Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1942-11-15
Maria Montez Admits She's Sensational but Very Proper
The Combined Sweater Vic Mature Of
Also Loudly States Her PayC saw eekly Insult
HOLLYWOOD.

Inc number one salesman IN
movie town for Maria Montex u
Maria Montez.
Montez, as she refers to herself, Is
one-woman roofing section for
Montez, which has earned her the
title Of the female Victor Mature.
Maria was talking one day about
Montez, and 1t must be reported
that at no time did Montez tire of
the subject. Nor, as a matter Of
fact. did any one else, to speak Of.
She's an arresting person. Take q
splash Of movie-made glamour, add
sprinkling OF chilli pepper, throw in
a thin slice Of ham, place it all in q
sweater-and you've got Montez.
She likes sweaters, incidentally.
On this day she stepped up to the
table in the Universal dining room
and removed her coat. Then she sat
down and conhded after q deliberate
check Of the room:
Every one smiles when Montez
takes OF her coat. That's Snowman
ship. It's like taking OF your coat
at IS cents a head. Get it,"
MonteZ, Of course, was wearing q
sweater beneath the coat. Coy,
what? Then she added:
Proper Lady-Very.
I'm sensational-but proper as
hell"
Eack for a moment to Mr.. Ma
tire. Montez thinks it would be
ccream to do a picture with the
camera-eating Vic.
Wed both be trying to crowd the
other of the screen. It would be q
riot. We'd be fighting all the time.
Whoever made the picture would
have to referee our fights"
But don't get too much of a wrong
idea about this Spanish miss with
the brown eyes, reddish hair and
shapely figure. Her sensationalism
is almost studied, and her talk is
something Of an oral strip tease.
She lets swear word drop here,
another there, but it's Just to keep
things spicy.
For, to repeat, Maria Is q very
proper girl.
She is also an admitted scheming
actress. That was why she signed
a contract at Universal. That STU
dio, she decided didn't have a
glamour gal. Warner Brothers had
Ann Sheridan, Goth Century had its
blonde Betty Cradle. Metro its Hedy,
Columbia its Rita Hayworth.
Universal Succored.
But universal had no one. So
signed with them"
She's appeared in nine or ten pic
lures. South Of Tahiti" she liked
because she wore scanty costume.
Fan mail, particularly from Army
camps, deluged the studio. The boys
wanted more of Maria
Producer Walter Wanger took
the cue and gave it to them with
Arabian Nights" There's a lot of
Maria in it.
Its my picture. All mine. 1t is
good" Maria was very positive.
But, she added, she is dissatis-
fied.
do you know how much money I
make? I shall tell you. I make
only $3.50 week" She didn't whis-
per the figure, and Wanger was
sitting at the next table.
Wanger Wasn't Listening. y
why should I care If he hears
me. I have already told him I do
not make enough money"
Maria was honest as we'll as
frank. Glamour gals never discuss
anything so plebian as money. I'M |
less it's four times more than Ma
ria's $3.50 week.
Born Of Spanish consul to the
Dominican Republic. Maria has all
the fire and emotion of her Latin
blood. But she scorns public out
bursts. She mentioned no one by
name, but observed very seriously:
IT any one wants to attract at
tention by screaming at prize fights
or throwing vases at their husbands,
1t Is their business. But it Is not
for me. was not reared that way"
Maria is supposed to have a most
sedate, convent schooled back
ground. There is supposed to be
nobility In the family, and doubt
less there is. Sir Charles Mendl,
who represents the just too-too ele-
ment OF international society, was
said to have met Maria at a party
here and to have inquired about her
father, or maybe 1t was an uncle.
Anyhow, that confirmed Maria's
claims to aristocracy-as far as Hol-
lywood was concerned.
Campaign to Fame.
Or does all that matter? Maria
got to Hollywood by way Of New
York, chiefly because the artist, Nc
Clelland Barclay, saw her and
thought she had commercial por-
trait possibilities.
Soon after Maria came to Holly
wood and mapped out . plan Of
conquest. She said she read all the
fan magazines before tipping her
self. She emerged as combination
OF mature Lupe Velez considerably
toned down and Montez. She also
decided girls like Miss Cradle were
doing all right with a certain amount
Of Hayes-ofice-approved leg art.
Summed up. Miss Montez today