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Close-Ups: The Smiths, Roger and his wife. Vici Shaw, came calling, abloom with news. “We’re hoping to have another baby before long,” they announced together. And to celebrate, the three of us set out for a steak and champagne dinner. . . . I know I shouldn’t worry but I do. I wake up moaning over “that” star who carelessly gambled away $70,000 while on location in Las Vegas. And with a large family to support. Some people live in a rosy glow of fame with no thought of the future it seems. . . . It’s my personal opinion that Ava Gardner still hasn’t gotten over Frank Sinatra and keeps running away from that empty place in her heart. At his invitation, Ava occupied Frank’s home in Palm Springs while he was in Florida. After his return and a brief meeting between the two, Ava hopped in her car and took off for a quick trip to Mexico. She was in such a hurry, she grabbed two traffic tickets in the first hour. Like Lauren Bacall, Ava is a fugitive from love. Frankie’s love. . . . The Pat Boones caught up with Pier Angeli in Paris and carried her off to Venice for a taping of Pat’s TV show to be shown later. His European fans sure were surprised to see Pat. . . . Hollywood thought it strange of Shirley MacLaine to leave her four-year-old daughter in nursery school in Japan, while Shirley made a movie in Hollywood. Especially since Shirley s husband. Steve Parker, was hospitalized over in Japan with hepatitis. And the more I’d thought about it, the more I thought it strange too. . . . I’d like to offer my congratulations to lovely Diana Lynn on the birth of her daughter, Dorothy, on April 26.



 

Upsets: Rumor has it Jean Simmons left for London with just one determination in mind—and that is only to divorce Stewart Granger. And despite Stewart’s protests and denials, jean heads for their Arizona ranch the instant she returns to have it out with her husband. With Jean’s as well as Stewart’s money tied up in their ranch venture, a settlement may take time. . . . The same reasons are advanced in the case of June Allyson and Dick Powell whose divergent tastes have had them rumor-targets for years. But it’s no rumor June is chafing at the bit, weary of a husband so wholeheartedly devoted to his business. . . . I wasn’t too surprised to hear that Bette Davis and Gary Merrill have finally called it quits. It’s been pending for quite some time now. But I was surprised to hear that Joan Fontaine and TV producer-husband Collier Young have separated. . . . I, for one, wish that my very good friend Van Johnson would come home and talk Eve out of the divorce.



 

Here and There: All through the shooting of “High Time,” Tuesday Weld and Richard Beymer were so hand-holding in love, Bing Crosby regarded them with a sort of paternal approval and Fabian with a sort of this-may-happen-to-me-one-day attitude. . . . On his dateless evenings, Fabe, along with Frankie Avalon, usually wanders into Chez Paulette, a coffee house on Sunset, made famous by Brando who drops in now and then. . . . Incidentally, Marlon hired several moving vans to tote his furniture to his new Mulholland Drive home at the hour of midnight no less. You can imagine the curiosity of the neighbors awakened by the loading of the vans. And those on Mulholland Drive by the unloading—in the middle of the night yet! And twice a week, while Marlon was in town a car drove up before Anna Kashfi Brando’s house and little Chris was placed in the back seat for his ride to visit Daddy. Must have been a lonely trek for a little two-year-old. . . . And by the way, if you’re the father of a pretty daughter, don’t be afraid to have her help in your shop. It was in her dad’s haberdashery store that lovely Jana Taylor met Fabian. It seems she helped Fabe pick out a new hat and that’s how the whole thing started. And Fabe’s been dating little Jana ever since. . . . To ray notion, Elvis Presley really seems more eager to mingle and be one of the crowd, since his return to Hollywood. The result of his army training, perhaps. Or perhaps Elvis felt it was you and me and all of us who set him apart. Anyway, the press, his co-workers at Paramount and even the admiring public around him seem one happy family to El these days. Let’s hope it remains that way . . . . Odd how George Hamilton grabbed all the publicity before “Home From the Hill” was shown and how George Peppard walked off with the raves afterward. According to my mail.



 

Peppard is the biggest thing since Rock Hudson. And speaking of Rock, you caught your last glimpse of him on the Oscar Awards show for a long time to come. Rock, who hasn’t made a picture since “Pillow Talk” over a year ago, is off for Mexico and then Europe for movies that will keep him busy and away from Hollywood for another year. . . . Looks like Efrem Zimhalist is really calling it quits this time. Seems, besides packing his clothes, he also packed the kiddies. Steffi told the press the divorce is all his idea. . . . It’s really so pleasant to find two such lovely people as Jane Wyman and musician Fred Karger, once husband and wife, finding companionship in each other’s company. It can happen you know. . . . Singer Jimmie Rodgers is ecstatic over the arrival of his first child, little Michelle Colleen. Carries pictures of her everywhere, I’m told. I get the impression he’s a bit proud. Don’t you?



