Evening star., 1942-10-25
Ketti Frings
Ignored Fame
To Write Play
Hollywood Offers
Thrust Aside to
DramatiSe Idea
By Andrew X. Kelley.

y
Usually the novel comes first, then
the screen scenario. But Ketti
Frings, who adapted the magazine
story into "Mr. Sycamore, the fam
tasy to be seen as the second attrac.
ton of the American Theater So-
ciety, reversed the process. She ex.
panded her first scenario into full
length book.
Because most of the work on her
novel. and racing the deadline was
done here in Washington at the
Hotel willard, the inverted TECH
nique becomes something apart from
the conventional. =
Ketti Frings is married to for
eign writer, whose entry into the
United States was barred by some
technicality of the immigration
laws. He was marooned across the
line in Mexico, yearned to have the
official visa which would take him
legally across the border. His wife
undertook the task of securing this
passport from the State Department.
Based Upon Facts.
In the course of her research KEITH
Frings learned much about the
lives Of those on the threshold Of
the United States, their hopes, sor.
rows and ambitions. These she em-
bodied into a screen story treat
ment called Memo to a Movie Pro-
ducer." While Hollywood was la
menting the dearth of good original
fiction, this narrative travelled from
one producers desk to another with
out producing a financial nibble.
Finally it reached Arthur Horn
blow at Paramount, a producer-di-
rector who prides himself on the
story quality which goes into his
features.
Hornblow Saw Story.
Hornblow saw the essence Of per-
suasive story and, what was better,
a good role for Charles Boyer. He
sent for Ketti Frings, they soon had
agree upon terms. Olivia de Havil-
land was cast as the feminine lead.
1t so happened that much of the
action incident in Hold Back the
DaWn"-for that is what the picture
was called-Was based upon cold
reality. Miss Frings had spent weeks
in Washington, interviewing Sena-
tors and Representatives enlisting
their aid and making innumerable
trips to the State Department. The
studio was delighted at the thought
of having the scenario expanded
into full-length novel. 1t would
enhance the value of the picture,
give 1t best-seller promotion.
Wrote Against Time.
Thus it happened that Ketti
Frings began on her book as her
picture was being readied for pro-
duction. She absorbed Washington
atmosphere. attendeda a few of the
Variety Club socials staged by Car
ter Barron of Loew's for visiting
celebrities, devoted all of her spare
moments to completing the book In
time for the holiday trade.
Eventually her husband was ad-
mitted to America. her book was
finished and the picture was re-
leased. Hold Back the Dawn" was
not a sensation in the circulating
libraries, nor did it ever become q
best seller. But the picture BECAME
one of Paramount's winners in the
exhibitor market and Ketti F'rings,
screen author, at once became in
demand.
Sold Her Play.
Instead of following the routine
procedure, accepting the best of the
studio offers, made alluring by fancy
figures, she set herself to writing for
the stage. A magazine story had
intrigued her and she took up with
Theresa Helburn of the Theater
Guild the matter of adapting this
fiction into a full-length play.
Miss Helburn told this department
recently that she liked the Frings
| (See KELLEY Page E-3