The Waterbury Democrat., 1945-08-17
PAST AND PRESENT
By Jack Lait

PAST AND PRESENT
 How to create news" is sum- marked in a circular as advance rrcmotion for "The 1945 Public Re- fotiong Directory Year Book" by Harry Klemfuss. Klemfuss describes many stunts which he handled. But, strangely, he makes no mention of the historic one which he planned and staged--the long riot preceding, attending and following the funeral Of Rudolph Valentino. who died August g, 1926 .. Klemfuss was the press agent for the famous mor- t'clafl, Frank E. Campbell, in whose chapel Valentino lay in state while hundreds of thousands, day and night, milled around, weeping, pray ing, carrying on in morbid ecstasy Not since the body of Abra- ham Lincoln was carried home from Washington has anything been seen like the trip of the train carrying Valentino in his casket.
 Among the reporters who worked with me on that story were Walter Winchell, Mark Hellinger, Nunnally Johnson, John Chapman, Russell Birdwell, Howard Mayer, Damon Runyon, John Winkler and numer- GUS out-of-town stars who joined Sthe cavalcade as we went West by way of Chicago, Kansas City and III Paso All this consumed about two weeks, giving time for the re- lease of Valentines last film, the silent, "Son of the Shiek". The huge publicity broke the custom, which had held until then, of withholding films of stars who had died. That had been done with the passing of Wallace Reid, Olive Thomas, Mar tha Mansfield, Vernon Castle, Har- old Lockwood and others.
 Few realize that back of this story, which captured the imagination of newspapers around the world and their readers, was deliberate and brilliant exploitation-for an under taker. The supposedly alert and enterprising picture company was taken completely by surprise, though it quickly rose to the opportunity and thereby not only earned 8 couple of million dollars, but set an all-time precedent which still stands
 films in which prominent per- formers who are no longer living have been accepted on the screens by exhibitors and their patrons ever since, as in the instances of Jean Harlow, John Barrymore, Lupe Velez, Carole Lombard and revivals, even today of the deathless i 'rTugboat Annie" comedies with Ma rio Dressler The word Camp bell" became a household synonym for '.mortuary''.
 Before Betty Grable left Holly wood to join her husband, Harry ] James. who had an extended New York engagement, she gave off some ! categorical statements She was coming east as MT. Harry James not as Betty Grable It would be Q vacation and she would be wife and mother, not picture person. a1ity :. She would give no inter. views and she hoped the press woult respect the situation and not pestel her She was tired of having her gazns photographed and hel private affairs reported 7. The Hollywood office of 20th- Century Fox wired it's New York press de- partment an order to leave Miss Gable alone Now, Variety re- ports, Miss Qrable was mad be- cause nobody consulted her, be- cause she might have been willing to fin some if not all routine re. quests for stories or pictures" =.
 Since I wrote that Warner Bros have long withheld picture around the life of will Rogers because they can't cast the lead, have had hun dreds of tips on doubles" for thu eowboy-wit. No more, please! Il \ isn't facial resemblance that's lack. inc. It's an actor with that gift of God which Rogers had. of crack ing a joke so gently, SO cleanly, SC soVably Bob Hope is due 1T from Germany, August a Pa fricia Roc, British screen star, Clip pers into Baltimore, August 19. ant will spend a week in New York be- Fore going to Hollywood Int Hays office mixed two of June Hay CTS bathing suit shots in "Enchant' Cd voyage"-too much Haver. no enough bathing suit Miriam T1opkins is trying to sell her Holly wood home, as she intends to iv' In New York permanently :, Spencer Hare is preparing to iaunci and manage . new model In tn Elamor field, under the monicker Q %. Q. Smith. Her name is Fear Untermeyer, hence the initials. Tn
 smith was added to make her iee at home sounds so much like Un terneyer.
 cnrdiac Complications: Larr Brooks. of s'Song of Norway" es ~0r4s Marianne O'Brien. Warne 6arlet. zita Miller. Longuines heires end Jo Stafford x. Helen WaiKei r sAurder He Says" wants q di Sofce from her Army lieutenant ant