Show f r HWE 'r 0xJ BmmHBMHB8BKHhbb He’s Gov Leroy Collins of Florida who as permanent chairman will influence the destinies of many political ambitions — his own included By CURTIS MITCHELL your TV eye on handsome Gov Leroy eep Col- lins of Florida during the Democratic party convention in Los Angeles He’s the big fellow with the gavel the convention’s permanent chairman The shoes he will be trying to fill are on ea-left empty when Speaker of the House Sam Rayburn resigned to support his friend Sen Lyndon Johnson of Texas Some say the spot was made to brder for Collins Others are worried Win or lose the Floridian is a remarkable guy Tall weighing 200 pounds he has been called America’s “happiest governor” His selection as convention chairman is a new peak in an Horatio Alger career During the depression he was an unknown law clerk employed by the Works Progress Administration (WPA) In his first political race in 1932 for prosecutor of Leon County Fla defeat he was dealt a Since winning a seat in the legislature two years later he has never lost an electipn For six years he has governed Florida But can he govern a hall full of rampaging Democrats? Several nervous kingmakers would like to know During a convention pitfalls and booby traps lurk behind every upraised hand Suppose that Sen John Kennedy has piled up such a lead that if one state switches its votes to him he will have the nomination? Suppose a dozen state chairmen are on their feet clamoring for recognition? Shall the chairman first recognize a delegate who will switch thereby assuring Kennedy’s nomination? Or shall he recognize a Johnson Symington or Stevenson man? By recognizing only a succession of men the convention chairman 51-year- -old slap-in-the-f- anti-Kenne- ace might even stop a Kennedy stampede What will Leroy Collins do? Watch for the whispering men who slip in and out of the vacant chair beside the chairman’s seat You may recognize some of them They will be briefing him on shifts of sentiment among various delegations and trying to influence his actions Watch also for a motion from the floor for a recess A recess can break a man’s career —or make it At Chicago in 1932 when balloting for Franklin D Roosevelt began to falter the chairman swiftly called a recess Up to this point both California and Texas had opposed FDR The intermission gave James Farley Roosevelt’s lieutenant time to contact leaders who controlled those delegations and form an alliance When the convention resumed both states switched their votes and Roosevelt was quickly nominated Governor's family steps out of mansion: Mary Call 18 Mrs Collins the Governor Darby 9 and Jane 21 What will Collins do under similar circumstances? What kind of a man is he? He’s very much a family man for one thing After his only defeat at the polls he married ol his sweetheart Mary Call Darby They now have four children Leroy Jr is an Annapolis graduate serving in the Navy Three daughters Jane Mary Call and Darby are in school Their homes are the governor’s residence and an ancient Georgian mansion nearby which has been in his wife’s family for five generations One place or another the Collinses are usually surrounded by friends An aid once astounded the governor by producing a guest list of 20000 persons who had either dined or sipped with him during an period In Florida a governor cannot succeed himself Therefore friends were wondering about Collins’ next move when he attended a Democratic gathering last year in honor of Mrs Eleanor Roosevelt All the big chiefs were there Former President Truman was allocated 15 minutes for his speech Active presidential candidates were given five minutes Governor Collins was given three But his brief tribute stole the show “Say” one party chieftain said “this fellow might make a high-scho- -- 18-mo- good candidate for the It could be As the curtain rises on the convention Collins will occupy center stage He can rise to new heights or fall on his face A newsman once wrote: “This handsome guy has vice-presidenc- era clearly shows skin-divi- ng of fun — if you follow the uHow to Skin Dive and Stay can cam- be a lot rules Learn Alive” (p 4) ed a personality made for TV” How will he use his supreme moment? You can see for yourself this week July As photographer Raymond Jacobs’ y!” easy-manner- dy COVER: nth LEONARD S DAVIDOW WAITER C DREYFUS PATRICK E O'ROURKE President and Publisher Vice President Adrcrtising Director Send all advertising communications to Family Weekly 153 N Michigan Ave Chicago 1 III Address all communications about editorial features to Family Weekly 60 © I960 E 56th St New York 22 N Y FAMILY WEEKLY MAGAZINE INC 10 I960 Board of Editors ERNEST V HEYN 'Editor-in-chi- ef BEN KARTMAN Executive Editor ROBERT FITZGIBBON Managing Editor MARGARET BELL Feature Editor PHILLIP DYKSTRA Art Director MELANIE DE PROFT Food Editor B°b Driscoll Irma Heldman John Hochmann Jerry Klein Harold London Jack Ryan Peer Oppenheimer Hollywood 153 N Michigan Ave Chicago 1 III All rights reserved |