That’s Hollywood For You

I was in a huddle with Sandra Dee just before she appeared on Steve Allen’s TV program to accept her Photoplay Gold Medal Award. Suddenly, Sandra got up from her chair backstage and said, “Excuse me. I have to walk around. I’m nervous.” “Why?” I asked. “You’re used to appearing before people.” “Yes,” Sandra gasped. looking to associate director Nick Vanoff for support, “but I never got a medal before.” . . .

Debbie Reynolds. wearing a beautiful dress and a radiant smile, looked great as she came on stage to get her “most popular actress of the year” award. Wasn’t this Debbie’s first TV appearance since way back when she was on Eddie’s show? … The youngest award winner, David Ladd. 12, was the only performer who didn’t read the cue cards. Explained David. “It’s easier for me to remember than read.” . . .

Edd Byrnes, the hipster parking-lot attendant from “77 Sunset Strip.” just gaped at David Ladd—who sat still just long enough to eat up an entire weekly allowance of 70¢ on candy, Cokes and cookies. . . . Dave Nelson, who was kept away by a sponsor conflict. picked up his award on his own “Ozzie and Harriet” Show. . . . After the program, there was a cocktail party for the winners, their friends, relatives, agents, Steve Allen and his gang. . . .

For many, it was the first look at Debbie since. . . . Who said: “I accept the theory Rick Nelson was written by Elvis Presley.” (Well. the speaker wasn’t Rick! ) “Eddie Fisher believes he’s Frank Sinatra,” Mort Sahl said, “but doesn’t he know that first he must be Peter Lawford? That there’s no short cut to greatness.” . . . Mike Curtiz told me that it takes a genius to recognize a genius—and that’s why there are so many in Hollywood. . . . I hear that Arlene Dahl rinses her hair in champagne. . . .

I wonder if Louis Prima and Keely Smith sing to each other at home. . . . Although Robert Mitchum acts as if he’s falling asleep, I understand he sometimes sleeps with his eyes open. . . . Starlet Googie Schwab told me: “Intuition is the private property of females. It tells girls they’re right when they’re wrong.” . . . Rossano Brazzi said that no woman can resist him if he sets out to charm her. Well, could you? . . . I often wonder if Grace Kelly secretly wishes she were a movie queen again instead of a princess. . . .

Go buy Mike Nichols’ and Elaine May’s Improvisations on an LP record, and if you don’t laugh the joke’s on me. . . . Barbara Nichols (no relation) recently asked me, “Why are all jockeys so small? Don’t they think a regular size man can ride a horse?” Well, have you got an answer? . . . I like Tony Quinn’s line in “Black Orchid”: “If someone shouts at me. I shout back. It saves getting heartburn.” . . . And That’s Hollywood for You.

 

It is a quote. PHOTOPLAY MAGAZINE MAY 1959