Evening star., 1941-01-30
reading books as distinguished from

reading books as distinguished from
prop books.
She is everything that the breath
less returning visitors from Holly
wood say she is, and that means
everything. The slim -hipped
Sweater Girl"-she hates to be
called that-has a new evening
gown which she's going to try out
tonight.
Her press agent says they'll be
calling her the Evening Gown
Girl" when they see the sheer white
lace job that she'll wear. The dress
was being guarded closer than the
Mikado's first born.
She said she was glad to get out
OF Hollywood for the trip.
Pleased by Reception.
Its so different to get a recep-
ton like this" she explained. Out
there, they don't pay any attention
to you"
Mr.. Raft, credited with being one
of the Hollywood actors who is
smart enough to tell time without
the chimes ringing, ran smack into
the housing problem when he ar
rived.
Checking in at the Carlton, Mr..
Raft found that the suite he had
reserved had not been vacated. The
hotel, like many another here, is
running to capacity these days.
This made Mr.. Raft very unhappy
and it was all AL Ritz. who came
along as court jester, could do to get
him toned down from sinister to
just sad, and a little hurt.
Mr.. Raft finally got a place to
take nap. He will hurry back to
the West Coast tomorrow. so as
to get out to the races on Saturday.
He is a great race fan and does
pretty we'll, he explains, by not
betting on Bing Crosby's horses.
While Mr.. Raft slept, Mr.. Ritz
wandered around the Carlton lobby,
making faces and jokes for the
benefit of all. He is strictly a curb
stone comedian and yesterday, when
photographers were making pictures
of the arriving stars, they had to
call out Restrain yourself, Mr..
Ritz" to get him and the crowd
calmed down.
Mr.. Morris was as full OF en-
thusiasm for the trip as a kid
turned loose in the toy department
on Christmas eve. He was calling
the phone operator honey chile by
the second call and looking around
for some kind of trouble to get
into.
May Shift Career.
He stayed at the Carlton when
he was on his honeymoon. But that
was a couple of years ago and he
and his wife have separated. He's
not doing picture now and if his
plans for joining the air force works
out, he probably won't make one
for a while.
Mr.. Morris, who has shoulders
broad enough to make a pair OF
wings for a medium bomber, wants
to go to Randolph Field or Pensa-
cola as an air cadet.
Miss O'Hara, just before coming
to Washington, said goodby to her
mother, who was sailing back to
Ireland. Her mother will return
with a younger sister, who is also
slated to 60 to the movies. Mrs.
OHara was once an opera singer
and has five children-tWo daugh-
tiers who are actresses, one daughter
who's nun, son who's a radio
and another who's an
actor.
The tall, stately redhead will be-
come an American citizen as soon
as possible. She has not yet lived
in this country two years. A pro-
tege of Charles Laughton, she
starred with the Abbey Players in
Dublin before going in the movies.
I'VE never call this country Amer
lea, back home" she said. I'VE call
it Greater Ireland"
Mr., Beery pulled the surprise OF
the day, ducking all greeting COM
mittees and fanfare on his arrival.
He was supposed to arrive late in
the afternoon.
Shortly before noon a movie ex-
ecutive was strolling through the
Mayflower lobby and found Mr..
Beery and his 9-year-old daughter
preparing to register.
He doesn't like formality and
those who were assigned to see that
he got around all right had a tough
time keeping up with him. He
knew his own way around.
Mr.. Beery has two great loves.
One is his daughter, who travels
everywhere with him. The other
is aviation. He Is a lieutenant
commander In the Naval Reserve
Air Corps.
Miss Durbin, who was nearly
mobbed in Chicago earlier in the
week, was kept under cover, like
a military secret. A full army di-
vision of press agents was assigned
to her and they kept her advance
schedule a mystery. She IS at the
Carlton.
She, like all the others, will make
the rounds for all to see tonight.
however. The ticket sales this
year are reported to be far ahead
OF last year and the five hotels
where dances are being held-the
Mayf1ower with Benny Goodmans
the Washington, the Shore