TV Radio Mirror (Jan - Jun 1963)

a Greek rattling off Yiddish is a swinging gimmick, believe me. And how did this Romeo and What'sHer-Name meet each other? As a secretary at M.C.A. in July '58, Mimi booked a summer replacement show called "The Investigators." George was then "a cockamamie actor working for scale — $210. I wasn't too interested because, although things weren't good, I was still married. But I'll never forget when he smiled at me. Man! Did I ever swallow hard!" They met next when he was on another show, and it was purely a "Hello, how are you" kind of deal. Later she saw him making rounds looking for work and invariably getting sloughed off. So she tried to show him a little kindness. Tried to get him some bit parts. "We never dated," claims Mimi. "Once in a while, we lunched downstairs in the drugstore. I always made sure I picked something inexpensive. Sometimes I even picked up the check because I knew he didn't have it." When he mushed forth to film "Exodus," Mimi kept a light burning in the mailbox. She'd given him presents to deliver to her kinfolk in Israel. He wrote and said, "Mission accomplished." She wrote back, "Thanks." He wrote back how the picture was going and what his beefs were. She wrote back to take heart, that one day he'll out-Gable Clark. Today, that framed letter hangs front and center on her living-room wall. By the time he landed his series, Mimi, too, had worked up from producer's secretary to junior agent to agent to a permanent separation maritally. Meanwhile, back at the plot, come June '61, George had a one-day rest stop on "Route 66." He blew into town, gave Mimi a fast call and asked how's about getting together. She invited him over. He came, he saw and man-oh-man did he conquer! They talked until three A.M. "He kissed me goodnight," she sighs. "And like Wow! do I still remember that kiss! It was maa-a-arveloussss-s-s!" At this point their "relationship" developed. That's how each describes the situation. Ask, "So what's going to be with you two?" and they'll say, "At the moment we have a relationship." Ask, "Like what kind of relationship?" and they'll say, "A wonderful relationship." And that's it. That's as far as they'll go right now. Around October a few things solidified that relationship. One, she got fired. Two, he invited her to spend her birthday on location in Massachusetts. Three, she got chummy with Inger Stevens, who'd been rumored as Number One in Maharis' dreams. "My association with Inger had always been professional and pleasant," relates Mimi. "Besides, their romance was none of my business. George and I weren't at that stage yet. Anyway, during a break in filming, Inger said, t 'He's told me about you two and it's v wonderful that such long-time good R friends could turn it into love. He seems so happy that it's marvelous. You're both so right for each other.' so "Meanwhile, I was depressed," continued Mimi, "because I had no job, a son to support and I didn't know what to do. George suggested I manage him. However, both of us worried about our personal side infringing on our professional one. We worried there might be conflict. So I said, 'It's up to you, baby. I'll do whatever you want me to do.' " And this brings the saga of George and Mimi to where they are today. Only one question now remains: Just where are they today? Engaged? Engaged to be engaged? Going steady? With "an understanding"? What??? Mimi's big rival Currently they see each other every single night and day. "Oh, maybe we skip one afternoon a week," Mimi says, then adds, "I don't say he couldn't do better. He could. But George doesn't dig young, flighty types." And here she giggled. "He digs old bags like me. "The only rival I know about is George's career. If a girl's hidden somewhere I don't know about her. His only other flame, Deborah Walley, is married now. George is a secretive kind of man. There's no saying what could be going on inside him. I don't date anyone else. I don't know whether he does or not. I never question him about it. But I don't know where he'd have the time." Our interview took place in stages. One evening, when we were curled up in the den of my apartment having some just-girl talk, she said, "Listen, anything can happen. Let's face it. And whatever's in the cards is fine with me. If someone comes into his life, I'll bow out gracefully. Loving him as I do, I couldn't be selfish. He'll still have my friendship, loyalty, every relationship other than a man and wife. "Next to him, all men are dull, but by the same token I could meet Mr. Right and fall madly in love and — great! Of course . . ." and here she broke up ". . . any guy reading this will stay as far away from me as he can get. I'll never ever get another date after this comes out." In the upmanship department, Miss W. has one swollen point in her favor. She knew Mr. M. when. Back in them days when he was a poor peon earning slave wages and he had to save up to buy a postcard. He's often said to Mimi, "Baby, you're the only one I trust. You're the closest in the whole world to me. Because you care about George Maharis the guy, not George Maharis the star. You wouldn't care if I worked at a salad bowl. You were with me when I was nothing. You love me for me. For myself." And she does. She's a mama lion when anyone picks on her George. She frets over him. Fusses over him. She even feeds him. George loves Jewish food, and his manager can throw together a mess of it better than anybody in Tel Aviv. So, come mealtime, he's her star boarder. If their "relationship" really "grows deeper and stronger with every day," and if it's true "there aren't enough hours in the day to discuss everything we have to talk about," then what's keeping them from sharing His 'n' Hers towels? Two things. First, Mimi's not 100% free. Second, George isn't 100% ready. "Baby," he's told her, "I don't know if I'll ever really be fulfilled in my career — and if not, my personal life will suffer." He's scared. George has a healthy respect for the marriage covenant. He could never take a divorce. In fact, what really impressed Mimi in those early days was that, knowing she was married, he never threw snide remarks, never made a pass. If there was a kiss, it was "the kind on the cheek that never made you feel he was going to try to follow it up later." Tall, Dark And Headstrong admits he isn't Easy. He occasionally likes to be alone. To think. To paint. There are times he requires absolute privacy. He can suddenly stand up and say he's leaving. And he leaves. And a girl has to keep her mouth shut and give him his head or she'll have a tough time of it. Mimi is pretty strongheaded on her own. She's fiercely independent. When George invited her on location, she insisted on paying her own fare. When they went shopping in L.A., she insisted on paying her own bill. Yet they boast happily that they've never had a fight. Not even one weeny one. Whether it's personal or professional, they talk everything out. One situation Mimi is trying to work out on her own is to learn you can't function like a manager after the sun goes down. One night, George was bossing her around. This stunned Neil, who adores George, because it's usually his mom who bosses everybody. Mimi's trying to learn to be a little helpless sometimes . . . even if she's not. To be a little needful of a protector. To be a little more clinging-vine-ish. Being very female, she's basically all these things, but now that she's playing for keeps, she's decided to play the game according to the rules. At this point our girl manager has the ball. Whether or not she makes her goal, only time will tell. Meanwhile, those of us on the sidelines are taking bets . . . and the smart money says that when George Maharis decides to stop settling for less than marriage, he'll settle down with Mimi Weber. — Cindy Adams George is seen (in re-runs) on "Route 66," CBS-TV, Fri., from 8:30 to 9:30 P.M. EDT. He sings on the Epic label. CAN BE HELPED Support Your Local Association for Retarded Children