Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-01-15
DATELINE PARIS
By BRENDA HeLSER
Marjorie Merriwedther Durdnt
Hos Made Monkeys of Critics

PARIS. Jan. l4.--By stay
ing single until now. Marjorie
Merriweather Durant made
monkeys of her critics. This
eldest of Mrs. Merriweather
Posts grandchildren will be
% in mid-April. She's as
blond and gorgeous as both
her aunt Nederia Rumbough
and the grandmother she
adores. There, the similaritieS
end with a whoop!
While Malge the younger
is big, she's DANGEROUSLY pro-
portioned; meaning that her
proportions are idealiStic
rather than realistic. She has
boyishly narrow hips and an
entirely womanly top. Her
hands and feet are so tiny
they'd seem more likely on a
girl SO" instead of this one
who's about $40. Her father,
Tim Durant. brought her up
In crazy. mixed-up Hollywood.
Brought off the wild range
and expected to be full OF
dec Drum in Washington,
Marge was a sensation Of sorts.
She returned to her beloved
California with no regrets on
either side. She talks like one
of Damon Runyon's dolls"
but she's more witty. Fast
cars, horses. dogs she can
train to do devilsh tricks.
Still Is Prim
Beneath it all Marjorie II
always has been as prim as
her grandmother's fondes
hope. With no need to work
and a full horror Of being tied
down. Marge's burning zeal ITO
be something more" resulted
in a series of testings. She
aimed for the '48 Olympic
Swimming Team; turned to
automobile racing, a more ex-
citing sport; then skiing
caught her fancy while grand
mother-sitting in Sun Valley
during Mrs. Posts divorce
from Joseph E. Davies.
At the age others leave
school behind. Marge suddenly
decided she wanted q univer-
sity degree. She went after
one from The University OF
Southern California and
should get it soon providing
two newer challenges, love and
career, fail to enthrall. A
career beckons now. She has
the key role in Allied Artists
film, THE Friendly Persua-
sion." With 1t this natural
actress should realize, at last,
her ambition for fame on her
own merit.
The love is for a pro-foot-
ball player, named Ron Waller.
to whom she recently became
sort of engaged. Should she
marry him, which her
friends doubt, the event would
be her first wedding. Through
the years the evil influences
under which young Marjorie
seemed doomed to fall have
worried certain Of her rela-
tives. Fortune huners. real and
imagined, male and femals
haunt their dreams.
Given Protectors
At one time and after she
reached 81, unofficial guard
ians were commissioned to
protect her. But wiley Marge
has been. by far, her own
stoutest protection. Bar none.
she can spot a fortune hunter
faster and more accurately
than any woman alive. Who
ever finally gets her great
name on his marriage license
does not stand a chance Of
profiting unduly from the Post
treasury. In any case. Marge's
perennial type has been the
lad who wouldn't touch a
woman's money if it were the
last cent they had between
them and starvation.
Marge Durant approaches
her 18th birthday with q spot
less marriage and divorce rec
ord. This alone should make
up to her much married family
for whatever they feel she
lacks in drawing room man
ners. Before love and career
blocked the view, Marge was
hoping to ski this winter in
The Alps. Shed be joining
many friends she made S years
ago while touring Europe with
Eleanor Tyson and Lady Lewis.
1t now seems they won't be
having the fun of her hilari-
GUS company and disappoint-
ment will be black at st. Mo-
ritz where a big welcome was
nlan0ad TnlorflI1 as ny1lv Of