The Waterbury Democrat., 1939-04-21
BY PAUL HARRISON NEA Service Staff Correspondent


 Hollywood - Although his man. ager-father is the last one to admit it, a new child star is lowering over MovietoWn.
 Coy Watson, ST., unlike any other screen parent, dislikes making glow ing predictions about Bobs Watson, but the reason is that his loyalty is divided. After all, there are four other busy Watson actors.
 Delmar 12, and Billy, 15, are work ing in "The Young MT. Lincoln" at 20th-Fox. And any day now they and Harry, Is, and Gary, 10, will hare fat roles in the new Frank Capra picture, MT. Smith Goes to Washington"
 Bobs, who is 8, may get into that one, too, but just now he is paying one of the two top roles, with Lionel Barrymore, in "On Borrowed Time" at Metro.
 It's the biggest part that any Watson ever had, although there are nine children in all and they have appeared in some 1900 mo- tion pictures in 25 years. Coy Jr., who's 26, began at months and became a leading juvenile in silents
 But none of them had the op- portunities for dramatic perform ances that now are being given Delmar, who has 120 picture cred it's, and the increasingly popular Bobs.
 ACADEMY AWARD
 HALF BOBS'
 The latter recently had couple of notable premiers in one week - Alexander Graham Belp' and "Dodge City" Bobs' death in the glorified western provided the emo- tional climax of the picture and may have been shade too lugubrious.
 In the Bell biography he had exactly the same task, and in one scene, by repeating only one word, he turned in as poignant a bit as you are likely to see on any screen, any time. For audible testimony of this, just listen to the snifflings and nose -blowings of the audience.
 After Spencer Tracy got the Academy Award for his perform ance in Boys TOwn," he wired BObs Watson that half of the golden statuette belonged to him. A lot of bigwigs in Hollywood seem to have felt much the same way about it, for lately the youngster has had more roles offered him than he could play.
 Columbia, 20th-Fox and RKO were bidding for him when Metro offered a test for the picture with Barrymore. This was competitive among four boys one of them Peter Holden, who played the role on the New York stage. Bobs got it
 It's anybody's guess how "On Borrowed Time" will turn out as a money-maker, for it is mod ern fantasy, rather grim and quite out of the usual movie pattern. But it is sure to be a showcase for the talents of the remarkable young MT Watson.
 Two major studios have offered seven-year contracts for Bobs, but his father isn't having any just yet, thank you Free-lance work means more and bigger pictures, and competitive bidding between companies.
 A contract would mean a lot of money and greater future security flor Bobs: It also would mean the Encouragement of the other kids, who inevitably would be overshadowed by the small star. BOBS IS
 REAL TROUPER
 "The friendly rivalry between 'em .s good thing" the senior Watson said. "Now, for instance, Bobs thinks that Delmar is a better &C., tor, but he's trying to be as good. Delmar really is fine at emotional stuff, but actually he's too sensi- tive. A tough director can break his heart. Nobody can get Bobs' goat; he just gets mad and tries all the harder.