Green Bay Press-Gazette from Green Bay, Wisconsin • Page 67

i Writing man 's actress 4 1 jf Jit st i 1J1III1S llf 4 i ACTRESS Leigh (pronounced Lee) Chapman soon may be able to write her own ticket in this town. She already is able to write her own teleplay. Leigh, a bountifully beauteous brunette, is one of the few Hollywood actresses whose acting and writing credits have been lengthening at approximately the same rate. But now Leigh, the writer, will have to go some to keep up with Leigh, the actress. That's because Leigh, the actress, has become the newest regular in NBC-TV's "The Man From U.

N. C. L. (Mondays 7 p.m. WFRV-TV).

The brown-eyed lovely appears as Sarah, the secretary of Napoleon Solo, series star Robert Vaughn. Leigh's writing career started at Win-throp College in South Carolina. "It was a girls' school" says she, "and there was nothing else to do." Graduated cum laude in three years, Leigh went to Hollywood not to become a writer or even an actress, but because her husband wanted to become an actor. When the plan failed and, with it, the marriage, Leigh had to go to work. She became secretary to a lawyer in a big talent agency.

In nothing flat, she was miserable. "I decided I wanted to become an actress," she said, "but I was scared. I'd sneak out on my lunch hour to classes and auditions, but I was always afraid I'd get canned. Meanwhile, I was saving my money. "After a year, my boss dared me to quit and take the plunge into acting.

He must have gotten tired of me sitting in the office crying." Leigh got her first job when her roommate's agent tipped her to a small part in a "Burke's Law" episode. Other roles followed in' episodes of "Dr. Kildare," Chrysler Theatre" and even a lead in Tony Francioso's series. One role, however, did not lead to' another. Between roles she did commercials and modeling.

At this point, TV writer Ed Lakso came into her life, via a blind date to a writers' guild dinner. When Lakso offered her $50 to type a script, sfie accepted. "Things were very, very lean," she explained, "and I like money. I typed maybe 12 scripts and, in the process, read them. I started to think how much more I could make writing than typing.

"Meanwhile, Ed and I started dating. And when you're dating a writer, you hear him discuss scripts all the time and you learn." Leigh learned. She wrote her first screenplay, for a low budget movie, in five days. Since then, she has written two "Burkes" and a "Kildare" episode. As for writing vs.

acting, Leigh prefers writing, "especially over the long haul. It's more satisfying. I hate hunting jobs. I'm the hermit type. I even write in a closet a big one, but it's still a closet." Leigh didn't have to go hunting for her N.

C. L. role. The producer, remembering her acting on the "Dr. Kildare" show, hunted for her.

Now Leigh intends to divide her time between typewriter and camera. AN ACTRESS WHO CAN WRITE? Leigh Chapman may be a writer who Can act Brains and beauty New Junior Miss must be talented, and pretty IFTY bright, lovely girls will be the the TV audience will see what they see and share their dilemma." The telecast will be completely faithful, Ben- r-dick added, to the spirit of the Pageant, which mushroomed several years ago out of Mobile's Azalea Trail Court. At first, the girls were chosen from only a small area. Then, surrounding states were invited to participate. Now, with the cooperation of more than a thousand Junior Chamber of Commerce chapters in every part of the country, the Pageant represents the whole tapestry of American youth.

"That's what we hope to make clear in one hour of television that with youngsters like these the future is in good hands. "Yes, there will be some beautiful girls taking part. But what we intend to show is a kind of youthful beauty that goes much, much deeper." stars when the "America's Juriior Miss 0ifr. liflfli PI PERE Brdwoy Pageant" is telecast live and in color direct from Mobile, Friday, March 19th. All will be between the ages of 16 and 187 They will be high school seniors who are scholastically tops in their own home towns.

They will be poised, good-humored and talented. "And they won't be asked to parade around in bathing suits," added 19-year-old Linda Felber, the reigning America's Junior Miss. This isn't a beauty contest. It's the final step in a year-round, nationwide program in which 50,000 girls take part and $150,000 in college scholarships are awarded. Linda is currently a student at Washington State University.

Next year, she plans to use part of her $6,000 scholarship to enroll at the University of Madrid. "I want to discover a different culture the most delightful way by being a part of it," she explained. Before journeying to sunny Spain, Linda will perform one last official act as America's Junior Miss. Flanked by host Jim Franciscus, she will crown the new winner. "The girl who receives the title will have been judged on many qualities personality, physical fitness, interest in other people and civic affairs, ability to perform in some creative way.

Simply being pretty, with nothing going on in here," Linda added, pointing to the top of her head, "doesn't make much of an impression on the judges." While finalists are living through the most exciting and suspenseful hour of their lives, viewers will have a chance to grade them, along with the judges, producer Bob Bendick pointed out. "The high spots of a whole week of colorful activities, in Mobile, will be captured on Bendick explained. "Then, as the. judges deliberate Coats Dresses Suits Heavy Jackets SPECIALS GOOD MONDAY Thru SATURDAY WE GIVE 3-STAR STAMPS LINDA FELBER WILL CROWN A SUCCESSOR This year's Junior Miss will bow out as the new title-holder is chosen GREEN BAY PRESS GAZETTE Sunday. March 7, 1965 15.