Evening star., 1938-06-03

which she has not worked. And she
could name many for which she has
worked of which you never heard.
All this makes Miss Darcy sound
old enough to have played in THE
Birth of Nation" She isn't and she
didn't. She won't tell her age because
studios frown upon the practice and,
presumably, frowning gives studios
wrinkles. That is more than life and
hard work as little player have
been able to do to Miss Darcy. 1t is
not the absence of wrinkles, however
that makes you guess she may be some
where between % and 25, maybe less
although that volume of experience
must have taken some time to collect
Miss Darcy is the perfect palliative
for an appetite grown jaded with the
wisdom (or whatever you call it, fed
to visiting newspapermen by the Hol-
lywood glamour gang. She is bright,
witty, interesting and interested. She
talks easily and listens without the
Slightest evidence of boredom.
But is she pretty? We were just
coming to that. She is very pretty.
She is so pretty, in fact, that her
beauty explains how she came into our
lie, how we intruded into hers.
Miss Darcy, when We first saw her,
was dancing in the chorus of Jack
Benny's newest chapter of Artists and
Models" Watching her, and some
dozen other girls, we were impressed
with how much freSher they looked
than similar groups in those remnants
Of musical comedy that still survive in
the legitimate theater belt.
Who is that pretty girl on the end
Of the hne?" We found ourselves de-
manding of our escort.
That is Shelia Darcy" he said, "I
think she might make a good story
for you. Want to meet her?"
QUITTING it on a strictly profess
sional basis like that is one of the
nicer qualities of the artful publicity
man, so we said yes, trying not to
sound professionally enthusiastic
about it.
We don't know who was the first
cynic who associated beauty and
dumbneSs, but we should be the last
one to do SO after meeting and talking
with Miss Darcy. From now on, we
shall remember her as the conversa-
tlonal superior of dozen and one big
name girls out here who are constant
ly being quoted so brilliantly by pub
licity departments.
Life and experience may not have
pampered her, thing she admits as
laconically as cowboy rolls a ciga-
rette, but they have taught her lot of
values that most persons get only Sec
ond hand. The vocabulary she uses
to describe what she has learned is a
curious mixture of film vernacular and
that to be found in good literature.
What do you want most out of
pictures?" we asked Miss Darcy.
Just what every one else wants out
Of pictures money" she replied. "I
like the idea of being a good actress,
naturally, but also want being a good
actress to pay well. What's more it
does pay well. I don't suspect myself
of being Bernhardt or a Duse, but
think 1 have the qualifications for a
successful movie career. I know I'm
no ugly duckling and must have some
kind of mind, Moreover, I've proved
to myself by getting up at in the
morning for years, that I can work
hard"
Hard unrk cho fol1c
little play. 1t takes Miss Darcy very
few words to dispose of the idea that
the little players in pictures are always
roistering about in places like the Tro-
cadero or the Cocoanut Grove. Miss
Darcy has neither the time for it nor
the inclination She has a face to
preserve and realizes that alcohol is
not the solution, for preserving faces.
After day at the studio, which may
run Is hours, she goes home She fire.
quently is in bed by 9, or maybe she
will read until 10 or 1890. She will
not go out at night when she is work.
ing, and she will not stay out late
when she is not working and has an
occasional date.
She likes people, for themselves, and
for purposes of studying them. One
of the more interesting angles of talk
ing to her is to get her slant on the
people with whom she has worked.
Her judgments are straightforward,
honest, and detached. She admits to
having favorite actors, just like any
other fan-of which she is one by her
own admission. She goes to pictures,
which lot of players do not. She
goes both to enjoy herself and to learn
anything that may be of advantage to
her. Her favorite actor Is Herbert
Marshall, who. off the screen, is the
courteous, intelligent, high-minded
individual he usually is playing on
the screen.
WHEN Miss Darcy is asked whether
that is not an indication of her
favorite type of male she says it un-
doubtedly is. Mr. Marshall is a fine
person to work with, she says-as does
every one else out here who has played
in the same picture with Marshall.
His glamour, Miss Darcy has figured
it out intelligently, is the glamour
OF the gallant gentleman.
Others she has tabled with appar-
emily equal accuracy.
Miss Darcy had no trouble getting