Chicago Tribune from Chicago, Illinois • 102

Vmge Six Chicago and ay Tribune Don Curtis, Ex-Professor By FREIDA ZYLSTRA DONALD CURTIS is one of the few college professor ever to become an actor tn Hollywood. Hit teaching experience Included a year as dramatics coach and English teacher at Northwestern university and periods as professor at Duquesne In Iowa and at Allegheny college. It was' during one of his college plays at Duquesne that a talent scout came back stage to compliment the director on a finely directed performance. He was happy to meet what he immediately recognized as good actor material, the dark and handsome six foot two incher Donald Curtis. (Only then his name was Prof.

Curtis D. Rudolf.) Professor Rudolf made arrangements to have tests in Hollywood and has been an actor ever since. Like most newcomers he remained in obscurity several years, playing bit parts. And then his name became more and more familiar as he played more important roles. He played in Bataan," Lost Angel," with Margaret O'Brien, and in The Son of Lassie." His next pictures for MGM will be Bascomb and Gallant Bess." His first years in filmland were quite difficult.

When his short movie contract expired lie began to free lance. The bits he played were small and competition was pretty tough. He played in all the network shows and he was Klven several leading roles at the Pasadena Community Curtis family. Including six-year-old Mario, in (heir comfortable but modest living room. Playhouse.

It was while he was applying for an acting part at the Hollywood Bowl that he met Margaret Jennings. They were married three weeks later. That was in 1940. They have a six year old daughter, Mario Shields, by Margaret's former marriage. Donald now has signed a long term contract with MGM.

Mr. and Mrs. Curtis and daughter live in a modest bungalow in Cheviot Hills. Margaret is thankful that one of Don's favorite hobbies Is gardening for she loves the flowers but not the work. Don also spends hours of leisure time writing short stories and articles for his own amuse ment Donald is an expert horse man and swimmer and likes to 5 Ai I -TFr: play squash and badminton, Donald was born tn Eugene, UTSmW J.Vi AM sVfl and was educated in the i Yr A i public schools in Cheney, and in Evanston, 111.

He received his bachelor of science degree and master of arts degree at Northwestern. He still is in his early thirties. At rights Don is an'athlete and likes badminton. He's teaching badminton and swimming to his daughter. Donald Curtis, six foot two.

is remembered for his performances in MGM'i "They Were Expendable" and "This Man's Navy." In their midget car. with daughter Mario on the hood (maybe for lack of room inside). (BftCBCKIRSS CKDffi (SOII(mB(I)CLSMD PCBOSa CDCDGOIS Professional landscaping for two Chicagoland Prize Homes, as described in this article, is illustrated in colors on page one of this section. of a person who builds start immediately to decay while those of the man who plants begin directly to improve. By EDWARD BARRY EVEN" a superficial Inspection of a group of homes will reveal the fact that the landscaping of a property is almost as Important a factor in general appearance as the design of the house itself.

A plain brick bungalow may be so softened by carefully placed trees and flowers and shrubbery that it will possess a graciousness that may be completely lacking in a much more imaginatively designed house whose development stopped with the completion of the architect's and the builder's work. But the impression which good landscaping makes on a person who views a house casually Is i I l-C? I U. I 1 i jf tA 'Vr' IT 'L- I hardly as important as its effect on the people who live there. To be surrounded with living, growing things whose beauty and endless fascination subtly color and condition every day life is regarded by many thoughtful persons as one of the most desirable of privileges. Landscape gardening has an important utilitarian as well as esthetic function.

Well placed trees for shade, properly planned hedges for privacy, carefully thought out plantings for the separation and definition of play, lounging and outdoor dining areas these are examples of landscaping devices which add notably to the living comfort of a property. To live among well landscaped surroundings is not the exclusive prerogative of the wealthy. Elaborate and expensive plans are not necessary and the work can be done by the home owner and his family. This work, tho hard, often becomes a delight because of the creative satisfaction derived from it. Francis Bacon called the planting of a garden the purest of human pleasures.

William Shen-stone put his finger on one of the best rewards of this type of labor when he observed that the works Because landscape gardening is important if the full potentialities of a fine architectural design are to be realized. The Tribune invited two authorities on the subject to provide treatments for houses which won awards in the recent Chicagoland Prize Homes Competition. Pictures and keyed diagrams of the designs they submitted are on page one of this section. Charles E. Kemp, Chicago SAFER NOW! artist, made the color renderings.

HOUSE MO. 12 (page one, top) This landscaping is the work of Gerald F. Nelson, landscape architect, president of Swain Nelson company, Glenview. The house was designed by Frederick E. Sloan.

Briar rL, Golf. The lot is 50 by 150 feet. Nelson provides the following notes on his design: "The elements of the plan are simple. In front, a -tree on each side to enframe the house and gently soften the lines of the architecture. Low spreading evergreens, a columnar Chinese cedar and a birch are used to give an all year pleasant setting to the house.

A low evergreen grpund cover, myrtle, is used on both sides of the walk approaching the house. It does well in sun or shade, looks well in summer or winter, and is brightened by a profusion of blue flowers in the spring. Along the stepping stones leading from the front entrance to the rear there Is ground cover on either side. On the opposite side, an ornamental fence encloses the service yard. It Is covered by climbing roses which add to the privacy and give a pleasant vista from the breakfast nook.

"The rear of the lot should be developed as a place of usefulness and beauty, and should be made private. Complete privacy Is not possible in so small a space, but by some planting around the borders a feeling of privacy is given. Coming out from the dining room you step down onto a stone platform, furnished with outdoor tables and chairs. It is a place to relax and enjoy the garden. The flowers surrounding the platform are given background, by panels of clipped evergreens on each side.

A shade tree, preferably a honey locust which will not shade the Cowers too much, gives cool shade to the terrace. "Leading away from the terrace to the east you enter a playground area for small children. Here the child may play In the full view of a mother who may be working in the kitchen. Leading south from the play area is a walk to the garden. Dwarf espalier fruit trees are on one side, underplanted with an evergreen ground cover.

These fruit trees take up very little space, and do well as a partial screen from the neighbor's yard. They have beautiful fragrant flowers in the spring, dark shiny leaves all summer, and attractive edible fruits in later summer or fall. "The lawn area in back is small, and should not be too hard to keep up. At the sides of the lawn are planting panels. (Continued on page nine) 9" anitj iudc fu'ii SALLY'S SAFER NOW that mother has a new Presteline Electric Range with the new-type safety top.

All top-cooking units, including the automatic deepwell cooker, are located at the back of this new electric range keeping hot utensils safely beyond the reach of tiny, inquisitive hands. Here's one worry mothers can forget! TWO OTHER top arrangements are optional the divided top or the four-together arrangement. Other innovations of the new Presteline Electric Range include the largest oven of any domestic electric range, a huge kitchen utensil compartment, a combination of 21 features offered by no other electric range. See Presteline before you buy! JR. ff PRESSED STEEL CAR COMPANY, INC.

fxcuuV Distributor RCA Victor Distributing Corp. 445 North lake Shore Drive Chicago 1 1, Illinois.