Evening star., 1945-03-18
HOLLYWOOD.

have discovered the boy respon-
Sible for Gail Russell'S screen-life vi
brancy. It's William Russell. talent
coach, test director, and now in the
throes Of his first ull-fledged direc-
torial job-"Our Hearts Were Grow
ing Up" In this, Bill has not only
Gail. whom he ship-shaped into
stardom, but several of the other
youngsters who were prepared by
Bill for their screen-acting debuts at
Paramount - Diana Lynn, James
Brown, Billy Edwards. In addition,
Russell had the job of coaching Son.
ny Tufts for his screen test. And re-
Gently he prepared Joan Caulfield OF
the stage for her first contact with
the camera.
So I have lunch with Mr.. Russell
chiefly to find out the magic formula
he used on his female namesake
and to learn about the duties of q
talent coach in general. And any
way, it's high time some one brought
this anonymous. but important job
into the light of publicity.
Tufts Tough Problem.
Sonny Tufts was very raw when
he came to me for his screen test,
says Russell. Until that turning
point in Tufts career, he had been
a night-club entertainer and could
sing funny songs. AS Bill describes
it-"a great, huge guy comes in and
talks like he has a mouthful OF
mush, and he's awkward" So, OF
course, the producers decide he's the
Charles Boyer type and ask Russell
to give him love scene from Love
Affair" for his screen test!
For two weeks" says the coach
Il tore my hair and felt we were
getting nowhere I was playing the
girl, and thought maybe that was
the trouble. CMr Russell is built like
a football playerD So I got a gir
with him. But it was still awful
Then we both saw the humor of it
You know all those futile gesture.
of his! I played him against the
love scene and it turned out very
funny. 1t was scream. Mark Sand
rich saw the test and immediately
cast Sonny for the part of Kansa
In SO Proudly We Hail 1t was lucl
that the picture came along at tina
time, or Sonny might not have beer
signed by Paramount.
1t was also lucky for Gail Rus
sell that the studio was maxim,
THE UNLIMITED" shortly after sh
was signed by them. FIRST time
saw GALL says Bill, "she was
frightened little rabbit. She cam
with her mother and didn't say
world. In reply to questions sh
just nodded, or shrugged her shoul
ders. I was intrigued because r
never met a girl who wouldn't talk /!
Calls fear, says Bill, is a fear Q
the unknown. Her first brush wit
acting was like being in the dentist
chair: he had to drill it out of hel
But when the test was approved
Calls seemingly nonexistent con
fidence started to grow. When sh
received small contract, it gre
a bit more.
Calls for Perfection.
| TT was six months before sh
had her first part" says Russell
| allo VIC lldo lCSSOllo CNCi udN. Oil
didn't want to do Henry Aldric
Gets Glamor' She didn't fe.
ready. She's a perfectionist, an
said she'd feel foolish. She's S
afraid that people will laugh at he
that she remains silent and wo,T,
rather have them think she
dumb"
But when people thought Ga
was good in the Aldrich film he
confidence increased a little b
more. Then came the small pal
in Lady in the Dark" and sta
Ginger Rogers was very nice t
Gail. She had her in her dressin
room, and invited her home, an
Gail just worshiped Ginger, an
thought. IF Ginger likes me. per
haps I'm not so bad" And tn