The Waterbury Democrat., 1946-04-26

HOLLYWOOD, April 26-The outstanding number in Walt Dis- ney's Make Mine Music" concerns the sad fate of golden-voiced whale which wanted to sing grand opera at the Metropolitan. Able to warble simultaneously in tenor, baritone and bass, willie the Whale had everything to make his a great star. But his career was cut short through the stupidity of na impressario named Tetta-tatt That dimwit decided Willie had swallowed a great singer, a Ia Jonah, and the impressario har- pooned Willie to effect rescue.
 Somehow, I find 1t ironic that Nelson Eddy, of all people, should have been chosen to do the sing ing for Willie, and that in doing 1t he should score one of his most brilliant triumphs.
 Eddy and willie the Whale" have a lot in common, for Eddy could be, and should be, one of the great stars of Hollywood today, were 1t not for the Tetta-tattis of the movie industry who refuse to properly evaluate his talent and versatility.
 It's a crying shame that a man who can sing as Nelson does, should be so overlooked that he averages less than one screen appearance a year. Why the producers persist in \ sSlighting him, can't understand, @or certainly the movie-going public doesn't share their apathy. In fact, I'm going to climb right out on a limb and predict that Nelson Eddy's singing in Make Mine Music" will win such storm of applause that Hollywood will be forced to give him his proper rating.
 MEMORIES THAT BLESS AND BURN: When Ginger Rogers, sport ing a black wig and a terrific ac- cent, posed as a French countess, and so completely hoodwinked her own studio bosses that they offered her screen test When Wal lace Berry, to demonstrate a point in psychology, served his guests a CAkkChCA1 AAA1HCl-d4lu OklCkl LAkddE them violently i'll by assuring them they had catch rattlesnake meat When Jean Harlow, working on location near Laguna Beach, fingered too long on an off-shore rock and was marooned for hours by the rising tide !. When Para mount previewed Moon Over Bur- ma," and Nature outdid the studio press agents by timing an earth quake to match the pictures big explosion scene.
 Every now and then some studio publicist, with more cleverneSs than veracity invents a character on which he pins stories involving the name of his flesh and blood clients. Such a figment of the imag- ination was "Bettina Scott" the creation of a Warner Brothers press agent who almost daily sent out stories about her social activities always in the company of some one of the lots hedgling players. Fin ally he announced that Bettina was making the night spot rounds with George Tobias-and Tobias prompt ly stormed into his office to pro- test. Don't couple my naM1e with that Scott girl" he ordered. She's made herself too cheap!"
 Pat O'Brien, already the father of two adopted children, was being . congratulated by a couple of pals on Doc Stork's scheduled visit to the O'Brien Inanse. Tt must be exciting to realize that you're going to have 8 child of your own after all these years" observed one of his well-wishers rather undiplomatical- ly. Tt is," said Pat, land can't think of anything that would make me happier than to have our own child turn out as well as those we've adopted"