The Des Moines Register from Des Moines, Iowa • Page 49

DES MOINES SUNDAY REGISTER, JUNE 25, 1944. MAGAZINE SECTION. THREE ito Cord Ball of Light ame eans ay yHERE comes a day in everyone's life when it's time to settle down. That's what Jeanne Paule Teipo-Ite-Marama Croset thinks, anyway. "This Hollywood sector looks good to me," she has decided.

"Might as well 'make the San Fernando Valley my as the song says. I've lived in Tahiti, Switzerland, France, Tunisia, China, Italy, Java, India, Sumatra, Indo-China, New Guinea (Lae and Port Moresby). That's gallivanting around enough at my age." The age of this Jeanne Paule Teipo-Ite-Marama Croset is 23. Her screen name is Rita Corday; she's the most widely-traveled actress in the film colony, and she's one of the loveliest girls Hollywood has seen since luscious Billie Dove first strolled down the pike almost a quarter of a century ago. That J.

P. T-I-M C. label is the McCoy. It's Rita's legal name, slapped clear across her passport. She was born in Papeete, and that hyphenated section of her moniker is It once belonged to a prince of the islands, whose sister conferred it on Rita before the latter was born.

A boy's name, of course, and it means "ball of light." Which is what Rita Corday is trying to be at the momenta "ball of light," and very beautiful light, too, in the supporting cast of the filmusical, "Step Lively," co-starring Frank Sinatra George Murphy, Gloria De Haven and Adolphe Menjou. Naturally, Rita Corday isn't a star herself as yet. But there's plenty of time. Her contract with RKO, made when she was a student at the Guy Bates Drama school, is for seven years, not the customary six months deal with options. The wisdom of that contract was revealed a few nights after it was signed, when the ball of light made her little theater debut at the Hollywood Assistance League.

As lead in the original play, "Shubert Alley' she laid 'em in the aisles. Four major studios promptly bid for her services and as promptly discovered they had missed the bus! Miss Corday's pappy, Marc Paul Croset, is the traveling representative of a Swiss watch company, which accounts for her far wanderings. These global meanderings began when, at the age of 9 months, she left Tahiti for Australia. Came next America, France, Switzerland, not to mention a few side jaunts into Tunisia, Italy, India, China. Then Papa Croset placed his daughter in school in Switzerland for six years, the curriculum including drama, voice and dancing.

Her education completed, Rita pushed off for Shanghai with her family. She lived there three years, watched Japan make war on China, saw the 'merciless bombing and shelling, the final occupation. It became too much of a bad thing, so Papa Croset, Mama Croset and Rita decided to take a vacation south to Indo-China, Java, Sumatra, New Guinea and Sydney, Australia; thence, via ocean liner to the Pacific coast of these United States. The Swiss birds of passage arrived in San Francisco on May 14, 1940. France was falling.

An immediate return to Shanghai was voted and vetoed. Steamship companies refused to book women passengers to China. Papa Croset couldn't double-cross his firm by leaving its business to a Chinese staff in a Jap-held city so he kissed the folks farewell and scrammed back alone to Shanghai. Mama Croset and Rita haven't seen Papa Croset since. But he writes that he's busy and in good health and that the Japs have enough sense left to keep their paws off a stout-hearted Swiss neutral.

So there you have the story of Jeanne Paule Teipo-Ite-Marama Croset, the Tahitian ball of light who stepped lively all over the world until she settled down with the "Step Lively" movie cast in Hollywood. 4 I 1 jj Trade-ins Hollywood trading in Red Skel-ton and Mickey Rooney to the armed forces, will receive Rudy Vallee, Clark Gable and Director Frank Lloyd in sxchange. Gilbert Roland, recently released, is at work on a serial, "The Desert Hawk." Actors used to worry themselves into premature toupees about being typed in the movies. They can't complain any more. Even the great lover, Charles Boyer, is now a terrible heel in "Gaslight." The cad marries a girl for her money and then tries to slay her to speed up the wheels of time.

