The globe-independent. (Hagerstown, Md.) 1943-19??, 1944-10-12

to Yale his moth
er wired him, "Yale may be for
some people, but not for us"
His first year In the movies was
amazing. A year after he had
ambled through Hollywood studio
gate looking for a chance to do
anything at all in movie he was
an official star teamed with Paul
cite Goddard in II Love a Soldier"
He recently topped the 10 players
elected for stardom by the nations
exhibitors in the Motion Picture
Herald's annual "stars of tomor-
row" poll.
Vital Statistics
The six-foot-four, 2O0-pound blond
was born in Boston 20 years ago last
July 16 and was christened Bowen
Charleton Tufts III. He's never
been called anything but Sonny.
His family expected him to train
for business and finance, his father
being famous banker. But Sonny,
at eight, saw Eddie Cantor, and
asked his dad, "Would you care if |
became an actor?" Wise Tufts Sr. re-
piled, mot il you're a good one"
He went TO the exclusive Philips
Exeter, where he majored in Greek
honestly, rowed on the crew, was
cheer leader during the football sea-
son, and organized a band. His band
made money, but Sonny was i'm
clined to cockiness, and when he let
summer hotel engagement slip out
of his mitts because he was too
sure he had it, his father decided
he needed practical lesson. Sonny
was sent to Plymouth as a house,
toulouse seller of refrigerators. He
surprised every one, including him
self, by winning the district sales
contestant silver cup.
At Yale he was a legend. He
started out by spending two years
in the freshman class. He majored
(hold your hatsD in anthropology,
and even today talks glibly about
races and reads heavy tones on the
subject.
A Fling at Opera
The summer before his senior
year he heard Tito SChipa sing. He
decided he, too, would be a great
opera star.
The big Junk worked his way to
Paris on a freighter and spent 6
months studying there and 10
months locked in a room back in
New York learning opera scores.
He was given an addition at the
Met, but found out how little his
starting salary would be, so leaped
into Broadway musical, who's
Who" He was barely in it--slight-
ly more in "Sing for Your Supper"
So he turned to singing his own ma
terial at swanlSy hotel spots in New
York and Palm Beach.
Hon1n1ed His Way In
Joe Egh, Paramount director,
gave Sonny an addition, then a test.
Sonny picked something from a
batch of test scripts, choosing one
he thought he could make funny.
Long after this bowling test had won
him contract he discovered he had
clowned Charles Boyer's most tender
love scene from "Love Affair" A
week after the contract was mixed
Mark Sandrich saw the test, gave
him another with Paulette Goddard,
then the role opposite her in $50
Proudly We Hail." That made the
big bloke, and he went into Gov
eminent Cir" 81 Love a Soldier, :"
Bring On the Girls" and then
s'Here Come the WAVES" with
Bing Crosby and Betty Hutton.
Sonny makes friends easily, quick
ly. He's colorful every inch of his
frame and it would take more than
a story like this to outline all Of
his adventures. But the best story
he told me was about the four
WAVES he gave farewell party to
before they took off for duty. He
wanted to bring in couple of his
pals, but the WAVES said: What
and spoil our fun? We want Tuftsl''
They made it their theme song.
Climbing Too Fast
Frank Sinatra walked off the SCI
of Anchors Aweigh" when he
couldn't see his rushes, sulked a hal
hour, then came back, apologizet
to everybody ara went on shooting
Joe Pasternak tells me Franks the
kindest hearted guy in the world
but the most confused. He's being
driven crazy by requests from al
over, from benefits, hospitals, camps
etc. He needs to learn self disci
pine. Well, Franks young, and ever
older people can't learn that over
night.