Evening star., 1942-01-09
CHAPTER I
Premiere!

Every one who was any one in
Hollywood was coming to the pre-
miere. 1t was the picture of the
year. And advance publicity had
promised first-night send-of1
worthy of the s3,OOo,OOO production
A dozen searchlights stabbed the
sky. A red carpet, long and wide,
extended across the gray sidewalk
A huge canopy, newly gold painted,
rested on silver spears. Banks of
flowers lined the forecourt, diffus-
ing sweet perfume. Every pub
licity man from the studio stood at
his post. A 20-man orchestra
played popular songs. with brass and
drums predominating. Worried
cameramen ran from the carpet
to the street, pausing expectantly
by every car stopping near the the
ater
All, it was beginning at last. A
man respondent in full evening
dress walked nervously to the mic
rophone, clutched it with damp
hands, cleared his throat and ad-
dressed his patient audience:
ETA good, good evening, folks.
Thank you for waiting. 1t won't
be long now" He swallowed au-
dibly, drew a short breath and
added, Your favorite stars will soon
be here, and"
The crowd of men, women and
children-mostly adolescent girls
lining the pavement behind the
strong ropes and jam-packed in the
ugly wooden bleachers on each side
of the theater, stirred to life. There
was a general shifting and stretch
ing movement. A young voice
shrieked:
A Sheepish Smile.
Look! Jimmy Cagney!" A solid
phalanx of policemen converged on
the long, black limousine. But it
was false alarm. The short Irish
man with the wide grin was merely
the producer of the movie-and he
smiled sheepishly as disappointed
groan followed him up to the carpet.
Under cover of the sound. a girl
sitting tensely in the bleachers said
emphatically, Il won't give it up.
I won't" She did not realize she
was talking aloud until the end of
her outburst. Then she smiled, en-
barrassed, looking swiftly to her
right and left.
On one side of her small boy
mincingly Knocked, "A good, good,
good evening, folks"
On her right the girl encountered
amused gray eyes in mans face
that seemed vaguely familiar. His
forehead reminded her of Tyrone
Power. No, he was more like Will
liam Holden. At second glance, he
gave a fleeting impression of Rob-
ert Taylor. Now she stared at him,
openly, solemnly. She decided he
was not as good looking as Robert
Taylor, but he was more handsome
in strong, masculine fashion
He tugged at the lobe of his left
ear and formed his lips for speech.
But he smiled instead.
The announcers voice ripped
through the microphone, cutting
the swelling sound from the closely
packed people in the rows of hard,
wooden seats, and the girl turned
reluctantly away from the gray,
questioning eyes.
1t Really Begins.
Now it was really beginning. A
woman star emerged carefully from
a long, low-slung car. The police
pushed back the clamoring fans.
The vision stepped daintily on the
red carpet. Cameramen encircled
her. Some were on their knees.
Others were pressed against her,
their faces tense, as dozen fash
lights exploded.
who is it? Who is it?" The
crowd surged forward.
"Claudette Colbert!" piped voice.
The name rippled across the crowd
like a breeze over a cornfeld.
"Claudette Colbert" A thin
voice screamed exultantly, I'VE
want Claudette Colbert!"
I'VE want Claudette Colbert!"
roared the crowd
The star paused, smiled happily,
was enchantingly graceful, waved
q little hand vaguely to include all
the people who had waited-some as
long as seven hours, just for this