Silver Screen (May-Oct 1939)

Ida Lupino tells me of this experience, which I class as a "believe-it-or-not," but which has given her the reputation, among her friends who know about it, of being "psychic." When she was sixteen pears old, and signed a contract with Paramount, she had to leave England ind a young man, "Johnny." with whom she was in love. She promised him that ;he would return and that they would narry in five years. Their cables and letters formed an endess chain to and from London, until inally Ida cabled Johnny that she was •eturning to England for a Christmas vacation. His pet name for her was 'Loops," and he cabled her, in response, Loops, will meet you at the boat. So lappy you're coming. Love, Johnny." About a week before Ida sailed for England, she came home from the studio, earful about something, she couldn't ex>lain what. So strong were her feelings hat she insisted upon her mother's telephoning to her father in England to see If he was all right. Relieved at the report hat he was fine, and anxiously awaiting |ier arrival, Ida went to sleep. Several Lours later, her mother heard her walking around the living-room, and went ilown to see what was wrong. Ida, seemng to be half awake and half asleep, vas saying, "Come in, Johnny. I know, know, and I'm sorry, but come in." ler mother put her back to bed, but, [iter was awakened, when Ida cried out, Tell Loops to carry on, and good-bye." Both were strangely troubled by the ncident, but Ida carried on with her ilan to sail. When she reached Southmpton, there was no Johnny to greet :er, but a mutual friend was there. He ad a cable to show her, which he had feceived from a boy who had been cycling '/ith Johnny in Vienna on the eve of a potor accident which had resulted in ohnny's death. "When Ida reaches Engind," Johnny's friend had cabled, "tell er Johnny's last words were for her — ell Loops to carry on, and good-bye.' " — tie very words Ida had called out in her ream — believe it or not! Strange, how Fate has picked its favores from the crowd by the merest incient, and sent them along the road to irfie. Hollywood history is full of these believe-it-or-nots." ' Gary Cooper won his big chance just on ; smile — and, in the first camera-less breen test on record. After playing bits and Apparently getting nowhere, he was sumHoned one day to the Paramount studios. ' he office into which he walked was filled .ith producers, executives and directors. ;inding himself, without warning, in this position, Gary flashed an embarrassed, bt engaging smile about the room — that | in that has become so famous — and, ;ithout uttering a word, was dismissed, titer he left, the committee cast every Pte in favor of him for an important i art in a current picture, and his forIme was made. I Margaret Lindsay practiced what she [ills "The Great Deception" to get her ; nance for a future. The picture, "Cavalade," was going into production, and she |id set her heart on one of the major >les. But the rule of eligibility for a hie was that every player should be Inglish, in this drama of English life and history. Margaret Lindsay was just a young girl from Iowa. But, armed with a year of stage experience in London, an accent, and complete self-confidence, she decided to fool the Powers That Be. And, she did. She took the test, got the job, scored a big hit. She was hailed as a British actress, born and bred, and it was not until long after the release of "Cavalcade," in which she appeared as the girl on the Titanic, that the Great Deception was disclosed — believe it or not ! A chance guest at a tea, and a jest taken seriously there, put Claudette Colbert on the stage at a time when her ambition was to be either a designer of clothes or an artist. The jest was made by Claudette who made the wager, laughingly, that she could get a stage part without any previous experience. The chance guest was a friend of a friend of Anne Morrison, playwright, and, in order to save Claudette's face, arranged for her to have an introduction to Miss Shirley Temple presenting Ripley with her "police" badge. Morrison. This resulted in a three-line part for Claudette, as a maid, in "The Wild Westcotts." After that, luck played along with Claudette, but she spurred it on with a "white lie." such as the one that opened the portals for Margaret Lindsay. She realized that she really wanted a stage career, and that, to be successful, she must have a manager. She succeeded in getting into the office of Al Woods in New York one day. She "broad-ayed" him like a born Englishwoman, and. upon being asked where she was born, said "Isle of Jersey." Mr. Woods was overjoyed. He came from there himself (a fact that Claudette had conveniently learned), and their friendship, based on that fib, proved to be long and beneficial. Miss Colbert says that she does not think Mr. Woods ever resented her white lie — as it was the means of starting her to fame! Luise Rainer, at sixteen years of age, stepped on the bare stage of a Viennese theatre for an audition. She had had no previous theatrical experience — her family had had none. Luise spoke lines she had learned in half an hour. One day later, she was the leading lady of the company's most important play of the season, entering upon a career which made her first a Max Reinhardt star, then a motion picture star in the first picture in which she ever appeared, "Escapade," made in this country, with William Powell. And, speaking of William Powell, I like this "believe-it-or-not" about him. He is the only person on record who ever caught a bat on a fishing-line ! While he was on location for a picture on the Stanislaus River in the High Sierras, Powell, a great lover of the sport, went trout fishing, using a Parmancheenee Belle fly. As he was casting, in the dusk, a bat swooped out of a tree and nabbed the . trout bait in mid-air! I think you will enjoy this one about your favorite "frozen-faced" comedian. Seems he has a sentimental side, after all. Ned Sparks' dog, Betsy Ann, a Boston bull terrier, sleeps in a bed which is an exact replica of her master's, and which stands alongside his own. Betsy Ann's bed has inner spring mattresses, linen sheets, and a damask bed-spread! Maybe you don't know, too, that — George Brent can't go back to his native Ireland because he was a dispatch rider for Michael Collins during the revolution of 1924, and he would be put under arrest, if he set foot there. Clark Gable saves thousands of dollars every year turning down oil promotion schemes, because of his knowledge of the oil industry. He once worked with his father in the oil fields at Bigheart, Okla., for $12 a day, and could, if necessary, perform every important job in an oil field, from drilling to capping, and extinguishing fires. But, he hopes he will never have to do that again! Thirteen is Lily Pons' lucky number. She was born on April 13; her automobile license plate is numbered "LP13;" and her favorite keepsake is a gold locket engraved with that number. Spencer Tracy enlisted in the U. S. Navy as soon as the United States entered the war in 1917. Yet, from then until the time of his discharge, the only boat he ever boarded was a whaleboat which he helped row on the bay at Norfolk, Va. No wonder he looked forward to his recent trip on a boat crossing the Atlantic ! Bob Burns won the gold medal in rifle competition in the A. E. F. at a tournament following the Armistice. Gen. Pershing pinned the medal on him. And. Florence Rice, daughter of Grantland Rice, was awarded a U. S. Marine Corps sharpshooter medal for accuracy with an army rifle. Lew Ayres has a letter from Professor Einstein, complimenting him on his studies and observations in the field of astronomy — his hobby. Olivia de Havilland is really Olivia's name. But, some of the Hollywood stars hate to own up to their full names. Brian Aherne is Brian DeLacey Aherne. Wayne Morris is Bertram DeWayne Morris, and the "H." in William H. Powell, stands for Horatio — can you believe it! Then, there's Harry Lillis Crosby — no wonder he'd rather be called Bing! My middle name — well, uh, since you ask — only, don't hold it against me — it's LeRoy — believe it or not! or July 1939 59