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PEGGY GOES HOLLYWOOD
Attractive Peggy Lane encounters the first serious
obstacle to her acting career when, her play closed, she
cannot get a job in New York. Discouraged, Peggy jumps at
the chance to go to Hollywood, although tart-tongued May
Berriman warns her that Hollywood can break her.
But Peggy, needing a job, and smarting from playwright
Randy Brewsters preoccupation with his new play, boards the planeand lands in another world. Press cameras flash, and Peggy is built up as a young starlet. Fast-talking Max Gillian, her West Coast agent, has arranged everythingincluding dates with Doug Taylor, the most sought-after
leading man in films.
The excitement, the glamour, the thrills of Filmland,
U.S.A., are all experienced by Peggy as she struggles to
keep her feet on the ground in this rarefied atmosphere of
make-believe.
However, Peggys native common sense, her capacity to bounce back, after bitter disappointment, and her sheer acting ability enable her to emerge triumphanta triumph with a new twist, something completely different from what
she or anyone else expected.
Peggy Lane Theater Stories
PEGGY FINDS THE THEATER
PEGGY PLAYS OFF-BROADWAY
PEGGY GOES STRAW HAT
PEGGY ON THE ROAD
PEGGY GOES HOLLYWOOD
PEGGYS LONDON DEBUT
PEGGY PLAYS PARIS
PEGGYS ROMAN HOLIDAY
PEGGY LANE THEATER STORIES
Peggy Goes
Hollywood
By VIRGINIA HUGHES
Illustrated by SERGIO LEONE
GROSSET & DUNLAP Publishers New York
COPYRIGHT BY GROSSET & DUNLAP, INC. 1964 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
PRINTED IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
CONTENTS
1 AT LIBERTY 1
2 GREEN EYES 14
3 SOMETHING ALWAYS HAPPENS 27
4 BETWEEN THE ACTS 38
5 GOOD-BYES AND HELLOS 49
6 PALMS AND PLASTER PALACES 59
7 THE PLAYHOUSE IS THE THING 69
8 THE LIFE OF A STARLET 79
9 A NIGHT ON THE TOWN 86
10 A DIFFERENT KIND OF BEACH PARTY 95
11 TIME TO MAKE A CHOICE 109
12 UNDER THE BRIGHT LIGHTS 119
13 A SHORT DELAY 131
14 A VERY BUSY DAY 139
15 TWO TELEPHONE CALLS 146
16 ROLL EM! 157 17 BETWEEN TAKES 167
18 A LIVELY GHOST TOWN 176
19 A QUIET RIDE 186
20 PREMIRE PLANS 198
1
I
At Liberty
Forty-eight . . . forty-nine . . . fifty, Peggy Lane counted, vigorously brushing her dark chestnut
curls. She put down the brush and turned with a sigh
to her roommate, Amy Preston.
I think Ill rest my arm awhile, she said, and then go for another fifty strokes. She sighed again and shook her head ruefully. At least I have time now to take care of myself properly and follow all
those little magazine beauty hints that take hours.
Thats one good thing about being out of a job! Peggy! Amy said in mock disapproval. Youre
not out of a job! In the theater youre at liberty or between engagements, but never out of work!
Thats true. Peggy smiled. Its kind of comforting, isnt it? Which do you think sounds better? I think I like between engagements best. It sounds as if you have something definite to go to.
At liberty sounds to me like a convict on parole or a canary that somebodys just set free from his cage.
2
I think Ill be between engagements. Amy looked doubtful. Maybe youre right, she
said, but if you tell people youre between engagements and they really believe you have a role
coming up, then you cut down your chances of
actually finding something. And if they dont believe you, then you sound like a real theatrical
phony. Maybe its best to be at liberty after all. Its best to be working, Peggy said with an
unhappy little laugh. Neither one of the alternatives sounds terribly attractive to me. No matter how you
say it, were both just plain out of work! Well, were no different from most actresses,
Amy said. We just have to get used to the idea that well spend a good deal of our lives out of work. Its one of the hazards of the profession. The only thing
we can do is to keep believing in our luck.
Somethings bound to come up. I wish youd start making rounds.
Pretty soon, Peggy said listlessly. Ill wait a little longer. Maybe National Artists Representatives will come up with something any
day now. National Artists Representatives was Peggys agent. Mr. Meredith told me not to be in any hurrythat he is working for me.
Amy studied her friend, a worried frown on her
lace. Peggy, she said, its no fun to walk from office to office and audition to audition. But were
3
actresses. Its all part of the profession. I really wish youd go tomorrow. This sitting around isnt good for you. The sooner you get started . . .
Ill wait a little longer, Peggy said. I just dont feel up to it right now. I guess Im tired from doing two plays so close together.
Amy, sensing Peggys mood, was afraid to say anything more. Okay, she agreed. I really cant blame you. Im sure your agent will find something for you eventually. And making rounds isnt the most fun in the world. Amy, as yet, had no agent.
Youre right, Peggy said, abashed. Ive been talking like a spoiled child. Was today a very bad
one for you, Amy? No worse than usual, Amy replied. Just
discouraging. I saw six different casting directorsor their receptionistsand at least nobody was mean or cruel or insulting today. They all acted polite, and
they all told me not to call themtheyd call me. I can start to expect them all to call me around the
thirty-fourth of the month! There seemed to be nothing more to say. Peggy
turned to the mirror again and began to give her hair
the second set of fifty strokes. Amy went into the
hall to check again for telephone messages.
Everything was silent except the electric crackling
of the brush through Peggys crisp chestnut curls. Peggy made a face at herself in the mirror. The
4
mobile face of the girl in the looking glass frowned
back, her straight nose crinkling, her soft, wide
mouth turning down at the corners, her hazel eyes
reflecting frustration.
