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EARS SPREAD, Bert G ordon, the M"d Ru ssi,,", serves "5 " good mod el for

Memoirs of liThe Mad Russlan . "

The Life and Times of Bert Gordon, Product of New York's East Side, Who Rose to Fame by Being Screwy

ESTINED to be a Bowery Bum~ the sidewalks. My "environment" was friendship-the kind that gives help destiny and I had a little con­ tenements, push-carts, skyscrapers and \",hen it's most needed. Success in D ference and 1 changed the the East River. But J wasn't alone. show business is like a nower. FrOIll H,hedule. Eldredge Street was a hard teacher in the greenery of the masses a bud ap­ Born in New York's east side, J those days, and she was training little pears. It blooms radiantly. But it must made my debut before a packed house. boys like Eddie Cantor, Georgie Jessel fade and die. until maybe a new bud And it. was probably the ovation I got and myself the cardinal rules of life. appears on the same slem. that night which has made me a slave We learned how to take it and come To come back to my lire. I made to an audience ever since, although back for more. We didn't have money my appearance as an actor at the age BERT GORDON has gone Holly­ relations have f!:iven way to paid ad­ 80 we developed talent. We fought and of seven in a series of plays at the wood , but he's still nuts. Th is missions. sang in the same breath. Thalia Bowery Theater. The venture is " sce ne from his C olumbia pic­ A~ a kid J gol my education from Above all we learned the \'alue of (ColltillRed 011 Page Facillg 36) tu re, "l"ugh Your Bl ues Away"

I:. 13 I> CHARM and 9raciousness, which enaraeteriJ.e every role Greer Garson plays, shine with a 9ayer touch in her portrayal of Paula, Show-9in in "Random Hatvest" (above, and left with Ronald Colman), reveal new facets ".i n her acting-talent

For Her Performance In the Role J of "Mrs. Miniver" Creer Carson Deserves 1942's Academy Award!