 

Around Town: Mike Callan followed suit to the three Crosby boys who chose brides from Las Vegas shows. Mike recently wed chorinc, Corlyn Chapman. . . . Wouldn’t it be nice if all of us who rejoiced over Edd Byrnes’ return to Warner Brothers, would now campaign for bigger and better roles for “Kookie”? The lad certainly deserves a break. . . . English Hayley Mills of “Pollyanna” fame is the most sought after child star since Margaret O’Brien. Not at all pretty in the Shirley Temple fashion, but natural and oh, so talented, thirteen-year-old Hayley has been nabbed up for “Five Finger Exercise” with that wonderful actress Roz Russell. Both London and Hollywood are just crazy about this gal.



 

Bits and Pieces: Yul Brynner becomes more and more like a Tartar prince of old, with his retinue of hand servants in constant attendance while riding regally through the capitals of the world with his young bride, Doris Kleiner Brynner by his side. It’s a scream, really. . . . It seems Esther Williams and Jeff Chandler still aren’t talking about rumored wedding plans set for July. . . . Saw Burt Lancaster dining at Chasen’s with his brood of five, carefully ordering milk for each child and tucking in their napkins. What a wonderful little family this is. And what a wonderful dad! Mrs. Lancaster, I learned later, was home ill. Hope she’s feeling better now.



 

The Young and Old: Tommy Sands and Nancy Sinatra have chosen one photographer, Sid Avery, to take all their pictures together. Well, Princess Margaret chose a favorite photographer and look what happened to Tony Armstrong-Jones, yet!!! Luana Pattens father, a former designer, designed his daughter’s wedding dress and those of her bridesmaids. From their first date, I thought Luana and TV star John Smith made a lovely couple. . . . Warners announce the Big Build-Up for two of their young players, Troy Donahue and Connie Stevens, who will co-star in “Parrish.” Couldn’t happen to two nicer kids. . . . How fine to hear that Leo McCary, who directed your Gold Medal Award winning picture, “An Affair to Remember” for 1957, is recovering from hepatitis and is out of the hospital. . . . I stopped to greet Dinah Shore, enjoying an ice cream soda with her two children at Blum’s, and in the next department ran light into Bobby Darin buying himself some chocolate sweets. “Know something, Sara?” he grinned. “I’ve decided I want to get married more than any guy you know. I’m sick of being alone. I’m sick of hotel rooms. I want someone to come home to.” Surprised at this confession, yet sympathetically responsive, I emerged on Beverly Drive to discover two teenage girls all agog over Ray Danton striding just ahead. “Look.” said one fan to the other, “that’s Legs Diamond. Remember how scary he was in the movie? I’ll bet he’s after someone right now. Let’s follow.” A few minutes later, Ray came out of Wil Wright’s ice cream parlor calmly licking a double-decker ice cream cone. What a let-down!!!



 

Memories: It was the first time Bing Crosby had entered the famed Cocoanut Grove in the Ambassador Hotel in thirty years. As one of the famous Rhythm Boys, who rose to fame at the Grove with Tommy Dorsey’s band, Bing had been a young and skittish crooner sowing his semi-wild oats with a carefree hand. Yet, here he sat in this same room, all these many years later, with memories flooding about him. Memories of the stars who once gathered in this room to dine and dance and listen to him sing. Where were they now? Where had they gone? Suddenly, with a misty look, Bing turned to those around him and said, “Sorry, it’s ten o’clock and my bedtime,” and rose to his feet and departed.



 

I ads and Fancies: Long skirts and satin evening coats were the thing for evening wear at the “Can-Can” premiere when each star tried to outdo the other—coat wise. But coats or no coats, Marilyn Monroe still prefers the old-fashioned fur piece. Heavily beaded costumes are back, too. Doris Day could scarcely toddle, recently, in her long sheath of beaded white and Janet Leigh was all agleam and aglitter in her long champagne beaded number. Cost? $3,000!!! The up-in-front and long-in-the-back effect frocks of Olivia de Havilland and Mitzi Gaynor had ’em gasping.



 

Street Scene: She stood patiently waiting for the green light on Wilshire Boulevard, plainly dressed and apparently weary. Passersby neither noticed nor recognized Rita Hayworth who, only a few years before, had been the glamor girl of the day. The lines of sorrow etched on her lovely face revealed a woman who had lived and loved and lost and yet, her very calmness and serenity, as she stood there, marked a woman who, in losing had gained herself. The old glamor and oomph may have disappeared but instead stood a woman who had become an actress—a truly fine actress coveted by the best directors in the business. Married in turn to a promoter, a genius, a Prince and a crooner, Rita seems happy with producer Jim Hill despite the rumors of discord and separation.