Quit feeling sorry for yourself! Peggy chided the girl in the looking glass. You did have to make a lot of decisions. And maybe you did make a
mistake. Maybe you should have stayed in the road
company of Innocent Laughter. But you thought you
were the luckiest girl in the world the night you got
called for Winters End. Peggy turned away from the mirror, remembering
the excitement generated by that telephone call.
Oscar Stalkey, the veteran Broadway producer, had
growled, Tired of the sticks? Be in my office by three tomorrow.
Mr. Stalkey, what are you Peggy had begun. Winters End opens in three weeks, Stalkey
had shouted. Youll need all the rehearsal time you can get, he had added, as if this were an explanation adequate even for a moron. Do the show tonight, then get on a plane. He had hung up.
A few minutes later, Peter Grey, the manager for
the road company, had told a dazed Peggy that
Stalkey was sending a replacement for her to
Kentucky and that he wanted Peggy in New York
for Montana Hemplers new play. Peggy! Amy admonished her roommate, as she
5
returned from the hallway. Her voice called Peggy
back to the present. I can tell by that look on your face that youre still brooding about Winters End. I thought you were going to forget it, she pleaded in her soft Southern drawl. After all, she reminded Peggy for the umpteenth time, my play closed before it even got to New York. And I consider
myself lucky to have been cast. It wasnt a Montana Hempler play, Peggy
protested stubbornly.
The audience just wasnt ready for it, Amy said patiently. Weve been over this five times. The plays beautiful. Twenty-five years from now, audiences will love it. But its just tootoo avant-garde to play very long right now. Honestly,
Peggy, Amy said, it wasnt your fault. Then, as if reciting by rote, she added, No, Alison Lord wouldnt have done a better job. No, no other actress would have done a better job. No, you didnt have the lead. No, the whole play didnt depend on you.
Peggy laughed. Im sorry, Amy, she said. Its okay, sugar, said Amy, giving her a little
pat on the shoulder. I dont mind for me. I just hate to see you so unhappyfor nothing.
Peggy and Amy had been friends since the year
before when, both newcomers to New York, they
had arrived at the Gramercy Arms on the same day.
Peggy, who had left college in her hometown,
6
Rockport, Wisconsin, to study at the New York
Drama Academy, had liked immediately the soft-
spoken Amy, a shy honey blonde from Pine Hollow,
North Carolina. Amy, too, had been a student at the
academy, and together the girls had explored
Manhattan, made other friends, and this year
decided to be roommates.
What are you wearing tonight? asked Peggy, changing the subject to prove she no longer was
thinking of Winters End. Your beige silk, said Amy. Or maybe my
cream two-piece. I havent decided. The last statement was not news to Peggy. Amy never
decided on a dress until the last minute.
What time did Mal say the boys are coming? Peggy asked.
Six-thirty, said Amy. What time did Randy say?
I havent talked to Randy in days, Peggy said, exaggerating. He sends messages by Mal. I think hes rewriting the entire play or something.
Theyre having cast problems, said Amy. What are you wearing? Your slip?
I have to bathe, said Peggy. Youd better hurry. Irenell be home any
minute, Amy warned. Obediently, Peggy scooped up a robe and towel.
Dark, languid Irene Marshall, the household
7
queen of the Gramercy Arms, the theatrical rooming house where the girls lived, worked as a
fashion model between acting assignments and was
addicted to two-hour baths, a routine that had to be
taken into consideration when the other girls were
going out in the evening.
Tonight, Peggy and Amy were going to the
opening of an off-Broadway production of The
Merry Wives of Windsor, which featured Connie
Barnes, a friend from the academy, as Mistress
Quickly. Even off-Broadway, opening night is a
glamorous and exciting occasion, and the girls
wanted to be dressed for it.
Running her tub, Peggy grinned to herself as she
heard Irenes footsteps in the hall. As she sank into the steamy water, she reviewed plans for the
eveningdinner, the play, a party at the apartment of one of the plays backers. She would be glad to see Randy and hoped there would be time for some
talk. RandyRandolph Clark Brewsterwas deep in rehearsal of his new play, One Last Chance, at the
off-Broadway Penthouse Theater. The Penthouse,
which had been located by Peggy and Amy after an
exciting search for an abandoned theater, had been
refurbished and converted into an experimental
theater by Randy and his friend, Mallory Seton, who
usually directed its productions. At the Penthouse,
Peggy had played her first New York role in a play
8
written by Randy, a part she secretly suspected he
had written especially for her.
Lately, however, events seemed to conspire to
keep them apart. In the summer, Peggy had played
stock in the Adirondacks. This fall, shed toured with Innocent Laughter, then been frantically busy
rehearsing Winters End. Now that she had free time, Randy was all tied up rehearsing his play.
Peggy smiled. It would be good to see Randy.
There was nothing official between them, but Peggy
did like him . . . at least, better than any other
boyfriend.
Hopping out of the tub, she toweled vigorously,
slipped into her robe, and scurried back to her room.
Another good thing about being out of work, said Peggy, tucking discarded clothing into the
laundry hamper, is that you can dress in no time. My hairs done. I dont need a manicure. My skins had so many different creams that
Youd better hurry anyway, Amy urged. Ill be ready before you, Peggy said knowingly.
She dressed hastily, and, good as her word, was
waiting by the time that Amy, vacillating one last
time, slipped into Peggys beige silk. A few minutes later, the girls ran downstairs and
into the living room of the Gramercy Arms to
present themselves for inspection. May Berriman,
the retired actress who owned the theatrical rooming
9
house, looked up from her lace-making as Amy and
Peggy came in. A large woman with still bright red
hair, May presented a crisp, no-nonsense personality
to the world, but her girls soon learned that this former great lady of the stage understood very
wellsometimes too wellthe problems of aspiring young actresses.
