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Show Released by Western Newspaper Union. By VIRGINIA VALE IT WAS way back in the days when Raoul Walsh was making "The Big Trail." He was telling Director John Ford about his difficulties in finding an unknown to play the lead. Just then a tall, good looking, hefty fellow loped past them one Marion Michael Mi-chael Morrison, truck driver, former member of the University of Southern South-ern California team. "There's your man," said Ford. "Let his hair grow a little and you've an actor." So they tested him, ordered him to JOHN WAYNE let his hair grow, and changed his name to John Wayne, who justified Ford's opinion by making a hit in "The Big Trail"; he's now hanging hang-ing up new records in "Tall in the Saddle." Virginia Mayo's story is a little different. She was touring the country coun-try as ringmistress of a horse act when Samuel Goldwyn caught the act at a New York night club, offered of-fered her a contract, and started her on a training period. She made her bow as a Goldwyn Girl in "Up in Arms," then sat waiting for her second assignment. It was worth waiting for the role opposite Bob Hope in "The Princess and the Pirate." Pi-rate." Glenn Ford, a Columbia Pictures star before he enlisted in the marines, ma-rines, expects to resume bis career as soon as he's recovered from the disability that resulted in his discharge. After rehearsing one of the more dramatic scenes in "Meet Me in St. Louis" little Margaret O'Brien dashed off the stage and ran into her stand-in. The latter youngster looked at her anxiously. "Why, Margaret," Mar-garet," said she. 'Tu've keen crying! cry-ing! What's the matter?" "Oh," sobbed Margaret, mopping her eyes. "Don't worry about it it's just part of my job!" Previous Rose Queens of the Pasadena Pasa-dena Tournament of Roses have been signed for films only after winning the contest Cheryl Walker, of "Stage Door Canteen," for instance. in-stance. But Producer Frank Ross and Director Mervyn LeRoy took no chances this year; they jumped in and signed all seven of the candidates candi-dates considered in the finals, for roles in "The Robe," after looking at newspaper photographs. What with Grace Moore standing on her head and other opera and movie stars really letting themselves them-selves go on his radio program, "Let Yourself Go," Milton Berle has at last got an air show worthy of his talents. It should lead the popularity popu-larity polls soon. . Every Tuesday night when the "Roy Rogers Show" is broadcast over Mutual, the actors can visualize visual-ize certain members of their listening listen-ing audience with no difficulty at all 36 youngsters, all children of the members of the cast. Bob Hope has a new feather In his cap; on January 17 he goes to Philadelphia to receive the Poor Richard award, a gold medal presented pre-sented annually to the man who has achieved outstanding success in his field. Hope is the second entertainer in the club's history to receive the award; Will Rogers was the first. National Broadcasting company, alone among American networks, has presented a day-by-day, eyewitness eye-witness account ofthe disturbances in Athens, since the first shot. Their Guthrie Janssen became the only American radio man in the city when transferred there from Cairo. He's been using BBC facilities for his broadcasts; they're beamed to London, then relayed to the United States. ODDS AND ENDS C pi. Art Ross, former "March of Came.s" child star, was one of the G.s uTio rigged a makeshift make-shift radio transmitter that flashed the first news of the Philippine invasion bv American troops. . . . IT arner Bros.' "Four Men of Cod" will he a story o those jour chaplains who sacrificed their lives when the transport Dor. Chester was torpedoed last february. . . . A newspaper poll chose l.auren Bacall as "Actress of the Year." . . . Alan Jones will have the lead in "Have a Heart," a Universal musical. . . . Pat O'Brien, just bark from a 40,000. mile entertainment tour for American fight, ing men, wants to start out again soon. |