Evening star., 1947-07-06

Single comeback attempts are fire.
quent in Hollywood. But next week,
on a Columbia sound stage, dual
return to the film limelight is
scheduled to get under way-and a
good share of the town is watch
ing developments with keen in
terest.
That's because two of its most
brilliant and best-loved people-one
an actress of IS, the other a vet
eran director in his 60s-are hitting
the trail back after courageous,
persevering battles against death.
The girl, Susan Peters, will be
rolled before the camera in wheel
chair. Two years ago, while on a
hunting trip with her husband,
Richard Quine, Susan accidentally
discharged .22-caliber rifle and
a bullet severed her spine. She
never will be able to walk again.
However, the actress is determined
to continue the career that reached
it's apex via scintillating per-
formance in Random Harvest"
The other end of the comeback
the engineering end, in facts
Irving Cummings, who has record
of directing some of the finest pic
lures to come out Of Hollywood.
Three years ago, Cummings was
stricken with a heart ailment. His
life hung in the balance. He went
into seclusion and gradually re-
covered his health. Physicians in
sisted that he never should become
physically active in movie-making
again.
Enthuses Over Story.
However, when Cummings heard
about Susan Peters accident and
steadfast resolution to fight her
way back to a place in the acting
armament, he became so enthusi-
astic about her chances that he
soon found himself thinking, eat
ing and sleeping moving pictures
again. Just as we'll off-or even
better-Cummings thought, to get
back in harness. He checked with
his doctors. They were astonished
at his Improvement and gave him
the "go" signal, but in very re-
stricted form. 1t would be okay,
the physicians agreed, for him to
supervise a movie, but to do no
actual directing.
And that is how Cummings, loved
by all players because of his kind,
thoughtful and always helpful dis
position, returns to a scene which
has appeared a little jumbled up
without his presence. He is bring
ing Susan Peters and her wheel
chair along with him, and the story
they start next week is "The Sign
of the RAM" from the Margaret
Ferguson English best-seller. The
heroine is cripple, the mother of
three grown children. Alexander
Knox will be Susans husband. A
dynamic soul even in repose, Cum
mings acts like an excited boy when
he discusses the story and Susan's
chances to do big dramatic things
with it.
II don't think many people realize
what a fine, powerful yarn this
provides for a motion picture" said
Cummings. 1T is ideally suited to
Susan. The part calls for her to be
confined to a wheel chair through
out the story, but that is no cause
for worry That girl can convey
more emotion with her eyes than
most actresses can with their entire
bodies. And you can rest assured
that Alexander Knox will be heard
from once again. 1t is by far the
best role he has had since Wilson. /"
In Longest Serial.
It is strange, and also heartening,
to find a man with the long service
record of Cummings in. the movies
retaining that spark of enthusiasm.
Only in Cummings case it's a raging
fire. And that after 80 years OF
acting, directing-and now produc-
ing. He actually was one OF the
first of the great stage actors to
make the leap from footlights to
the much despised and ridiculed
flicker industry.
After doubling on the stage by
day and the one-reelers by night,
Cummings finally took the complete
Jump in 1908, joining the cast OF
THE Diamond from the Sky" play
ing the hero to Lottie (Mary's sis
teri Pickford's heroine in the long
est of all serials. It ran 30 episodes.
Jacques Jaccard directed, but he
handed the megaphone to Cum
mings after the first three chapters.
Irving directed, as well as played
the hero, for half a dozen numbers.
Finding the double duty beyond his
endurance he turned the direction
over tn William Desmond Taylor,