The Waterbury Democrat., 1944-02-02
- In Hollywood
By ERSKINE JOHNSON NEA Staff Correspondent


 Biggest laugh in Hollywood these yawnings is when an emaciated character wearing a big bow tie and bobby socks is pushed in a wheel chair onto the stage of a local night club, starts to sing and then faints as a stooge attempts to revive him with a giant hypo- dermic needle.
 T thought 1t was hilarious" Frank Sinatra said.
 We had cornered The Voice, idol of the bobby sock set, in quiet Hollywood restaurant far from the autograph front. That wild, hunted look was gone from his eyes except that he did look under the table before sitting down.
 Sometimes" he winced, "they hide under the table. There were three of lem in the back seat of my station wagon last night"
 Had Sinatra heard Bob Hope say, when Frankie, Jr., was born that it was the first time in i1is- tory that the baby weighed more than the father? Sinatra had.
 T howled." he said. T laughed for 10 minutes"
 That's what we like about Frank Sinatra. He'd rather talk about Frank Sinatra than anything else. But he has a sense of humor so keen you can forgive the guy for anything.
 He didn't admit 1t, but we're willing to bet our collection of Bing Crosby records that he's just as amused over the "Sinatra craze" as the mamas and papas of group of teen-aged girls we saw waiting for him on the steps of the RKO studio the other day. All were wearing identical sweaters on which were emblazoned, in big letters, "Sinatra Lovers"
 MONEYMAKER
 The "Sinatra craze" after all, is bringing your Frankie more money than he ever dreamed about. Which is probably the reason he now drives around town in a sta- tion wagon. When you're making as much money as The Voice, you gotta have a station wagon to cart the green stuff to the bank every week.
 Sinatra tells you frankly that he likes himself on the screen very much. He has seen the Sinatra show, "Hieher and Higher" eight times. probably will see 1t eight more.
 "A guy couldn't have had a better introduction, he said. I'm the luckiest guy in the world"
 He's worried. though, about his next film. fie played himself in "Higher and Higher"
 "In this new picture" he said, I'm going to play 8 character, with lot of dialog. I'm not Frank Sinatra any more. I'm different guy. I gotta get down and work. "
 The picture will be a rewritten version of Room Service" Sina- tra will play a serious-minded nlaywrieht. Just in case his acting Hops. RKO has arranged for him to sing eight songs.
 MORE LAUGHS
 RKO Is taking no chances. either, with letting Sinatra carry the whole picture. There will be Gloria de Haven, Gerge Murphy. Walter Sle- zak and a lot of other people. Even Murphy will sing in thep icture. much to his regret. My first big change to sing" moans Murphy. land it's in a Sinatra picture" It's almost as bad. Murphy said, as the first time Hollywood let him dance on the screen. That was in Fred Astaire pictureI
 But the biggest laugh at RKO was when Slezak. the burly Dutchman. was assigned to the picture. Slezak went to the ward robe department and donned a big bow tie and a pair of bobby socks. Then he went to the Ofilce of Studio Boss Charley Koerner. rolling up his trousers en route. Then he rushed into Koerner's of- hce screaming. "Oh, Charley! Oh. Charlevl Look at me! Look at mel I've been sent"
 The Voice thought 1t was great ioke.
 Copyright. Is44. NEA Service. 1nco
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