Evening Star Newspaper, January 26, 1942, Page 28

Fi ILY- §'fzuc& 'het‘lah ___,,_,,-.__,__ CHAPTER 18. ‘The first person Livia encountered at the studio was Bruce Nolan. He was on his way to the sound stage and the barroom balcony from which he soon would jump 20 feet to the ground for $75 a jump. “What's wrong?"” he asked, looking at her wrist, which was still in a small cast “Oh, nothing,” hurriedly, details of her face and dress. “I read where you had a big part fn a picture. What's its name— something about love and moon?” “‘June Madness'—but it isn't a | big part.” “You should eomplain to Charles Fordyce—he's your friend. He's every woman'’s friend.” “Bruce—please don't be mean.” Her eyes pleaded, “Bruce, let's go somewhere and talk.” “See you on tk,: barroom floor.” | he said and stroled away. It was a new casual Bruce. and she did | not like him this way. But she had infinite faith in her powers to charm him again. She called at the publicity de- partment. Tennant was grateful to her for saving his job “I'm going to put you over, baby, | like no one has before. I'm gonna make you the new sensation.” “Say anything you like about me— only no more romances.” caped and found Stage 7. The door- man knew her, and there was no difficulty getting on the set. Bright arc lamps converged on the three- sided, garish 1880 barroom. They were always the same in pictures— the cheap looking. ladies of no profession, the large array of glasses on the bar, and the bewhiskered, smiling barman in front of the huge mirror, that was always smashed in the final free- for-all; the gambling tables, the sinister proprietor with a diamond pin as big as your hand; the sudden gun play, the gambler and the usual fight with the usual hero. “I-er fell down.” * She es- | underdressed | THE EVENING STAR, WASHINGTON, D. C, MONDAY, JANUARY 26, 1942. » twist of silk over Livia’s hips and pinned it into place. “There, that gives you a long, sleek look . . . Accidents? Sometimes. But mostly not. Or there wouldn't be any stunt men.” She removed the pins and laughed. And Livia tried to smile. “How is the wrist?” “The cast comes off tomorrow.” “That’s good.” On a large dress rack were mag- nificent afternoon and evening dresses in various stages of crea- tion. “For Alice Delaware?” The woman sighed and turned her eyes up to the ceiling. “She's late as usual. We've been expecting her for an hour.” Fordyce in Apartment. Livia was worried. She had no desire to encounter Miss Delaware and did not feel safe until she was out of the studio and on her way back to the apartment. She did not know Charles Fordyce was there until she turned on the light and saw him lying on the couch. He had his hat and coat on, and at first she thought he was asleep. “I've been here hours.” | “Did we have a date?” She sat on | ;, the couch beside him. Three weeks had passed since the fight in his car. And Fordyce was still puzzled. She v;;‘al pllym ‘;\ killed? Then he would never know | 8ame, of course. Ambitious g! |1 | how much she lo:l::;l him. Htiall);rvood (dld n:: reLunt Qar;e -:)- « " miration of an important director theBItu:l:eV” ‘:ger;g;% :t‘" through | _ynjess they were making a play 2 for an important producer. She was | | “Vot the—," shouted the direc-|a nice kid though, and whatever {tor. “Who did dat?” The eyes of | her game he would play it with her, every one on the set accused Livia. “Kindly go,” screamed the direc- tor. She did not look at Bruce, but wen! quickly from the set. She waited outside a long itme, hoping he would join her. But she finally ! had to go hre hwn going to make an actress It was late when she arrived at | °( D¢ ¢ “We'll do a little rehearsing.” D r=n e said, showing her the script by his | “We'd given vou up” said the gide “after we've eaten.” pleasant-faced woman, through the | pins in her mouth. i “Sorry,” His cool eyes took in the $150,000-per-picture neck for the 20- foot jump. But the hero would do everything except the jump. Livia | watched Bruce as he put one foot on the balcony rail, but he was nervous and it had to be done over and over again—until the director lost his temper and screamed: “Vot are you—an mouse?” Livia Is Nervous. | Livia giggled nervously into her handkerchief. And now the eamera | | was ready for the actual jump. The | ‘bnlcony seemed very high from the | floor. Suppose Bruce was hurt? Her throat contracted. If he were actor or a| about it. | He enjoyed being with her. He liked the excitement in her eyes when they talked. She would learn and grow. She had infinite possibili- ties. And if it were the last time— ' mumbled Livia. She un- | pretended to enjoy the eggs. dressed. Do they have many acci- | /fally was a sweet kid. Had he | dents?” she asked the dressmaker. 