Photoplay (Jul-Dec 1951)

STUFF just returned from Honolulu, looked radiant. Handsome Mortimer Hall has given his wife a present every day since he married her. The first was a mink coat— the last a Mickey Mouse wristwatch! Though terrified of flying, Ruth flew back from Honolulu just to spend more time with her husband, who had to rush home on business. “When I do that, it’s got to be love,” she sighed softly. Set of the Month: Through the hills and up a winding trail, we went. It was hot and dusty but it was worth every single, uncomfortable second. Waiting for us was— Josephine Hull! Round, firm and fully packed with genuine charm, the enchanting character actress was about to do a barnyard scene for “Fine Day.” “When you feed the chickens, talk to them as if they were people,” instructed director Joe Pevney. Josephine was so serious it completely broke us up! “Any eggs today, girls?” she called to the chickens wistfully. Later she showed us the “Oscar” she won for “Harvey.” “It’s like a good friend,” she told us simply. Howard Duff arrived to do his scenes with Josephine. “How are you, glamour girl?” he greeted her. “Seriously speaking,” says Howard, “I think Miss Hull does have glamour— not the Marlene Dietrich kind, of course. It’s a great warmth that one feels constantly and to me that’s very glamorous.” Cal says, “Me too!” Men at Work: Unattached females of Hollywood are about to picket Howard Duff and Jeff Chandler! Until they finish their individual pictures, both gents are living in their dressing rooms. Tired at the end of the day, they usually meet in a restaurant opposite the studio. After a couple of beers and dinner they return to the studio and turn in early. What this is doing to those lovely ladies who sit all alone by the telephone, is disastrous! Praise from Caesar: Until she reads it here, Lucille Norman won’t know of this well-deserved tribute. It happened backstage at the Academy Awards, where the Ruth Roman and her new husband, Mortimer Hall, dine out with friends at Mocambo. Ruth’s next is “Strangers on a Train” hollywood party line The shower of the month was the fun luncheon-baby shower that Evie Johnson gave for Mrs. Jimmy (Gloria) Stewart. Of course, everyone knew that Gloria expected twins and Evie’s invitations to the twenty-five girls announced it was to be a Double or Nothing Party! So they all brought two gifts. The buffet table was beautifully decorated with masses of white and yellow blooms — gardenias and jonquils. The gals were seated at round individual tables for five and Evie had match-books at each place that were specially printed with the words “Twins Yet!” Roz Russell looked so cool in a black and white checked cotton dress topped with a chalk white linen bolero and flashing black patent leather belt and shoes. June Allyson looked darling in a black sweater knitted with gold threads, tucked into a full-circle black felt skirt — but she almost roasted! Just three males showed up at the end of the afternoon— Vanny-boy, Jack Bolton and poppa-to-be Jimmy — who didn’t mind the surplus femmes at all. There was more than one example of the seemingly “casual” look (but oh, brother, how wellthought-out the costumes were!) the day the Beverly Hills Hotel opened its extension of The Polo Lounge, which goes right on outdoors into the garden where lunchdaters can meet and gab among the flowers. Betty Hutton wore a Shower set: Sharman Douglas, June Allyson, street-length dress that can go to cocktail parties or dinner with Roz Russell, Gloria Stewart, Ann Sothern equal aplomb — a lovely lavender raw silk slim-skirted, widely belted dress with short sleeves, big turn-back cuffs. The tight bodice had a plain, rather low square neckline and its only trimming were large self-covered buttons down the front and two enormous loose flap pockets at the hip. Betty’s shoes, bag and gloves were of cotton in a deeper mauve shade. Her coat was cut very full with simple lines, in a shade just this side of purple. Diana Lynn was another luncher in a sheer navy crepe, tight-bodiced, full-skirted in fan pleats; with little-girl collar and cuffs of pale pink faille and a bright navy calf belt. Di wore a tiny hat of deeper pink trimmed with vari-colored lilacs with this dress. Peggy Dow looked darling in a two-piecer of navy taffeta with a snug jacket and a skirt that was a pyramid of unpressed pleats. Her shoes were navy but her hat, bag and gloves were a mad, bright yellow! Once more Hollywood can take a bow for its fine cooperation with a worthy cause. We refer to the galaxy of stars who helped put over the benefit premiere of “Father’s Little Dividend,” proceeds of which went to the John Tracy Clinic. This, as you know, is Mrs. Spencer Tracy’s long-time project to aid deaf children that gets so much of her time, money and heart. Some of the glamour-pusses, who greeted the paying customers in a sort of “receiving line” and shook hands with the fans in the bleachers were: Esther Williams, in the lowest-cut dress we’ve ever seen her in; Janet Leigh, wearing a full-length white silk evening coat with huge collar and cuffs of black velvet; Vera-Ellen looking so purty, but too fussily done up in a tulle-skirted gown with flower-trimmed bodice and elbow-length gloves of net trimmed with embroidery and sequins; Liz Taylor (with Stanley Donen), who topped her white evening dress with a tiny draped cape-stole of navy taffeta. There was quite a gala later at Romanoff’s because that was the eve that Mike was closing his worldfamous dinery. He’ll have his new and swankier place open, just a few blocks away, by the time you read this. The most dazzling dress there was on petite Sonja Henie — heavy pink satin, countless yards of it in the skirt, and the whole thing trimmed all over with dull pink pearls. Sonja was wearing great gobs of her fabulous diamonds and Kay Spreckels remarked, “Someone could get rich just by hitting her over the head.” To which Sonja’s spouse Winnie Gardner flipped, “Oh, no! If you hit Sonja over the head, a burglar alarm goes off!” The night that lovable fool Joe E. Lewis opened at Mocambo the walls bulged with celebs who didn’t mind the crush, they were so busy laffing at Joe’s nonsense. The Van Heflins, George Jessel and Tommye Adams, Pete Lawford beauing Barbara Stanwyck in a party, Marie Wilson (who seemed to be wearing a white lace “boudoir cap” with her white lace gown) with Bob Fallon, Denise Darcel, whose p low-cut bodice gave Marie some competition in the chest-expansion department, were in the crowd. Also Linda Darnell, luscious in black and white, with her ex, Pev Marley. 15