You Read It First In Vintage Paparazzi
Honeymoon Report: Cal has a hunch that Cary Grant won’t be making a picture (even though he has studio commitments galore) for a loooong time! When Barbara Hutton put out that terrible torch he was totin’ by reconciling with him, they went to San Francisco and hid away from—everybody. No parties, night spots or friends did they see. That’s the way they’re happy—really the only way they’re happy—just being together. All who know Cary well know that nothing is so important to him as his marriage—and heaven knows he has enough charm to talk any producer into giving him time off to make his second honeymoon last as long as possible. We wouldn’t be surprised if he stayed off the screen for several months.
Catching up with Hutton: As you read this Betty Hutton, who finally got her wish to go overseas and entertain (and how!) the boys, will be just about returning from her jaunt—and Hollywood expects a lot of new slants and maybe a few laughs from the blonde bombshell. Naturally, we can’t tell you where she went—but we do know she took along a lot of very light-weight clothes. Betty is a changed gal since that terrifically successful personal-appearance tour she made early in the summer and during which she broke even Frankie Sinatra’s box-office record in a Boston theater. A lot of her “inferiority complex” has disappeared; she seems more confident—and more reposed. It hasn’t given her a swelled head or anything’ like that—but until that trip nobody could convince Betty that she was a success at all—no foolin’!
Turner topic: A lot of tongue-waggers around Hollywood thought that af ter that party (the one that featured the fisticuffs between Steve Crane and Turhan Bey), Lana Turner might be finding a new boy friend. Because between you and Cal, the reason that Lana was making such a big fuss over Steve that evening is that Turhan was making a big fuss over someone who was not Lana! There have been so many versions of what started the fight and who won it there’s no need to go all over that again. But one thing is certain—Lana and Turhan aren’t kidding about who made up after it! You can catch them driving up Wilshire Boulevard, snuggled together in the front seat; visiting each other at their studios; dancing at Mocambo— going to parties—but always together. And now it’s Turhan who is blatantly jealous of anyone who even asks Lana for a dance!
News Nate: Capt. Dan Topping phoned Sonja from Honolulu and asked her to cancel her skating tour and come on over to Hawaii and do some personals there instead. But she decided to stay in the U. S. A., which makes Cal sure that she’s come to another important decision as well.
Fashions Plus: Lana Turner’s been looking stunning lately. A definite eyeopener was the oh-so-low-necked dress that she wore to one of Elsa Maxwell’s sensational parties. It was black and heavily beaded—and slinky and decollete to boot. . . .
Sonja Henie is going in heavily for dresses that are beaded or heavily trimmed in sequins or embroidery. Most of them would look better if she didn’t wear so much jewelry with them. Cal saw her one night in a stunning long white dinner dress with long sleeves. It was high at the neck but across the shoulder line and down across the left side were brilliantly colored sequin flowers, striking on the plain white background, even to this male eye. Sonja is one of the few gals in Hollywood who’s still wearing her hair piled high up on her head and completely off her ears. . . .
Claudette Colbert went for an Adrian gown that set her back a pretty penny. She admits she had no business being that extravagant but she couldn’t resist it. It was a two-piece dinner dress of heavy white crepe with enormous shoulders and a plunged neckline. The top, which was an over-blouse, had a flared peplum, the skirt underneath was almost tight—right down to the ground and slit in front to the knee! It was splashed all over with black sequin discs about the size of a quarter, put on by hand, of course. And what makes this dress such an extravagance is that it’s the type one “can’t get away with” season after season—it’s that striking. . . .
No doubt about it, the short evening dress has just about disappeared from the Hollywood scene, we’re happy to report. The gals look so much lovelier and more glamorous in the long skirts. Really formal dresses are appearing more and more—along with black-tie parties. At a recent party Judy Garland wore a white draped gown trimmed sparsely with gold embroidery. Judy is perking up and looking lots healthier and happier.
Coupling Up: Eddie Ryan, who is doing very well for himself over at Fox ever since he made such a hit as the youngest brother in “The Sullivans,” and Virginia Weidler, really in the glamour-girl class now, are the warmest in the young-love department. They make a cute couple—and might even make it permanent. . . .
Esther Williams was spotted out stepping with Lieut. Frank Cookson, but she was in a big hurry to explain that he’s a school-chum from her childhood days, who’s visiting in Hollywood. Reason for Esther’s explaining? Well, her real feller is Sgt. Ben Gage—as we told you last month. This is a really steady combination. He even went way up to northern California to visit Esther when she was there on location—and when a guy only has a few days leave from his Army post—well—it must be love!
Smoking Corner: Imagine this! Even though Nelson Eddy has smoked for years, he never “tasted” a cigarette until the other day! It happened at a radio rehearsal, when Nelson, fresh out of smokes (as who isn’t these days?), asked a pal standing near by to give him one. When Nelson took that first puff, the expression on his face was really something! Then he exclaimed (and explained), “Well! Can you beat this? I’ve had sinus trouble for several years and my treatments have just about cured me. I swear to you, this is the first time I’ve ever tasted a cigarette—gee—they taste funny!”