Well, May said admiringly, you hardly look like the same two girls who were in here glooming
about an hour ago! Nobody would ever think you
two are part of the great, grim army of the
unemployed. Greta Larsen, Dot McTavish, and Gaby Odette,
three of the girls housemates, looked up from their game of Scrabble.
Trs chic, said Gaby. Magnifique! Between ze two of you, you ave one beautiful wardrobe.
Dot laughed. Between the three of us, you mean. Amys wearing my necklace.
Make it four, said Greta. Peggys gloves are mine.
However do you keep track? May asked in wonder. I often think if I had a spare room, Id turn it into one big community closet and staff it with a
wardrobe mistress. Then you wouldnt have to worry about who owns whatyoud just go in and get what you need.
We do anyway, May, said Peggy. And we
10
dont have the expense of hiring anyone to help us. Its one of the fringe benefits of living here. I sometimes shudder to think of how many things Id have to buy if I ever had to move.
The door knocker announced the arrival of Randy
and Mal, who greeted May and the girls, paying
extravagant, teasing compliments to Peggy and
Amy.
Tall, lanky, redheaded Randy stooped to admire
Mays lace. Sure you wont change your mind and come with us? he asked May, continuing a longstanding joke between them.
One redhead in the party is enough, said May, as she always did. Too much temperament causes explosions.
Come on now, May, Randy protested good-naturedly, you and I are the only non-temperamental personalities in this entire collection
of theatrical geniuses. Even geniuses get hungry, urged Mal. Dark,
muscular, with the tough-looking face of a private
detective or a movie gangster, Mallory Seton spoke
in a cultured English accent that always surprised
new acquaintances.
Were off, said Randy, taking Peggys arm. Soon, they were walking down the street, four
abreast, on their way to the restaurant.
Hows the play coming? Peggy asked Randy.
11
Its beginning to seem as if One Last Chance is going to be a prophetic title, he replied dispiritedly. I dont know how were ever going to open in two weeks.
Whats the matter? asked Peggy. Is it just pre-opening blues, or is something really wrong?
Something really wrong! Randy echoed. A lot of things, you mean. Weve had so many problems and cast replacements He broke off, glancing significantly at Mal. Mal nodded his head, his face
suggesting an executioner ordering his cohort to get
on with the grim duty.
The part of Irma is open, Randy said slowly. Jane Audrey, who was doing it, got called for a Broadway show. She asked for a release today, and
we didnt want to stand in her way, so we gave it to her.
Oh dear, said Amy. Only two weeks before opening!
Thats not such a big problem, said Mal, glancing covertly at Peggy as he spoke. We know two actressesboth at libertywho can do the part. It was choosing between them He broke off.
Ill do it, Mal, Randy said resolutely. Do what? asked Peggy. Then her hand flew to
her mouth as she realized what Randy intended to
say. Oh! You want Amy for the part, she said. It was a hard choice, said Randy, looking
12
miserable. But we decided the part is more in Amys style than yours. Actually, he went on, not looking at Peggy, we had Amy in mind before we began casting. Then she got that chance for a
Broadway show, so we didnt say anything. You want the part? Mal asked Amy. Of course! Amy said enthusiastically. Who
wouldnt? But youre sure Peggy Oh, no, Peggy said before Amy could finish her
sentence. Im sure Randy and Mal have done a lot of agonizing over this already, and I dont think we ought to argue it out again. If they say the part is
more you than me, then thats the way it is. Not that Im not disappointed . . .
Oh, my! This is such a hard business! Amy said. I hate competing with my friends.
Peggy mustered up a smile. Its your turn anyway, Amy. When we did Come Closer, I had a
part and a good oneand you worked as script girl and scene painter and maid-of-all-work. Theres no reason or room for jealousy between us.
Youll have to work pretty hard, Amy, Mal commented. There isnt much time to learn the part. Do you think you can do it?
Amys a quick study, Peggy said. Much quicker than I am. But, of course, that was a tactful white he. Peggy wanted to be generous, but it was
an effort for her not to feel disappointedand left
13
out.
After a few minutes of walking in silence,
however, Peggys spontaneous generosity returned. She affectionately squeezed Amys arm. Im glad for you, she said. And Im excited for you too. Its a part you can really work withthe best thing youve had so far.
Oh, Peggy, Amy said unhappily. Dont, said Peggy. The boys are right. Ive
read the play, the same as you, and we both know
the part is more you than me. Now just dont worry about it. Im sure my agent will come up with something any day. So lets celebrate for you!
Well go to Astis, Randy said with relief. As he hailed a taxi, talk reverted to One Last
Chance.
14
II
Green Eyes
The lights dimmed, and the tiny auditorium was
filled with applause. The cast of The Merry Wives of
Windsor gaily flitted back on stage to take their
curtain calls. Connie Barnes, glowing, stepped
forward twice, curtseying, as the audience
applauded her performance as Mistress Quickly. An
occasional Bravo rang through the house. This continental cheer, long familiar to opera singers, was
heard frequently now in New York theaters as
members of the United Nations delegations had become part of the regular audiences.
It was a happy, satisfied crowd which filed out of
the house, trooping to the nearby coffee shops and
delicatessens for after-theater snacks. Shakespeare,
because of diction and other technical demands,
always is difficult to stage; so the knowledgeable
theatergoer is especially appreciative of a production
that permits him to enjoy the poet he also reveres.
