Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1945-08-19
HOLLYWOOD.


Hollywood's forgotten man. Rob-
ert Aida, has been remembered
finally. After an interval of two
years between his first and second
film, he is now making his third
picture, with a fourth around the
corner
I had lunch with Mr. Aida at the
Players restaurant, to find out how
lit feels to be remembered and to
check up on the boy who promises
to take his place among the more
important leading men in our town.
For a moment l thought it was Cary
Grant who was shaking my hand
and ordering spaghetti with meat
balls.
Il have fought the resemblance
for nine years." the 31-year-old actor
tells me. Agents and night-club
owners have always wanted to cap
italize on the resemblance But I
always said No My idea was to go
to Hollywood one day and more guys
have been killed here because they
looked like a movie star. He's
right. remember an attractive boy,
the image of Tyrone Power. who was
actually signed by Tvs own studio,
Goth Century-FoX, but never made
picture to my knowledge. And
there's Paul Brooks who looks more
like Enrol Flynn than Enrol himself,
and who is having very difficult
time getting started. I saw some
where where Aida was described as
the poor mans Cary Grant" And
this is unfair because he has a def
mite personality of his own.
Living Was Not Easy.
warmers brought me here on an
option" Bob tells me. BY that he
means they could not promise him
a job They sent me one ticket
only" he continues. Il said All of
us-my wife and my someone out,
or not one of u.s." So they all came
And had nowhere to live. They
managed a room at hotel for a
few days: then friend came to the
rescue with an apartment.
I'VE checked out of the hotel.
says Aida. When We arrived at the
apartment, the manager took a
quick look at Alfie and said, We al
ready have our quota of four chill
dren and 10 dogs!' and kicked us out.
We went back to the hotel room but
that was gone. tool" Fortunately
for the little family, Mrs. Aida is
woman of intuition and optimism.
You'll get a house and you'll get
contract" she told Bob. But it was
seven weeks before he was tested at
Warmers. And two weeks after that
before he got the part of George
Gershwin in Rhapsody in Blue" for
which he made 18 tests. This pic
ture, made more than two years ago,
is now showing only in New York,
will be released generally in this
| forgotten man of pictures will no
longer carry the embarrassing label.
THE boys in Europe and the Pa
cific know me- Bob tells me- "Rhap-
sody in Blue" was the first Amer
lean picture shown inside Germany
1t was done deliberately as sort of
poetic justice because the Nazis had
banned everything pertaining to
Gershwin. The movie has been in
the Pacific for the last Is months.
Whenever Robert appears at the
Hollywood Canteen or in Army and
Navy hospitals he is rushed" by the
boys in blue and khaki to whom he
| is a we'll established star.
Other Studios Bidding.
A few months ago Bob made his
second movie, cinderella Jones, :"
with Joan Leslie. This has not yet
been released. And he is now work.
ing with Ida Lupino in THE Man
I Love-" He almost had "a Stolen
Life" with Bette Davis, but he def
nitely gets Bette as co-star in THE
Land I Love-" by Ellin Berlin. Most
of the major studios have tried to
borrow Bob, but his Warner bosses
are now convinced (after the New
York critics had lauded Aida for
the Gershwin finn they have star,
and are keeping him in the family.