Evening star., 1943-03-21
Regimented Stars
May Be Answer
To Draft Dither
EHferfainerSinUniform
Under ArmyCommand,
That's the Latest Idea
By The Associated Press.
HOLLYWOOD

HOLLYWOOD.
Hollywood is doing a nip-up, as
usual This time the question is:
What to do about the industry's
talent power?
The problem is not confined to the
business alone. Because the men
involved touch all of us through the
screen and stage, it concerns both
civilians and soldiers. too. 1t also
concerns the Government.
The Government has, thus far,
made no statement as to how en-
tertainers can be most useful. It
has neither refused to draft pro-
feSsional men. as Russia has done.
nor requested that all actors of draft
age enter the service. This battles
the actors, particularly. as they
bear the brunt of public criticism.
The criticism comes from civilians
as well as from soldiers. yet there
appears to be less squawking from
servicemen.
7 have suggested to toss into the
hopper:
Why not form a third class Of
men, differentiated from either ci-
villains or soldiers?
Into Separate Category.
Let this class be composed of the
top entertainers, not only from the
motion picture industry. but from
the concert hall and theater.
Let them be directly under the
supervision Of Gen Marshall.
Let them, therefore, be under
military orders, yet not in uniform
or, if in uniform, in dress of their
own which will identify them. This
should give them the freedom they
have in civilian life and the direc-
tive their talents need at present.
Let this pool of talent be available
for any entertainment purpose,
whether it be for the making of mo-
ton pictures or for morale building
of troops.
Let these men take an oath of ad-
mission as military men do, be en-
listed for the duration plus six
months.
Let them receive payment from
the Government and no other
source, And let this payment rank
with that of military men.
Let their travelling expenses be
paid by the Government, as any SOL
dier's or sailors are, and let their
living expenses be partially met by
Washington.
In short, let these men enlist, as
they are anxious to do, but let them
enlist in such a way that their
unique talents will be of value.
With a quart Of ice cream and a
silver spoon Tap Dancer Bill Rob-
inson celebrated his 56th year in
the show business this week.
The ice cream and the silver spoon
were from Shirley Temple, who
worked with Bill in seven pictures.
AS to memories and the traditional
mellow mood an anniversary is sup
posed to evoke, Bill waved an airy
hand and protested that his years in
the theater had made him far toe
eager about the future to consider
the past,
More Nickels Nowadays.
"I remember" he conceded, start
Ing out III a beer garden in Rich
mond, Va, where I was born. I
danced and the patrons pitched me
nickels. The only difference between
me and that boy is that nowadays
they pitch me more nickels."
Whereupon the Negro tap champ
tapped his way up a staircase, back
wards, and tapped down again the
same way.
The cast of This Is the Army" is
bored with picture making. Sitting
around day after day, waiting for
setups, is not their idea of fun.
They would rather be in camp.
They are surprised at this. They
thought that working on the same
lot as Ann Sheridan would be one
thrill after another They didn't
realize that Ann, too, has to spend
hours il her dressing room, while
the master brains figure out just
where a light should be placed.
The establishment is breaking
down the boys They're ready for
the AleutianS any time.