Screenland (Feb-Oct 1949)

Intoxicating Vixen Continued from page 41 she happens to be a motion picture actress today. As a young girl in Paris, Corinne had a very close girl friend who liked to do everything Corinne did. The only trouble was that whatever the girl friend did, she did better than Corinne. Together they studied sculpturing and interior decorating. And the other girl turned out wTork just a little better than Corinne's. "I must find something which I can do better than she," Corinne decided. She was sure that she could be the better actress of the two, so Corinne joined a little theatre group. And it was true; her friend could not compete with her in dramatics. At first Corinne was given just oneline roles. By diligently applying herself, it was not too long before she was capable of becoming the understudy to the star. In France, the role of an understudy is far brighter than it is in America; for in her contract, the star must agree to allow the understudy to perform in the role on at least two nights during the run of the show. Still, the activity of a repertoire group requires great physical strength. It is extremely hard work. "I was young then, only sixteen or seventeen," says Corinne who is all of twenty-two now, "and I could take it. But I wouldn't even try to do it now. I finally quit the repertoire theatre and went to a screen school." In the screen school, which is very much like our dramatic schools except that it prepares you for the motion picture field only, Corinne worked very hard. But again nothing happened. And Corinne is not one to sit back and just let nothing happen. She firmly believes, I repeat, in going after what she wants. So in the small hours of the dawn one morning Corinne decided what she was going to do. She jumped out of her bed, where she had lain sleepless for the night, and ran to the telephone. From the directory she began to look for the names of Motion Picture Producers and Directors. Under the A's she found the first one, Director Marc Allegret. Good! Even his name denoted optimism, speed, a bright out-look! So she dialed his number. Not later in the day when he might have been awake and possibly even had time for coffee. Oh no! Corinne called him right then — at daybreak. True, she didn't know him, and he certainly knew nothing of her. But she had made up her mind that he would know something about her. Roused from a sound sleep by the jangling of a telephone, M. Allegret was in a not too receptive frame of mind. Then he listened to the pleading voice of the little French girl from the other end of the connection. She was pouring out her heart to him. She told him how hard she had worked, how everyone praised her work so highly. She was very much ready for pictures — she knew it. And she must, she MUST become a movie actress. Allegret was intrigued. "I know it was crazy of me to phone that nice man at such an early hour," she admits. "Perhaps he thought that I was a simple country girl with whom he could flirt. At that hour I must have sounded pretty simple. Poor man. I think he was surprised when he met me." M. Allegret had asked her to come to see him the following afternoon to discuss the matter. His office was on the third floor, and rather than take the elevator and arrive so suddenly, Corinne decided to walk slowly up the stairs, taking deep breaths at every step to try to regain her calm. Between the second and third floors five men were holding an animated conference, blocking the way. Corinne waited for a moment. Then seeing that they didn't even realize they were in her path, she spoke to them — a little more sharply, perhaps, than was necessary, for she was still upset. They let her pass, and just as she was a few steps away she heard one of the men say excitedly: "That is the girl we want!" What nerve! Corinne turned around and told them in no uncertain terms what she thought of such men who tried to make acquaintances with strange girls. Then she hurried into Allegret's office. While she was talking to him, the door suddenly opened and one of the men looked in. "Yes, she's in there," she heard him say. Then a few minutes later the five men from the stairway sent in word that they would like very much to meet Corinne and explain to her about the incident. To her great surprise, the five men turned out to be a producer, a director, a cameraman, a casting director, and a banker who was financing a film for the other four. They had just come from seeing the film tests of eight actresses. Each of the tests had been disappointing. The girls had not shown enough fire. Then along came Corinne, blazing mad. No wonder they had exclaimed, "That is the girl we want!" Corinne signed with them and went at once to Italy to make her first film. RKO was the first American film company to show interest in Miss Calvet. Then a talent scout from Paramount spotted her. He asked her to come into the Paris offices where she was given a long questionnaire to fill out. Corinne felt insulted at what she thought were extremely personal things they asked, and she gave some rather unexpected answers. "What do you think I am?" she wondered. "Just an extra?" Corinne was in the South of France doing a Technicolor picture when she was told that Paramount had sent a man from New York to Paris to see her. This was different! Corinne took the first train back to Paris. The only accommodation she could get on such short notice was in a chair car. When (JaMA tip*** ( I0U» iT)V .T. M.I V. U. S Pat Booklet MARVEL CO. 908 East St. New Haven, Conn. Safahj <&)M UCLY FAT: This Pleasant Simple Way Unobese Plan will help you to take off pounds of excess weight without harmful drugs, laxatives, starvation or exercise. Unobese Plan acts two ways : ( 1 ) helps appease your hunger, curbs your appetite for rich, fat-producing foods; (2) provides important vitamins and minerals to help maintain your energy while reducing. C.O.D. Send No Money. LIMITED OFFER 125 for only NEW! NEW! $3.00 UNOBESE Obtainable only at UNIVERSAL MEDICAL CO. 1400 S. Pulaski • Chicago 23, III. • Dept. SU-8 69