Evening star., 1942-05-03
New York Meets Spring and Starlet and Is Happier
Young Pretty Martha ODrcol Full of Enthusiasm,
Do the aTreesa nd NevB
By Don Whitehead,
Wide World News.
NEW YORK.

NEW YORK.
Spring has slipped into winter
weary Manhattan and as usual has
caught the natives unawares, but
this time the season brought along
something special in Martha O'Dris-
coll
The blond starlet, one of the
more luscious youngsters from the
Paramount stable, did as much to
cheer UP the citizens as budding
trees, chirping robins and a tenta-
tive shift to Tom Collinses.
Not that the city isn't used to
movie stars. They swarm in and
out OF the place. But 20-year-old
Martha brought along a fresh beauty
and enthusiasm for seeing the sights
that gave her an edge on her more
sophisticated sisters.
They Won't Forget.
schooled in the Hollywood dread
OF understatement, Martha found
everything "wonderful!" as well as
terrific" and "marvelous'-but the
point is, she seemed to mean every
word of it.
Hollywood has a goodwill mis-
sionary in the shapely person OF
Miss O'Driscoll and those who saw
her aren't likely to forget soon.
Over in Central Park the natives
created a traffic jam when Martha
began feeding the pigeons, and then
took a side-saddle pony ride.
"Gol1y,' said Martha, II wonder
what that policeman would say II I
took off my shoes and walked in the
grass?"
So she took off her shoes and only
startled several hundred strollers
who rushed over to watch, New
Workers being notorious watchers.
No Scarlet" Contender.
Break 1t up! What goes on
here?" the policeman demanded.
Then he saw Miss ODriscou look
ing so fresh and lovely in = new
print dress and stocking feet, and
the law was putty in her manicured
hands. Nothing happened. Nothing
at all.
Things like that seem to be q usual
thing with Martha, who was one
of the few young stars who did not
get test as Scarlett in Gone With
the Wind
However, she was paid $3.50 week
for two weeks while not playing the
part of Ashley's sister, Honey. The
studio hired her, then decided to
eliminate the role.
Being one Of Paramount's "Junket
Girls" Martha goes on goodwill
trips for the studio when she isn't
working in a picture, her latest
role being a bubble dancer In MY
Heart Belongs to Daddy"
You feel awfully silly just get
ting up before a lot of people and
saying I'm happy to be here, and
then grinning like dope"
Martha learned song routine
which gives her special spot in
the appearance tours.
Now Owns q Home.
AS a child in Tulsa, Okla, and |
Phoenix, Ariz., Martha made local
as q dancer and singer,
and at 13 her mother took her to
Hollywood to storm the land of
make-believe.
Martha didn't exactly set the
place on fire, but by saying she was
IL, she was chosen for the chorus
In M-G-M's Here Comes the Band"
One part led to another in various
studios until the big shots began
taking notice Of the blond ODris-
coll.
She was the poor little rich girl
IN Judge Hardy and Son." and had
roles in Collegiate" Girl School,"
30 Little Mothers" Mad About
Music" and numerous others, in
eluding Cecil B. De Miles Reap
the Wild Wind"
Now she's bought herself . home
In Hollywood and at the ripe age
Of % has become q landholder.
The true matter of her age was
settled long ago, and life is pretty |
wonderful to Martha ODriscoll as
any one could see who watched her |
usher spring into New York.