9C From Hollywood comes the story of the man trying to sell his house. In his ad he said "so much money has been poured into this place that dollar bills are coming up in the garden instead of roses." Dick Powell is definitely tired of singing. As he puts it "the same old mush for the movies year after year." So he is a happy man in "Farewell, My Lovely" in which he portrays a tough detective. They're saying that Myrna hoy, approaching U0, looks nearer 25. And it's in Hollywood they're saying it.

Because VIVIAN AUSTIN has been Miss This or That and been on billboards so spectacularly, she has been dubbed by some Hollywood's "most view-tilful brunette. Bing Crosby's talent scout is keeping his ear to the ground for a good barber shop quartet for "The Great John Bing will produce the film. Rita has settled down (if you can call it that) in "Step Lively." In the lush days of the movies, visitors to Hollywood used to ride about and gape at the mansions of Lily Luscious and her pals. Today's stars live thus: Ella Raines has a two-bedroom apartment. Louise Allbritton until very recently lived in a club but now has a one-bedroom affair.

Noah Beery, owns a modest five-room house and this year his walnut crop just about paid the taxes. 3t Starlet Angela Greene was picked as the "20-20" girl (perfect vision) by soldiers at Camp Haan, Cal. The boys said that you don't need perfect vision to enjoy the vision but it helps. jfs jjt They're asking Ginger Rogers to come to Broadway to star in a musical version of "Rain." But it's been a long time since Ginger was on the stage and she dunno. There's one man in the picture, "Girls' Town" and he's BOB HOPE.

Social Notes On the set of "The Belle of the Yukon" starring Gypsy Rose Lee, a lavish party was given. Robert W. Service recited his ballad, "The Shooting of Dan McGrew." The girls in their costumes of the 90's did some dances. An enjoyable time was had by all. Even hardened insurance policy writers must have snickered at this one.

Snoopy, a squirrel used in a sequence of "Roughly Speaking," star-. ring Rosalind Russell, has been insured for $1,000 during the time it works in the film. Olsen and Johnson finally took a gag on the chin. They were doing a horse scene and the director commended with: "Boys, you ought to get an academy award for that one a RIDING academy award." It was June, 1929, and Lupe Velez and Estelle Taylor were vamping Lon Chaney in "Where East Is In "Two Years Before the Mast" the flogging scene done by Bill Bendix and Tom Powers (recipient) is no fake of whip slashing through air but-not-touching-the-victim. But to make it somewhat easier on Tom the prop-man made the cat-o-nine-tails of soft felt.

jfC iff jft A nice role for Paulette Goddard will be "Kitty," where she plays the stray from the London slums who gets her picture painted by Gainsborough and ends up a duchess. Ray Milland is the heart interest. MGM started with 600 employees, of whom more than 300 are still among the now present total of 4,750. Fredric March will make only one picture this year "Tomorrow the World." Margaret Sullavan may co-star. LUCILLE BALL is the only one of the big group of Goldwyn Girls imported for the "Goldwyn Follies" to achieve stardom.

After sobering it up a bit, Paramount will film the book "The Lost Weekend" about a souse and wants Cary Grant for the main role. 4s What a world for Ring Lardner, who after finishing the screen play of "Tomorrow the World" went right to work on "World of Tomorrow." jjt iff 3C Now It's MARY PICKFORD, who finds business in Mexico. The grapevine has it there's a movie deal cooking. Do You See What's Under Your Nose? (Durante Can Be Excused) "Voice of the Turtle," famous Broadway hit which may make the movies yet, was praised by one critic at the end of the theatrical season as "one of the fanciest comedies ever presented on Broadway, has a dream of a set and a cast of three who could not be duplicated. As a play it is an almost perfect theatrical blueprint." Martha, Matilda and Henry are important and yet they play motion picture roles in "Three's a Family," tale of a hurried stork.

