Evening star., 1944-03-30

figured on recent day. It was
something that demandedsattention
even by producer with two such
irons in the fire as Ernie Pyle's
Here Is Your War" and Tomorrow
the World"
Mr.. Cowan, who thinks while
walking up and down the room
shadow-boxing, could not stop
brooding about the waste she repre-
sents as one of the screens really
great acting abilities.
The basic trouble, he figured
rather quickly. was that the latter
day difference between Garbo's box
office popularity and her great gift
was something for which her studio
was to blame, not Garbo or her
public. AS the critics had said at
the time, her last picture, Two
Faced Woman" was perfectly calcu-
lated to arrest any career, even one
as therefore bright as Garbos.
"All she needs is a story" Mr..
Cowan told himself.
That, of course, did not altogether
settle the matter. Stories worthy of
great actresses of either the stage
or screen have been lamentably
lacking for several seasons. No one
knows that better than Mr.. Cowan,
who keeps track of potential dra-
matte material all the way from
best sellers down to the stray sem
tence in news story that might be
buried on page IL of his favorite
daily.
1t was somewhere close to the lat
ter that he found eventually what he
is sure will be vehicle worthy of
Miss Garbo, the story of what the
Norwegian women are doing in the
merchant marine of their country.
Miss Garbo will be boat captain,
a woman of an entirely different set
OF dramatic dimensions than the
lovelorn character which even she
had a hard time believing in het
last picture for M-G-M.
BY autumn you probably will be
seeing her again. sAnd under a new
management which Mr.. Cowan is
determined to keep intelligent.
The plan supercedes the one under
which Carlo was to make Shaw's
st. Joan" under the auspices of
Gabriel Pascal in London. That role,
incidentally, has fallen to the lot of
Vivien Leigh, also a considerable
actress.
y X
The mail bag, which comes in
handy now and then on a rainy
day when man would rather Just
sit indoors, produces the following
from Ken Burgher:
Definition of a critic-columnist:
Someone with a good memory and
bad disposition.
Definition of press agent:
Someone with good disposition
and bad memory.
"Or has someone beaten me to
the gag?
On dull day, Mr.. Burgher, no!
X X X
Venus Ramey, whose parents are
entitled to regard themselves as
rather more prophetic than most
since their daughter has grown up
to win beauty contests at the age
of 19, will enter the Earle's stage
show tomorrow. So viii Margaret
Lee Bartlett and Lynda Britt,
runners-up in the local Cover Girl
contest. 1t will represent the pro-
fessional debuts of each of the
trio.
X X X
Those foresighted theatergoers
who carry lozenges and such to
pass out to coughers in nearby
seats are timid souls compared with
an aggressive character who mate
rialized in the Nationals balcony
the other day. According to this
departments agent, this deter
mined individual had equipped
himself with pint-size bottle of
liquid of such virulence that its
scent covered virtually the whole
balcony. not unpleasantly, but
rather remarkably.
The first cougher had the bottle
handed to her with such force that
she took a large swig without giving
the matter a thought.
p The man seemed enormously
pleased.
The second woman, however,
represented quite snag in the
mans program. She scorened the
bottle, a rejection that the man
Whoro oJ WI