Evening star., 1951-06-03
Studios Are
ICIussroOnns
Grant Has Found
Films q Liberal
Education
81, - s..x
By Harold Heffernon
HOLLYWOOD.

1O1A11 WOOOs
Let curiosity kill the cat, says
Cary Grant. but he'll keep on
shopping around trying to find out
what makes life tick-especially
some Of his odd movie roles.
A gay. charming fellow who
never appears to have a serious
thought in his mind, Grants
everyday philosophy is a lot
deeper than some of his friends
could imagine. Because he ran
away from home at 13, forfeiting
most of his schooling in favor of
joining an acrobatic troupe, Cary
has been struggling ever since to
master the why and the where
Ifores of things around him. He
admits movie studios are contin-
Iually serving as his classrooms.
II never stayed in school long
enough to absorb the slightest bit
lof algebra or geometry" said
Cary, "but I've managed to pick
Iup a whale of a liberal arts edu-
cation in pictures. It's surprising
what an actor learns just through
the characterizations he plays.
Every part I've had has been a
Textbook in something or other"
A survey shows that Grants
screen education" has run mostly
to music and medicine. He Is
combining both in the 'Dr. Prae-
Itorius" story. now coming to a
finish at goth Century, Fox. In it
he plays a famous gynecologist
who does a little symphony or
chestra conducting on the side.
He had to be adept in both fields.
lawfully Particular"
So, in each case he studied for
months under the masters-Dr.
Ben Sacks. former New York
heart specialist, and Alexander
Steinert, noted conductor-com-
poser. When he reported on the
set Grant knew just about every
thing a layman possibly could
know about the widely divergent
professions. Fellow workers said
he was "awfully particular. That
lis true.
''I tell myself that there are
thousands of doctors who will
ISee this picture and I want them
Ito think of me as a fellow physi-
cian," he explained. Actually,
Though, I guess it's because I'm
curious. I want to know what
makes people and things run. I'm
still the small boy pulling wings
off butterflies"
} He took as much pride in learn
ing to conduct a symphony or
chestra for the same film as he
did in his surgical research. Al
though left-handed, the studio
wanted him to lead symphony of
so with his right hand. His arm
and shoulder swelled under the
unusual physical strain. He
couldn't sleep nights for the pain.
; He finished his first days work
as a conductor with great mis-
Igivings.
MY heart almost slowed down
to nothing" he said, when
went to see the rushes. I had
to be good-or tens of thousands
of musicians would know I was
only acting and not really lead
ing"
Cary's musical career" began
in Might and Day" He was Cole
Porter and learned to play the
piano. In THE Bishops Wife"
he studied the harp.
He admits revelling in such
challenges-in doing things he has
never done beforehand for that
reason, likes to make comedies best
of all.
! A Full Schedule.
They're a great stimulant," he
said. "A challenge to see if you
can hit upon that elusive some
thing that tickles the humor Of
the majority. 1t may be only a
look, a quick glance or some bit
Iof byplay that sets the crowd to
Laughing"
Cary. by the way. has a sched-
Iule of comedies lined up which
should take two years to complete.
After "Praetorious," in which he
lis playing opposite Jeanne Grain.
he'll team with his wife. Betsy
Drake. in Room for One More"
and then make two others for
I20th-Fox. He will travel to Mex
leo next year to play Don Quixots
with Cantinf1as. the Mexican CO.
median, as Sancho Panza.
I'm well qualified for the part"
he said. I've the skinniest legs
lin Hollywood.
AS with all his past chores, when
Cary begins Don Quixote." he'll
know whether the Spaniard wore
false teeth, how he parted his hair
and did he get into any fights with
Mrs. Quixote?
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