Peggy, Amy, Randy, and Mal lingered and were
15
almost the last persons to leave the auditorium. They
were in no particular hurry as the party would not
get into full swing for an hour or more. Members of
the cast needed time to remove makeup, to change,
to congratulate each other for the success they had
created. Ordinarily, congratulations are a little
strained until the late editions of the paperswith the reviewsare out. But nobody doubted that tonights reviews would be raves.
Do you want to stop for cappuccino? Randy asked Peggy. It was a tender requestand so like Randy. Randy had introduced Peggy to the
cinnamon-flavored coffee concoction on their first
date, back when the Penthouse Theater was still a
dream and Peggy had yet to play her first role in
New York.
Oh! said Amy, overhearing Randys question. I cant eat or drink anything. You fed us too well at dinner, she told the two boys, taking an arm of each as they ambled out onto the sidewalk.
Peggy walked a step or two behind; the sidewalk
was too crowded for them to walk four abreast.
Watch your weight, Randy admonished Amy, repeating a standard joke among the foursome. We cant have a butterball playing Irma.
I declare, said Amy, smiling up at him, theres just no pleasing you. Before dinner, youre complaining that I mustnt starve. Now youre
16
telling me not to gain weight. Finally, Mal dropped back to walk with Peggy.
That platform stage was a good bit, he commented, commencing the inevitable technical
critique of the evenings performance. . . . Peggy could hear Randy and Amy beginning a
discussion of Irmas character. Two hours later, sitting cozily in a loveseat of Mr.
Portermans tastefully furnished Regency living room, Randy and Amy were still discussing Irma.
Peggy, listening patiently to a tall Englishmans complaints about central heating in American
buildings, unobtrusively glanced around, saw that
everyone at the party except herself seemed to be
having a good time. The brightly lighted room was
filled with people laughing, people talking intently,
people moving from group to group. Connie Barnes,
talking to Mr. Porterman and another man, who had
been introduced to Peggy only as George, still glowed from her evenings success. Mal, threading his way through the crowded room, signaled to
Peggy, meaning did she want to be rescued? Peggy
nodded her head.
I say, said the Englishman, youre the first American whos actually agreed with me that all this heating is unhealthy.
Peggy! exclaimed Pip Piper, an old friend from drama school. Ive been trying to talk to you all
17
evening. You wont mind if I steal her for a little while? he asked the Englishman, simultaneously taking Peggy by the elbow to steer her away. Its great to see you, said Pip. Ive been so busy with my new show that I havent seen anyone in ages. But I did see the opening of Winters End. You were terrific, he told her.
Thanks, said Peggy. Kind words are appreciated.
You really were great, said Pip. What are you doing now? he asked.
There are two possible answers, said Peggy. Ive been alternating them all evening. Half the time, Im at liberty. The other half, Im between engagements.
As she spoke, a little ripple of excitement swept
through the room. It was a quiet sort of thingjust a ripple. Theater people are accustomed to celebrities.
But there was a little ripple, nonetheless.
Peggy looked around. A small path was clearing,
beginning at the doorway from the entry hall. People
were stepping back a little, making way. In the
center of the doorway stood Alison Lord, every
shiny auburn hair carefully arranged in the new
French style. Peggy had worked with Alison last
summer at Lake Kenabeek.
But Alison Lord, her glamor notwithstanding,
wasnt enough to cause a ripple of excitement in this
18
crowd. Peering over Pips shoulder, Peggy saw Alison stroll into the living room, laughing merrily.
Slightly behind her, laughing with her, stood Doug
Taylor!
19
Mr. Porterman hurried toward them, and Alison
said something to him, then to Taylor, presumably
introducing Mr. Porterman. There was no need to
introduce Doug Taylor to anyone. It was his
20
presence that had created that modified,
sophisticated little stir of excitement. Taylors irregularly handsome, pleasant face was known to
every movie-goer in Americamaybe in the entire world. But Taylor wasnt just another Hollywood pretty boy who had found favor with the box office
patrons. He was an actor. And this gathering of
actors and actresses acknowledged his peerage; their
tribute was that small ripple which had marked his
entrance.
Alison, enjoying basking in the limelight with
Taylor, moved languidly through the crowd of
guests. She introduced Taylor to little clusters of
friends, working her way toward the dining room
and its serving table.
Who is she? asked Pip. Alison Lord, replied Peggy. We played stock
together last summer. Oh! I heard, said Pip. Wasnt she the girl who
got the screen test? She played your role the night
you were marooned or something? Peggy nodded.
Whats she doing in New York? Pip asked. I dont know, said Peggy. I havent seen her
since summer. Whats she like? demanded Pip. Interested in her career, said Peggy. There was something else Pip hunched his
21
thin shoulders, looking owlish behind his huge
glasses.
I heard, said Peggy quietly, that she read for my part in Winters End.
Yeh! That was it! Looks like you two He broke off.
Darling! Alison exclaimed, greeting Peggy. Its divine to see you. But have you been ill? Youre looking positively dreadful. So thin. You must take care of yourself, she gushed, her hand, simultaneously, calling attention to her own ample
curves. After all, darling, she continued, not allowing Peggy to speak, it really wasnt your fault Winters End closed. You mustnt take it so hard. What are you doing now, darling?
Noth Peggy began. Talking to me, Pip said firmly. Oh! exclaimed Alison, her eyebrows shooting
up. Pardon me! With a little wave of her hand, keeping Taylor in tow, she was off.
Cleopatra! Pip exploded. What was that! Alison Lord, Peggy said quietly. A sea monster! said Pip, shuddering. Sea
monsters are more slimy than land monsters, he added.
She wasnt like that last summer. Not that bad, said Peggy.
Deliver us all from Hollywood, intoned Pip.