REER GARSON holds • unique As Edna Gladney, the woman who callout, "Hello, Mrs. Miniver." G place amon&, Hollywood stars. fell in love with two thousand babies, Now "Random Harve1lt," In which Unheralded by reanu of publlc:lty and she inspired the warmly human story Greer co-stars with Ronald Colman, torrents of words, which usually ac­ of "Blosaoms In the Dust;' and pyra­ is bringing new rounds of applause company a rise to stardom, she walked mided to movie fame in the tiUe role from movie-goers. In this she plays a quietly into the hearts of theater­ of "Mrs. Miniver," the story of a wife young show-girl reclaiming • war­ goers in the role of Mrs. Chips, with wbo faces war with quiet courage. torn soldier, and justifies anew the Robert Donat in "Goodbye Mr. Chips." Today when ralUl see la Garson, they tiUe--''Carson the MagnU'IcenU" * * * * Ullt .,Ice * .... - * A harvest of prai~ is coming in for * "Random Harvest", * ...... Thil Iiall of Fa~ picture i, now plaf' * ing at New York', Radio City MusIC * Hall and is due to reach the country on the tTeI;l of an M-G·M wave in tht: * Miniver manner. * • * • • * You have probably re-d 1M P«aM from * the pens of FaIth Bald.... 'n In Ladle$' Ilome Journal. Kathanne Brut.h In Good House­ * keep'"a:. Clarence! Budm,lon Kelland In Pine Ridge Boys * the g;"tev~. Oelavus Roy Cohen In CoUtU',. SlIr;llh-EI,utMoth RodIer In * Woman'. Home Compamon. Fanny Ilea .. Get a Great Idea and * l!p I...eII In McCaW.. Unutll ParTOlt In * eo..nopolltan. Rex Stout III The Amer_ Ican. Rose Franken In Redbook and Proceed to Tear loose! * l>t'mce!II Kropotkl" In t.... lerty. They love * "Random lIar"* ~""... and ... nlve• . * What a ,iob the moVIf'I arc doinl!: foe' * the national morale:. Llaltrnant General By lum and Abne r * Dwight Ei.senho ... er cables from Africa : * "Mollon PlCtu," an! 01 the 1,111110$1 Im­ portance to provide cnltrllllnmmt .nd * build up the mOl1lle. Newareel. are specIal­ Hon. Franklin D. Roosevelt, * ly of ltCrntfldous value prov1dma: for the President of the United States, IOIdlC'A the meanllor ketPml up WIth theIr Washington, D. C. * frtendl In other lheal", of .. ar and WIth * theIr lamJloesal home.. TN, ttones and lhe * leIS In the realu~ prodUCtion. bnne; their DEAR Mister Presid~l: home country VIvidly to thelt memOl'lotL * Let·s have more moh)(l pICtUres."" Us follui down here in Pine Ridle. Ar­ * kansas, thoulht you'd like to know that 8 * And anyorw:* in the * Navy * as • well as any- buck-toothed IUY and a feller with a tunny * one OUt of it "'ill stand up and chett LU M AND ABNER (Chester Lauck, Norris GoR] in a scene mustache was rid out or town on a rail this for ''Stand By For Action" _ This is a week-and we lot a brand-new use ror them * ICfftn play based on the ~ torv you may from their RKO picture, "Two Weeks to Uve," now in war bonds aod stamps. * have read in Reader's Digest entitled production. Even the studio policemon has 0 hord time "Carro of Inl"lOttOCe··. We (this is Lum talkLn' now) was tetlin' In * recognizing the poir when they get into obove make-up (Continued on Page Facing 36) * * * * Three Big Guns are the ltars: Robert MOYIE-RADIO GUIDE " Taylor, Charles Laughton and Brian * Donlevy. * • * * CONTENTS * Nor must we (and who will ever?) for­ get the Brennan. * perfonnanceof Walter Memol,.. of "The M. d Ru_lan" Avery ThompMn and Bill * Old Reliable* Robert * Z.* Leonard • directed. . . •...•. _ .. • •..• . F.clnG Page 1 Andrew• .••.•..•.• _ ..•..•.•• • * The "Z" stands for Zenith. This is that Ga~n the MaGnificent •••.•••• 1 * of hit career. MUlle, by Robert a.g.r .•..•.• 10 * "Dea r Miner Pres ident," by Education, by J a mes G. Ha nlon . 11 "Stand B1 *For *Action" * *is a mighty Lum and Abner .•..•... . •.. • 2 * picture 0 the battle-wagons in the Short Wav.. , by Chari.,. A. Pacific. It is a thrill. 11"8'"' Manning: Rediscovered •. 4 * Morrlaon .••.••.• .. • .. •. . .. . , 12 Will Thla ae Amerle_Tomor· * , ,,,'i~rr'i~"Y *to the * ushering in ALMA KITC HELL of the Blue * Network. She aids wa r effort with row 1 by Robert SL John .... 5 CompMte Program. for Thll ~i,;;;~';:;;; Tra9·Katharine Week .• . ..• . .•. __ ..•..... 14· 32 * ., of The F lame". her "Stomp 0 Doy" rodio drive Famous F irst ...... * Feminine Forum, by Edith * The Movie Front, by Fran_ H. mpton .•..• .. •..•.. __ . __ . • 83 * Long .•.•• .. • .. ••.• . .• • .• . • • • 7 * The &tory Behind the Sonlll W. * A Stamp a Day ... Vcr. Vague Looq at tM Air Love, by The KIng'. Jute ..... 34 * Forces ...... 8 Wh. t'. Cook lngl by Georgia * T"e Radio Front, by E. Kay, Scott ...... •... . •. . .•..••• , 35 * "A STAMP 0 Ooy for the Son Who's * Awoy," Almo Kitchell's slogon COVet' Photo bv Eric Carpenter * on her "Meet Your Neighbor" pro­ * grom, is on inspiring one for every Volu_ 12, Number 13 * mother with 0 boy in Americo's ormed * How many of you have read I. A. R. forces. It has. too, a fine proctical Wylie's book? The picture is based on it value. For by converting stomps into * and ..... as photodramati~ by Donald * Ogden Stewart. bonds, all mothers can build 0 bocklog * of sovings for her son ogoinst the doy "Keeper of* The * Flame"* * is different when he returns to civilian life. Fur­ * from any picture you have ever seen. * thermore, it can o!Ipply to every woman * GeorgeCukor* .no* ..... a private* * in thea"".y. in Americo working foword victory. it the director. Of the many uea,t ptc­ For every stomp purchosed spells pro­ * tures which he has * made this is prob- ~ tection ago!linst infiatiOf1 todoy: de­ * ably his best work. ~b;J pression tomorrow! Eo ch stomp pasted * * * *. ~ .. So!Iys silently to Americo's fighting * Tho!e horns we hear men: Here is my promise to motch my * echo the Happy -z New Year's Roar l!:;;. ( I l - little so!Ivings o!Igo!linst your spending of * God's greo!ltest gift-the gift of life! * "...t.. ""' -The Editors. 2 So the Paramount studio executives realized that tbey really had something in this lad Ladd and gave him a starring picture all his own-"LUCKY JORDAN"­ and you'll be able to see it at youe neighborhood theatre shortly, In "LUCKY JORDAN," Alan really estahlishes his spot HE'S COLD ••• CALM ... AND A KILLERI in the firmament of stars. He plays the part of a racket His eyes seem to pierce you, go right through you like boss, a killer, who gets tangled up with a spy ring, only two icicles. Sometimes he smiles, but it's not a gay smile to realize that he can't sell out his country. -it's cold just like he is. And yet, there's something II about him that is tremendously attractive to all of us girls. We predict that after America sees IILUCKY JORDAN Alan Ladd will be ranked among the ten biggest stars in It was a liule over six months ago that Alan Ladd burst Hollywood. That's why he's the hottest guy in pictures! upon the cinema scene. It was in a picture called "This Gun for Hire" aDd his name was listed far down on the billing sheet. But when the critics and the public saw ALAN LADD ,,"LUCKY JORDAN" the picture there was only one thing tbey talked about­ A Paramount Picture witk HEL EN W A LK ER · Mabel Paige ALAN LADD! "He's different," they said, "He's unlike Skeldon leonord • Marie Mc Donold • Oi,.<,*d by fltANk TUTTlE any other star." s ...... 'I"y by Oarr.1I w"" "nd 1(",. T".. b"g

