Browning chief. [volume] (Browning, Mont.) 1941-1953, 1944-11-03

mas not been ri
| built up by des- 49, = =
perate Hollywood Gregory Peck
| studios scurrying
| to alleviate the acute male short
age.
| Greg was a pre-medical student
at the University of California when
he took part in a school production
of "Anna Christie" and decided to
| give up medicine and become an
actor. He got his first real break in
the Katharine Cornell play 1.-THE
Doctors Dilemma" That decided
him to become an actor. But before
| that he was member of the Bar
ter theater in Abingdon, Va.
He was stroke on the Bear crew
that roWed at Poughkeepsie in 1898.
Lo.Dly Beginning
Peck's first professional expert
ence in showmanship was as
barker on the Midway at the New
York's Worlds fair.
| In a contest he won a two-year
scholarship to the New York Neigh
borhood Playhouse. Between semes-
tiers he won the Barter theater
award
Guthrie McClintic saw him in a
Barter theater play and engaged
him for the tour with 1.-THE Doctors
Dilemma"
Made his Broadway debut in 1.-THE
Morning Star"
Played juvenile lead opposite
Jane COwl in punch and Julia"
Also played male lead opposite
Martha Scott in 1.-THE Willow and
I" and opposite Geraldine Fitzger-
aid in Sons and Soldiers"
| Received no less than a dozen
motion picture offers before he &C.
cepted the RKO-Selznick contract.
Strictly Personal
Gregory Peck's wife, Greta Rice,
is nonprofessional.
He is modest, intelligent, and con-
sentative. He is prouder of his small
son than he is of star billing. He's
a collector of "how to bring up
babies" information. He boasts that
he pins mighty neat diaper on his
| young son.
Greg says that if as an actor he
has to have a hobby, the help short
age has fortunately provided one for
him. He is pretty fair and passably
energetic gardener.
Greta and Gregory Peck do very
well without night clubs. Their
favorite entertainment is visiting
with half a dozen friends. Greg
likes discussions-any subject.
He swims and rides, but his ten
mis- is bad, and he's never mas
tered golf.
Behind the Scenes
Peck is a quick study. He learns
page of dialog merely by read
ing it through twice.
He always had stage fright at
dress rehearsals. This tenseness
lasts several days of shooting on
each picture.
He doesn't believe the "hoity-
toity" attitude stage actors have to-
ward the screen is justified. For
his money some of the best actors in
the world are right in this town.
He's under the spell of Alfred
Hitchcock. Says, Its a privilege
to work under his direction"
He'd like to do one rootin', tootin'
western. His enjoyment Of horse
back riding has something to do
with this ambition.
One Appearance
Greg's father was a druggist in
San Diego. He'd always wished
that he was a doctor Greg had a
great devotion to his father-stil
has. He decided that if his father
thought doctoring was the ideal
career, doctoring was for him.
At the University of California
Greg studied medicine.
Then came the school production
of "Anna Christie" With that one
appearance he discovered he really
liked acting.
When he finished school he left for
New York.
He applied for the job as guide
at Radio city. Then came his schol-
arship to the New York Neighbour
hood Playhouse, which was followed
by the Barter theater award. And
he was on his way up.
Would Hamlet Pass?
o, my gosh! The Hays office has
put a ceiling on the number Of
bodies you can have in western.
Now it's eight. Producers are
mighty sensitive, too, about gun
women on the screen these days.
Are they afraid it might give some
Hollywood ladies an idea? :. Eliza
beth Taylor is star stuff in National
Velvet" as 1 predicted she would