The Ottawa Journal from Ottawa, Ontario, Canada • Page 112

Mon treal Ballerina Became New York Model Then Disney Film Star Dayle Haddon looks innocent. Thus she is unique among most actresses in HoHywood. And therefore she ianded the romantic lead opposite Jan-Michael Vincent in "JTbe World's Greatest Athlete," Walt Disney's Productions' comedy produced by BiM Walsh. Dayle arrived in Hollywood from New York just as Walsh was about to give up. He was seeking an actress of college age with an Innocent air for the femme 'lead in Ms picture.

And he was having no luck untH Dayle happened along. Perhaps because she had been in town such a snort time, Dayle radiated innocence. Walsh promptly signed the slender green-eyed brunette to play Jane Douglas, a student tutor in love with a jungle boy who becomes the super sports champ of ail time. "She had a quality of innocence end believabrhty which was essential to the role," Watsh said after discovering her. "She also was very good looking, and as a former model knew how to handle herself in front of a camera.

That was pure serendipity," he added. It is trendy for 'fashion models to have a go at acting, and Dayle fits in very attractively with such forerunners as Marisa Berenson, Cybttl Shepherd, Joanna Shimkus, Ati MacGraw and Twiggy. 46 "I was never reaily bored, with modeling," Dayle says, "but I like to put forth as much as I'm capable of. Acting's more challenging, that's for sure. Also I like to earn money, arid acting is where wf at today." Dayle hails from Montreal, where she danced with Les Grande Ballets Cam-' diennes and competed for the Miss Canada crown, A friend sent her picture to a fashion magazine in New York, the magazine responded and Dayle crossed the border to begin a new career as a cover girl.

She atso found time tcr study acting with Sanford Meisner. Early in 1972 she departed for Hollywood, and two months later was co-starring with Tim Oonway, Jan-Michael Vincent, John Amos, Roscoe Lee Browne, Nancy Walker and iMy De WoKe in "The World's' Greatest Athlete." "I've always been lucky, it seems," Dayle says. "My parents have always said that, too. And .1 realize -it, I'm aware of it, and I'm glad of it. "But lucky as it appears, I've always worked real hard, too.

I worked very hard at dancing, and at modeling, and I gave up a lot of things." With her third career under sail, Dayle Haddon is looking ahead. And she has much to look forward to. She is a writer, caricaturist and linguist..