The San Francisco Examiner from San Francisco, California • 171

SAVED BY THE BELL One Phone Call Puts Janet Back In the Picture secretary in his new series. When I arrived I was briefly auditioned, rushed through a quick test and put into the pilot film. "To this day I feel like pinching myself to make sure that I'm awake. The way in which everything happened is so incredible. "It all began about five years ago," she continued.

"I had appeared in some 200 live TV shows in New York and then did my first TV film show in Hollywood with Whitmorc. It was titled The Big Pay a Schlitz Playhouse production. "Afler the job was finished, 1 never saw or heard from him again until I got his phone cull from Hollywood." In those ensuing five years, Whitmore continued to make a name for himself on the screen and TV and about a year ago decided to star in his own series. Befoie things could gel rolling on the show, however, they had to fill the role of Martha Spear, a bright, pretty secretary whose calmness would contrast sharply with her boss Jones, an explosive and intense lawyer, dedicated to helping the underdog. The producer of the scries, Sy Gombcrg, and Whitmore auditioned some SO different actresses for the part but none seemed to have the qualifications they demanded.

Then Whitmore recalled the girl who had played with him in "The Big Pay Day." The call from Whitmorc put Janet back in show business, a career she be- TOSS A MAXIM like "truth is stranger than fiction" at the average Joe or Jane and you will bo told it's a cornball cliche. But sprightly Janet De-Gore, featured player in ABC-TV's "The Law and. Mr. Jones," is far from average and will practically fight you to the death over the veracity of that particular adage. She has good reason.

MA couple of days before I got the role," she said, 'I was selling soap." Selling soap? "Yes," she continued with a smile. "Afler spend ing most of my life as an actress on stage, radio and TV, I had been unable to land any work around New York except for doing a soap commercial now and then. 'The checks were beginning to arrive infrequently in my mailbox, so I decided to quit being an actress. I had learned typing in high school and had made up my mind to study shorthand and become a secretary." Some five days after she had made her last soap commercial, according to Janet, she did become a secretary. (A well paid TV Girl Friday to James Whit-more, star of "The Law and Mr.

"I was feeling pretty discouraged about my prospects," she related, "when out of nowhere I received a phone call from the West Coast. It was Jim Whit-more. "lie asked me to fly out immediately to test for the role of Martha Spear, the JANET DeGORE takes a break for a drink during filming of "The Law and Mr. Jones," in which she playj the secretary of James Whitmore, the man who saved her from quitting show business. filmed shows from the West Coast took their place.

"It became increasingly difficult to find roles on TV in New York, and it was at this point," she concluded, "that I was saved by the bell with Jim Whitmore on the other end of the wire." Kd Misurell (Rerum of "The Law and Mr. Jones" can be seen Fridays at 10:30 p. o. channels 7 11 13 47). She followed litis with a role as Paul Muni's daughter in "Counselor at Law" and in 1950 appeared as the bride in "Member of Uie Wedding." When she wasn't appearing on the stage, she kept herself busy with parts on radio and TV shows emanating from New York.

"As you know." Janet said, "most of the shows which were done live in New York went off the air a couple of years ago and gan as a tot after she won a nu of Shirley Temple contests in her native Philadelphia. After taking singing and dancinglessons, Janet wound up on radio in Philadelphia. Moving to New York, Janet continued her radio career and got her first stage job as one of the understudies in "foolish Notion," a Broadway play in which Tallulah Bankhead was stalled. Sylvia Sidney. Jihn Hodiak; woman leatns husband is wife killer 47-Movie, 'Ace of Aces," Ralph Bellamy.

Richard Di, Elizabeth Allan; drama of wai hero 10 A. M. () 3 8 24 Price is Right (COLOR), game CgJ 10-12 30 I Exposure, game II-Piayer (10 05) Women's View, News (13:15) Industry on Pa-lade, film 10:30 A. M. (4) 3 8 24 Concentration, game (j 10 12 30 Your Surprise Package, game (7)-My tittle Margie 11 Slapstick Comedies News 1 1 A.