ASK YOUR THEATRE MANAGER WHEN THIS BIG PARAMOUNT HIT IS COMING

3 EXQUISITE danc. routines add It'a a glamour to Irene Manning's sing­ SPECTACLE ing role in film .... rsion of Sigmund Romberg', "m. Desert Song"

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CO-STAR of the musical is Dennis Morgan, seated at piano, fat left. He plays a dual role. L.ft: Irene carries on a bit of by­ play with Officer Bruce Cabot, while Lynne O ... er­ man loon on skeptically Irene Manning: Rediscovered .IUI JeFT)' Colon ..., Berbar. J. A.... (V.eVe.ue), H.... ld Hllbef', M.riIy" Here, Bill Shiney Once the Heroine of Horse Operas, Irene Futurinl the Ice · Capades.... ,_ .....CDmpany _.". Attains Stardom in "The Desert Song" .. _s...... s'u. "tel,,.,, ... Vere Hrube, M•••• T.ylor, Lois S EVERAL years ago, Irene Manning Warner Brothers had other ideas. They finally got around to starring In the Dw ...... k,Do.rIa persuaded her come back and tested Romberg musical, soon to be released. Atwood was signed as leading lady for a to series of western pictures. She ful­ her to star In "The Desert Song." Millions already have heard her as au, W.U AHD SfAMf'S to,.,s ftlled her contract, which called for After signing a Warners contract and a .inglng radio star, most re~nUy It's a warbling cowboy laments, looking having her name changed from Hope on CBS' "New Old Gold Show," with pretty and fragile. Then, feeling that to Irene, she made three pictures, in­ Nelson Eddy in solo and duet. But REPUBLIC PICTURE she'd had enough of the screen, Irene cluding the role of Fay Templeton in movies will rediscover 1. Manning as returned to radio and stage. But "Yankee Doodle Dandy." Now she'. the lovely star of "The Desert Song." 4 Britain Has Learned to Accept Sac rifice and Hardship Beyond Those Forced Upon Us

By ROBERT ST. JOHN

Editor" Nolf'; Rouet't St. Jolm· iI one oj radio', crack repoTters. The present article is basrd on hill c;rpt'ri­ enee. as NBC', t'OTTespondcnt in Lo"­ don, a po.!! lie took offer thrilling ex­ perience. 111 the Balkans. JucidentRUy. the articie tea.! wrifkn bc(ont coU{'{'­ rationina 1<'0.8 ;'llrodIlCl"d herr. liS 1rill be made dear in tlte last paragraph

'VE just come back trom a yenr in war-time Britain. and I lIno every­ I where in America a burning (urios_ Jty about what life is like over there now alter three yellrs of \Val" People nre bqrinn]ng to realize \h(lt America may be tomorrow like En­ gland is today_ And so here's a len-minute pil"ture of how those l11illions of people mer in the Briti.bh Isles 1iv(' aflf'r thrff yean or depre