twentieth. I’m proud to say I’m still there. But my education in the cinema business really began a long time before I signed at Twentieth. At least part of it did, and that’s where Alan Ladd comes in. He encouraged me, even the first time I met him. One of the finest compliments I’ve ever t had came from Sue Ladd, Alan’s wonderful wife. Sue said one day that Alan and I looked alike, in fact, looked enough alike to be brothers. That’s encouragement enough to go on for years, because I always thought of Alan as one of the best! I consider myself a pretty lucky guy for having known Alan as long as I have, and to have learned so much from him. “You can make it on your own. Kid,” he always ' said and I believed him. What’s more — I have made it on my own. A lot of other “authors” have written stories saying it was my dad who paved the way for me. Let me be the first to say, tain’t so, McGee! Sure, my dad’s the greatest, but he didn’t hold any magic key that opened the gates. He’s offered me better things than that kind of help, because my dad has been with me one hundred per cent. We’ve had a man-to-man relationship, even during the days when Dad wasn’t sure if I was serious about becom! ing an actor. He never really opposed my career, just questioned it. I’ve held my own magic key, and I’m proud of it. But that magic key wouldn’t have opened any gates without a lot of help from a lot of guys. Like Alan. “An actor,” he used to say, “is the guy who carries the ball over the line. But he isn’t any good without the team. The crew is the team and you are the football hero. Remember, you can never do it alone!” He’s so right. In fact, the crew’s most important to cUi actor. And I’ve gotten to know the crews — because that’s the way to learn the picture business. The men in the for adverfiting information, writo to Publisher's Classified Department, 9 South Clinton Street, Chicago 6 (Feb-Wo) FEMALE HELP EASY MONEY! SELL new kind nylons. Guaranteed 3 months. Perfect fit, like made-to-order, for every legshape. Demonstration Kit with actual stockings Free. American Mills. Dept. R-35. Indianapolis. SELL DRESSES FROM New York. 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