22
Darling! he mimicked. What green eyes you have! What sharp claws! She really must have wanted that part in Winters End!
Will you excuse me? said Peggy. I need a little air. . .
Standing on the microscopic terrace overlooking
Central Park, Peggy shivered. She knew she should
go inside for a wrap, but she couldnt face that crowd again just yet. And the terrace seemed to be
the one place in the apartment where she could be
alone for a minute. Most of the guests, probably,
didnt know the terrace existed. Peggy had spotted it accidentallywhen she and Amy had wandered into the wrong room to hang their wraps.
From this height, the view was breathtakingan abstract painting executed in lights. Peggys eyes traced the pattern of lights outlining the streets and
paths of Central Park. To her right, in regular rows,
similar luminescent dots marked Fifth, Madison,
Park Avenues, the dots becoming a maze farther
toward the East River. She drank in the beauty of the
city, quiet now, spread out at her feet, a skyscraper
city clothed in a mantle of black velvet sequined
with diamonds, a city never so beautiful as now, at
night, from up high.
She sighed. Suddenly, a tiny sob escaped her. It
was followed by another. Quickly, bowing her head,
23
she fumbled in her purse for a tissue. But the tears
came fast, blinding her.
Want this? a male voice said softly. A handkerchief was thrust into her hand.
Thank you, Peggy mumbled, burying her face in the handkerchief. Seemingly, she couldnt control the flood of tears.
Whats wrong? the voice asked, very gently. Sometimes, saying things out loud makes them seemless hopeless.
Im justjust being foolish, Peggy sobbed into the handkerchief. It isnt anything.
The voice said soothingly, Just go ahead and cry. Youll feel better. You dont have to talk. Just go ahead and cry.
But, of course, the psychology of telling her to go
ahead and cry, telling her she didnt have to tell why she was crying, achieved the very effect intended.
Immediately, Peggy stopped crying.
Its just, said Peggy, that I suddenly realized Im the only one at the party whoswhos out of work, she finished bravely.
And life seems black, black, black, and youre feeling like a complete failure, and you really just
want to be alone, the voice finished for her, underlining the last words.
Something like that, said Peggy, her back still to the source of the voice.
24
Dont you know everyone in that room has been in your spot lots and lots of times? It doesnt mean youre a failure, you understand?
Peggy nodded, not speaking.
He took her by the shoulders, playfully shaking
her a little, then holding her shoulders comfortably
in the palms of his hands. Strangely, Peggy was
reminded of her big brother David, away now on
assignment with International Press. You should be glad, he said, that youre a bright enough girl to know that tomorrow youll feel better.
Peggy didnt say anything. Youre an actress? he asked quietly. Peggy nodded.
How long has it been since youve worked? Only a few weeks, said Peggy. My play
closed. And youre afraid its your fault? How did you? Anyone who takes acting seriously always
thinks he should have done better, given a little
more, he explained. Is that true? Peggy asked. Its true, he said emphatically. But see, he
continued, at least you had a play. Think of the hundreds of actresses in New York who havent been in a play this year. But, no, he corrected himself, I take that back. Dont think about it. Its
25
too depressing. No decent human being takes
comfort from someone elses misery. Think instead that youre in this exciting city where youve wanted to be all your life. That youre working in the profession that youve wanted all your life. Think that right now youre experiencing one of the hazards of that profession. And remember that even
experiencing the hazard is a part of actingand you wouldnt miss any of iteven the rough partsfor anything in the world.
How did you know that? demanded Peggy, whirling around in her surprise. How do you know so much about me?
He peered at her, trying to see her face in the
darkness. Im a wise, wise, wise old man, he told her. Then, he said, in a changed tone, No, its only that people arent so different. Thats how I feel, so I can guess its how you feel. Anyone whos any good at anything doesnt caretoo muchbecause life isnt always roses. Roses every day would get pretty dull, dont you think?
You are right, said Peggy, turning away again. And Im ashamed of myself
No, he corrected gently, dont be ashamed of being human. To feel pain, to weep is human. It isnt anything to be ashamed about. If you couldnt feel all the human emotions, you couldnt act.
Youre an actor? Peggy said tentatively, her
26
back still to him.
Yes, he said very softly. He didnt introduce himself.
Suddenly shy, Peggy said, Im all right now. And thank you.
He chuckled softly. The lady, he said, dismisses me. I go. But dont cry any more.
Peggy turned in time to see him opening the door.
As the light streamed through it from the apartment,
she moved back suddenly, startled. In the glare, she
recognized the short-cut brown hair, the muscular
shoulders of Doug Taylor.
He didnt turn around.
27
III
Something Always Happens
A few days later, in the big, sunny basement kitchen
at the Gramercy Arms, Peggy loafed over a second
cup of coffee and idly scanned the casting notices in
Variety, the show business bible.
Running her eyes down the list of openings for
actresses, she noted the descriptions:
Motherly type . . . Tall, blond, Germanic, athletic . . . Young, attractive, with some training in
acrobatics . . . Ingnue, able to play the cornet or French horn .
. . Nothing that even remotely resembled Peggy!
She felt vaguely like a piece of candy that nobody
wants, lying sadly in the dish and watching its
neighboring goodies disappear. Soon Ill be the last one left, she thought, and nobody will take me out of
politeness!
She finished her coffee, rinsed out the cup, and
28
put it in the drying rack by the sink. Then, aimlessly,
she went upstairs.
The Gramercy Arms was quite deserted. Amy
was at the Penthouse Theater being coached in her
part. Gaby was spending the day with her father,
who worked for the UN and had just returned to
New York after completing a fact-finding mission in
the Near East. Dot was at a television studio, filming
a commercial, and Irene had a fashion modeling
assignment. Greta was out making the rounds of
producers offices. Peggy had never felt so useless. It was no use mooning around, she told herself
severely. The day was too fine to be wasted indoors.