M. (5) (11:25) Prayer (4) 3 24 Truth or Consequences (5J 88R 10 12 30-Love of Life, drama (7) 1 1 13 47 Gale Storm 11:30 A.M. (2) News and Film, "Philippines" (C0L0RI (4)-3 3R24-lt Could Be Yiu (COLOR) (11 55) News () 8 10 12 30 Search lor Tomorrow, drama (1145) Guiding Light, drama (Tj 11 13 47 Bob Cummings 12 NOON (J) Short Story, "Ever Since the Day," Robert Stack (4)-3 8-lan Murray (COLOR) () News, John Wrtton. Wanda Ramey Qf) 11-13 47 Camouflage, game 8R Meridian, news, weather, sports 10- News (12.15) Woman's World, Doree Stemmann 12-News (12.15) Jeanne Posey, homemakers' tips 24 News, Interviews 30 Playhouse, "Wedding March" 12:30 P. M.

(T) Paul Coates Interviews (4) 3 8-8R 24 loretta Young (5-10 1 2 30 As the World Turns, drama (7 11-13 47 Number Please, game 1 P. M. McArthur, beauty and fashion advice 8 A. M. 3 -Captain Sacto's Tavoiites (5) (8 15) Captain Kangaroo (7) Cartoon Capers BR 10 30 News (8 15) Captain Kangaroo 8:30 A.

M. 3 My Hero (T) loin Davis 13 -Tami, Ranch World (8 40) Won detama Cartoons (8.551 News 47 (8.55) Agriculture Report 9 A. 3 -Mr. and Mrs. No.th (4) 8 24 Say When, game 15) 12 I tove tucy (7) 13 Jack talanne 8R -Cactus Ton' 10 Diver Dan, puppets (9.15) Debbie Drake 30 University of the Air.

"Major Social Problems'' (9 20) Home Gym 47 Caitoon Capers 9:30 A. M. (4) -3 8 24-P I a Your Hunch (COLOR), game (5) 10 12 30 Video Village, game (7) Romper Room, Miss Nancy 13 -Movie, 'love From a Sti anger," (4) 3 8 8R 24 Young Dr. Maltne, drama (D 10-12-30 Face the Facts, game C73 It's a Great life 11 Edge of Night, drama 13 Public Defender 47 Divorce Hearing 1:30 P.M. (3D Our Miss Biookj (4.13 24 From These Roots, drama (5-8 8R 10 12 30 Art Lmkletter's Houseparty (J) Divorce Hearing 11 As the Wot Id Turns, drama 13 Bums and Allen 47-You Asked for It 2 P.

M. Ci Ripley's Believe It ir Not. film (2:05) Movit, "Murder Without Crime" (British), Dennis Price, Patricia Plunkett, Oerek Farr, Joan Dowling; mystery (4) 3-24 Oanny Thomas C5) 8 8R 10 12-30 Millionaire (7) 11 13 47 Day in Court, recreated trials 2:30 P. M. 3-News 12.351 Movie, 'Night-mate," Edward G.

Robinson, August 23, 1951 4 A. M. ((6 20) Prayer, Father Harold Pearce, St. Emydius Catholic Church; Farm Flashes, News 6:30 A. (J) (6 50) Prayei (6.55) Farm Date line (g Basic Science ot the Space Age (6 45) Care and Feeding tf Money 1016:55) focus on Fainting 7 A.

M. (413 8 24 Today (5) News, Cartoons 10- Diver Dan Treasure Chest, cartoons Prayer (7:20) Farm Re-pott, Wally Dickson 7:30 A. M. fj) Adventure School, Marian Rowe Qr) 17:55) Prayer, Rev. Ernest re 1st Congregational Church 3017:55) Dateline 12-San Francisco Examiner TV Log Sunday, Aug.

20, 1961 i.