The Times from Hammond, Indiana • Page 59

THE HAMMOND TIMES He's Her Father Ernest Veteran actor Ernest Truex has come home as the father of Gladys in "Pete and Gladys," series. The actor's very first film, "A Good Little Devil." was made for the Famous Players which is known today as Paramount Pictures. It is at Paramount, Hollywood, that the farcical series, "Pete and Gladys" is filmed. Truex as joins Harry Morgan (Pete'. Cara Williams (Gladys'.

and Verna Felton Crocker), as regulars of the east in the show sponsored by The Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company. When a vistor to the "Pete and Gladys" set remarked to Ernest Truex, "Mr. Truex, you're great." another visitor added "He's had a lot of practice." In truth, Ernest Truex has been "practicing" the art of acting since he was five years old. WHEN HIS father was a medical student in Kansas City, Missouri, Ernest Truex was born on Sept. 19, 1889.

The elder Truex, in due course, became a country doctor in the little town of Rich Hill, where he treated a patient a stranded thespian. This old time actor was Edwin Melvin, who had played Shakespearean roles with Edwin Booth. Melvin decided he would stay in Rich Hill and open a school of elocution. Said Ernest, "Melvin had no money with which to pay my father and SO he offered to give me elocution lessons in payment. This is how I became an actor.

Melvin had me play 'Hamlet thus making me the youngest and smallest performer ever to play the part in costume." Later, in Kansas City, Mrs. Truex made the acquaintance of a Mrs. Fairlamb, who had a daughter Helen, about Ernest's age, who also had theatrical talent. The two children were teamed for nearly two years- playing towns in Kansas and Missouri. Then young Ernest was given a part as a young boy in "Quo Vadis." with the Woodward Stock TV SECTION Page Truex Joins 'Pete and Gladys' UP ANTENNA AND other zany adventure when her dad (Ernest he doesn't know a gas Gladys," Monday at Company in Kansas City.

FULL SPEED AHEAD Gladys (Carra Williams) is on her way to anwhen she starts work as a service station attendant. It all begins Truex, left) talks his way into position of station manager. Trouble is pump from a windshield wiper, in "'The Garage Story" on "Pete and 7 p.m., over Channel 2. 1 WAS AN insignificant member of the cast," said Ernest. "I was such a kid that they put me in the same dressing room with the extra girls.

That should happen today," he added with a grin. With the stock company, Ernest Truex appeared in a "Little Lord Fauntleroy" and "East Lynne." When he was about 11 he moved to Denver. "There," recalls Truex, "I continued to sandwich schooling with acting." THIS LAUNCHED Truex on tr Broadway and he kept busy shows," says Truex. "Pete's a performing in at least 50 piays. good guy but, as I see it, my His first stellar role was for part is just to burn him David Belasco in "A' Good Truex with his wife of 20 Little Devil," which co-starred years.

actress Sylvia Field Mary Pickford. (she is Mrs. Wilson, the was Mary's last stage bor, in "Dennis The performance before we both lives in Pacific Palisades, Calmade our first feature film to- ifornia. They have three sons, gether," said Ernest, "when a daughter, and several grandAdolph Zukor signed the two children, his sons and her of us to make the play into a daughter both by previous movie for Famous Players I marriages. which later added Mr.

Lasky "I'm glad," said Ernest, to its name and, of course, "that my father let Edwin came to be Paramount Pic- Melvin pay off his doctor bills tures." in elocution lessons for me. I "As Pete's father-in-law, I have had a wonderful career drive him wild in these that, happily, goes on and on..