Evening star., 1940-02-14
Luise Rainer
Tells About
Film Career
Talks at WOnen's
National Press
Club Luncheon
BY FRANCIS LIDE,
Woman'S Club Editor.

LulSe ftaluer, Star OF Ine Good
Earth" and "Escapade," captivated
Women's National Press Club
luncheon audience yesterday with
her story of "How I Became q
Movie Star"
Here to play Saint Joan" on
March 10 with the Washington
Civic Theater for the benefit of the
Red Cross, Miss Rainer> also ex-
planned how that came about.
And to round things out, she gave
her general impressions of Amer
ica-which she "loves"-in a simple
but eloquent little talk which must
have touched off a spark of pa
triotism In every person in the
crowded cabinet room at the Will
lard Hotel
Miss Rainer was not to make a
speech, but would answer questions,
1t was explained by Bess Furman,
vice president of the club, who pre-
sided and turned the introduction
over to Jay Carmody, drama critic
for The Evening Star.
The first query-"What took you
to the stage, Miss Rainer?"-how-
ever, brought forth a humorous and
entertaining account which began
with stage contract she hadn't
dared to seek, and which ended with
her role in "Escapade," which she
hadn't dared to covet
Miss Rainer didn't try to be witty;
to the contrary, she told her story
simply, but with charming ac-
cent and an occasional smile which
lighted her face as some absurd sit
uation was recalled.
Career Just Happened.
Her career, one gathered, just sort
OF happened, with Luise accepting
her successes with wide-eyed sur
prise that she should be so fortunate.
Brought up in a strict household,
she suddenly visited the theater
when she was Is, she related, and
for some reason-she didn't know
why-went backstage. Somebody"
back there asked what she wanted.
Miss Rainer wasn't sure, but the
somebody" suspected an addition.
The result was, an addition was ar
ranged and Luise had a stage con-
tract before she'd told anybody
in the world I wanted to be an act
ress"
To complete this incident, her
first play, "for some reason" was a
big success.
From then on, Miss Rainer ap-
parently just let fate take its course.
Productions soon followed under
Max Reinhardt in Berlin and even
tually it was suggested that she go
to Hollywood
Il thought would be terrible in
the movies because I wasn't BEAU
tiful enough" she remarked.
However, largely because she
thought it would be wonderful to
see America, a short contract was
arranged and eventually she landed
IN New York. There were two or
three people to meet her, but Miss
Rainer stood all alone until the pier
was deserted. She wasn't glamor-
Gus enough, she explained, confid-
ing: They didn't dare think I
was-ah-me." The arrival of her
luggage, marked with her initials,
however, straighteied out that stu
alton and soon she was on her way
to Hollywood
Found Studios Fantastic
Hollywood studios she found fan
tastic," and when she was being
shown around she mistook Beverly
Hills for movie lot. She couldn't
decide what was real, she explained,
and when she took a house, she
chose place near the ocean-"be-
cause knew the ocean could not be
made by Metro-G -Goldwyn- Mayer"
About that time, she recalled,
Hollywood was looking all over the
world for some one to take the lead
In "Escapade" and though the set
ting was Austrian, Miss Rainer de-
cided, if they were looking all over
the world, she wouldn't do at all.
An encounter on the beach with
someone familiar with her back
ground changed the situation and
Miss Rainer became a movie star.
Miss Rainer added she thinks they
are doing things of great value in
Hollywood.
OF her approaching appearance
with the Civic Theater-her first
stage role in America-she explained
1t was brought about because she
wished to aid the Red Cross.
She was in Europe when war
broke out, and although she is now
an American citizen, would not have
returned at this time had not friends
persuaded her she would be able to
help more here She wanted to con-
tribute through the Red Cross be-
cause it is nonpolitical.