Screenland (Nov 1941-Apr 1942)

But the trappings of her existence have not submerged the colorful personality that she is, a beautiful, intelligent, and honest woman. Most men wouldn't think of including their secretary in their list of their ten Pet Women, but my right hand Friday, Inez Prober, has been just that — my right hand and a darned provocative person. Inez was hired some time ago by my business manager, Walter O. Heinze, and she proved very efficient. She has been working for me for about three years. She pays the servants, handles all household expenses, watches my budget, and, in fact, does everything to relieve me of business worries. Recently, I was in Dallas for the British War Relief. Before I was to return, I discovered that I had lost $640 in cash. I couldn't imagine where it had gone, and was ready to give it up as gone when Inez began to question me. "What did you do? . . . Where were you at such and such a time? . . ." These an other questions were thrown at me. Nothing shed any light. So, on her own, she contacted the manager of the Dallas Athletic Club where I had been the night before. She asked him about every move I had made. He mentioned that I had taken a steam bath. Immediately, she told him to look in my safe deposit box. Each person who takes a steam bath, you see, has such a box with a number that corresponds to his room number. Sure enough, hidden far in the back was my money. Anyone who is so efficient and painstaking could not be left off such a list. She's as important to me as the checks of mine that she handles. And just as necessary. She is one secretary who never complains about the amount of work she has to do and she has plenty of it. Gwynne Pickford Ernst is a memorable person to me because she is about the only woman for whom I played Cupid. I met her through one of my closest friends, Bud Ernst. He had been trying to convince Gwynne that he was the man in her life, but she felt she was still young enough to decide for herself. She is about twentyone now. Well, one day, Bud brought her over to see me. I liked everything about her, but especially her genuineness. It didn't take me long to tell her what a great bet Bud was, and how wonderful matrimony could be. I really courted her for Bud. When at last the deal was turned, I lent them my Packard racer so they could elope in a hurry. Whenever Lili is away, I dine with Gwynne and Bud several times a week, and I wouldn't think of going on a yachting trip without them. While I was in San Diego on location for "Dive Bomber," they flew down one week-end to go with me on a short trip on my boat. Why do I single out Gwynne? Because she is loyalty personified, because she has been a great wife to my best friend, and because she is so utterly likable in every respect. Her friends think she is generous. She is. But Gwynne Pickford Ernst is a sensational woman to me because she is such a level-headed beauty. A woman without a false trait about her. I don't mean to imply that Darcy Vargas is the least significant of the women I have named because I am placing her last. Not at all. If anything, she is the most strikingly individual of the lot. Darcy Vargas is the wife of the President of Brazil. I met her on my last trip to South America. She is extremely attractive, a smart dresser, a marvelous hostess, and a woman who can handle capably any situation that may arise in her politically involved life. She met me at the Clipper when I arrived, and, naturally, I was very impressed by such a courtesy. A few nights after I landed, she gave a wonderful dinner party for me in Rio de Janeiro. I also had tea at the Copacabana Palace Hotel with a party of thirty or thirty-five people. Being the wife of the President of as great a country as Brazil is no easy job. Tact, diplomacy, graciousness, and poise are demanded. Darcy Vargas is known in her country for those characteristics. I was intrigued by her poise and graciousness, but it was her diplomacy that interested me. Such diplomacy has been acquired not only from a cultured background but from an alertness to the problems of her position in politics and in Brazilian life in general. She graces her husband's career with as much distinction as he graces his work as Brazil's President. Darcy Vargas is an impressive woman in an impressive world, a woman who is at ease in the most delicate situations. But she is a colorful personality because, despite her high state in life, she has not lost touch with the other part of the world, the unheralded and often unnoticed part. She is a true example of womanhood at its finest. So there you have the list and the qualities almost any man admires in a woman. The exciting, unpredictable, impulsive, and beautiful Lili Damita ; the carefree sophistication and poise of glamorous Olivia de Havilland ; the tolerant, sympathetic, and superb hostess, Ann Warner ; the sincerity, the ambition, and the elegance of Brenda Marshall ; the infectious charm and enthusiasm of Susan Peters ; the young in mind and spirit Mrs. Helen Strong Carter, the supreme example of democratic womanhood ; the worldly sophisticate but genuinely real Doris Duke; the efficiency of Inez Prober ; the loyalty of lovely Gwynne Pickford Ernst ; and the colorful and graciously adaptable Darcy Vargas. A Crime to Exploit Child Stars? Continued from page 23 children into pictures may differ, I believe the primary reason is the same in every instance and that my awn case and Jane's is typical. MONEY ! I married young because my husband and I were so desperately in love with each other we couldn't — or wouldn't — wait any longer. He was making $250 a month working for a tire company. Our tastes were, and are, simple and we felt we could get along beautifully on that. And we. did — until Jane came. As a matter of fact, we got along beautifully after she arrived ! When she was three we noticed she had what we considered an extraordinary talent for entertaining. She could sing and dance and her imitations of friends and celebrities were what is flatteringly called "murderous." We lived in Atlanta, Georgia, and whenever one of the local broadcasting stations had need of a child Jane's age they sent for her. As I said, I married my husband because I loved him, not because he was a Croesus or economic genius. I think the backbone of our country is made up of men like Mr. Withers — good, solid, substantial citizens who pay their taxes, serve on juries, assist during community fund drives, do a good job of their jobs, give their children a good schooling and mainly occupy themselves with being good husbands and fathers. As Jane grew up both Mr. Withers and I began to dream of the time when she would be a young lady; the time when she would be old enough to go to college, to dances — to "make her bow to society" (although poor people do not use that expression). Not every person is a genius and no aspersion is cast upon him for his lack in this direction. Nor can every man be a financial wizard and neither should any aspersion be cast upon him for that. Should I have refused to marry Mr. Withers when I loved him because he was not rich and because if we had a child he might not be able to give it all the advantages rich people give their children? I'd have been an awful snob if I had! Mr. Withers and I both knew we would make every sacrifice we could for Jane — give her everything we could possibly give her. But we also knew that no matter how we scrimped and saved — no matter how much we denied ourselves — we would never be able to give her all the things we wanted her to have. Two hundred and fifty dollars a month can only be made to go so far. We realized, too, that the more we scrimped and saved for her teen age, the more we would have to deny her during those vaunted "golden childhood hours." We could deny ourselves and give to her when she was little or we could deny ourselves and her when she -was -small and send her_ ta~ college.. But after college she would still have had to look for a job. Neither of us is outstanding. We are simply average American parents. We wanted the best for our child but there seemed ' no way of our being able to give it to her. If Mr. Withers were lucky he might finally work up to $350 a month and we might be able to put by a competence for our old age. Then we discovered this remarkable talent in Jane. It was not Mr. Withers and I who are responsible for her being in Hollywood. It is the managers of the theaters and broadcasting stations in Atlanta. When she was about four they began Beautiful Fra nces Gifford and Tom Neal, her handsome hero in Republic's exciting serial, "Jungle Girl," were caught by the roving camera reporter enjoying an extra-long, cool drink. We went dry watching them perform their daring feats. 64