Perhaps a visit to one of the museums or art galleries
. . . a trip to the zoo in Central Park . . . then maybe
she could drop in on her agent, just to see how
things were going. She hated to bother him again,
but . . .
Peggy hurriedly dressed and went out. She had to
keep her mind occupied somehow. Maybe the zoo
would work for herit usually had in the past. But today was different. Even her favorite
animals, the big, lazy, cross-eyed tiger and the silly
yak with one horn bending up over his head and the
other curving down under his jaw, failed to amuse
her. The seals lay idly on their rocks over the pool
and refused to perform. The monkeys seemed
mostly to be sleeping. The birds bored her.
29
Peggy took a Fifth Avenue bus up to the
Metropolitan Museum, not far from the zoo, and
tried to occupy her mind with the pictures, with the
Egyptian relics, with the displays of armor. It was no
use. She could not get her mind off her present
predicament, and her thoughts kept returning to her
agent.
She put off the visit as long as she could. Peggy
had no desire to make herself a nuisance, but at last
she knew that she must go once morejust to remind him. After all, he did have other actors and
actresses to represent, and perhaps he hadnt been thinking of her.
She forced herself to stroll slowly down through
the park to the Avenue of the Americas. But when
she was within a few blocks of the big building, her
pace quickened.
National Artists Representatives was one of the biggest agencies in the business, and occupied two
full floors in a large modern office building. Its
reception room, a vast carpeted space punctuated
with brightly colored chairs, tables, and couches,
seemed to stretch on endlessly. The walls were
covered with photographs of actors and actresses,
among them the biggest names and most famous
stars of the past and present.
An attractive receptionist sat behind an enormous,
polished desk with nothing on its surface but a small
30
appointment pad and two pale blue telephones. She
looked up as Peggy approached, and smiled warmly.
Well, Miss Lane, its good to see you! I know Mr. Meredith will be happy when I tell him youre here. She picked up the phone and dialed three numbers.
Peggy was puzzled. Mr. Meredith, the man
assigned to Peggy, was cordial enough, but usually
difficult to see without an appointment. She had
hopedbut not expectedto be admitted immediately to see him, and had been prepared for a
long wait, reading magazines in the reception room.
The receptionist put down the phone and looked
up at Peggy again. He says youre to go right in. She smiled. You know the way, I believe?
Yes. Peggy smiled. She was tempted to question the receptionist but refrained. Instead, she
walked through a door near the desk, and turned
down a long corridor past large executive offices.
Mr. Merediths office was near the end of the row, smaller than those Peggy was passing now.
Meredith, a youngish man in his early thirties, had
explained with solemn humor on Peggys first visit that you could tell exactly how far a man had
advanced in his career by the size and location of his
office, the style and condition of its furnishings, and
the age of the man. If you were good at weighing the
factors, you could come up with his exact income,
31
he had said.
Peggy judged that Mr. Meredith was doing well.
Although his office was smallish, and far down the
line, it was well appointed with handsome modern
furnishings, carpeting, and good drapes. This was a
lot for a young man, she thought, and especially for
one who was still handling newcomers like herself.
Mr. Meredith stood up as Peggy entered, and held
out his hand to greet her.
Youre sure hard to reach, he said. Ive been ringing your place all day! Did they tell you that I
wanted you to come right over? No, Peggy said, surprised. I just decided to
drop in . . . and I was half prepared to be sent away
without seeing you. I had no idea you wanted me.
Dodo you have a part for me? Exactly, Mr. Meredith said, if youre
interested. If Im interested? Peggy laughed. Why, the
way Im feeling, Id play the third witch in Macbeth!
Well, its not exactly the third witch in Macbeth, the agent said. Its also not a Broadway lead. Its something of a gamblebut weve been working on this thing for some time now.
What is it? Peggy asked impatiently. Well, Peggy, let me explain step by step, Mr.
Meredith said with deliberation. To begin with, we
32
think that your next step should be to Hollywood.
You photograph well. Youre a good actress. And we think the studios could use a versatile type like
you. However, we havent been able to firm anything up. Weve finally decided that our best bet is to get you out to the Coast any way we can, and
once youre there, well do our best to see to it that youll get noticed and that youll have a chance for casting.
Peggy looked doubtful. It sounds interesting, she said slowly, but I cant afford to go to Hollywood just on a chance. I havent got enough money to last very long, and
We understand that, Mr. Meredith interrupted. Thats why we didnt just send you out. The point is, we now have a way for you to make a living there
and at the same time get yourself seen. Make a living? Peggy said cautiously. Im not
going to take a job as a carhop or anything like that,
if youre planning on having me discovered in some such place!
Peggy! Mr. Meredith said reprovingly. Of course its nothing like that! As a matter of fact, its an acting assignmentthough not in a first-run professional show. Its with the Players Playhouse in Hollywood. Its a good place to work, and youll
I know! Peggy interrupted with excitement.
33
Its a wonderful place! I have a frienda housemate of mine, Maggie Delahantyand shes working there right now! I can hardly wait to tell her
about it! What will I be doing? Tell me! Whoa! Take it easy! Mr. Meredith said.
Players Playhouse is a repertory company, as you know, working with a more or less permanent
group, and they always have at least two plays in
production for alternate nights and at least two more
in rehearsal at the same time. I havent got any idea of what youll be doing, because thats up to Henry Berger, the director of the Playhouse. The point is,
weve been able to get Berger to take you on, sight unseen, as an all-purpose ingnue and young
character actress. If you have any idea how hard it is
to get into the Playhouse even after a full-scale
audition, youll know how hard weve been working for you. Youll get a straight salary whether youre acting in a play, in rehearsal, or between plays. Its not a lot of money, but its enough to live on, and
And thats more than I have right now, Peggy interrupted happily. I wont have any trouble. Im sure that Maggie will have room for me to move in
with her, so I can live on very little. Very little is just about what youll have, Mr.
