The Waterbury Democrat., 1938-04-23
(Second THE CHILD MOVIE STARS ARE GROWING lP
 Deanna Durbin MovingSteadily Out of Flat Heels Into Romance
Opera Is Among Her Ambitions
BY PAUL HARRISON NEA Service Staff Correspondent

there been any real threat of a gangling, awkward interval in the enormously valuable young stars development. Indeed, so maturely graceful was she that the studio considered adding a couple of yearl to her age, was 13. It is now l5.
 Anyway" she told me, "I'll not grow any more. I'm 5 feet 3 1-2 inches, and already the tallest fe- male in our family"
 She looked at the chops and baked potato on her luncheon plate and sighed. T won't weigh any more either. I'm 112 now. I guess I'll have to start worrying about that"
 Actually Miss Durbin doesn't seem to worry about much of anything. This by no means indicates child ish responsibility. She is poised, confident and rigidly self-disci- plined. In an interview she is in- clined to be cool, but honest, an- swering questions with "yes" or mo" until pressed. She never equl- yocates with a perhaps" or a maybe"
 Hired by Universal at a salary of ALSO A week, which she received dur ing the production of Three smart Girls" Deanna is now earning $l,- 25O weekly, mainly as result of the efforts of her agent, Jack Sher- Till. She holds a contract with SIX month options calling for small ln- creases. When she was slnglng over the air she was earning $4oo a week for that job.
 Every penny of her savings from the various sources has been gong into a trust fund, so that her H. nancial future will be secure. Sher- Till. incidentally, is now being sued for an accounting by Mrs. Rita stanwood Warner, who claims to be the "discoverer" of Deanna. Maturity by Easy Steps
 If Miss Durbin is not worrying about her future, her studio is talk ing every possible precaution for 1t. Universal's problem is to guide its singing prodigy through cinematic adolescence into young womanhood, with each successive picture lean- ing a bit more toward romance.
 Besides her voice, which is said to be mature and safe from change or strain, the actress charms are her healthy beauty and wholesome nat,lralness. She must not be arch or smarty or amorously precocious. Uniyersal's council of elders has agreed that the faintest taint of these things would do her irrepar- able harm.
 At the same time, her studio is anxious to bring her along as ra- pidly as possible. The visual tran sition for the screen will be merely a matter of taking away the hair ribbons and frilly dresses and flat heeled shoes.
 The film to go into production in a couple of weeks will be called That Certain Age" In It, was able to tell Miss Durbin, she will be a rich mans pampered daugh- ter who awakens to certain real ities and decides not to be para site. She will have two 'teenage suitors, rich and a poor one. There will be no real love scenes, but au- diences will know how she feels about the lucky boy.
 After that, the studio will come right out on the theater marquees and announce Deanna Durbin in First Love-" The story has not yet been adapted, but the chances are that Deanna will get herself kissed. There also has been some secret dis cussion of buying Booth Parking tons seventeen" for her.
 Future Looks Musical
 Although these assignments seem essentially dramatic, with music sandWiched in. Miss Durbin con- siders them in the opposite light.
 "I think of myself as singer" she said. "The acting IS just some thing that I have to do between songS."
 I asked what she intended to do with her money. She said she will save 1t. If she were not working at anything. she would travel. She would like to make concert tour, and perhaps appear in musical on Broadway. but most of all she wants to join the Metropolitan Opera Company. Plenty of asurances have been given Miss Durbin that she will be welcome at the Met when she Is ready.
 No movies? "Yes," she said, "I'll do both. A season there. two pie lures here. It has been done; look at Grace Moore and Lily Pons." A Complicated Life
 Miss Durbin does not expect to begin another regular radio program next fall. Her parents, her teach CTS and the studio are opposed to it. For the Cantor hour, Deanna has had two afternoon rehearsals each week, one evening dress re- hearsal with an audience, and on the fourth day two broadcasts on a split network for the east and west.
 These chores, together with her picture work, her schooling and her daily vocal lessons made her almost certainly the busiest actress In town. Several times Miss Dur bin was on the verge of a break down from overWork.
 Her voice has expanded in both upper and lower registers. T can sustain C-sharp and touch F." She explained.
 She ranks as a high school jun for. and will graduate when she is 16. She expects to go right on stu dying languages, though for opera
 Deanna isn't allowed dates, but she attends mixed parties and likes to dance. She doesn't anticipate any real romance in her life for a long, long time.
 PEOPLE FORGET STEINMETZ