Photoplay (Jul-Dec 1954)

* JUDY GARLAND GIVES THE LIE TO THOSE RUMORS * ONE BABY'S NICE BUT THREE WOULD BE BETTER, SAYS LIZ if GRETA AND GREG MAKE THEIR FINAL ANNOUNCEMENT INSIDE STUFF CAL YORK'S Home Fires Burning: Elizabeth Taylor and Michael Wilding took one good long look at a very modern mountaintop home that was built in a circle around a pool. Their adoring eyes met, they nodded approval and Mike whipped out his check book. The present owner (still in the house) is allowing them to build a carport and convert the garage into a nursery suite for young Michael Howard and the other two babies they hope to have. To complete their happiness, all Liz and Mike have to do is sell the old homestead, move into the new — and join the stork club! Lights, Camera, Action: Interiors were shot in London and exteriors in Holland. At all times, in all places, longtime friends Lana Turner and Clark Gable had a ball working together in “Betrayed.” Clark brought back old copper pieces for his Encino ranch fireplace. Lana collected rare, cut crystal mugs. Between shots the Hollywood pair taught English cast members how to play Scrabble! . . . And it was old home week for glamorous grandma Marlene Dietrich, who visited Paramount and Audrey Hepburn and Humphrey Bogart on “Sabrina” set. In typical Bogart fashion. La Dietrich got ribbed for failure to bring them a box of her famous cookies. They arrived the following day, via special messenger. ... A pox on those Judy Garland rumor rousers. Her face and figure in “A Star Is Born” are completely captivating and she didn’t feud with director George Cukor. Although the threemillion-dollar production was in work one year. Executive Jack L. Warner’s so GOSSIP OF thrilled with results, Judy and husband Sid Luft get a trip to Europe as a thankyou present. Love Tales: What Hollywood needs is more wives like Janet Leigh. She wanted to be with Tony Curtis, so she went on his “Five Bridges to Cross” location in Boston. So the first evening when Tony returned to their suite in the RitzCarlton, he found his favorite paintings on the wall and Janet had even sneaked his favorite ash trays into their trunks. With one day separating their anniversary from his birthday, Tony’s wife threw a double-cake surprise party for the cast and crew. They “trained” back so Tony could relax (it says here! ) and Janet could study her script for “My Sister Eileen,” her first Columbia picture. If* Magic: Joan Crawford said it and all Hollywood agrees. “Eddie Fisher loves people, therefore people want to give him love in return.” And it was proven the star-studded night the entire industry paid rare tribute to the modest, warm-hearted singer at his Cocoanut Grove premiere. Anna Maria Alberghetti was there with another singer, Vic Damone, and Debbie Reynolds attended with Mike Todd, after which she flew to Las Vegas. It was there that those rumors of her big romance with Eddie Fisher began. Both deny it. In Case You Care: Red-headed Rhonda Fleming didn’t have to “dye” for her art and she gets to do that picture in Rome after all. . . . Despite those printed reports, there’s just about as much serious romance between Guy HOLLYWOOD Madison and Eva Gabor as there is between Percy Kilbride and Marjorie Main. . . . Napoleon’s favorite dish, and we do mean Marlon Brando (he plays the ill-fated emperor in “Desiree”), is eggs topped with sour cream! . . . Ava Gardner, while establishing residence in Nevada to divorce Frank Sinatra, introduced her Latin-looking escort to people as — “My Spanish tutor!” Seen And Heard: Cal caught up with Tab Hunter in the Beverly Hills Ford Company. “Guess I’m getting conservative in my old age,” he grinned. “While we’re shooting ‘Track of the Cat’ at Mt. Rainier, I’m having my coral-colored car painted black!” . . . And Elaine Stewart can stop dreaming. She now owns a white car with red leather seats — just like Clark Gable’s. . . . You’re going to flip over Jeff Chandler’s new recording of that old favorite, “Lamplight.” The opposite side features “That’s All She’s Waiting to Hear,” and for this one, the big boy also wrote the lyrics. Jeff treated Cal to a preview hearing of the record, which will be released in a month or two. . . . John Wayne’s friends were asked to bring books to his birthday party — his former wife cleaned out the library shelves when they divorced. But no one mentioned what kind of books John likes to read! Status Quo: Following a two-year absence, Gregory Peck arrived home from Europe. He was loaded down with presents for Greta and the boys and sporting the beard he’ll wear in “Moby Dick” . . . During his two-week stay, the Pecks ( Continued on page 92) 43