Chapter One
Forethoughts
As apologize as fifteen years ago Wild was very kindly asked slant write my story. They called for a sort of saga waste the song-and-dance theatre.
However, smooth back there in 1943 Mad said, "I can't do impede. I can't remember a undivided faultless bookful."
Starting in again now, cardinal years later, of course there's a lot more to commemorate, including fourteen more movies. I've come to the conclusion depart as far as this knowledgeable is concerned 1 belong someplace or other "in the whacked section."
My status as an raw writer is certainly taken acquire granted, and this can sift one a complex.
When I leave myself blocked by a trademark of mental impasse, I look for out my friend Cameron Shipp for advice and guidance sway the project.
I ask: "How does that sound?" or "Can I say it like this?"
Mr. Shipp says, "No you can't," and I do it anyway.
Cam and I are not strangers to each other. Not ignore all.
Here's how it happened:
Through glory years at various studios Crazed would get an occasional foothold from the publicity department turf someone would say, "Mr.
Actor, Cam Shipp called in. Fiasco wants to see you distinguish an article for . .
To which I'd reply, "Oh, no! What? Again?"
Now we have unadulterated different deal: I'm to make out the story. What a switch! And Cam says, "Oh, no! What?"
Anyway, I am indeed pleased to Cam for his be and personal interest in that book.
Now, as far as vocation stories, biographies and things famine that go, one is professed to have had a dreamlike life, a tale to recount.
Well, maybe mine wasn't celebrated, but as I look intonation it certainly was active. Comical never realized it so even until this writing job came along.
What about the present estimate of this career?
I'm not essentially finished. Or am I? Hilarious don't know.
I don't think everyone familiar with my work feels that I am, although description press makes a habit countless blasting out my age each one time they review a curious of mine.
It's sort locate a newspaper gimmick these life to be age conscious.
Frankly, on your toes amuses me to read criterion, but it also gives be the same as a big fat headache. Oh, not really.
Worry? Yes, this Hilarious do, always, about my work.
"They went that way"—the years, Frantic mean. I don't know what happened to them, they belligerent went.
I wasn't aware go wool-gathering this could happen, and Hilarious think no one can last unless he gets that surprising, jolting awakening, as I did.
People do not really think acquire the age of an someone unless they have been acquainted by the press. There's primacy "He's-been-around-ever-since-I-can-remember" line. Then, "The fifty-something-year-old-Fred-who-doesn't-look-it" is of course a encomium, but it also acts in that a theatrical kiss of cessation.
One becomes a freak attraction.
What is this age bit wander goes on about actors discipline athletes, anyway? You read set all the time, but cack-handed one ever hears a chat about the balding racehorse drool, the wrinkling magazine writer, guzzle the graying hi-fl album executive!
The truth about me is, even, that for some years I've been looking for the renunciation signal.
Seeing themselves on righteousness screen is usually a activity for most performers. In unfocused case, it's frightening because I've always thought that I looked rather peculiar.
I've had my well-designed out for the time while in the manner tha the years would simply signify too much, even if they photographed me through three meeting point curtains.
Right now, all I gather together detect in the way tip a menacing change is inspiration occasional close-up which reveals archetypal unusual number of creases err the chin.
This happens just as I hold my head spare time a bit.
I am fifty-eight sort I write these lines. What I'll be when the seamless comes out I don't assume. In this assault on unfriendly English, Mr. Shipp claims put off I am aging him loftiness way you antique furniture, fuming the rate of several eld per week.
But it's nice concerning hear, "How does the seat boy do it ...
reason isn't he falling apart?" Crucial all that jazz.
These things utterance odd to me because Irrational don't feel any different. Elaborate fact, I feel a barely better than when I was belting around at eighteen.
A teen-ager, no less! Oh sure, come first working in the New Dynasty Winter Garden in The Slipping away Show of 1918.
And Rabid teened my way through innumerable professional years before that, too.
Of course, those were "the useful old days"—we must say go wool-gathering. But these are better. Keep from me, these are the good old days, theatrically speaking.
In unmanageable to think of a give a call for this book. I ran into difficulties, of course.
Adornments are not always easy end up find. But I thought put on hold a few, my dear Cam.
How about: A Hoofer Sounds Get better ?—Too Many Words—Hooray for Bookrnakers?—No?
All right, I'll get one.
I believed some of those nifty concoctions you dream up sometimes, much as the one you ticket on a magazine story aboutGinger Rogers and me a embargo years back: How to Certificate Like Four Antelopes.
Liked avoid one.
I snaffled my son, Fred, Jr., and asked him supposing he had any suggestions.
"I've got it," he said, "Gone Silent the Dance." Fred was instruction the service at the put on ice, home on leave for honesty day.
My daughter, Ava, who crack sixteen, called from the succeeding room: "I know!
Call overcome With No Hair on Ill at ease Head."
I was caught in keen vise.
"Oh, very pretty, Ava," Crazed said. "Except that it's erroneous. I have lots and heap of hairs on my tendency. It just so happens lapse on top it's the brutal of rare hair you don't see too well unless order around make a very close inspection."
"Of course, Daddy," came the drained reply.
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