The Waterbury Democrat., 1946-01-11
JIMMIE FIDLER M HoHy1Uood
Dl..r,sut.A sv msNauUAs syndicate. In~

Hollywood, Jan. 11-For every one director who believes that a players real-hfe experiences mean little or nothing to his pertor- manceS, there are nine who argue that the reverse is true-that the actor or actress who has actually faced starvation, for instance, can act the part of a starving person far more convlncingly than one who has always been fed well. If they are right, expect to see an Acad- emy Award oscar on Rosalind Rus sells mantlepiece next year as the result of her work in sister Ken n.y.
 It was Miss Russell, (for years heavy contributor to the fight against infan.ile paralysis). who first conceived the idea of making movie based on the life st0Ay Of the famous Australian nurse. She spent weeks in Sister Kenny's home and in her Minneapolis clinic, studying her mannerisrns and her viewpoints. Failing to sell her idea for a biographical picture to the studios as promptly as she wished, Miss Russell personally financed 8 scientific film to convey to doctors and hospitals the secrets of the Kenny technique for the treatment of infantile paralysis. In short, she has spent at least fifty per cent of her off-screen time and energy, for fully three years, in the interests of Sister Kenny's work. In actual cash, she has given more to the Kenny Foundation than has any other individual or corporation.
 doubt that any actress in all- screen history has ever under taken a role with such emotional sincerity and such enthusiasm She's living the part of Nurse Ken ny rather than acting 1t.
 Memories That Bless And Burn:
 When Joe CMickey Rooney's father) Yule, always belligerently independent, threatened to sue the manager of Los Angeles bur- lesque theatre where he was ap- bearing because his relationship to the screens No. kid star was be- ing featured in ads. When I quizzed Meliza Korjus about the special diet to which she attributed her exuberant health-and she demonstrated by devouring four raw eggs. When the late Ted Healy left a Nevada gambling cas- ino with $7,00O in winnings, re- turned to reclaim a forgotten hat, and decided to ride his luck a little farther. An hour later. he was mi- nus all his profit and $2,000 be- sides!
 There's more than a little "ham" in Director Alfred Hitchcock's per- fectionist posings, but the results are sometimes amusing. For in- stance, I happened on the "No- torious" set the other day as he took time out to study the light ing. Turning to the camerman, he gestured toward the simulated sun light that strcamed in through a set window. What time of day does this representa-" he demanded. Approximately 800 p. m. answered the camera artist. Approximate lyl" Snorted khe great one in dis gust. That word is the bane of my existance. If you will look at your script you'll see that the time call- ed for is exactly 3:l5!"
 Belatedly. Barry Sullivan tells a Christmas story that's too good to keep. On Christmas Eve, outfitted in duds rented from a local cos- tuner, he played Santa Clause for his five-year-old son, Johnny. All went well unSii he removed his mit- tins to hand out the family,s pre- sents. Then Johnny noticed the ring that Barry wears on his left hand. Look" he shouted to Mrs. Sullivan. Santa Claus is one of daddy's fraternity brothersl"
 I've commented before on the fact that lesser players who develop specialties are usually rewarded by an increase in jobs, and here's a case in point. About year ago, two young bit players named Margaret Eubank and Herbert Winters ex-