Show v J I f Looking ng at HOLLYWOOD NOT so long ago some famous Hollywood stars pushed the war news off the front pages with ac ac- accounts accounts ac- ac accounts counts of their unsavory romantics and knife bottle parties while solid minded high-minded actors went un un- noticed This is not why Im I'm telling you some things about Fred MacMur- MacMur MacMurray ray today Im I'm writing about Fred because I think this pleasant self- self effacing young American actor who stands as high in the good opinion opinion opinion ion of his employ employ- employers ers his coworkers ers e r s and his s' s friends as any man in the indus indus- industry industry industry o try is a far more interesting char char- character character acter than the stars who are tak tak- taking taking taking ing an unfair ad ad- advantage advantage advantage vantage of their i fame and money Fred MacMur- MacMur Fred MacMurray lael ray is the very core of everything that is simple straightforward and American Hes He's as to earth as applesauce or orthe orthe orthe the boy next door Hes He's the sort of fellow every man and woman wants a son to be Hes He's got integrity integrity and and try and beat that word when youre you're groping for a tag to give the meas meas- measure measure measure ure of a man A record of 40 top pictures since 1935 when Fred came into motion pictures from the New York stage is proof to doubters that you can be all these things and roll up big big- bigger bigger bigger ger box office than the glamour playboys any day Less than a year ago Twentieth Century signed Fred MacMurray to a term long-term contract They knew they had secured one of the most valuable star properties this industry ever produced The clear fresh baritone which won him hima a n nod from Hollywood when he was playing in Roberta on Broadway and his slick way with a saxophone are capitalized in Where Do We Go From Here his first for Twentieth Double Indemnity was the last big release in which he won public approval Aims to fo Please On the heels of this singing part Fred with typical MacMurray ver ver- versatility ve versatility embarked on the role he is isnow isnow isnow now shooting Captain Eddie the story of the famous racing driver Eddie This is the tale of an American all a typical product of this democracy like Fred himself His third will win be Pardon My Past which Fred will produce and star in as well He is deeply concerned with the customers when it comes to mak mak- making making making ing a n picture Other stars refer to the public as my audience or ormy ormy ormy my fans To Fred they'll always be the customers and hes he's of the firm belief the customer is always right His temperament his art and his income never stand between him and humanity The very names that build the framework frame of his biography biography raphy are down to earth and all- all American Kankakee Ill where he was born and Beaver Dam Wis where he grew up and Carroll col col- college college college lege at Waukesha Wis where he put the finishing touches on his edu edu- cation No Silver Platter Like most successful men Fred helped earn that education He won the American Legion award for the highest scholastic and athletic rec rec- record record record ord at college He bought a sax- sax played it too in the American Le Le- Legion Legion Le- Le Legion gion band When orchestra jobs were thin Fred was a to house-to-house salesman of electrical appliances a astore astore astore store clerk clerk anything anything to keep him and his mother going I dread interviewers Hedda he told me because Im I'm bad copy Im I'm just a plain guy My wile and I and the Ray MiJla ds have lots of fun together just doing the things all the millions of other taxpayers are do do- doing doing doing ing around these United States Noth Noth- Nothing Nothing Nothing ing whimsical nothing fancy Fred and Lillian have two chil chil- children dren Susan dren-Susan Susan four and Robert one year both adopted They want four more and recently bought the Leland Hayward home in Brentwood to tomake tomake tomake make room for the kids Down to Earth I dont don't like to hold forth about my notion of things Why should my opinions of life love death and taxes be any more interesting than those of any man in the street But theres there's plenty going on in that head of his Hes He's a solid investor Believes in property in the land Owns a ranch near Santa Rosa with purebred stock He buys good pic pic- pictures pictures pictures tures for his Brentwood home etch etch- etchings etchings etchings ings and canvases he likes to look at and live with not meaningless things of vast value to serve a ar publicity items Unfair to the Fair Sex The New York theater has two dis distinguished distinguished women producers producers Mar Mar Margaret garet Webster and Antoinette Perry Paramount has a distinguished woman or did have Phyllis Laughton Mitch Leisen refused to tomake tomake tomake make pictures without her Paulette Goddard wont won't do one without Miss Laughton's help Paramount admits she's wonderful The only reason they wont won't make her a full fledged director is so Im I'm told they're afraid the men wont won't take orders from a lady Since when fellows |