Evening star., 1944-07-09
A Year for IJnknowns
By Harold Hefersan.

Icised by changing events OF . war
time world has developed Z quicker
faculty for talent absorption. The
fans fell for Lon McCallister on
sight. Home In Indiana" was his
second hit. Stage Door Canteen"
put him over with the public and
since he Is now In the Air Forces.
Winged Victory" will be his third
and last picture for the duration.
Even induction couldn't stop the
Richard Jaeckel furor. The blond
youngster who did an amazing first
Job in "Gaudalcanal Diary" went
into the merchant marine imme-
diately after finishing his part In
Wing and q Prayer" But the
studio has requests from II maga-
zines to photograph him when he
arrives in town next week.
Such things give the relaxing big
stars food for thought. From q
small role in '"The Song of Berna-
dette," Bill Eythe emerged into the
lead Of '"The Eve Of st. Mark" and
now he gets the lead opposite Tai
lulah Bankhead in "Czarina." A
handful of stars known In other
mediums but brand-neW to the
screen include Dick Haynes from
radio, Vivian Blaine from bands,
and Perry Como from bands and
radio. Como got a top lead in his
first-"Something for the Boys"
From One Play to Hollywood.
Gregory Peck Is an outstanding
example Of what's happening.
Known only for one play on Broad
way. Peck was brought out by RKO
to play the romantic lead opposite
Toumanova, dancer turned actress
in Revenge" The picture is no
great shakes, but Peck has plunged
ahead In a manner never before
paralleled in movies. Before his first
f1lm was out he had been signed to
six star roles.
Doubtless some of these happen
ings gave MGM courage to put Ar
thur Walsh, probably only a name to
you now, into a big role in "Ziegfeld
Follies." Walsh, a jitterbug champ,
was brought to Hollywood for a Pete
Smith short. He showed such talent
for straight dramatic stuff that he
gets big break. So does Ava Gard
ner, on the strength of her part in
Three Men in White" She's been
photographed lot but not on sets
Same studio bought Twice Blessed"
for the Wilde twins-Lee and Lynn
which puts them into a top movie
drawer. Phyllis Thaxter, who plays
the lead opposite Van johnson in
Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo" is
making her No. / film start and
Director Mervyn LIE Roy insists she II
be star the moment the picture is
released.
Paramount's Gail Russell became
marquee name with The Unin-
vited," her first start, and Barbara
Britton's work in Until We Meet
Again" gives that studio two starry
unknowns for the year. Universal
Is betting on Ann Blyth, a 15-year-
old kid in The Merry Monohans, I"
and on June Vincent, who drew a
top role with Boris Karlon in The
Climax" In addition to Jean Sulli-
van, Warmers have Bob Aida, who
came out of the unknown ranks to
play George Gershwin in "Rhap-
sody in Blue" and Eleanor Parker,
who did so well in her first lead
that she has been given the part
formerly played by Bette Davis in
the remake Of "Of Human Bond
age" Lauren Bascall posed in
slacks and shorts mostly for ma
tional magazines up to the moment
Producer Howard Hawks spotted her
opposite Humphrey Bogart in To
Have and Have Not"
Naturally this is great bonanza
for the studios. The material they
figured on as merely stop-gap, ac-
cumulated against emergencies, has
developed into live property pool
that is going to earn its way into
big box -offlce returns right from
the start. And these lovely ladies
and gentlemen who like to relax and
coast on their laurels had better
give heed!
tReleased BY North American Newspaper
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