4‘.",“ for her? It was nothing “Who, dear?” were usually older than Livia. was safer that way—safer for him. Well, no matter how old or how young they were, he could always take care of himself. She was taking off the little green apron she had worn over her dress. She_hesitated. thought, but she left a foot of space between them. preconceived ideas of how she would play the part, her voice, her man- nerisms, her gestures. speak—very charming in real life but terrible for the screen,” he told her, walk. It's cute, but you'll look like a penguin on the screen. . . . that line again—and raise your voice at the end—just as you do in real life. . . . .. smile naturally. No, that's even worse.” have been the table. ashamed and moved away. Finally she said despairingly: distressed face. saying good-by to Livia and debat- ing inwardly the sort of kiss he might get away with when there providing she didn't take t0o 1ong | was a loud, insistent ringing at the door down. A boy under the influence of liquor was supporting Bertha. He was almost sober with the shock of the accident. he | street,” way. She revived before the doctor Livia scrambled some eggs. She | came. He insisted she must go to a | was not a good cook, but Charles | hospital. She | gashed. It “Sit next to me,” he said to Livia. “Still scared?” “No, but—" “8it down.” = “I'm being ridiculous,” Livia Two Hours of Work. For two hours he destroyed her “You roll your eyes when you “And you bounce when you Say Now smile. . No, Livia tried to soften him by mov- ng closer, but, she might as well She felt “I'm hopeless.” He stopped play- ng teacher and grinned into her | “Not _entirely.” It went on. Charles was just getting up and “I'll go see,” said Livia. She shouted for him to come “My car—at the corner of the| he said vaguely. Bertha fainted in the passage- Her face was badly “I've ruined you,” the boy sobbed. “Stop that,” commanded Fordyce. the police, anyway, in this damned State?” Bertha Is Afraid. Bertha did not want to go to a hospital. “I'm afraid,” she whispered to Livia. “I'll be with you, dlrnn'—qll the time,” Livia assured h “But what are they :olnl to do to me?” “Only a few stitches,” Livia lied. There were bits of glass deep in her skin. It meant the end of Bertha's unbegun movie career. She had been’ signed for a “bit” role in “June Madness.” And her legion of l;:en. Would they, too, drop away? ‘es. “We'll go in my car,” said Fordyce. Bertha cried and it hurt her face to cry. The sordid little story was in the newspaper next day—with pictures. A man who had been on the spot with a camera received $10 a piece for them. Livia had lunch with Fordyce. He was irritable. Another quarrel with Alice. “I waited two hours for you last night,” Alice had yelled into a tele- phone at 12 that morning. “You can’t do that to me. I'mr going to tell my husband.” But Fordyce knew that even Alice couldn’t say to her husband, “I want to fire a director because he did not keep a midnight appointment with your wife.” Oh, but she could make trouble for him in other ways. He almost decided to throw up the picture, and tell them both to jump in a lake. But here was Livia, her blue-gray eyes troubled. She would be grateful to him. And grateful girls were kind and yielding. “Poor Bertha,” she sald, her eyes filling with tears. “Poor Bertha nothing,” snapped Fordyce. “What do you expect when you go about with drunks? She's lucky it wasn't worse. Look, if you want to get on in this business, don't go out with drunks. I've seen too many—directors and actors getting $5000 and $10,000 a week, and throwing it all into a bottle of liquor. Stay away from them. They drag you down with them if it's| the last damn thing they do.” There was fear tn her pale face. “I've scared you—that's fine. Re- member, just as long as you are in this business, stay away from drunks.” She almost told him, “My father is Earl Dixon.” She pictured the new look on the director's face. He would find it safer to have nothing to do with the daughter of a drunk. “I must find him,” she decided. What if he were an extra in her own film? “Do we have a lot of extras in the picture?” she asked him. But he was deep in his thoughts and | didn’t hear at first. “When I came into pictures—in silent days,” he told her, “drunken- ness was more prevalent than it is now. There was a guy I worked for —Dixon, Earl Dixon—you wouldn't know him. But he was the best director then—or now, or ever. He drank—oh, my God, how he drank. What's that about extras? | Are there many? No, why?” “What did you say about Dixon?” | | “I was his assistant director—a long time ago.” “D'ye ever see him now?” B-1 “Sure, sometimes. I give him & Job whenever I ean, poor devil.” “Where is he now?” “D'ye know him?” “Oh, no—just curious.” The last I heard of him—about a year ago—he was in jail.” He was paying the check and didn’t see she expression of anguish in Livia's face. He only heard her faint echo: “In jaill?” (Continued Tomorrow.) (Copyright, 1941, by Sheilah Graham.) Card Party Planned A card party will be held by the Mothers and Teachers' Club of the Hyattsville Elemenfary School in the school on Forty-third avenue Thursdly night. " SCREAM CWICIIM b Use mildly medicated Cuticura Soap and Ohtmmna cleanse face thoroughly—aid in softening Blackbead Tips for easy removal ip relieve externally caused PIMPL ‘WOODWARD & LOTHROP | new. He had fallen in and out o(‘ “Why in hell do you drive a car Bruce was doubling for the hero. The woman draped ' love all his life. But the women ' when you're drunk? 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