Screenland (Nov 1949-Oct 1950)

One of the most surprising twosomes in recent years was Hedy Lamarr and Franchot Tone. They dined together at Giro's and didn't mind photographers. What Hollywood Itself Is Talking About! Continued from page 21 Gene Autry celebrated his birthday by playing to capacity crowds in Madison Square Garden. His rodeo was the most successful so far and Mrs. A. broke her rule about traveling with Gene this time on account of it w-as her famous husband's natal day. * * * When TJ-I's neucest heartthrob, blueeyed, black-haired Tony Curtis, was still an eager-beaver movie fan back in Neiv York he used to hang around watching 'em make movies. One of the movies was "Naked City" and the prop man on the picture, Danny Fish, used to shoo Tony away when he got too close. Now Danny Fish is taking care of Tony Curtis' props in U-l's picture, "Sierra." As though getting up at the crack of dawn for locations on the same picture, "Sierra," wasn't enough, Audie Murphy and his petite bride, Wanda Hendrix, cracked the pre-dawn hours, pursuing bear and deer around Cedar Mountain, Utah. These two kids were trying hard to save their marriage but it didn't work, even though they'd promised there'd be no breakup until after "Sierra" had been released. * * When Barbara Lawrence's mother got married again, the young actress moved into the family home in Bel Air. She'd done the re-decorating of her bedroom by long-distance phone from New York, the phone bill being the biggest item of the job. Barbara had herself a time in New York and one of her dates was Murray Hamilton, who replaced David Wayne in the cast of "Mister Roberts." Back in Hollywood, David Wayne replaced Mr. Hamilton in the date department with Barbara. * * * It could only happen in Hollywood. Ava Gardner .spent hours daily fitting the 1800 costumes for "Carriage Entrance." The costumes were voluminous and voluptuous. When Ava left RKO after the wardrobe tests she was garbed in pedal pushers and a beatup old shirt — which isn't news. But ichat made the costuiiie startling was that Ava was barefoot! And uait till you get a load of Bob Mitchum in real, old-fashioned long sideburns which he raised for this picture. Mitch and Ava should make a very sizzling screen combo, no? Betsy Drake's reward for being a good gal and passing all her driving lessons and tests is a good one — a beautiful new Cadillac convertible. And, what's more, Betsy bought it herself. * * * The song Humphrey Bogart sings in "Chain Lightning" is "Bless 'Em All" — quite different from the one he sang in that nightclub fracas in New York. Bogey's fans shore came to the fore for him in that hassle — but, confidentially, we hear he caught you-know-what from the little woman. * * * Dan Dailey, all smiles and happy over the reconciliation with his Liz, phoned his business manager from Durango, Colorado— where he was working in "Ticket To Tomahawk" — to start looking for a house to buy. His main concern uas that the house have three bedrooms, for the family, and six stalls, for the horses. Up to now, Dan and Liz have boarded their horses at a riding stable. We understand if you look real fast you'll see both Liz and Dan III in a crowd scene in this picture, "Ticket To Tomahauk." * * * 20th Century-Fox is going all out to develop new femme talent. Here's a rundown of the new gals you'll see featured with movietown's top glamour boys — Helen Westcott with Gregory Peck in "The Gun Fighter;" Cecile Aubry with Ty Power in "The Black Rose;" Debra Paget with Jim Stewart in "Broken Arrow;" Colleen Townsend with Dan Dailey in "Ticket To Tomahawk;" and lastly, Joyce McKenzie, who worked in five pictures in the first five weeks of her brand-new contract. You'll see her in "12 O'Clock High," "Oh, Doctor," "Ticket To Tomahawk," "Whirlpool," and "Front And Center." If that isn't unique enough we'll tell you how she was discovered, which will be. Unique, that is. Joyce was a model who studied the drama at Pasadena Playhouse. But she wasn't discovered working at either of these two jobs. She was cashiering in the box-office of a Pasadena theatre where 20th sneaked a preview one night. 20th also sneaked the theatre's pretty cashier away from them pronto and put her to work fast. Remind us to check in about a year to see how these five gals are faring. ^lonth or so before Jane Powell and Geary Steffen were married, Jane's father gifted her with a hope chest with a history. It's solid rosewood, belonged to her great grandmother, and came around the Horn — in a boat — 84 years ago to Portland. Oregon. Jane's awful proud of the heirloom, the first piece of furniture she acquired for her new home. * * * Warner.s' grim story of a women's prison, called "Caged." has plenty of interesting, colorful characters in it to counteract the sordid atmosphere. Three actresses. Alice White, Gertrude Michael, and Gertrude Astor used to be .stars. Then there's Gertrude Hoffman, in her 70's, and a famous actress in her day. We also have the 6' 2" Hope Emerson, who is the sadistic prison matron. Hope ?(as nearly in tears when her part called for her to give Eleanor Parker a brutal kicking around and, folloicing that, cut all her hair off. Eleanor plays a gal who was framed into prison, has a baby while site's {yi there. She didn't announce until after the picture finished that she's really expecting a baby herself. * -s 4f Before starting the picture, "A Life Of Her Own," Lana Turner really had one of the same. The new house she and Bob Topping bought was up to there in carpenters, painters, and plumbers and Missy T. was on hand to supervise the work. By the time she'd finished with that she was more than ready to get back to the MGM lot and start emoting on the screen. ■S -r^ When young Pamela Powell visited her mom and pop, June Allyson and Dick Powell, on the set of their picture, "The Reformer And The Redhead." she paid them not one bit of mind. Pam, who's nearly 18 months old now, was fascinated by the four lions which perform in the picture and had no time for anything or anybody else. * * * Shelley Winters got over her attack of virus and ulcers just in time to get into "A Place In The Sun" icith Montgomery Clift and Elizabeth Taylor. This is a remake of Dreiser's "An American Tragedy." Paramount decided to change the title because it sounded too grim or something. It's gonna be interesting to 51