| Show THE SALT LAKE TRIBUNE SUNDAY MORNING AUGUST 2 1938 h j Ls Jane Was Bom Mrs Withers Had Her Dreams— Now V ' X XV V v XWS-- ' £ ' s Before v ' i s ' Jr': v X ' V?-- tf V ir 'V They’ve Come 5 ' True X f- X d t: ftZXYl v ' 'x ' n FREDDIE’S LUCK— HIS AUNT HERE’SJANE lust V '‘ j self — Movie ' s x- Vivacious - Star Charm-to- ff Portrait f Piquant little Jane Withers of the Movies and Her Mother Mrs Ruth Withers The Photo Suggests the Strong Bond that Made Mrs Withers Devote Her Life to Her Daughter’s Hollywood Career X HAT is it that sends a child to movie stardom? Thousands of mothers with beautiful and talented children inwardly ask themselves how that great dream could be achieved This intriguing story of the recent rise to fame of piquant little Jane Withers an Atlanta 6a child tells the entire secret Of course a lot depends on the child’s talent and personality But be or she musthave the LUCK to have been blessed with a MOTHER or someone to blaze the little one’s trail to success Jane’s motherMrs Ruth Withers was like that Even before ' Jane was born she dreamed of having a daughter and planned her entire career on the screen The undertaking was far from easy to accomplish It took interminable patience unshakeable confidence inexhaustible " he a fX °n Oitn‘n o ° rJ ° ° o O O o O pPt! O o 5 Child Lately ao Vi V) a U o U $ w Vi'1Q fn Q O i) o o o b a U ° O O Ono r 4 Ob- X n O ? o o o o o O o O O O o o ' Oq content with their efforts-towa- rd the studios and the stage Ruth even wrangled their way Into a radio station and Jane appeared on a children’s If she weren’t program Perhaps seen she might be heard But nothing happened In the midst of all this discouragement letters arrived from Jane’s father and from relatives In Atlanta begging them to come home For a moment Ruth hesitated But for only a moment “We’re going to stay a little longer" she wrote in reply “I know that our chance will come soon She was right They were called for an interview at the Fox Studios The casting director was looking for a little-girl villain to play with Shirley Temple In “Bright Eyes” There were a hundred other children and their mothers in the office when Ruth and iietL-- Eager hopefuUyhey — awaited their turn “When Jane was called I had a sud- - YY WITHERS Who Rose from Ail Intimate f’ANE i Re- scurity to the Upper 'Rank of Box Office Attractions? Jane Withers at the Right Photographed in One of Those Quaint Poses that Are Her Particular Forte as a Child Movie Actress STAR o Can sist the Intriguing Personality of This JANE’S GUIDING and and What Fan Had It Not Been for Her Patient Planing and Waiting of His Adored “Cissle” With Whom Freddie Bartholomew Is Shown Above This Star’s Hollywood Career Might Never Have Materialized Her- Being u O 9 cioX o no fl signed a I starring contract today” O With those few words the newspapers announced the end of a long and desperate battle in Hollywood and the victory of a quiet pretfrom Atlantily plump young woman course Ruth ta Georgia It was of Withers the mother not Jane the daughter who signed the contract Her signature marked the finishing stroke of a determined and triumphant struggle against all the odds which Hollywood has to offer Four years ago a group of serious people stood in an Atlanta railroad to an exstation and said good-by- e cited young woman and a smiling child Relatives friends and neighbors they were gathered to speed ambitious Ruth Withers and small Jane on their way to Hollywood A few including Ruth’s worried husband dared to speak their fears It was a serious undertaking this breako’ ing of home ties to chase the will the wisp of Hollywood fame So many had tried and failed “Don’t worry about us” — Ruth Withers’ voice was strong and clear— “Jane I know she will She will make good ‘ can’t fail” Today Ruth and Jane are living In a handsome home in Hollywood Jane’s name is spelled in electric lights over hundreds of theaters She is receiving a salary in four figures and her - mother is given a large weekly check- to pay for the care and coaching of Jane Jane has made good as Ruth Withers knew she would But only Ruth’s determination her indomitable will her complete faith in the child's future have carried them through these last four years Her courage has never died Two years ago she almost faltered in her purpose The quest looked hopeless Jane was getting nowhere in pictures AU the studio doors were closed against her Central Casting Bureau offered her occasional work as one of a group of child extra players That was all She was given a few lines to speak in one picture but when the film was released Jane's scene was left behind on the cutting room floor The money was slipping through their fingers faster than it arrived nine-year-o- ld y :vif SHE HAS A MOTHER TOO X Shirley Temple Dimpled Darling of Movie Goers All Over the World Owes Her Amazing Success to Her Mother’s Ability to Make Hollywood Dreams Come True They Are Shown Together In an Affectionate Pose Above Atlanta where Jane’s father stayed Trying to brpak Into' pictures from was an expensive business Ruth Withers left nothing undone which might lead to Jane’s big chance her lucky break She enrolled Jane in a school for professional children