Silver Screen (Feb-Oct 1935)

Irs Not All Hokum Hollywood Has A Kind And Loving Heart — Mary Blackford Knows. By Henry Willson mi ELLO . . let me speak to Miss Crawford . . . William Janney callng . . . tell her it's important . . . !" ... Patricia Ellis calling . . . speak to Mr. Gable . . . very "Hello I'd like to urgent . . . !" "Hello . . . Will Rogers? Hyah, Will! . . . this is Tom Brown. Listen . . . you remember Mary Blackford? . . . played with you in "Ah, Wilderness"? . . . Well, Mary's having a bad time of it since that auto? mobile accident . . . the doctors think the nerves in her neck are completely severed . . . anyhow, the poor kid's paralyzed. Our crowd is promoting a Benefit at the Cocoanut Grove and we wondered if you . . When the Junior Hollywoodians go to bat for some worthy cause, it's with a heart-warming vengeance, and no foolin'! After the tragic accident that left one of their most promising members completely paralyzed, the Juniors decided to do something about it, and r-rr-right now! Nothing but a long series of special treatments promised any hope that their comrade would ever again rise from her hospital cot to dance, swim and play tennis with them. And it hit the kids pretty hard. Dropping everything, they organized a Ways and Means Committee for the purpose of raising enough money to tide Mary's family over the long, bleak period that the girl must be away from them; and, with enough left over to see to it that Mary had every possible comfort during the long months of her painful confinement. The Committee comprised Anne Shirley, Anita Louise, Grace Durkin, Patricia Ellis, Sue Carol, Dorothy Davis, Tom Brown, William Janney, Howard Wilson, Eddie Rubin, Henry Willson, Pate Lucey, Stanley Davis, Gertrude and Trent (Junior) Durkin, and Helen Mack. Blocking off the movie territory, the kids set out to "get their men" (and women) for as many Benefit tickets as the satellites could take without yelling: "Uncle!" And the wholesale response was more than satisfactory. Tn the first place, they negotiated for the use of the Grove, and got it at such a reasonable price that the gang joined hands and did a May-Pole dance for joy. Then, Scene from "Lovetime," in which Mary worked with Pat Paterson. When someone is in need, then Jimmie Durante comes to the rescue. Leo Carrillo, who helped to make Mary's benefit a suc with the foundation laid, they scattered in all directions, cornering helpless stars, directors, executives and "just plain people" —the like of whom Lincoln said "God must love, because there are so many of 'em!" Because Will Rogers had generously been taking care of all hospital, nurse and doctor bills, the youngsters promised that if he would just attend the Benefit, they wouldn't ask him to do a thing. ~ "Just be there," they "Huh," Will chuckled. "You don't think I'm goin' to come and keep quiet, do ya? ... I gotta speak a piece, or somethin', can't I?" So Will spoke his "piece" . . . and more! The kids had kept the whole thing a deep secret from Mary, only telling her to be sure to listen in on that particular night, as there was a swell program being broadcast from the Grove. Imagine the sick girl's delight when, before the entertainment, Will's voice issued from her loud speaker, tuned very low so as not to disturb the other patients. "Hello, Mary . . ." Will said, "it's 'way past my bed time, but the boys and girls have fixed it for me to tell you that this is your party. I guess everybody in town is here tonight, eatin' and laughin' and wishin' for your very best health. Y'know . . . gosh, this is the first time I ever been to this high-toned joint. And . . . the next time I come, I'm gonna bring you with me!" Many times Will has visited Mary at the hospital. And, because of the peculiar harness around her injured neck, he calls her the "girl on the flying trapeze." For an hour, he sits and tells funny stories in his own inimitable manner, in the hope of cheering the patient invalid. Not that Mary particularly needs cheering. For, in spite of the black outlook, she never for a minute entertains the thought that the treatments will fail to bring about her complete recovery. Her friends keep coming daily . . . her nurses read to her . . . and the Fox Studio sent up a motion picture machine to her hospital room one [Continued on page 50] 24 Silver Screen