Evening star., 1946-09-07

4 "SAooo eiAS oLAtCu oldtES. ocLW6e0 II
writing several aviation books for
youngsters and a couple of more
serious novels, Island in the Sky"
and Blaze of Noon," the latter
still forthcoming.
Blaze of Noon" is, even though
not yet published, one of the things
Paramount is working up enthusiasm
for, so this might be a good time to
let the Paramount publicity depart
ment know that the studio has on
its hands as colorful a writer as it
ever dealt with. 1t would have to
track Capt. Gam down to find this
out, however, and that might be
hard to do, for not long ago he was
reported taking off for the Bahamas,
to get away from it all and settle
down to writing career.
He may be right on Paramount's S
lot in Hollywood, of course, but we'd
bet on the Bahamas. Capt. Gam
never was an admirer of the hustle
and hustle of civilization. During
the war, he gained all Of his knowl-
edge of current events by hearsay,
from idle conversation with compan-
ions, refusing to allow a radio or
newspaper in his home. TOO de-
pressing" he said of the war news.
Makes you feel bad. You're better
off If you don't read all that stuff"
The flyer was, and probably, still
is, a superstitious man. The ATC|
crews found their lives as compli-
Gated by paper work as any one else
dealing with the Army, to such AMI
extent that it was necessary to di-
vide these labors. 1t was either that
or hire a secretary, a move OF which
the Army would not have approved.
But Capt. Gam even went so far
as to be superstitious about the
form filling If some new crew.
member, just being helpful, inno-
Gently filled out a line that was
some other crew members job inl
Capt. Cams book. that was an Ill
omen. His ire on these occasions
was something to behold, according
to reliable reports.
His superstition also took a mu-
sical turn and he never crossed the |
ocean without his concertina at
hand, filling the lonely air with its
walls throughout the night. He even
went so far as to make his navigator |
learn to play an ocarina, according |
to the navigator, who may have
wanted one anyway and thought |
that good excuse.
Those who have witnessed it say
the ritual Capt. Gam had to go
through before departing on a trans
ocean flight was a rare thing to
see. 1t was rather complicated. but
as we recall it concluded with his
playing Of "Over the Waves on the
concertina. Wouldn't move the air.
plane away from the ramp until he
had done that
These whims and fancies have not
kept Capt. Gam from becoming a
rather accomplished story teller.
His language is clear and when he
writes about flying he Is writing Of
a subject with which he Is COM
|pletely familiar. A number Of critics
called his Island in the Sky" the
best attempt yet to get on the
printed page the feeling OF flyer
toward his work and the medium in
which he performs it.
"Blaze of Noon" according to
Paramount, Is a story of trail-blaz-
ing in commercial aviation in the
1930s, which also Is something Capt.
Gam should know about. The
studio seems to be planning to give
the picture the works, having as
signed Sterling Hayden. Sonny
Tufts, William Holden, John Lund
and William Bendix to leading roles
and hired Bendix Trophy Winner |
Paul Mantz to provide planes and