That’s Hollywood For You

“SUMMERTIME” is the clincher that the Hepburn is Katie. Some people required proof . . . Katie is my oddson favorite to win the Oscar. In the actor division, as this typewriter copy is transformed into type, the leading candidate is Jimmy Cagney . . . It looks like such a great year for the acting veterans that I heard a group of new faces at Schwab’s say: “We’re a collection of young has-beens.” . . . Margaret O’Brien fits the list as veteran and newcomer. I cased Miss O’Brien on the set of “Glory.” Margaret is 18 and cheesecake . . . Wonder what Rock Hudson and Tab Hunter really think of George Axelrod’s play, “Will Success Spoil Rock Hunter?” . . . The answer given in the play is: “Why shouldn’t it? Success spoils everyone.” . . . I don’t agree. I’ll take the stand to testify that it has made a better person out of Marlon Brando. However, wise Jimmy Stewart uttered these words in a booth at Chasen’s: “There are two times you can depend on an actress to be nice. The first. six months when she signs a new contract and the last six months of that contract.”

I really dig Mamie Van Doren because she’s a friendly chick who always demonstrates her affection when she meets you . . . Alan Ladd, who’s also a producer, described his first story conference: “It’s a place where everybody gets a chance to speak, says nothing while nobody listens, and then everybody disagrees.”

For me, Jennifer Jones has class with a capital K, as Ethel Merman used to sing it. Have you met Miss Jones lately? She is one of the screen’s most underrated actresses, and this goes even if you were praising her . . . I give you my word there are moments when Rita Moreno just lets herself go and relaxes . . . The world’s most expensive canned goods are manufactured in Hollywood I think June Allyson was smart to play the villainess in “The Shrike.” A meal composed wholly of milk chocolates can make you feel nauseous . . . I’m rooting for Lanza to sing through in a good movie . . . My friend and character, Mike Curtiz, talking to a new actor, said: “William Holden looks like you, only a little more so.”

Ava Gardner come home, please. I want to bump into you in person—at any of your favorite haunts, say Fairchild’s . . . Terry Moore has a knack of having publicity just happen for her even while she’s looking for it . . . Coming out of Grauman’s Chinese Theatre, a stranger approached Charlton Heston and said: “Mr. Brown, I believe.” Heston looked at the man and replied: “If you believe that, you’ll believe anything.”

I’d like to see Judy (Garland) and Mickey (Rooney), two of the greatest hunks of talent ever seen on celluloid, get together for a movie or a TV spectacular . . . Wonder how Gene Kelly really feels about wife Betsy Blair’s sudden success in “Marty”? . . . Somehow I get the impression Dan Dailey isn’t genuinely happy, even when he’s smiling. But Dan will get a role someday that will show everyone how great he really is! . . . I understand that Jimmy Dean is a difficult fellow to understand, which probably accounts for why we get along so well. It’s hard for Jimmy to trust a person, and easy for a person to rub him the wrong way . . . A rabid fan grabbed Edmond Purdom as he was leaving a party and said: “Sir, I hope you don’t object to my telling you how much I enjoyed your performance the other night.” Purdom beamed and said to the fan: “Sir, you misunderstand me entirely. I am a glutton for praise.” And that’s Hollywood for you.

—BY SIDNEY SKOLSKY

 

It is a quote. PHOTOPLAY MAGAZINE NOVEMBER 1955