Radio and television mirror (Nov 1939-Apr 1940)

MAMMOTH 1940 CONTEST NOW RUNNING WE WILL PAY $25,000.00 FOR FORTY TRUE STORIES in prizes Year after year Macfadden Publications, Inc., extends to men and women everywhere a wonderful opportunity to add handsome sums to their incomes by setting down in words true stories that have happened in their own lives or the lives of friends or acquaintances. Already we have paid out well over $600,000 in prizes alone for true stories and in addition we have purchased many hundreds of > other true stories at our liberal word rates. Of this vast sum, a large, a very large percentage has gone to men and women who never before had written for publication. The chances are that you have lived or observed a story that we would publish gladly if you would write it and send it in. Do not feel that because you have never written that you cannot write. If these other men and women had felt that way they would be poorer by perhaps a half million dollars. Simply say to yourself — "Others have done it — I can do it — I will do it." In writing your story tell it simply and clearly just as it happened. Include all background information, such as parentage, surroundings, and other facts necessary to give the reader a full understanding of the situation. Do not be afraid to speak plainly. No matter whether yours is a story of tragedy, happiness, failure or success, if it contains the interest and human quality we seek it will receive preference over tales of less merit regardless of how skilfully written they may be. Judging on this basis to each of the best ten true stories received will be awarded the munificent sum of $1,000 and to each of the next best thirty true stories will be awarded the handsome sum of $500. And don't forget that even if your story falls slightly below prize winning quality we will gladly consider it for purchase provided we can use it. If you have not already procured a copy of our free booklet which explains the simple method of presenting true stories, which has proved to be most effective, be sure to mail the coupon today. Also do not fail to follow the rules in every particular, thus making sure that your story will receive full consideration for prize or purchase. As soon as you have finished your story send it in. By cooperating with us in that way you help to avoid a last minute landslide, insure your story of an early reading and enable us to determine the winners at the earliest possible moment. Contest closes Tuesday, April 30, 1940. CONTEST RULES All stories must be written in the first person based on facts that happened either in the lives of the writers of these stories, or to people of their acquaintance, reasonable evidence of truth to be furnished by writers upon request. Type manuscripts or write legibly with pen. Do not send us printed material or poetry. Do not send us carbon copies. Do not write in pencil. Do not submit stories of less than 2500 or more than 50,000 words. Do not send us unfinished stories. Stories must be written in English. Write on one side of paper only. Do not use thin tissue paper. Send material fiat. Do not roll. DO NOT WRITE ANYTHING ON PAGE ONE OF YOUU MANUSCRIPT EXCEPT YOUR FULL NAME AND ADDRESS IN YOUR OWN HANDWRITING, THE TITLE AND THE NUMBER OF WORDS IN YOUR MANUSCRIPT. BEGIN YOUR STORY ON PAGE TWO. WRITE TITLE AND PAGE NUMBER ON EACH PAGE BUT NOT YOUR NAME. Print your full name and address on mailing container. 90 Prize Schedule 10 Prizes at $1,000 each $10,000 30 Prizes of $ 500 each 15,000 40 Prizes Total $25,000 Contest Rules — Continued PUT FULL FIRST CLASS POSTAGE THEREON. OTHERWISE MANUSCRIPTS WILL BE REFUSED OR MAY NOT REACH US. Unacceptable stories will be returned as soon as rejected, irrespective of closing date of contest. BUT ONLY IF FULL FIRST CLASS POSTAGE OR EXPRESSAGE HAS BEEN ENCLOSED WiTH SUBMITTAL. If your story is accompanied by your signed statement not to return it, it it is not acceptable, it will not be necessary to enclose return postage in your mailing container. We do not hold ourselves responsible for any losses and we advise contestants to retain a copy of stories submitted. Do not send us stories which we have returned. You may submit more than one manuscript, but not more than one prize will be awarded to any individual in this contest. As soon as possible after receipt of each manuscript, an acknowledgment or rejection notice will be mailed. No corrections can be made in manuscripts after they reach us. No correspondence can be entered into concerning manuscripts submitted