Radio and television mirror (Nov 1939-Apr 1940)

In Hollywood, he got himself a big car and a chauffeur with a clarinet embroidered on his lapel for an insignia. He rented a tremendous house with a huge swimming pool. His musicians followed suit, and rented themselves similar mansions — so Artie went them one better. He moved out of the huge house he had rented and bought an even bigger one. Then he bought up lots on either side of the house so that he wouldn't have to be bothered by neighbors. Artie did everything he had probably wanted to do when he went to Hollywood the first time. Then, he was a poor, nineteen-year-old kid who saw himself surrounded by glitter and glamour that he couldn't mimic for himself, Now, that dream was coming true, and Artie made Hollywood sit up and take notice. It's hard to sympathize with him, I'll admit, if you don't know him. But the fact remains that Artie Shaw, for all his fame and money, is a bitterly unhappy guy. He called the shot on himself a long time before he went to Hollywood. "I'll never be happy with show and money and all that stuff," he had said. "What I ought to do is make my pile and get out." Well, you may wonder, why not? What Artie was forgetting about himself when he said that is that fame itself is almost as necessary to him as money. Necessary, but unsatisfying. It's unsatisfying because Artie is basically modest and fearful of the spotlight. It's necessary because there is something in him, driving him on, simply to prove to himself that he is capable of reaching the top. AND because he's stuck, he does the ** things he does — unhappily, bitterly. Actually, it was Benny Goodman who summed up what would happen to Artie, summed it up in that easygoing way of his. It was about eight months ago, just after Shaw was proclaimed King of Swing. He went to visit Benny in the latter's dressing room in the Paramount Theater. Goodman grinned at Artie when he came through the door. "Hello," Benny said. "I hear you're the new King of Swing." Artie shook hands with Benny and shrugged his shoulders. "Well," Benny smiled, "I guess it's okay with me. You know, as they say, 'as long as you're healthy.' " You know how healthy Artie Shaw was in Hollywood. The pace of the show, the success, the hullabaloo, was too much for him. But he pulled through. I haven't seen Artie for several months — not since before he went to Hollywood. I don't know — perhaps they're right, and he has gone highhat. But it's my private bet that now he's had his fling at success — the success he craved so much — he'll be an altogether changed guy. There's another reason I'm hoping for a change. I don't know — it's only a rumor coming out of Hollywood, but they're saying out there that after Betty Grable gets her divorce from Jackie Coogan, she and Artie will be married. If it's true, and if Artie Shaw is headed for happiness in his private life, his public life is likely to be a great deal smoother too. There's nobody I'd rather see happy than Artie, because real happiness would give him the chance to show the world what a grand guy he really is. NOVEMBER, 1939 NEW-SMART-BEAUTIFUL certified retail value$1.25 °nly V AND A MAIL THIS COUPON to CORN PRODUCTS SALES CO., P. 0. Box 171, Trinity Station, New York, N. Y.— Department A-11 Enclosed herewith is fifty cents in □ CHECK D MONEY ORDER and a Karo Label. Please send the KARO PITCHER to NAME ADDRESS. CITY .STATE Jhis offer, good only In the United State*, eiplrei January 31, 1940. It Is raid in the states of Idaho, Neiada, Montana and kusii 67