The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1930-08-19
BY DAN THOMAS
NEA Service Writer

HOLLYWOOD, Cal, Aug. 10
II Ten or twelve years ago
Frances Dee sat at her desk with a
geography book opened IN front OF
her.
pink and green and gold places on
the map we're all blurred into a
colored electric mist and the letters
Of her own name swung out OF II.
Some day, so she had decided she
was going to be an actress. Her
name was going to shine in front OF
theaters. Then somebody spoke tnat
name and Frances realized that she
had missed her lesson again.
But she went right back to her
dreams when the school bell rang.
Even then she knew she would have
10 work and work to make the grade.
All actresses did.
And that is why Frances was more
surprised than any one when
Maurice Chevalier, the most popular
star in moviedom, looked at her ana
asked her to please be his leading
lady in his picture.
Suddenly to be chosen for a posi-
ton that every girl in and out OF
HOLLYWOOD would call herself blessed
if she could get it and to be
chosen when you had less than one
wear as a Hollywood extra behind
YOU no wonder Frances caught
her breath and said her prayers!
TINE stage world isn't new to
i Frances, though. After school,
when that geography book was safe
in her desk. she used to go with her
mother to the theater. That was IN
Chicago.
Sometimes her mother mentioned
the movie world back in California.
Frances had been born IN Los Angles
on Nov. 26, 1908, but ! ad lived there
a very short time.
She didn't want to be a movie
actress. though. She wanted to go
on the stage and act behind the
footlights instead of before a movie
camera.
Frances Just had completed the
third grade in school when the
United States entered the World war
and her father enlisted in the army
He was sent to Cincinnati and
took his family with him. After the
war he was transferred to Washing
ton. and Frances and her mother
went along.
The sound Of marching men, the
challenge of bugles and drums, the
lure of parades touched something
in Frances that dramatic
something that wanted to be an
actress. But she didn't change her
mind about the stage.
CHE came back to Chicago and
- entered school. In a little while
there were high school plays in
which she excelled. She wanted to
play the lead in the senior class
play so badly that she wasn't sur
prised when she got it.
In her academic classes Frances
was Just an average student-not
excelling nor failing in any OF her
studies. But in dramaticS she easily
was a shining light.
And she was a leading figure in
all of her class activities. cliInaxing
her activities by being elected vice
president of the class during her
senior year.
That was one of her ambitions
throughout her school life, since it
is the highest position a girl can
hold-the president always is a boy.
After graduation from Hyde Park
school in Chicago, she entered the
University of Chicago. She still
carried the belief that any girl can
do what she sets out to do.
FRANCES decided that life was
Il lots of fun and she would enjoy
it. She went in for dramaticS and
social life. Regular college studies
didn't appeal to her.
She was a member Of the Sigma
club. one of the four leading
women's clubs at the University
ABOUT which she tells an interesting
story.
At the middle of her first term in
Chicago she was flunking in all