A Whale Of A Tale—Dennis Hopper & Joanne Woodward

What’s ahead? Are Joanne and Dennis peering into their futures? Could be. With a possible Academy Award coming up for her “Three Faces of Eve” and stardom won after his portrayal of Napoleon in “The Story of Mankind,” Joanne Woodward and Dennis Hopper have a right to look eagerly for what’s to come. Actually, though, it’s no crystal ball they’re inspecting but the inside of an undersea diving bell. Old (but not romantic) pals, they parlayed a day off from work into a great time fish-watching at Marineland-of-the-Pacific near Palos Verdes. It was a draw as to who was the most interested—the sea life or the movie stars. Porpoises, pelicans, penguins—they were all a big treat for Dennis, “who grew up in a Kansas wheat field,” and for Georgia-bred Joanne who’d never met denizens of the deep before. “Have a good time?” asked Dennis after they’d seen the sights. “Blub, blub!” answered Joanne over a non-fish snack.

“I’ll take three pounds of that one,” teased Joanne to a horrified Dennis as they watched a school of rare fish go by.

“You focus it this way . . .” explained Joanne, then skipped to the railing to make like a ship’s figurehead. Right, Dennis’ snapshot.

“How can I ever eat you-know-what-again?” Joanne sighed at day’s end. So they settled for cones, looking over Marineland’s gift counter.

“Do seals bite?” asked Joanne. “Dunno,” was Dennis’ honest reply. But Sy the seal just sniffed a bit, forgave their not bringing fish.

 

It is a quote. PHOTOPLAY MAGAZINE FEBRUARY 1958