Meredith said, especially when youve finished shopping. How are you fixed for clothes?
34
WellPeggy hesitatedIm not really sure what Im going to need for California living.
Its not just California living, her agent said. Its Hollywood living. Now Ive explained to you that we at National Artists try to function as much as we can as managers as well as agentsespecially for our beginners, who we know cant afford managers. I told you that wed see to it that you get noticed, and that means going to the right places
with the right people. Youll have to have the right clothes for that. Heretake a look at this list our fashion consultant made up for you, then tell me
how much shopping youll have to do. Peggy cautiously accepted the long list proffered
by Mr. Meredith and studied it with widening eyes.
Oh, my! she said at last. I thought I had a pretty good wardrobe, but this . . . She paused helplessly, I have three after-five dresses, and an evening gown, but this says I need six! And four
bathing suits! And sport clothes! Oh dear! I couldnt even borrow this kind of a wardrobe from my
housemates! Mr. Meredith smiled. Miss Engel, our fashion
consultant, figured that youd need a lot. How are you fixed for money?
Peggy considered. I have some put away, she said at last, but Im going to need some of it for plane fare, and Im sure I cant afford all the things
35
you say Ill need. If you need a small loan, the agency will be glad
to help you with an advance on your salary, Mr. Meredith said. I told you we try to function as managers too.
But Peggy started to interrupt. No buts, her agent said. Consider it an
investment in your future. Its pointless for us to arrange to have you seen in the right places with the
right people if you dont look as though you belong there. I know you dont like to borrow money. But sometimes its necessary.
I dont know, Peggy said doubtfully. All this about being seen in the right places with the right people, I dont like
Thats just part of the business. Youll find when youre out there, that theres very little glamor in Hollywood, although theres a lot of it in the heads of the movie fans. The people who pay to see the
movies want to believe in the wonderful life of the
movie stars, and its up to the actors to seem to live glamorous lives for them. Ill warn you in advance that youre likely to be pretty bored by some of the right people, and youre apt to find the right places kind of dull, too. But you cant skip that part of the business any more than you were able to skip
the set-painting and stage-sweeping of your
apprentice days!
36
I dont mind work, said Peggy. Its just that I dont like to borrow moneyespecially for a nonessential like clothes. I dont feel right
What Im trying to tell you, Meredith said patiently, is that clothes are an essential, not a nonessential, for an actress.
Let me think Now, Peggy, the agent said soothingly, its not
going to be that much money. And you do have a
jobwhich you dont have in New York. This oncejust this oncetake some advice from your agent. Trust me a little.
Peggy bowed her head, remembering that she had
made the decision to appear in Winters End without consulting Meredith. Once she had arrived in New
Yorkand her replacement had taken over in KentuckyMeredith hadnt been in a position to protest, if he had wanted to protest. All right, she said. Ill do whatever you think best.
Good, he said. I was sure youd be a sensible girl. So I took the liberty of making the
arrangements. Youll leave Monday. I have your ticket reserved. So you wont have to worry about that. But youve got a lot of shopping to do. Herehe handed Peggy a second sheet of paperis a list of stores where we think youll find what you wantat reasonable prices. Youll see that at each store, weve written the name of the fashion
37
coordinator there. Check in with her as you shopthey all expect you. Theyll give you special discounts as a courtesy to us, and they know the sort
of things youll need. Dont buy anything without their say-so.
Meredith gave her a few other instructions,
including telling her that he wanted to see her again
before she left. But he could see that she wasnt really hearing him, so he ushered her to the door.
Dazed, too excited to resent the implicit slur on
her taste in clothes, Peggy clutched the two lists as
she waved good-by to Meredith, then wandered
down the long corridor, looking at the top list in her
hand.
Outside, she decided she needed to sit down a
minute before she did anything else. Spotting a
tearoom, she slipped inside, found a table,
absentmindedly ordered a cup of tea, and continued
to study the lists.
38
IV
Between the Acts
Two evening dresses, three bathing suits, and four
fashion coordinators later, Peggy sat on the
downtown bus on her way home to the Gramercy
Arms.
Her head was whirling with the extravagance of
the last few hours. She reminded herself that Mr.
Meredith had pointed out that clothes were an
investment for an actress. She reminded herself that
Meredith had had experience with Hollywoodand she hadnt. Still, she could not help worrying. As she nervously added up the amount she had spent,
she was a little frightened. Those evening dresses
were big items. And she was not even halfway
through the list.
With a toss of her chestnut curls, Peggy dismissed
the thought of her vanishing savings account. Its all part of the business, she told herself, and, besides, I never expected to have a lot of money if I
wanted to be an actress. As long as I have a job to
39
go to, I guess everythings all right! Turning her attention from herself, Peggy looked
with renewed interest out the window of the bus,
slowly making its way down through the Lexington
Avenue traffic. Scanning the familiar scene, she
realized how much of a New Yorker she had
become in the short time since leaving Rockport.
She had arrived alone, a little awed by the towering
buildings and the hordes of people, and with no
friends and no knowledge of the city. And nownot so very long since thenshe had friends, a place to call home, knew every building shed pass on this familiar bus ride.
Now she was to leave it, and to start once again in
a new place. But this time, she would not be as
nervous as she had been on her first trip away from
home. Many things had happened; she had been to
other new places, and she knew that she could adapt
to any surroundings. Still, she would miss the city.
