Evening star., 1955-09-04
By HAROLD HEFFERNAN


HOILYWOOD.-Top talent
scouts will list the chief req
aisites for stardom as ap-
pearance, ability to act. and
the breaks. They invariably
neglect one essential but
too-often overlooked require
ment: personality.
II an actor can meet the
press agreeably and talk in
terestingiy his chances are
far greater than if he remains
q mute wallflower. Without
publicity the greatest actor in
the world might as well return
TO the factory.
A Hollywood columnist Is
often asked: What actors do
you personally like the best?"
The answer comes naturally
and logically: reporters like
best those players who never.
sneak into corners but are
pleasant. cooperative and
honest in their answers to
questions. 1t does no harm
to an actors personality
rating, either, II he can come
UP with some printable news
items Of his own making. So
- today. in . highly unofficial
poll based on one writer's
opinion. are our nominations
for the best and worst among
the would-be space-grabbers.
Marilyn Wins
As for the lady interviewees,
1t is doubtful If any male re-
porter In town would fail to
put Marilyn Monroe at the top
Of his list. Seemingly. without
trying, she comes up with pro-
vocative statements which
make q writer's life joyful.
Take, for instance. her classic
remark concerning that calen-
dar photo when she replied, II
had the radio on" Simple, un-
obtrusive. but hilarious. There
is something. too, about the
way Marilyn looks at an In
terviewer that makes him feel
that she feels he Is the only
man in the world. Feminine
press members have found her
difficult and many have feuded
with her.
Tops among the males is
Bob Hope. Nothing throws
him. nothing is too trivial to
warrant his attention. He's
always cordial and no one.
not even co-workers, has ever
seen him angry during his II
year on Paramount stages.
Gable Reticent
Clark Gable is q moody
customer and even in his best
moments has little to offer.
He abhors gossip writer's and
still nurses grievance with
a woman writer of a two-line
item she once wrote about
Carole Lombard. Marion Bran
do is still cropping for a way to
handle his press relations, but
so far has got nowhere.
Mitzi Gaynor is rapidly
establishing herself as one of
the. actresses best loved by
both reporters and publicists.
She's constantly bubbling over
with good humor--and good
solid story suggestions. Joanne
Dru and Terry Moore are
others equally popular for
those same reasons.
Hollywood's No. l Actress.
Grace Kelly, knows her way
up and down the treacherous
public relations ladder better
than any of them. She can
turn on the ice most charm
ingly when the drivel item
collectors turn up but she goes
out of her way to thank the
writer's who treat her honest
ly and intelligently.
Cary Grant always has
shown himself to be a thorough
gentleman, willing to talk on
any topic, and the nice thing
about 1t Is he always knows
what he's talking about. Quite
an original thinker. Mr.. Grant.
Humphrey Bogart is swell copy,
but likes to step on peoples
toes - especially the foolish
ones. And to Bogey, there are
. lot Of fools In Hollywood. He
lashes out and doesn't give a
whoop who gets hurt. Alan
Ladd is a swell guy, but can't
or won't talk. It's suspected
he's afraid of what his wife,
Sue Carol, might say after it's
printed.