Photoplay (Jul-Dec 1958)

Around Town: Marilyn Monroe’s frantic hand-wringing before each scene of “Some Like It Hot” left a trademark behind. The younger set now greet each other with a wild wringing of their own hands. Looks so Oriental somehow. . . . Loved Marilyn’s retort to the reporter who wondered why her playwright husband, Arthur Miller, never visited her set while the company worked in Hollywood. “Why should he?” asked Marilyn. “I don’t look over his shoulder when he writes.” Touche. . . . Audie Murphy is delighted with the work of Joan Evans in his movie “No Name on the Bullet.” When Audie makes the plunge into sophisticated comedy in “The Kissing Game,” he hopes Joan will be with him. . . . Bing Crosby’s lament to a friend; “I wish my boys would get interested in some nice secretaries in town and stay out of Las Vegas.” . . . Gary Crosby calls Pat Boone “The Preacher.” Pat couldn’t care less. . . . Lawrence Welk, who took over his new job of Honorary Mayor of Hollywood, claims polka lessons will not be mandatory. . . . Private Ben Cooper, who accidentally shot himself in the leg at Fort Ord, took a lot of ribbing from his pals in Hollywood. They claimed he practically left our country defenseless. ... If Stuart Whitman doesn’t get a haircut before Christmas, his wife threatens to string his locks with popcorn. . . . Leslie Caron named the new arrival Jennifer. This is the second heir for Leslie and Peter Hall. . . . No fanfare took place when John Wayne’s oldest son Michael (22) wed Gretchen Deibel (21), his childhood sweetheart. But the lid blew off when John announced his separation from wife Pilar, who in a moment of anger said she was through with living alone while hubby picture-made around the world. But by nightfall they were back together again. . . . Dart Ward’s recording of “Misery” has put this teenager on top. I Predict . . . Tab Hunter will be the next rave star, rumors fly. His work in “Damn Yankees” and with Gary Cooper in “They Came to Cordura” is now the talk of the town. Tab has it made. If, that is, he relaxes and trusts the judgment of others. ... I predict a breach between Rick Nelson and his father, Ozzie. It almost happened when Ozzie registered Rick for the fall semester at U.S.C. against his son’s wishes and without his knowledge. Rick may decide to move in with brother David, who has bachelor diggings of his own. It’s not that sympathy isn’t with Ozzie, it’s just the way he goes about it. Even a young colt can’t be dragged to water if he’s a mind to go thirsty. ... I predict Kim It looks to me as if Rick Nelsons heading for a clash with dad Ozzie. Novak will forsake the fancy-pants home given her by Columbia and move back to a small apartment. The heavy upkeep, taxes and maintenance have Kim yipping the blues. And while Kim may be light-headed when it comes to romance, she’s heavy-handed when it comes to finances. . . . Purely Personal My confusion over Bob Wagner’s disguised voice on the telephone — “This is ze boy friend” — had Bob in hysterics. But the invitation to dinner that followed delighted me. Bob and Nat showed me some of the sneak preview audiencecards for “The Perfect Furlough,” which they made for U.I. The audience wrote more raves for this comedy than any press agent could have dared. Watch for it in January. . . . Brigitte Bardot says, of marrying short, stocky Sacha Distel, her guitar teacher : “I needed a man around the house.” Incidentally, before B. B., Sacha’s steady date was Juliette Greco, Darryl Zanuck’s Gallic protege. She taught Sacha to sing, then said he was too young. . . . Diana Lynn outshone all other stars at Jean Stem’s engagement party. In a short, perky green satin frock, her short blond hair uncurled, Diana was a knockout and looked anything but the mother of a young son. Mortimer Hall, her husband, seems mighty proud of his “fair Diana,” as well he should. . . .I’d like to wager John Saxon emerges from his role of a toughie in “Cry Tough” with a whole new personality and a new evaluation from Hollywood. He couldn’t go through all that wild fracas and remain the same. . . . It’s all over between Ava Gardner and Walter Chiari. . . . Kay Kendall started a new fashion fad in London, wearing tailored silk slacks and a brocade jacket to a formal dinner party. . . . The young individualists meet at Aware Inn, an un ( Continued ) 93