Evening star., 1946-01-27
Betty Cradle
In Top 10
IA Third Year
By Rosalind Shafer
HOLLYWOOD.

A4O4!1 vvON<A(s
Betty Cradle has hit the first 10
at the box Office fol. the third time
Yet the. pinup queen of filmdom
suffered from indifference and poor
contracts in her earlier career and
its been her dogged insistence on
hard work and her astute strategy
that finally got her the right kind
Of deal in pictures.
Today, If Betty Cradle is in a pic
ture, it makes money. There was
joke that went the rounds when
Daryl Zanuck made the elaborate
lprestige picture Wilson" IF Will
SON doesn't make money, I'll never
make another picture without Betty
Cradle" zanuck was quoted as say
| ing.
My first meeting with Betty was
when she was a youngster of IA
singing with Jay Whidden's band.
Pretty and blond, Betty still didn't
give much hint of the eventual
career that lay ahead. She'd sung
with other bands, including Ted Flo
Rito's.
She got small contract dancing
in a studio stock chorus, she was
chorus girl in Eddie Cantor's picture
"Whoopee." She was in the Barbara
Stanwyck-Frank Fay stage produc-
ton "Tattle Tales" She worked in
pictures with Wheeler and Woolsey.
went on tour with them; did
speciality number with Edward Ever
EFT Horton in "The Gay Divorce"
Wants More Children.
Paramount was perennially billing
her in college girl roles when she
decided to switch to the stage again,
and this time, in "Du Barry Was a
Lady" she was the hit of the show.
This led to her present contract at
goth Century Fox, where she has
made her greatest success.
We sat in her lavishly furnished
Victorian suite, at the studio, where
she is making "The Shocking Miss
Pilgrim" and talked about her arnbi-
tions, her marriage and her home
Il want more children" she said
Eventually I'll retire, and then we'll
live on our ranch with the chill
dren." Her hours and those of her
husband. Harry James, orchestra
leader, conflict now constantly.
Betty rushes home to dinner at
6 with Harry and Victoria Eliza
beth, almost 2, and then Harry has
to leave for his nightclub work.
He has two nights off a week. One
of these is Sunday, and they make
the most Of this, taking care of the
baby themselves, and usually going
out to their ranch. Both Betty and
Harry are horse enthusiasts, and
| they ride great deal.
House Is Informal.
When Betty is working on a pic
ture, James takes local engagements.
When she's free, they go on tour
together. They are still hoping to
have vacation together, but so far
it's only plan.
Their town home is an informal
place, with a fieldstone fireplace
decorated with a collection of cop
per and brass utensils, comfortable
chairs and sofas and low tables.
It's interesting to note that the
| typical glamour blond dislikes
bleached hair and lets hers 60 back
to its natural ash blond shade be-
tween pictures. She wears it that
way for the first time on the screen
in her current picture. She's actual
ly prettier with the softer color:
she looks more girlish, and has a
daintier shaped mouth without her
screen makeup. Just for the record,
the pinup queen is feet 31a inches,
weighs 1l2 to lit, and has a flaw
less skin and blue eyes.
Betty is very proud of her little
daughter, who has red gold hair,
blue eyes and perfect skin, like
mama'S.
Ambition to be a dramatic actress
is disclaimed by Betty. I'm doing
all right as I am. Why should I
want to changer" she said.