Screenland (Nov 1941-Apr 1942)

11 HERE'S REMEMBER the name oFAva Gardner. She's really a little beauty who is going places in pictures. Mickey Rooney thought enough of her to present her with a beautiful dinner ring. And when Mickey isn't busy with Juanita Starke (the beautiful redhead discovered waiting table in the Republic Studio commissary) Ava keeps his time occupied. Yes, that Rooney boy can sure pick 'em. ON COOK'S night out in Hollywood the stars usually dine together at Dave Chasens, the Cock 'n Bull, or the Brown Derby. After dinner one night, the Ray Millands, the Fred MacMurrays, the Henry Fondas and the Robert Taylors decided to take in the Palladium. Seated at a horseshoe-shaped table in the famous dance hall, they were immediately surrounded by hundreds of curious spectators. Dozens of cameramen with flashing bulbs appeared out of nowhere. Finally, when they had been stared at and photographed for over an hour, Fred MacMurray (who had been to the circus the night before) cracked : "Now I know how Gargantua feels ! Only Gargantua can lie down and scratch his back !" ■ WHEN Mary Martin read in the paper that Veronica Lake had given birth to a baby girl, Mary cried for days. Finally her husband, Dick Halliday, found out why. "I just know history won't repeat itself," wailed Mary, who wants a girl so badly. By the time you are reading this, Mary will know if her tears were in vain. WHEN it comes to acquiring glamor, Judy Garland believes in going whole hog. Not only has she added years to her appearance by dressing more sophisticated, she's also taken off so much weight the studios are getting uneasy. Judy's too valuable and too busy to afford the luxury of a nice nervous breakdown. So the orders are out for her to add a few pounds of meat to those famous bones. MARGARET SULLAVAN came mighty close to not being with us. Recently the star and her husband, Leland Hayward, started driving to Oregon. They already have a home in Albuquerque, New Mexico, because Leland's airport is there. They're building a home in Phoenix. They were on their way to Oregon to pick out a farm, when their car turned over three times. Being a charming lady with a charmed life, Maggie came out without a scratch. But her teeth chattered for a week. HOLLY Mr. and Mrs. Tarzan are together again — meaning Maureen O'Sullivan is back playing opposite Johnny Weissmuller in the newest jungle adventure ■film, "Tarzan's Secret Treasure," upper left. The "call to arms" doesn't always mean there's going to be a war — and certainly not when it concerns the two lovers in this scene from "You Belong To Me," Coumbia's new laugh film which has as its co-stars Barbara Stanwyck and Henry Fonda, left. pESAR ROMERO was sitting >— out on his patio one afternoon just taking things easy. He hadn't shaved or even bothered to put on sox. His servant announced that George Montgomery was outside and wanted to come in. Cesar said to bring him in by all means — glad that George felt friendly enough to drop by informally. So in walked George, bringing with him — Greer Garson I Cesar had never met her before. He was so embarrassed at his appearance, he couldn't think of anything to say. Greer didn't have much to say and George said even less. Cesar is still wondering what impression he made on La Garson. He thought she was very, very nice. INSIDE TIP: Gary Cooper will ' play Robert Jordan when they 1 get around to filming Ernest Hemingway's "For Whom the Bell Tolls." They're trying to make the search for Jordan as important as that one for Scarlett O'Hara. Those in the know say it's all in the bag for Gary. 56