 

Scoopies: Sal Mineo’s family have chosen a bride for him and hope when Sal returns from Israel and the movie “Exodus,” he’ll make Monet La Forrest his wife. The entire Mineo family are crazy about her. And I hear Monet beats a better bongo drum than Sal. . . . The John Saxon of old has disappeared. Gone with the wind of rebellion and indecision. And gone, too, is his faithful girlfriend, Vicki Thal, who has taken a job in a small Beverly Hills dress shop. In her place, is the lovely Dolores Hart who dings lo John’s arm with rapt devotion. And standing in place of the John of old, is the new Saxon whose work has increased to star-status with each film. In a recent stage appearance at the Huntington Hartford theater in Hollywood, critics and audience alike applauded this very fine actor. A lad who has finally come into his own. . . . Dolores Michaels has taken over Don Murray so completely since his separation from Hope Lange, his former calm, serene countenance suggests a man who can’t imagine what hit him. Dolores is mad for him. Steve Boyd, who is bemoaning the alimony blues, having been wed to Mariella di Sarzana a brief eighteen days, made no move to date Hope before he took off for movie making in Ireland. But take my word for it, Steve cares. The way he longingly inquired of his friends, “Have you seen Hope lately?” betrayed him. And the way Hope reaches out a hand of friendship to Steve, reveals Hope is not unmindful of the fascinating Irishman. Nevertheless, Hollywood hopes, for their children’s sake, the Murrays find a way to be happy again. . . . I’m told that since that kidnapping of the Peugeot child from Paris, our own Princess Grace has increased the number of guardians keeping watch on her two beautiful children, Princess Caroline and Prince Albert, I can’t really blame her.



 

The Nelsons: From his room, Rick Nelson looks across the garden to the fence that will soon become a high brick wall around his home. Rick regrets the need for this barrier that will shut him out from the world but he realizes that his family is right. The privacy of the Nelson home has been invaded beyond endurance by the growing number of curiosity seekers peering through windows and prowling the gardens. “But please, Miss Hamilton,” says Rick, “gel across the fact that I’m still close to fans and those who want to see me. I always will be.” In the meantime, brother David is taking a two months’ training period with the army reserves. Rick may take the same step in a year or two.



 

Debbie, Eddie, Liz: It isn’t always the woman who pays. At least in the Debbie, Liz and Eddie triangle it isn’t. While Liz and Debbie have emerged from the fracas rich, popular and more in demand than ever, Eddie, who unfortunately grows plumper and plumper, seems to have retreated into the shadows. His TV show gone, his night club appearances growing fewer and fewer, Eddie accepted a role in his wife’s starring vehicle “Butterfield 8” at much less than Liz’s fabulous salary. But the tragedy is, this former charming thoughtful lad, seems completely to have forgotten his manners. At the party following Academy Awards, I noticed a prominent and older woman writer. who had sided with Debbie, approach the table occupied by Liz and Eddie and several Hollywood personalities. Instantly every man at the table rose. Only Eddie sat there in sprawled out defiance. The frowns of those around him revealed their disapproval of Eddie’s conduct but somehow my heart ached at the thing that had happened to this nice boy.



Mailbox Corner: To all you nice readers who praised ray Cary Grant story, a big, big thank you. I’m happy you agree about Cary. . . . Will the President of the Bob Horton fan club please send on his address? Bob’s legion of admirers seem like little lost sheep trying to connect with their favorite. . . . Another bewildered group are the Race Gentry fans. Information, anyone? If so, please write to Jean Peton. Graettinger, Iowa, Box 44. . . . A very flattering and beautifully written letter comes from Cay McGowan of the Jean Pierre Aumont fan club. Thank you, Cay. I’m an Aumont fan, too. Sydney Bricks of the fashionable Eden Roc Hotel in Miami, writes from the hair salon that Rhonda Fleming is the nicest customer he ever had. . . . Dianne de Leon of Moline, III. is a George Peppard fan. But isn’t everybody, these days? Young married women, attention! Fran Kurtz of 17 Hasselman St., Astoria, Oregon, is organizing a National Women’s Fan Club for married girls only. Why not write Fran about it? Philip Cubilla of New London, Conn., Box 1124 hopes to organize a Warren Beatty fan club. If you like Warren, write to Philip about it. . . . Saw Dick Clark and his lovely wife at the premiere of “Because They’re Young” and he wants me to say hello to all his many fans. . . . And I agree with all the kind things Don Cieszynski says about producer, Jerry Wald. Jerry is really one of the best. . . . And for your many kind words regarding the column. thank you. And remember, I love you, everyone, everywhere.



Cal York’s Jottings:

Aldo Ray and his bride, the former Johanna Bennett of London, were all excited over their honeymoon trip to Hawaii. The couple were married March 26th. . . . When Fabian and Frankie Avalon presented their manager, Bob Marcucci, with a collie dog as a birthday present, he promptly named it “Fabalon.” Cute, eh??? If Joan Collins and Warren Beatty aren’t the most in-love couple anywhere, then don’t tell me. . . . Gardner McKay’s fan mail has reached the 1500 letters-a-month peak. Twentieth’s next Big Star? . . . Kim Novak, who visted director Richard Quine on “The World of Suzie Wong” location in London, had only one worry; the welfare of her cat “Pyewacket” in Hollywood. Kim’s mother, who cared for the pet, sent her daughter a daily report. . . . Millie Perkins and Dean Stockwell, who exchanged their marriage vows at Easter time, now plan to honeymoon in the south of France where Dean had promised to present the Best Acting Award at the Cannes Film Festival. Dean won it last year.



Caution: The way Debbie Reynolds is raking in the “jools” from Harry Karl is a caution. The latest is a diamond necklace, no less. Karl was Debbie’s escort to her brother Bill’s wedding. Will there be another wedding soon????

 

It is a quote. PHOTOPLAY MAGAZINE JULY 1960

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