Under Hedda’s Hat

Susan Kohner hadn’t yet set the wedding day with George Hamilton last time we talked. He tells her he may have to go to Europe for M-G-M in June or July. After Susan started shooting “Wounds of Hunger” in Mexico, the producers ran out of money and she flew home. Sal Mineo’s trying to buy the script so he can produce it, and Susan would still like to star in it.

I almost fell over when I heard that that perennial bachelor Rod Taylor had popped the question to Anita Ekberg. She said yes—of course!—and they’ll wed soon. Does anyone besides me think Rod looks like Anita’s first husband, Britisher Tony Steele? Or am I going blind?

When a favorite customer comes into his restaurant, Jerry Lewis (above) isn’t a bit shy about showing his welcome. That’s Jimmy Durante he’s bussing—on the schnozz, of course.

Elizabeth Taylor, three and a half years ago, gave me an interview that would win an award for candor. When the famous quotes: “Mike’s dead and I’m alive . . . Eddie is not in love with Debbie and never has been . . .” hit the front pages, I was accused of being largely responsible for the scandal which followed, because I had dared quote her. I would like to go on record that I have not spoken with Elizabeth Taylor since she has been in Rome. This time she’s done it all on her own.

Out-of-work Eddie Fisher gave me the laugh of the day. After being convinced that the marriage was kaput, he suddenly remembered his children by Debbie Reynolds and said, “I gotta see my kids; they gotta see me.” The appearance of their “father” may come as a shock. I do hope they’ll recognize him.

Reaction to the behavior of Liz has again convinced her public that her beauty masks a willful, ruthless nature. At stake is one of our biggest studios, 20th Century-Fox, and its employees. The picture better be good!

Bob Hope, discussing runaway production, said: “There’s the financial gain and there are other advantages. Burton explained the whole thing to me the other day.” The censors didn’t think much of his joke about General Motors stock going down twenty points when Liz turned down a Fisher body.

I remember the time the Burtons first came to my house to a party. He got tight; his wife left twice and came back. Following day my houseboy reported my gold cigarette case was missing. Next afternoon the bell rang and there stood Burton with my cigarette case. He said sheepishly: “I was a little high last night and took this by mistake.” And with a grin he bowed himself out.

I’m fed to the teeth with Liz, Burton and Eddie. I want to frow up. They all got what they wanted—headlines. The only thing I heard during the whole mess in defense of Liz was: “Anybody who could do that to Eddie Fisher can’t be all bad!”

Romance came high for actor Brad Dillman when he fell in love with Suzy Parker. His wife divorced him and got $1,000 monthly alimony. Wonder if he and Suzy will be marrying?

In case you don’t know who the clown and the cowboy are (above), that’s Debbie Reynolds and Sammy Davis, Jr. at the circus. The occasion: another benefit for Debbie’s pet Thalians.

Although Sophia Loren (above) was terribly disappointed that she couldn’t be in Santa Monica for the Academy Awards, it didn’t dim her great joy when she heard she’d won an Oscar for her performance in that terrific “Two Women.”

Can you imagine Bing Crosby fishing in Mexico while his wife and kid were on TV selling tooth paste before the kid has teeth! The Crosby clan were aghast that Kathy would expose one of Bing’s kids. They’ve always been afraid to tempt would-be kidnappers and feel putting a small child on TV is sort of an invitation. Kathy sure doesn’t need the money. How Bing felt about it nobody knows, but everything she does seems to be okay with him.

Cheryl Crane can’t win. The day she flew home from the Institute of Living in Hartford, Connecticut, her father, Steve Crane, was being divorced from Helen DeMaree.

Cheryl, who’ll be nineteen in July, is no longer a ward of the court. When asked if she would get an apartment of her own, Lana Turner said, “There’s no talk about that now.” But Cheryl said, “It hasn’t been decided.”

Why’s Glenn Ford (above) looking so happy in Europe with Hope Lange? Oh well, Connie Stevens isn’t too lonely here—not with Earl Holliman and Gary Clarke around—and they’re her age.

Dick Chamberlain lost his steady girl friend Clara Ray, who went off on a singing tour. They met in a singing class and have been dating for the past three months. Dick told me his knees turned to jello when Joan Crawford kissed him when they were introduced. He was so flabbergasted all he could mumble was, “We would like to have you do a Kildare.” “Just ask me,” said Joan. I’d like to see that.

Debbie Reynolds proved to be a champ in all the Eddie-LizBurton fiasco. She kept on making pictures, working for the Thalians, and keeping Harry Karl happy. But every time she said, “No comment,” she sure had a big smile on her face.

Janet Leigh is taking her separation from Tony Curtis in stride. Outside of that accident in a New York hotel which landed her in the hospital, she seems happy as a lark. If she’s miserable she’s doing a mighty good job of covering up. Incidentally, there’s no romance between Janet and wealthy South American Jorge Guinle. He beaus all the glamour girls but remains a bachelor. His father, who controls the Guinle millions, insists it be that way.

Sammy Davis, Jr. was forthright when I told him I’d heard a hot rumor that he and May Britt were calling it a day. “Not true,” he said. “These stories start because I’m on the road so much. I’d like to sit home with my family and wait for picture jobs to come along. But I can’t afford it. When we married I told May she was in for a tough two years. I was hundreds of thousands of dollars in debt . . . ” “How did you manage that?” I asked. “Being an idiot,” he replied, “but I’m working myself out of it.” Good for Sammy.

Marlon Brando, Bobby Darin, George Chakiris, Frank Sinatra, Hank Fonda and Milton Berle all have the same barber—Jay Sebring. They pay $15.00 every time Jay cuts their hair. He doesn’t chop, he shapes the fellows’ hair. For years men criticized girls for spending so much time and money in beauty parlors; now they’re discovering it pays. Uncle Milty looks so young I accused him of having a face lift. He says it was just a haircut.

The girl who made the most of the Oscar show was Ann-Margret. When she finished singing “Bachelor In Paradise” in that clinging dress, everybody in town was trying to sign her for a movie or TV show. If she plays her cards right she can be the biggest star in town. She’s sure got the talent for it. And her boss Peter Levathes calls her “the most brilliant star we’ve got.”

Steve Boyd and Dolores Hart ran into each other in—of all places—my office. It was a very affectionate greeting they gave each other. When Steve learned Dolores was going to be in London making a picture the same time he was doing one in Rome, he made her promise to call him and let him know where she was staying. So you can look for some news from this source, although Dolores had just finished telling me that she doesn’t date actors: “They don’t like me.”

That’s all the news for now. I’ll write more next month.

 

It is a quote. PHOTOPLAY MAGAZINE JULY 1962