Screenland ((Jan–Jun 1947))

Graduate from "Career Adolescence' Continued from page 42 down at his neat dark suit and wellpolished shoes. "I'm afraid I haven't changed so much when it comes to clothes," he confided. "I've never been terribly interested in them, I'll never be a best-dressed-man, but now I'm not antagonistic. I try to look as if what I have on belongs to me. When I wear a beatup outfit, it's because I'm going to do something that calls for old clothes, or because I'm comfortable in them, not because of an insincere 'I'll show them I don't care' attitude." If success comes right away, and an actor is acclaimed a genius on release of his first picture, Tom thinks he's apt to believe his own publicity. "I wasn't acclaimed, and I doubt if anyone charged me with genius," he grinned, "but I had a good notice or so. 'This boy is a definite find' or something. I had to concentrate pretty hard, but I finally managed to believe it. Then I was six months without a picture. I got so restless I was even glad to go into 'Courage of Lassie,' just so I could work. I was afraid people would forget me. That picture wasn't released for a year, so it didn't help much, but working was good for my morale." There were some introductory interviews when Tom signed his MGM contract, but no one asked his opinions because, as he point out, unless people know you they don't care what you think. Today it's different, and he's willing to be quoted. This, he declares, is his honest slant on romance, success, Hollywood, marriage, life and friendship. Tom swears that he is going to wait five years at least before he gets married again. He has no special girl in mind at the moment, so please don't try to fit one into his specifications. He likes attractive girls, but raving beauty isn't a "must" — not that he's against it. But let's let him talk. "I like vivacious, interesting girls, who are themselves interested in people. I don't care for the life-of-the-party type who want to be the center of attention so badly that she puts on forced gaiety, drinks too much and shouts at the top of her lungs. But if a girl happens to be the real life of the party because she's delighted with the crowd, and is so witty or interesting that everyone hangs on what she's saying, if she's having fun and giving me a good time, too, that's wonderful! She can have a cocktail or two, if she wants it, so long as it isn't terribly important to her. "I hear people say that the girl who is a good sport and a real pal will never be a bride. I don't agree with that. I do believe, though, that if a man and girl meet, become good friends and continue that way for a long time, it's probably true they won't fall in love — lightning just won't strike them. On the other hand, I know a couple who are terribly in love, but they hate everything else about each other, find nothing they can agree on, and are completely miserable. They've been married seven years, know they'd be happier apart, but can't break the bond because they're so desperately in love." If two people are in love and can also be good friends and real pals, Tom thinks that's wonderful. "Danny Kaye and Sylvia Fine seem to have both love and the ability to work together. He gives her credit for his success and depends on her a lot. I'm sure he doesn't resent her, and there's no reason why he should. But sometimes a woman is so ambitious for her husband that she keeps prodding him, acting as if she alone were responsible for his success, and she hurts his ego. He begins to wonder if she's interested in financial security, or the social prestige of his success, and is belittling his own accomplishments. Naturally, he resents it. "There have been men whose wives have helped them to succeed who, once they have arrived, turn around and fall in love with a quite different woman. I think this often occurs because both of them mistook the feeling they had for love. What drew them together at first was a common passion for a career. She guided that career because she had a talent for it, just as he had a gift for singing, or dancing, or acting, whatever it was. Love had nothing to do with it. "I don't Hke bossy women. She who bosses her husband in public cuts the bond between them. If she bosses him, she probably dictates to all her relatives and friends. She can't be charming, subtle and tactful anywhere. I'll admit that some men like to be mothered. But that's another story. "A woman should be a home-maker, interested in home and children, just as a man should be interested in them. I like a woman to be capable of running her home with or without help, just as an executive in any business must first know how to take orders if he is to give them. "Women, as well as men, should be good listeners. If you talk well, cultivate the gift of listening — that's something I should learn!" He broke off with a crooked little grin. "If you're quiet, no one knows how ignorant you are. My father used to tell me that; I wish I'd listened to him!" A common complaint of successful Hollywoodians is that they can't tell whether people like them for themselves, or merely play up to them in order to bask in reflected glory. "I'm afraid to make friends!" they sigh. "Suppose people do make up to you because of your success," Tom argued, "even so, you are bound to gain something from knowing them. You can read good books, see fine ptays and pictures, listen to wonderful music and interesting lectures, and you'll get something, yes. But not nearly so much as you'll get from contact with people. If you're let down by a man you considered a friend, your ego is hurt, but does it really matter? 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