Evening star., 1943-01-24

| Los Al1RbISS LIE Qdy UGlUle TlcuuIc
left for the Arlington Reception
Center in Riverside County--a hum
dred miles from Los Angeles-and
listened TO the story of Freddie S
eight years in Hollywood, his
troubles, his triumphs, his hopes for
the future, the why's and Wherefores
of his enlistment in the Army, and
of course the latest news Of the non
stop fight of his parents to share
(did say share?) in Freddie'S past
earnings.
"They are now asking $1,000 600
from me-" says Freddie. AT one
time they wanted the custody OF
me as we'll Now they will settle
for the million dollars. Of course,
even if they won the fight to get
it Cf had it,, they couldn't collect
while I'm in the Army. But l don't
want that hanging over my head
all during the rest of the war and
waiting for me when I get out of the
Army. I want to clean the mess
up now so that I can start fresh,
with, I hope, no more lawsuits Tor
the rest of my life. I've really had
more than my share"
Works for Lawyers Pay.
He certainly has. In the eight
years of Freddies Hollywood career
there have been 26 lawsuits
with an expenditure for lawyers of
$4,000. And this figure will go to
100000 when Freddie's recent suit
to end all the suits against him is
successful. And more if it isn't.
Freddie's contacts with lawyers
began soon after he was signed to
play David Copperfeld in 1884 at a
salary of $75 a week. His parents
hot-footed it to this country, and
as Freddie puts suddenly de-
veloped parental love for me. Be-
fore that they had left me alone
since the age of two when I went
to live with Aunt CiSSie and her
mother and father in Wiltshire. l
was supposed to go to Aunt Clssie
for two weeks. I stayed Is years,
and I wouldn't be leaving her now
but Tor the war.
"He asked me if he could go to
the Air Corps the day he was ID"
says Miss Myllicent Bartholomew.
"At first I said, No I just couldn't
bear to part with him. He's been
my whole life, you see. But I could
see he was unhappy, so few weeks
ago I said, All right, If that's what
you want to do, then it's right for
you to do it Yes, I'll be lonely,
but I shall remain here in the house
so that Freddie will have a place
to come back to. and maybe the war
will be over SOON"
Wants to Go Abroad.
It'd like to be sent abroad for
active service" says Freddie. II
can't be a pilot because my eyes
are weak, but there are lots of
other things I can do. Failing that,
I'd like to be stationed near my
home, SO I can visit Cissie whenever
I get "a hours furlough." In that
case he will take his small red
Fiat, the engine of which he rebuilt
to give so miles to the gallon.
"I1l miss him when the plumbing
goes wrong in the house or the
electricity" says Aunt Cissie. Hes
always fixed things up for me. But
the Army will do him good physi-
cally. He's underweight Q24 pounds
and If his face fills out he'll be as
handsome as he was when he was
little. He was the dearest-looking
little fellow in the world. Do you
remember"
If I didn't the walls of every
room in the Bartholomew house
would remind me. Over the mantel-
piece in the living room is a paint
ing of Freddie as David Copper
field. There are 10 miniatures of
Freddie on either side of the fire.
place. On the piano is a big photo
graph of Freddie at the age of 3 or a.
On a table are wooden cutouts of
Freddie in street and costume
clothes. On the staircase wall is a
huge portrait of Freddie as he is
today.
Freddie is embarrassed by so
many pictures of himself in the
house and wants me to put some
away, but now more than ever I
shall keep them where they are"
states Miss Bartholomew.
What will you do when Freddie
gets married?" I ask the aunt who
dotes so much on her nephew.
"Oh dear, don't want him to get
married" she replies.
How about you?" I ask Freddie.
I've always been a little fright