Evening star., 1941-11-30
You, Too Can Be Star, Says the Man Who Knows
Leroy Whose Discoveries Would Make Hollywood
,BrngsC Comfort and Cheer to the Hopeful

carrying a tray. picking out VIC
tuals in the Warner Cafeteria when
lie Roy first spotted her. He had
put in phone call asking Loretta's
older sister, Sally Blame to report for
a test. Sally wasn't in and the pre-
cocious Loretta, never before inside
a studio, decided to make bold bid
for taking her place. She was on
her way to LIE Roy'S Office, to carry
out the bluff. Before he learned her
identity or became aware of her
intentions, the director had Loretta
tagged as little bit of all right for
the movies. She grabbed the part
intended for her sister and has been
going great guns ever since.
Restaurant Discoveries.
1nez Cooper was sitting with
friends at a night club six months
ago. LIE Roy mistook her for Hedy
Lamar Cthey not only look alike
but have exactly the same measure
ments) and stopped at her table to
say hello. Struck by the similarity
and the girls beauty, LIE Roy apollo
gized and asked her to drop around
to his office. Now she has a term
contract and has already appeared
in three films
Likewise, Pat Dane, who recently
made a startling debut as a Mickey
Rooney temptress in one of the
Hardy family pictures, and Steve
Cornell, handsome giant from
Texas, are restaurant discoveries.
LIE Roy talked business with Miss
Dane at the edge of the dance floor
at CiroS. Cornell was straddling
counter stool at Armstrong &
Schroeder's Cafe when the LIE Roys
dropped in one recent night for
dinner. Imagine yourself draining
a cup of coffee, feeling an arm
slipped over your shoulder and
voice softly saying. How'd you like
to be in the movies?" 1t happened
just about like that in Cornells case.
The popular impression, through
oft-printed tales. that Lana Turner
was discovered by LIE Roy as she
was eating a chocolate soda in a
drug store across from her high
school is now exploded. No such
thing, says the director. 1t seems
Lana was a saleslady in Holly
wood dress shop when a discerning
friend called her to LIE Roy's at.
tention.
Cables the Prize.
Ginger Rogers began the swift
dancing and dramatic strides that
eventually brought her an Academy
Award when LIE Roy in 1881 picked
her from the background ensemble
and thrust her into an important
| speaking role of big musical War;
ners later let her get away. Just
as they did Gable, but Ginger TO
this day credits LIE Roy with her
/ careers first real impetus.
/ Gable, of course, is lie Roy's prize
bag He snagged him out of the
road company of The Last Mile"
when it was playing at Los Angeles
theater. Warmers didn't like his
general appearance and criticized
his big ears. At LIE Roy's insistence,
however, they stuck him into a
couple Of pictures, then they let him
| 60 IL was then that M.-G.-M.
grabbed the big fellow and ordered
him to let his hair grow out on the
sides and get his teeth fixed. And
look what happened!
As for experience in the drama. IL
isn't at all necessary, says LIE Roy.
in a parting tip to would-be
novelties. He points out that
Mickey Rooney has been in the
/ theater since he could talk, but. on
the other hand, there's Lana Turner
who never saw movie camera or
/ stage until she went to work in
/ films.
/ IF you want to be a star you
can be-" he concludes. Don't let
your mirror get you down"
/ Released by the North American
| Newspaper Alliance. Inc.)