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About The Oregon statesman. (Salem, Or.) 1916-1980 | View Entire Issue (Jan. 13, 1957)
Clumsy Lovers Best Boxoffice, Showman Says By JAMES BACON HOLLYWOOD. Jan. 12 un - The oilier day a man who owns a trine of movie houses made an observation that will startle even nock Hudson. Hudson, me showman observes, is the only major screen hero wholly developed by the movie industry in the last five years There have been Brandos, (.'lifts. Sinatras, Prcslcys. BorRnines and others, but all came from the slatie, television or records It's a statement that is boirnd to provoke howls from the fol lowers of Tony Curtis, Tab Hunt er, Bob Wanner and other bobby wins wno were movie spawned. Clumsy Lovers Best "I've been a showman for 35 ?ears. the exhibitor argues, "and ii mere is one rox office fact I'm sure of it. rt's this: that the biR fcsl ticket sellers trr big. hand some nun who arc shv, even clumsy, in their screen liivemak ini! "They appeal to all sexes and all ajjes. 1 give you Cooper, Wayne and now Hudson." The theater man. a friend of many actors, asked that he not be identified by name. He does not know Hudson. Is Hudson m the tradition of the Coopers and the Waynes? He's about as handsome as a hip man can be. Rlack. wavy hair tops a fi-foot-4. 22u-pound frame Physically, he looks like an All America tackle. ' Shyness Not Acting If he's shy with his screen love making, it s not actini: because he basically is a shy man. '!' on is a rarity a modest actor. Some, on first meeting, might tab him big and dumb but he's far from that The way he has handled himself in his career dis proves that. "Rock has known his directions ever since he first started here," a long-time friend at Vniversal Intrrnntion.il reports. "He knows what he's doing every minute and he's never needed a psychoan alyst to help hun through a pic ture, like some others we know." Married Secretary Phyllis Gates, his agent's sec retary, was Ins best girl for a long time even though columnists repeatedly linked him with fam ous stars. He often said he wouldn't marry until he was 30 a week beiore that birthday, a year ago last November, he mar ried Phyllis. Hudson is taciturn like Cooper, incnaiy imp Hoinen ana conside rate like Gable. Hudson's emergence as a ma jnr star must be laid to two things: 1. A professional respect for his job, which means hard work, con centration and study 2 Timing and luck. On the latter, Hrdson started at a time when the movies, in a box- office fight with television, turned to ready-made stage names for much of its talent. Only U-I, geared to an output of low budget westerns and so-called family pictures, stuck 'o the old Hollywood policy of developing its own stable of nlayers. Hudson thus was destined to become the most successful alumnus of the II I talent school. Made' by '(.ianf When Director George Stevens picked Hudson for the part r" "' k Benedict in "Giant." Hudson was made. Even before "Giant," his home studio starred him in the two biggest money pictures of the year "Written on the Wind" and "Battle Hymn." MGM bor rowed him for "Something of Va lue." Now Hudson, only a few short years out of U-I's talent school, is being touted a3 an Academy award contender. But there was a turning point even before "Giant." Back in lira, I'-I offered Jane Wyman a healthy percentage to star ' a remake of "Maginificant Obses sion." To keep the ibudget within reason, the studio selected one of its low-salaried contract play ers for the male role. Biggest Moneymaker The teaming of Wyman and Hudson was a boxoffice chemistry that produced an 8 million dollar gross, the studio's biggest money maker of the year. More important .'.me, a top pro fessional, taught Rock more about acting than a dozen dramatic chools. For years. Hudson went along with the publicity story that he was discovered for the movies while working as a 'etter carrier. As the story went. Hudson had composed a letter telling why he wanted to become an actor and then delivered it nersonnlly to Agent Harry Willson who ar ranged a screen test that changed Boy Fitzgerald of Winnctka, 111., into Rock Hudson. There is some basis in fact. Willson did meet Hudson, did get him a screen test and did change his name. And as Hudson adds: 4 , "I once did help deliver mail during the Christmas rush in Win netka." Willsnn lips that Rock's next big one will be the remake of "Fare well to Arms," the