Double Daters: Judy Garland and Deanna Durbin “double-dating” at that party of Alan Ladd’s certainly spiked the old rumor that these two barely nod when they speak. And here’s a funny coincidence: Deanna is head over heels madly in love with Bob Landry, the famous Life magazine photographer who has been overseas for months. And though few people even suspected it, this romance has been in force for months and months.
They exchanged letters and cables the whole time Landry was away. And the first thing he did when he landed on U. S. soil was to phone Deanna from New York to tell her he was coming to Hollywood to see her. You should see the beam on her face these days! Looks to Cal as if Felix Jackson might be fading from the scene and that Bob will get la Durbin for his bride before the year is out. But to get back to the coincidence—just about the time that Deanna’s romance with Landry came to light, Judy Garland started going with Dwight Whitney of Time magazine—they’re around so much together. And now the two little singers are referred to by Hollywood wags as “The Time and Life Gals”. . . .
Sartorial Stuff: Eyebrows went up to there when John Payne, just discharged from the Army, showed up late at a huge and very dressy party in an outfit that was just one grade above a set of dungarees! A heavy flannel checked shirt—no tie—rumpled trousers, etc. And everyone else done up to the teeth! Bruce Cabot remarked, “Who does he think he is—coming to a party dressed like that?” But it developed later that Payne had gone to the storage-house where his entire wardrobe was left when he went into the Army, the day before—only to find that his trunks were missing—stolen—anyway, gone! What he wore to the party were the only clothes he had to his name until his tailor (or even a shop) could furnish him with some tidy togs. P.S.His wardrobe was covered with a nice insurance check.
Carol-singing Sextette: Judy Garland, Ginny Simms, Dinah Shore, Virginia O’Brien, Frances Langford and Dotty Lamour have recorded disc after disc of Christmas carols which are to be sent to the lads overseas—and to a parts of the world. What a sextette. The gals recorded some of them in harmony—and others as solos—but either way, you know that they will sound like angel voices to our boys the fighting fronts.
Danny’s Double Trouble: Someone was kidding Danny Kaye about playing twins in his new picture, “The Wonder Man.” “What do I care?” said Danny “The worst that can happen to me to be haunted by the fear that I’m steal scenes from myself!”
Divorce Data: John Wayne has just sent another offer to Mrs. Wayne through his lawyers. It’s just about the biggest property settlement on the Hollywood records—but at this writing she still has no intention of granting John a divorce. John, the tall, dark handsome and silent—is another who consoling himself by going fishing!
And by the Way: Jennifer Holt and Rod Cameron—both in the throes getting their marital freedom—act as they’re going to take the leap again together . . . Susan Hayward, back with Jess Barker, will make just one movie before she becomes a Mama . . . The Keenan Wynns expect their new baby to be a Christmas package . . . Charlie Chaplin Jr. hitch-hikes weekend from Camp Haan (about two hundred miles away) to Hollywood just to see Madelaine le Beau . . . Dick Powell has bought Ray Milland’s boat and say he’ll live on it when gas is plentiful enough for him to get to it every night. Dick is maaad about boats! . . . The first time that Gregory Peck kissed Jessica Tandy for a scene in “Valley Of Decision”—her bustle broke! What a man!
Those daily tennis games between Tallulah Bankhead, Garbo and Katharine Hepburn over at Clifton Webb’s house—are positively hysterical! Talu, who always said she couldn’t even hold the racket—and who never has risen from her bed until mid-afternoon unless she had to work—is now out on the court every morning fresh as a daisy—but not hitting many tennis balls. Garbo and Katie, however, are supreme. So Bill Tilden, the ex-champ who is around most of the time, does most of his coaching for Tallulah’s benefit!
Cal Goes to New York: Don’t ask how your friend Cal could tear himself away from the fascinating doings of old Hollywood to hie himself off to New York, but suddenly there we were for a few gay days and from where we sat in the Stork Club, 21 and El Morocco it looked like good old cinema city to us.
Dorothy Lamour popped over to our table at the Stork, leaving her handsome husband, Major William Ross Howard, alone for a moment, to tell of her experience in Baltimore. While dining in state with her husband’s family, a sailor popped over and informed Dottie he’d seen her last four pictures and he wanted his $1.60 back. Embarrassed, Dottie handed him two dollars from her own purse, saying, “And I want my forty-cents change.”
Of course it turned out to be a bet and one the sailor won. Who but Lamour would tell it on herself?
Here’s one on Cal. We’d gone over to Third Avenue to get the morning papers and suddenly stood rooted to the spot. Corning up Third Avenue was, of all people, Ray Milland, whom we’d left behind in Hollywood. So we yelled “Ray!”
Not only did Ray ignore the greeting but a crew of men hidden behind a camera in the rear of a truck started making unpleasant comments—and loud.
Gradually the light dawned. Cal, who actually cut his teeth on movie cameras, was interrupting a movie scene, Ray being in New York to film sequences for “Lost Weekend.” How they kidded Cal in Hollywood when the story got back.
