Evening star., 1942-04-05
There's Not Much Difference, Except That /
Opportunity Had Knock Only Once George Montgomery
Who'll Marry Miss Lamar Soon They Have Time Off
By Franklin Arthur,
Wide World News.

HOLLYWOOD.
There isn't a lot of difference
between George Montgomery and
the rest of you guys who have been
looking longingly at Hedy Lamar.
George admits that ever since she
brought her black-haired beauty
to the. screen he has watched her
with more than passing interest.
The difference is that he finally
met her. And opportunity only had
to knock once.
Now they're planning to be mar
ried.
Who, asked lot of people when
they announced the engagement,
is George Montgomery?
OF course they knew Hedy. They
remember that the Vienna bankers
daughter made "Ecstacy," the film
which censors decided was too
nudely naughty and thereby assured
OF huge success at American box
Offices.
He Thinke Hedy's Wonderful.
They recall that she was married,
when she was 16, to Fritz Mandl,
Austrian munitions maker, and later
divorced. They may recall the story
that he spent fortune trying to
buy all the prints of "Ecstacy." He
calls the tale "a ridiculous publicity
stunt"
They remember her elopement to
Mexico with Gene Markey, the
movie producer, which ended in
divorce 18 months later because they
had only four nice, quiet evenings
at home alone" since they were
wed.
But Montgomery?
Well, he's a goodlooking fellow. If
not the matinee idol type. He's
6 feet 2, weighs almost 200, rides
like cowpuncher and thinks Hedys
wonderful.
He was born near Great Falls,
Mont, youngest of Is children, on
a 2O0-acre ranch-"not very big for
those parts, so we rented adjoining
land"
He went to high school in Great
Falls, often walking six or eight
miles through snow. He enrolled
at the University of Montana, but
midway in his freshman year a
brother, Michael, beckoned from
Hollywood.
Became a "COssack."
No, said father, no money to go
to Hollywood. Money for education.
yes. Hollywood, no. So George
went to work on the w. P. A. Mike
was doing right we'll in the restau-
rant business. In fact, by the time
George arrived, he'd done so well
he'd sold the place. That gave
them time to scout around. They
promptly started visiting movie
studios.
Yes, George told the casting direc-
tor at the first one, he could ride
a horse. So he spent his second
and third days in town as Cossack
charging his white steed up flight
Of stairs. The pay was $35 day.
This beginning did not, however,
set Hollywood aflre. 1t was several
weeks before he landed job in a
Western series. He played masked |
rider. Even his own folks couldn't
recognize him.
There were other weeks of inacti-
vity, so George headed back to Mon
tana. He had been gone bat three
weeks when Mike bechoned again. |
He was off to South America, so
George came back to see him on his |
way. He stayed again. His first job |
paid $40 week, painting and deco
rating in an about-to-open night
club. l-. ---.
1t lasted four weeks, at the end of
which George decided against slow
starvation.
Signed to Contract.
He landed work as a bartender
In another club. That paid bbetter
and he stayed seven months. One
day he met Benny Medford, an
agent. Benny decided he was pic
ture prospect. George was willing,
but, by this time, unimpressed.
But Medford had way with him.
He went to casting directors and
said. I've signed this guy, do you
think I'm nuts?" The casting di-
rector at Goth Century-Fox decided