They are goldfish and the goldfish bowl is conspicuous in the setting of the film. lt jft ll Things-you-might-like-to-know-dept. The great grandson of the original Leo poses for the lion, trademark of MGM. Great grandpappy died of appendicitis. Jt mfi Jt Variety reports that Sally Rand, eminent fan dancer, was speaker at a public school recently on patriotic ideals and that the principal told the press following the speech "I didn't expect a talk with so much SOUL in it" fi Maureen O'Hara entertains her friends with this trick she writes backivards with her left hand at the same time she writes forward with her right hand.

jt sfc sft HEDDA HOPPER noted for her fantastic hats has a new one for her collection a native one from the South Pacific. Hedda admits she really looks 4 like a Zulu in it. Helen Hayes has said NO again to the idea of running for congress from New York. sft In "Medal for Benny" everybody sings but DOTTTE LAMOUR. From Maisie, the Brooklyn Blonde: In answer to that wornout "Haven't you heard there's a war on?" M.i "Sure, but do we have to rehearse for it here?" After being ribbed about a juvenile beau.

"This year we can't afford to throw even the little ones back." ijl 3C And "Dragon Seed" is supposed to be the greatest thing from MGM since "Gone With the Wind." 3C 3C Sam Goldwyn is against pictures with messages. He's for making escape pictures until after the war. Lucile Casey is the lone black-haired damsel in the glorified girls of "Zieg-feld Follies." Remember William Desmond, he-man of outdoor silents He will be in "Wilson" as a delegate to the Democratic convention of 1912. 4. What make of typewriter does your stenographer use at the office You've seen her typing on it hundreds of times.

But don't feel discouraged your stenographer probably couldn't tell offhand what make of car you drive, though she's probably seen it many times. 5. How many crooked front teeth does your boas have? Of course, this should be answered tactfully if the boss is sensitive about his teeth. 6. How many grocery stores do you pass each morning on your way to work? No one ever answers this question correctly.

Which Side? 7. One which side does your wife part her hair? Or perhaps it would be fairer in this changeable age to ask, on which side did she have her hair parted when you kissed her goodby this morning 8. How many lamps are there in your living room? knew that would stop you! 9. What kind of pattern Is painted on your breakfast 'plate? And don't say the pattern is always covered with bacon and eggs when you see the dishes. 10.

What kind of moon was out last night? If you're under 20, you'll probably know the answer to this. If you're over 20 and know the answer, I'll give up and admit that you are observing after aUt By Annabelle FEW PERSONS notice things that are right under their own noses likewise things under someone else's jiose. For instance, 1 know a man who had worn a moustache for years. Then suddenly, one day he shaved it off. Half of his acquaintances, friends who saw him every day, did not notice it was gone.

One by one, they would miss it and exclaim in distinct surprise, "Why, when did you shave it off?" Suppose you think you're not that blind? Well, if you can answer all these questions correctly, you may go to the head of the class In observation. But keep your fingers crossed. 1. What color is your toothbrush? Sounds easy, but nine persons out of 10 cannot pick out their own toothbrushes' (the ones they use night and morning) from a group of vari-colored ones. 2.

How many steps are there leading from the street to the front door of your house? No fair peeking! Didn't Say Ankles. 3. What color eyes does the waitress who serves you every noon have? Most men would know if I asked what kind of ankles, but who ever remembers a waitress' eyes? Fixers Film star wives who can say with pride, "My husband can fix anything," include Mrs. Jim Jordan (Fibber McGee's Molly), Mrs. The Voice, and Mrs.

Allyn Joslyn. Jordan goes in for wood-working, Frankie has fixed his wife's sewing machine, and Allyn Joslyn maintains he's invented so many time-savers around the house that considering all the man-hours he's spent rigging up gadgets he believes he could have closed the window, turned on the heat and started the coffee percolating easier himself..