or rejected. Always disguise the names of persons and places appearing in your stories. This contest is open to every one everywhere in the world, except employees and former employees of Macfadden Publications, Inc., and members of their families. If a story is selected by the editors for immediate purchase, it will be paid for at our regular rate, and this will in no way affect the judges in their decision. If your story is awarded a prize, a check for the balance due, if any, will be mailed after the decision of the judges which will be final, there being no appeal from their decision. Under no condition submit any story that has ever before been published in any form. Submit your manuscripts to us direct. Due to the intimate nature of the stories, we prefer to have our contributors send in their material to us direct and not through an intermediary. With the exception of an explanatory letter, which we welcome, do not enclose photographs or other extraneous matter except return postage. This contest ends Tuesday, April 30. 1940. Address your manuscripts for this contest to Macfadden Publications, Inc., Dept. 40C, P. O. Box 629, Grand Central Station, New York, N. Y. COUPON Macfadden Publications, Inc., Dept. 40C P. O. Box 629, Grand Central Station New York. N. Y. Please send me my free copy of your booklet entitled "Facts You Should Know Before Writing True Stories." Name Street Town State (Print plainly. Give name of state in full.) transformation have been possible. He is extremely sensitive, for one thing. The cats who prowl about his house today are there because Basil couldn't bear to see them drown. He rescued them from a watery grave. One of his dogs, Judy, wandered in, lost and hungry. She has never left. His police dog was a gift from their friends, the Jock Whitneys. While the Rathbones possess the most enviable Hollywood reputation as hosts, they entertain very little. When they do, of course, it's an event. Easily three hundred evenings of the year they are home reading, or listening to Basil's vast library of records. Both, too, are avid camera fans, concentrating now, of course, on baby Barbara. Basil keeps physically fit with golf at the sporty Bel-Air course down the hill and fencing with Fred Cavens, Hollywood's foils expert, whom you've probably seen in action in "Captain Blood," "The Count of Monte Cristo," or "Romeo and Juliet." ONE of the finest gifts his wife ever brought him, Basil believes, was the reunion with his son, Rodion. Rodion is the son of Basil's first wife, from whom he was separated in 1919. When Basil came to America, Rodion stayed with his mother in England, was raised there and educated as an engineer. The long years that separated them made him a stranger to Basil. Knowing that bringing them together again would mean much to her husband's happiness, Ouida, unknown to Basil, made friends with Marian, his former wife, wrote to Rodion in England and made friends with him, too. It was entirely through her efforts that Basil and his son were brought together again in Hollywood. When war broke, Rodion, like his father before him, knew his duty. He joined up with the Canadian engineers and was given his orders. The night he was to leave Basil had dinner with his son. But Ouida, who had brought them together and made them mean so much to one another, was not at the farewell dinner table. This occasion, she concluded wisely, was for father and son. They had dinner together, Basil and Rodion, at Chasen's in Beverly Hills. They talked lightly of gay, frivolous things. After the meal Rodion challenged Basil to a game of ping-pong — and beat him. The dinner broke up in laughter — no talk of war, no frowns. Rodion took to his car then, with his young wife. It was the hour for leave taking. "You drive on," said Basil, "and I'll follow. Somewhere along the road, at a turn or something, I'll pull up and blow my horn — and you answer. That's goodbye— eh?" "Right!" said Rodion. So they drove — Rodion and his wife in the car ahead, Basil alone behind. They were miles out in the San Fernando Valley before Basil could find just the right fork in the road. But it must be sometime, so he pulled to the side and pressed his horn. The car ahead answered and its red taillight grew dim — with the distance, or something. Basil Rathbone sighed and turned his car around. Behind him his son roared off to his great adventure, war. Ahead, back home, was Basil's — the ever young adventure of his marriage, his home, and his love for Ouida. The adventure of peace. RADIO AND TELEVISION MIRROR