Evening star., 1945-01-21
HOLLYWOOD.

| It's getting so that I'm afraid to
go on the sets because I'm sure to
bump into some one who has just
had or is going to have baby and
then all we talk about Is babies and
you can't keep on writing story after
story on babies. So I hope today to
cover the entire subject in one big
story and then after this we can
settle down to more important mat
ters-such as why Humphrey Bo-
gart loves working for Jack War
ner, etc.
| In most communities when you
are going to have baby you keep
the secret for as long as possible In
Hollywood the world seems to know
| all about it before you do. Like the
baby Betty Cradle is supposed to be
having this year.
Attitudes Are Different.
When Betty was asked about the
expected infant she said: Look, I'm
not having a baby and if I were I'd
tell the world" Which is what she
did when the stork dropped his call
ing card for Victoria Elizabeth
James. On the other hand, every
one often knows before the prospec-
tive mother wants it that way.
That's what happened when Paul
cite Goddard and Burgess Meredith
decided not to tell a soul, but the
day after they knew, the item was
in all the papers. And now there has
been the tragic ending on the op-
Grating table.
Gene Tierney thought she was
keeping her secret and was careful
to knit all the baby garments in the
privacy of her home. One day some
one from the studio called, and
Gene had forgotten to put away a
half finished pair of baby's soakers.
Veronica Lake was able to fool
this reporter for quite while. When
I remarked to her that she looked as
beautiful as only an expectant
mother can, she pointed to her new
hair-do and claimed that as the
beautifier. Poor Veronica lost the
baby because, it is reported, she led
too busy a life working at the studio.
One topic on which you hear a
lot of talk in Hollywood in connec-
ton with babies is the cost of them
To be fair to the stars, this talk
usually comes from the publicity de-
partments which find it intriguing
that SO and so is surrendering for
tune to have baby.
Twin Babies Cost 100000.
Brenda Joyce, who had two babies
in swift succession, estimates that
the two years she was off the screen
nicked her of 100000.
Maureen O'Hara discovered she
was an expectant mother day be-
fore she was due to start a picture
She wisely called off the film part.
| I'D olready lost one through work.
ing" she told me, land I wasn't TAX
ing any more chances" Her Bron-
wynn Bridget is a good reward for
remaining away from pictures for
18 months. Motherhood, incidental
ly, has enhanced Maureen's beauty
to a point where three out of every
four persons in this town name her
as the most beautiful girl in Holly
wood.
That reminds me of Hedy La
MARI. I wish you could watch Hedy's
face when she talks of her expected
child which she hopes will be a
girl. II already have boy" she
explains, referring to Jamie, whom
she adopted when he was a few
months old. And Hedy, while star
ring in Her Highness and the Bell
boy" is living in her dressing room
at the studio rather than risk the
long drive morning and evening to
her canyon home If she had not
already started the picture, Hedy
certainly would not have undertaken
the part. All her scenes have pri-
ority and as of this date she is prob
ably at a mountain resort and will
stay there until the birth of the
baby.
Intrigued by Nose.
Ann Sothern, who hoped for a
boy but is well satisfied with girl
and have you noticed how most of
the movie actresses have had girls
had a pretty bad time and once
remarked that had she known how