Hemingway work that gave a big boost once to Gary Cooper. Army Seeks 14,000 Men WASHINGTON, Jan. 12 -The Army Friday issued a draft call for 14.000 men during March. The quota Is the same as that previously announced for Febru ary. Monthly draft calls wire for 17,000 men from last October through this January. The new call brings to 2,180, 430 the total number drafted or earmarked (or Induction since the reiumptioo of Selective Service in ttoUmber 1950. I Statesman, Salem, Ore., Sun.. Jan. 13, '57 (Sec. I)-3 STORE HOURS MONDAY: 12 NOON TO P.M. FRIDAYi 10 A.M. TO f P.M. OTHER DAYS: 9:30 A.M. TO 3:30 PM. 11 CARE packages lent abroad. $1 tends 22 lbs. of food to needy persons. CUSTOMER SERVICE MEZZANINE STATIONERY SAVINGS! m. Mt, mmm reg. $1.50 pocket stapler 88 Hndy sue, complete, with 500 staples. reg. 2 for 15c scratch pads 32 for 88' reg. $2 gift stationery 88' Gift boaed, 100 lhefi, 50 envelope!. V White with gummtd edges. Stock up now I reg. $2 metal waste basket 88' reg. $2.40 file guides 1.88 A-Z filt guide of iturdy pribord, reg. 3c file folders Popul.r we for use m horn r office. reg. $1.69 white business envelopes 300 for 88' B-sneii 6V4 tire; food quality 88' r . 1 50 for Good quality AAnil m la cut, reg. $2.98 plastic bridge table cover M.88 Wipes cln vvtth damp cloth; it lorted colors. reg. 75c box of 50 book matches 2 88' Auortcd colors. Stock up at lev Ingl reg. $4.98 Bridge Easy table cover $2.88 Point count and b'ddiog informa tion at each player's fingertips. 3 re9- 75c typing t" :ui r tuuuiti 2 88 Will fit all standard makt machine!. s0: reg. $5.98 personal file '3.88 4''' " ' ; L i -v. Jumto we file v'th lock and key. reg. $1.58 pound paper 88' Mail and phone orders STATIONERY STREET FLOOR r 1 iJL Box of piper end 7 packages envf lopes.. White, blue, grey. reg. 60c dozen lead pencils 2 t 88' Stenderd lead pencili for ichoot or office. 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CANDY-STREET FLOOR LUGGAGE SALE ... - ; i '-Avtm- mmM L.i 'J." ,tcaJ i 10 . TiiW!; Jt a leatherette desk f (uf ! accessories ( V jj I V lu j .:. j Assortment of attractive desk accessories in . . ' j red, green, brown, black with gold tooling. t 4"x5" telephone address book j ., 5-year diary with lock M ft ' 6"x8'i" telephone address book I ft ':' , '" i 5"x7'j" l-year appointment diary I I l '" i'- J week-at-a-glance appointment reminder book II j II I If ''' ' ' ' Mail and phone orders' V lW It ' J j STATIONERY-STREET FLOOR J ' (ft 4DWWW'.lny mnwwji l il Jiajiui. ,i iiiihi ii" ii .iiimiiiiii i. ,nii yinu m iiiiwieTaJlliwiwree ,' t V ?. ' . i '' ( " f . ';- . ' . . i r'.". . wAWwwi-aewe . - J CAMERA SHOP SPECIAL5 ..v. reg. $12.95 exposure meter $5.88 reg. $14.95 gadget bag '8.88 reg. $1.25 camel's hair brush 88' Prize imported light meter, accur ate and sensitive, easy to use. Large size camera gadget bag in durable split cowhide. Well made. Mail and phone orders' CAMERA SHOP-STREET FLOOR Handy lens and film brush in metal listpick type case for easy use. .4 4 reg. $59 women's 2-pc. airweight luggage set Vi price L iU VnU vu V now plus tax Introducing newly styled two-piece set of famout Dresner luggage- Electronically molded plastic to .give smart, strong "curved corner" styling with retension of maximum strength. Spacious inside pockets for small accessories; protective quilted bottom. New fashion colors of Madrid wine or Riviera stripes. Mail and plwne orders' IUOOACE-STHEET FLOOR SAVE ON TOYS Reg. $1.39 junior golf set for indoor or outdoor use Reg. $1.49 Flash Gordon magnetic target game Reg. $1.19 all plastic, unbreakable telephone Reg. $1.39 automatic speller game, educational toy Reg. $1.39 junior croquet set for indoor or outdoors... Reg. $1.19 charm kit for making your own jewelry Reg. $1.39 educational counting frame Reg. $1.39 diaper bag set, complete kit for dolls Reg. $1.49 Chinese checker set with metal board Reg. $1.49 airline hostess bag, plastic with zipper Reg. $1.49 table tennis set for 2 Reg. $1.50 little scout Indian torn torn set Reg. $1.98 soft drink set, utensils and Kool Aid Reg. $1.39 aircraft carrier, all metal, wind-up motor Reg. $1.29 junior carpenter set Reg. $1.39 all metal dump truck 1. Reg. $1.39 sweep and dust housekeeping set Reg. $1.98 pearl craft set, make your own jewelry your choice 88c each Mail and phone orders TOYS-SECOND FLOOR Tlus shipping cost io areas outside cur regular truck delivery routtt. f V i:iii;" tw; Jf I f;M-Y ,"i' ; " . '