They received no money for their 'services The pupils were called upon to appear in benefits and various charity performances There was always the chance that they might be seen by a studio scout Jane’s wardrobe cost money She must look well wherevec she appeared Who could tell when she might be seei on the street or in a restaurant by someone of movie importance? Not tract For a while it looked as if Ruth had acted unwisely Jane’s pictures were successful Little only t moderately Shirley was the bright and shining star in the studio heavens and even the grown-uactors were dimmed by den hunch” Ruth said Instead of going with her into the inner office I sent her in alone ‘Do your Imitations for him’ I whispered I knew that if they would take the time to listen to her they would realize her later p the amazing Success of the child Many people advised Ruth to demand various favors and concessions But Ruth only shook her head and went calmly on her way When the Fox company merged with Twentieth Century and there ’was a general reorganization of the entire studio her well - meaning advisers Insisted that now was tfie time for Ruth to fight for bigger and better pictures for Jane ancka larger salary But ability" The director did listen while little Jane imitated several of her favorite screen stars He listened and applauded and finally gave her the picture role of the Copyright little “meanle” who almost stole the picture’s honors from the goldenhaired angelic Shirley When the picture was finished the conptudio offered Ruth a long-tertract Her acquaintances advised her not to sign it They argued that it would be fatal to put Jane in a studio which already had one big child star Jane wouldn’t have a fair Shirley But Ruth knew what she chance wanted to do She liked that' studio She had faith In the promises to star Jane The salary was small but it would be regular She signed the con- 1D3S King Features Syndicate Inc ' 00 oo 0 fx Ruth refused to llstep to them Jane's popularity was building slowly but surely and Ruth was content "They’ll soon realize that Jane Is valuable" she said quietly “I know they will” She and Jane merely worked harder than ever before Again Ruth was right A short time ago the studio tore up Jane’s old contract and handed her the new one which provides in addition to the greatly Increased salary all the trappings of stardom an especially designed dressing room bungalow equipped with miniature furniture tn tors bodyguards flattering attentions if ' HfJ V- - Ruth Is happy But sh isn’t sur-- A prised "Before Jane was born I knew that she would be a girl and an actress” she explained “I planned career I willed it It couldn’t have been otherwise I had always wanted to be an actress myself But my family would not allow me to be one So I made up my mind that some day I would have a daughter and that she would become the actress I had dreamed of being That’s why I knew that nothing could stop us" There’s a vein of steel beneath the soft charming voice and the wide brown eyes of Ruth Withers She has a quiet calm determination which nothing can halt or Bwerve She began Jane’s training for the theater as soon as the little girl could walk and talk There were dancing IndTtutsrherT-se- lf JessoasrgtBgtfig child the to taught “speak pieces” At three years of age Jane began her career as a radio star and became the leading lady of a popular children’s revue appearing weekly on the air She played in amateur performances at all the Atlanta theaters She was a model for children’s clothes She was encouraged and aided in her gift for mimicry Ruth devoted her entire life to the schooling of her child i Then when she was sure that Jane’s training was far enough advanced she took the child to Hollywood 'to hunt for bigger game Struggles disappointS' ments worries and loneliness couldn’t 'f? X ' Xx ? stop her She knew that Jane would be a succes And Jane is Jane like the other few really successful child stars on the screen is only the living shadow of some determined ambitious woman Shirley Temple’s mother wanted her small daughter who came to her several years after the birth of I ja ij her two sons to be an actress She enrolled the tiny Shirley in a professional dancing school From there the child stepped Into short comedies featuring casts Patiently Gertrude Temple waited for the big chance When It came she was ready for Freddie Bartholomew's quiet Aunt Cissie brought the little boy frojn far-oEngland to Hollywood when she' heard of the search for a young David Copperfleld Fired by ambition and hope Aunt Cissie knew no fear of a strange country and strange people She sat patiently and tirelessly in the producer’s outer office until she literally “waited” herself and Freddie into the role and into stardom Other children may come and go on the screen but the few who remain to reach a real and profitable stardom are the youthful personifications of a woman’s dreams whether she be a mother aunt or grandmother as Jackie Cooper’s guiding genius was In the beginning of his career These women seem to know Instinctively what is best for the children they love And woe be unto the mere man who tries to stand tb their way! her-entlr- n it soft-voic- ed ff V |