We saw a bit of drama, too. Seated in the Stork was lovely Myrna Loy in a very pink bonnet—when who came in and for one very dramatic moment, paused by her table—but her ex-husband John Hertz. Not a word was spoken between them. But here’s news—Myrna tells us she’ll be back in Hollywood for another movie soon.
A hand on our shoulder at El Morocco and a voice in our ear—a soft “hello,” told us without turning it was Katina Paxinou. Later we discovered the Academy Award winning actress felt bitterly unhappy over Hollywood’s failure to find her another movie role.
“I don’t want another Pilar,” Miss Paxinou kept telling producers who insisted upon another “For Whom The Bell Tolls” character. “I’m an actress. Let me act.”
But they didn’t, so the New York stage will eventually get her.
The way Franchot Tone’s wife wore her hair, straight and clamped down with bobby pins, and her large-mouth make-up had night-clubbers gossiping. Franchot is remaining in New York for a play.
They wouldn’t believe us in Hollywood when we told of the big friendship act staged by Roy Rogers and Gene Autry, first at Roy’s and Trigger’s cocktail party at the Astor ballroom (Trigger behaves beautifully at social functions) and later at Rogers’ Madison Square Garden rodeo when Roy summoned Autry into the ring where he proceeded to steal the show from Roy. And after all those hundreds of letters, bitter ones too, that Rogers fans have written us about Autry and vice versa. And no more of that from now on, children.
Bob Hutton and Cal grew quite chummy at the various parties and night spots. A nice fellow and certainly a hit after “Janie.”
Bing Crosby was trotting down Park Avenue, disreputable hat on one side of his head, when who should come trotting up the other side but Frank Sinatra. And the New York bobby-sockers follow their idol about, lingering outside cafes, exactly as they do in Hollywood. Which reminds us of the story they tell on Frankie. It seems after the completion of “Anchors Aweigh” Frankie gave his director a watch on which was inscribed these words, “I think you’ve made another star.” Take that one with a grain of salt. But here’s one Cal personally guarantees: You could hear the swooners all the way to Central Park when Frankie announced from the stage of the Paramount Theater the fact that they were expecting their third child.
Rumor was so strong in New York that Ann Sheridan and Steve Hannagan were married, that we began to wonder. One look at their happy faces at the Stork Club settled any doubts for us.
And so to Hollywood for more reporting. And my, but these palm trees look good!
This-May-Break-Your-Heart Department: Van Johnson is doing his best to capture Lucille Ball’s undivided attention, which is some capturing with Clark Gable in the picture.
Speaking of Clark, Kay Williams learned the hard way that the route to Gable’s heart is through silence. It was Kay’s habit of gossiping to columnists, writers and girl friends concerning Clark’s gifts, devotion and attentions that brought about the rift between the two. Mr. Gable has never been one to publicize romance so when too much chit-chat appeared about them, Clark decided, before the romance grew too serious, they should part. In New York ’tis said ex-husband Macoco is waiting for Kay at his favorite round table at El Morocco. In Hollywood Gable is beauing about the orange-haired Lucille Ball who has been granted a divorce from Desi Arnaz. And so ends another Hollywood romance.
John Hodiak is gradually breaking down Anne Baxter’s I-won’t-marry-an-actor defenses, which will put the current heart-throb out of circulation.
Nora Eddington swore to a certain actor and his wife in Hollywood that one day she’d wed Errol Flynn or bust. Frankly, we’d hate to see Nora bust. And we wouldn’t relish the busted hearts of Flynn’s fans if she did.
Bob Walker is breaking his own heart which in turn may break yours. No matter what you read or hear, Cal tells you first hand the lad is still carrying the torch for his wife Jennifer Jones. And unless he extinguishes the blaze very soon, it may burn him out of a very promising career, that’s how badly he’s taking it.
Tips To Our Service Lads: Quickly, be first to ask for a picture and information concerning Lauren Bacall, Humphrey Bogart’s leading lady in “To Have And Have Not.” Boys, when yon see those—er—curves and hear that sexy voice which Lauren has acquired by yelling like an Indian three hours a day, you’ll swoon. Take our tip, this ex-model from New York is the most tantalizing dish to appear on the screen since Jean Harlow.
If you’re the complex, sensitive type you’ll find your counterpart in the Paramount actress Gail Russell, a beauty with too many complexes. Maybe a letter from you might help.
Get hep to a Warner Brother darling called Joyce Reynolds who plays the title role in “Janie.” She’s just twenty left off attending U.C.L.A. to become an actress, can talk on many subjects besides herself, and will prove an interesting listener. Besides she has the merriest brown eyes in Hollywood.
If you write to Lana Turner, talk about the latest records and approve especially of Artie Shaw’s music Lana’s ex-husband is her favorite musician. And a bond between you and Diana Lynn could be a knowledge oi good music. A pianist of note, Diana is up on the best. So now go to it, boys, and if you have any luck let your Cal know.
It is a quote. PHOTOPLAY MAGAZINE JANUARY 1945
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