Milford chronicle., 1935-05-03
INTERVIEW WITH
JOHNNIE MARVIN
By Margaret R. Davies
Fxclusive!

Exclusive!
Johnny Marvin divulges for the
first time why he is 'the lonesome
singer of the air" Have you moi
often wondered the reason for the
pathOs and longing that throbs in
his voice as he sings his Lonesome
songs? A forthcoming issue of the
Radio Guide tells why, but we have
it first. Children-an intense long
ing for them-fOr his Own-he is
lonesome for he has none. Yet, there
go your illusions, girls), he is mar
ried, happily now, though two pre-
vious marriages were unsuccessful.
Unsuccessful because they did not
bring him the blessing and happi-
ness of children. In low, intense
voice he told. me that the stOrk is
lowering over his home and will
bring a bundle from heaven" some
time this week. (Winchell, please
note)
Leaning back in his chair and look
ing straight in front of him, he con-
tinued in a manner that excluded me
entirely. From the far-away look
in his eyes knew he was not "just
! talking" but the very depths of his
heart were revealed in his words.
Reproduction is the joy of living;
it is the reason for living. Joy is
in the love of family and dear
friends-real friends"
Johnnie, one of a very large fam
lily, comes from Oklahoma. During
the last ten years he has made over
a million dollars. A year ago he
gave away every cent he possessed,
every bit of property he owned.
Why? He cares not for money or
material things.
Having once studied with an old
Persian philosopher, is an expert
ence he will never forget. 1T was
he who gave me the only definition |
of the coul. Would you care to hear |
it?" "Oh, very much" I replied, de- |
lighted, that I could share the pre- /
cious bit with him. Here it is; /
Take a dead body. it has no feeling, |
it has no thought. it has no will .
power, it is without self-cOnscious-
ness. What it is? Those things are /
the soul" He continued. 81 have 4
studied well every form of religion
under the sun and have, at last,
reached a code of my own-a code
of morals by which live. Anything
that hurts inside is bad anything
that brings JOY into the heart is
good I live for today, not tomor-
row. We are sure of today; there
might not be a tomorrow"
l broke in with, "In other words.
you agree with the Rubaiyat of Omar
Tomorrow! why to-
morrow | may be myself with yes
terday's sewn thousand years. The
poet continues-'Then to the Lip of
this poor earthen Urn l leaned, the
Secret of my Life to learn; and Lip
10 Lip it murmur'd-"While you live,
once dead, you never
shall return Yet, isn't it hard not
10 plan for and dream of the future
when today is sometimes so dissat-
sfying?" He answered. "Yes. it is
a hard job" He looked as if there
were bitter memories associated
With the answer. ......
AS the interview drew to close,
| pondered how we, two utter strang-
srs. of such different walks in life,
AeAh hAeNuooNh III PGA ACNe AAGA AAAbAAs I
fe-death-love-marriage - relig-
on-science-and had agreed in
most instances.
Walking down the steps from the
stage door, | thought of what Ell
)ert Hubbard had once said. "The
nan who lives in the present. for ,
,etful of the past and Indifferent to .
he future, is the man of wisdom" :
at was an utterly mad idea, but :
went to the theatre before l took =
ime to think about it." explained :
Hiss Davies She added. 'If you !
eally want to do something. don't l
hink about it; just do it," Miss 9
Davies is well known in other parts =
f the country for her interviews of !
Will Rogers, Rosa Ponsel, Peder- ,
wski and the late John Philip Sousa.