TV Radio Mirror (Jan - Jun 1959)

Just to Be Jerry (Continued from page 52) appeared slightly over-stuffed for the species they were to represent — no one would carp about such details. So the boys got their pigeons, built a trap at the top of the stage, planned to release the birds at the dramatic moment when their symbolism was needed to heighten the effect. Dress rehearsal went brilliantly. The birds swooped down in a graceful arc, acting as happy bluebirds should. Alas, all was changed at the performance. Tucked away in their dark enclosure for too many hours, these fine feathered friends of the drama assumed it was sleepy time. When the trapdoor was suddenly pulled, they tumbled out of their cozy nest and fell to the stage, bewildered and inert. "It ended my career in production," says William Prince. "I decided I would make a better actor than prop man." At Cornell University, Bill, active in dramatics, made the decision to become a professional actor. He gave up his senior year to join a Federal Theater tour of "The Taming of the Shrew." He worked with Robert Porterfield's Barter Theater. He did a walk-on in Max Reinhardt's production of "The Eternal Road" — for fifteen dollars a week, he covered his body with make-up, had nothing -but cold water to take it off, dressed with ninety other extras, had nine changes of costume. "And it didn't seem hard — then!" He got his first Broadway chance, a bit part in "Richard H," with Maurice Evans — and was laid low with pneumonia, the first week, but well enough to rejoin the cast in time to wind up the New York run and go on tour. Later, he appeared with Mr. Evans in "Henry IV" and in "Hamlet." On the whole, the stage was good to him from the first, and he was doing juvenile leads after a while. In the revival of O'Neill's "Ah, Wilderness!" — in "Guest in the House" — and a Saroyan play, "Across the Board on Tomorrow Morning." Hollywood signed him to a picture contract at the time he was playing Quiz West on Broadway in Maxwell Anderson's "The Eve of St. Mark." He stayed on the West Coast about four years, making such movies as "Destination Tokyo," "Pillow to Post," "Objective Burma," and an as sortment of others. Back in New York, he did a movie called "Carnegie Hall," shown frequently now on television. One day, perhaps five years after he made the film, he picked up his paper from the usual newsstand and the man called out to him, "Mr. Prince, I saw you last night in that movie. My, you were fine-looking as a young man!" Bill thanked him and went on his way — leaning on an invisible cane and wondering if his hair had turned completely gray overnight. He did a notable job in "Cyrano de Bergerac." He was on Broadway in "John Loves Mary," played Orlando to Katharine Hepburn's Rosalind in "As You Like It," and played opposite Julie Harris in "I Am a Camera." On television, he had leading roles in Justice, in My True Story, and in most of the big nighttime dramatic productions. U uring the very early period when he had left Binghamton to pound pavements in New York, trying to get into the theater. Bill met Dorothy — an attractive blonde, with clear, calm blue eyes and a quiet manner which only partially disguised a lively sense of humor. She had been a Cornell student, but they didn't know each other until Bill's sister brought them together. "We are now in the twenty-fifth year of our marriage," says Bill. "Our four kids are an interesting combination of both of us. When they are with Dorothy, I think how much they look fike her. When they are with me, people say how much they look like me. "Dot takes things in stride. I am the tough guy when it comes to enforcing discipline." He shakes his head at Liza, fifteen this May, the second oldest of the children. "You know your mother lets you get away with things I wouldn't." Liza grins a sort of assent. "But Bill is the really understanding parent," Dorothy insists. "Easier, in many ways, than I am with the children. Working on projects with them whenever he can find time, amazing me with his endless patience." Jeremy, called "Jerry" and just turning eighteen, is ready for college, interested in psychology, English, and speleology — the study of caves. Nicholas, who answers to "Nicky," is eleven and, like his father, forever curious about what makes things work. Last year, he enlisted Bill's help in "building" a car. "We used an old lawnmower motor, and the darn thing finally ran," Bill observes, shaking his head over the tenacity of a boy motivated by an idea. "This year, he wants to build a boat." Bill's big hobby has been carpentry, particularly making furniture, but the basement workshop of their house sees him less and less frequently now. Dinah, getting on to five and the acknowledged pet of the family, has collected a trunkful of old clothes, some of them old theatrical costumes, in which she dresses up. No one can be sure yet that this suggests a leaning toward being an actress or is just the usual small girl's delight in wearing grown-up clothes. Liza is the one most likely to take up acting, according to present indications. She worked as an apprentice in a summer theater last year, attended drama classes and assisted the stage manager, handled props and worked lights at varying times — in fact, took a crack at everything connected with stagecraft. Liza is blonde and pretty, a feminine version of her father, with the same quiet smile and level gaze. The house, where they all live was once an onion barn, back some eighty or ninety years, but now the Connecticut town has crept up around it and the property is close to its center. The old barn has long since been transformed into a ten-room white Colonial home. They have dubbed it "Spanish-Colonial," because of the big fireplace built up from the floor, and other Hispanic touches which add to the charm of the high-ceilinged, thirty-foot living room and the rest of the rambling structure. Two English cockers, "Barky" and "Jumpy," belong to the kids. Nicky's cat, that went everywhere with them, was run over during the winter, left empty hearts behind. 1 here was one time when Dorothy Prince thought she might like to work with Bill in some way. She took a backstage job when he was in summer stock. "That did it," Bill says. "We had a temperamental star to whom Dot was supposed to hand a prop as she went on stage. Dot searched the town for a bunch of roses, finally found a lovely bouquet of artificial ones — at the local undertaker's, to her secret delight. As she stood in the wings to hand them to the great lady, they were rudely brushed aside. 'I want real roses, real ones, do you hear!' she insisted. Dot dumped them into her arms, fled with a few words of her own that sounded suspiciously like 'I hate the theater.' The incident marked the final phase of my wife's active OPPORTUNITIES FOR EVERYBODY OF INTEREST TO WOMEN PW -June 59 FREE WEDDING CATALOG 1 Everything for the Wedding, Reception 1 Invitations, Gifts for bridal party. Table decoratioris. Trousseau items. Unusual, exciting personalized items. Write: Elaine Cr^tions^Box^24, Dei£^l9,^hicago 42. $500 FOR YOUR Child's Picture (All Agesj, Hundreds used yearly. Send one small picture. Returned with report and testimonials. Print child's parents' name, address on back. Spotlite,^344jeyerly_P6, Hollywood, California. BEAUTY DEMONSTRATORS-TO $5.00 hour demonstrating Famous Hollywood Cosmetics, your neighborhood. For free samples, details, write Studio Girl, Depf. 1696C, Glen dale, California. HOMEVVORKERS WANTED PAINTING Novelties, No Selling. Experience unnecessary. 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