The Waterbury Democrat., 1943-09-29
h - Hollywood.
By ERsKINE JOHNSON NEA stan Correspondent

NEAA ObhA OVEEuSEVAAASMW
 You know Ned Sparks. The flln- niest man in motion pictures. The dead-pan comedian who never smiles. Of course, you do, everybody knows Ned.
 Well, Ned Sparks can't get . job in Hollywood. The funniest man in pictures and Ned has not worked in front of a camera for year.
 Casting directors and producers and executives say, why of course. Sure. Ned Sparks funniest man in pictures" Then they start laugh ing over some scene they remember. Der. Such as Ned reciting Peter Rabbit stories to a group of kids in Bing Crosby's picture, "The Star Maker"
 They send his agent waay with an optimistic, wen call you just as soon as something comes up as soon as something comes up. Ned sparks2 Sure. A very funny man."
 And that ends it. Nothing ever happens. No one ever calls. This has been going on for year.
 T left Hollywood two years ago for my home in Canada" Ned told us the other night. T was sick man. Doctors expected me to die. I expected to die. But came back to Hollywood a year ago feeling better than ever. I guess Hollywood thinks I'm dead"
 It isn't often that your Holly wood reporter goes campaigning. But Ned Sparks deserves a cam paign to get him back into mo- tion pictures. He IS one of the funniest men on the screen. And it's 8 sad commentary on the film business that he can't get a job. roo PERFECT
 Just the other day, for example, Ned met an old friend, writer working on Bing Crosby's new pic ture, Going My Way"
 Gosh, Ned, am I glad to see you" said the writer. T just wrote a role with you in mind for Bing's new picture. Right down your alley. Part of an atheist. You1l be terrific. Send your agent over to Paramount"
 Ned thanked the writer for the tip and the next day his agent went to Paramount. Understand you've got a role written with Ned Sparks in mind for Bing's new pie ture?" said the agent.
 Yea" said the Paramount spokesman, They're testing eight actors for the part"
 But they wrote 1t with Ned Sparks in mind" protested the agent.
 Can't help it." said the Para mount man. Cant do 8 thing for you. They're testing eight actors" Couple of days later one of the eight actors got the job. MASTER OF COMEDY
 Sure, we know the public gets tired of seeing the same faces on the screen. But were willing to bet a ration book that you're not tired of seeing Ned Sparks. How can any, one be tired of an actor they have mt seen on the screen for 8 year? So that can't be the reason Ned isn't working.
 Besides, we think Ned is the type of comedian the public never tires of. He never asked to be starred in picture. Has never gone temperamental, he says. He's the type of comedian who runs through picture punctuating the story with laughs. "A laugh horse," is the way he describes himself.
 There's no argument, either, about Ned knowing comedy. Dur ing filming of the picture, "Imita- ton of Life" in which he played Claudette Colbert's manager, Di- rector John Stahl was having trouble with long, seven-min- ute scene. Ned asked if he could rewrite 1t. Stahl said he could try. Ned rewrote the scene. Ter rife" said stahl. You're a master of comedy"
 Sparks has been writing his own dialog ever since. Many film script has carried the notation, Ned Sparks writes something fun. n.y."
 It's mighty funny that the fun niest man in pictures can't get c job in pictures.