Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1963-09-22
BROADWAY
BROADWAY
Mercedes Fears No More
BY WARD MoREHOUsE

BY WARD MOREHOUSE
North American Newspaper Alliance
NEW YCRK.-Less than
a year ago Mercedes
Cambridge came close
to death from an over
dose Of sleeping pills. Today
she lives without fear and
as zestfully as anyone I
know. 'r
II have no plans, I have
no security, but I'm literally
not afraid Of anything" she
said the other day. For the
first time since I became an
actress / never have q mo-
ment Of stage fright"
Two fearful incidents In
volving her 2O-year-old son
preceded her act Of despera-
ton. In the summer Of 1862,
when Mercedes was here for
the funeral Of Mrs. Franklin
D. Roosevelt. she received an
urgent call at the Hotel
Algonquin: Come home
quickly. your son is dying in
Santa Monica Hospital.
Attacked by HOOdIums
John had been attacked
with q lead pipe by four hood
lums. He's 6 feet tall and
weighs 100 pounds. but they
fractured his skull, pushing
his teeth through his Jaw. It
was just q caprice; they
took nothing from him. He
was in the critical room for
weeks and finally recovered
we'll enough to return to
UCLA."
Two months later Mer-
cedes again was In New York,
and again at the Algonquin
when she received another
urgent call from California.
Almost the same words were
spoken: Come quickly, your
son is dying in Santa Monica
Hospital. Again she flew
home.
John was driving my
roadster, and the road was
slick, and he had a collision
with another car. His brain
was pierced, his left eye was
hanging out, and his left ear
was nearly off. When I saw
him I went into shock. They
put me in the same hospital.
Every day / was wheeled
down to see him but / hard
ly remember it.
She left the hospital and
went home. She seemed to
function normally. She
signed papers and talked to
insurance people. Then, on
the night before her birth
day
Recalls Incident
II took every pill In the
house. but luckily it wasn't
enough. I don't remember
taking the pills at all.
I adore life so. I'd never do
such a thing deliberately.
I've often thought of Marilyn
Monroe and I doubt she
knew what she was doing.
Nov I'm actually glad 1t
happened. It, taught me so
much. I had hundreds Of
letters from people thanking
me for. the pleasure I'd given
them in pictures, and I'd
never thought Of that. Peo-
pie asked me to stay with
them until I felt better.
An 82-year-old woman in
Florida said she'd like to
spank me. A young boy sent
me an orchid he had nur-
tured for months"
John, apparently q sturdy
fellow. is back in UCLA
working toward q masters
degree. He must. undergo
plastic surgery. but his flu
ture looks bright.
Meanwhile, Mercedes has
returned to the New York
stage for the first time since
194s when she left Manhat-
tan for the glories Of cinema.
She Is appearing in Cages"
ct the York Theater, giving
a performance which has
been widely cheered.
I'D like to stay in the
theater If there's . place for
me-" she said. There's no
part Of the Hollywood COM
munity that means anything
to me. Adlai Stevenson
"a close friend came to see
our play and / was so
thrilled l told the taxi driver
about 1t on the way to the
hotel. When we got there he
put his hand over the meter
and said, This ones on
me-"
Won Quick Oscar