After passing the heavy traffic and bustle of
Forty-second Street, the character of Lexington
Avenue changed. Suddenly, instead of stores and
crowds, the bus was passing large apartment
buildings, the soft brown fronts of old, well-kept
houses, their facades interrupted occasionally by a
small grocery store or a little local restaurant or
laundry. It was like a new city. And this was part of
the fun and excitement of New Yorkthat almost
40
every turn brought one to a different kind of town.
She watched the pleasant house fronts, the yellow
light coming from tall windows, the early evening
strollers with their dogs. Peggy was aware of taking
mental snapshots of the city, storing memories until
she could return.
Once again the scene changed, and Lexington
Avenue was a business street. Peggy was nearing
home. At Twenty-third Street, broad and busy, it
would have appeared to a stranger that there was no
residential area anywhere near. But Peggy knew
better. She knew that only a block south, the city
would once more offer a change of setting, even
more swiftly and more dramatically than before. She
got off the bus and walked the remaining short
distance to Gramercy.
Strolling down the nearly empty street, Peggy
saw before her the winter-bare trees of Gramercy
Park, surrounded by its high wrought-iron fence.
Most of the houses that looked out on the park were
old and mellow. The gleam of their brass door-
knockers and balustrades matched the lights that
glowed from their tall drawing-room windows. Only
the automobiles parked in the street and the electric
lights that had long ago replaced the gas lamps told
the passer-by what century this was. An atmosphere
of peace and security filled the little square and the
protected park.
41
In spite of her bulky packages, Peggy walked
once around the park before following the side street
to the Gramercy Arms. Steps led to its wide front
door; it, too, had a polished brass nameplate and a
glinting knocker, and high windows that lighted the
street. But to Peggy it had a look entirely its own,
not like any other house in the street or the
neighborhood. It was her home.
She pushed away the sentimental mood and
prepared herself for the excitement to come. She
knew the high good spirits that always accompanied
the announcement of a job. She had celebrated often
for one or another of her housematesand now it was once again her turn!
Before she let herself in, Peggy took a deep
breath. Then, entering the living room, she
announced to her friends, Its finally happened! Im going to Hollywood!
Later that night, when the excitement had died
down, Peggy sat with her roommate, Amy, and May
Berriman. They were in the big basement kitchen
having a last cup of hot chocolate and cookies.
Well, Peggy, May said, do you think youre calm enough now to get some sleep?
Im not exactly calm, Peggy answered with a grin, but I think Im exhausted enough! This is one of the most exciting days Ive had in a long, long time. Ive done so much! And when I think of how
42
much I have left to do, I get even more tired in
advance! What did Maggie say when you phoned to tell
her you were going to be working with her at the
repertory theater? Amy asked. Will she be able to put you up with her, or will you have to find a place
of your own? My luck seems to be holding all the way,
Peggy answered. Maggies roommate just moved out to join a television film company on location,
and I can move right in. Im relieved, May said suddenly. Peggy, surprised, looked at her friend.
I was afraid National Artists would have you check in at one of those glamor hotels, May said dryly.
I cant afford that, Peggy protested. Im happy you know it, May said, just as dryly.
She sipped her chocolate, seemingly absorbed in her
own thoughts.
May, Peggy said tentatively, you dont approve of this trip, do you?
You have a job, May said quietly. I approve of that.
But you dont like the glamor part, Peggy prompted.
Youre an actress, May said, suddenly vehement. You dont have to take the glamor
43
route. May, Peggy said in a tiny voice, you dont
really think Im going to go Hollywood, do you? Ive seen more than one promising actress
glamorized until you couldnt tell her from three hundred other girls, then given nothing but little
fluff parts. I dont want that to happen to you. You have too much to offer. The good ones, Peggythe really good onesthey stay themselves. They create their own styles. They dont have fashion coordinators telling them what to wear. They dont let anyone arrange their personal lives to advance
their careers. They dont have toand they know it.
May, Peggy protested, genuinely hurt, Im not going to go Hollywood. I thought youd have more confidence in me. She was near tears.
Good, May said firmly. I only wanted to hear you say it.
Amy, her face white, had tried not to look at
either of them as they talked. Maybe I should go to bed, she mumbled.
You stay here and help me with these dishes, suggested May. Let Peggy get some sleep. Shes got more shopping to do tomorrow. Her voice was tinged with sarcasm.
Good night, Peggy said bravely, still fighting tears. She got up, blindly made her way to the hall,
44
stumbling for the stairs.
Good night, Amy called softly after her. It was quiet in the kitchen as May and Amy did
the dishes, saving work for Aniko, the Japanese
housemaid.
You think I was pretty tough on her, dont you? May said finally.
Oh, May, Amy wailed, given the opportunity, shes been feeling so blue. And today, with this break, she was so happy.
And you think I spoiled it for her, May said sharply.
Well Amy found it difficult to say anything even vaguely critical to May, whom she admired.
Its better to be a little tough on her now, rather than stand back, not say anything, and watch her get
hurt, said May. I dont know, she continued, shaking her head. Peggys in a strange mood, not like Peggy at all. Ever since Winters End closed. I guess shes got some growing to do. Everythingreallyhas been too easy for her up to now. Shes pretty. Shes a good actress. Shes had all the breaks. Shes got to learn to work with failure, too. Failures a part of life. Its how you react that counts. Hollywood wont hurt Peggyif she can take it in stride. But thats a big if. So I reminded her tonight that shes an actress. It was a long speech for May. I didnt enjoy doing it, she added,
45
or I wouldnt be talking so much. May, said Amy, a little frightened, do you
think Peggy should stay here? Not go at all, I
mean? No, said May, shes committed to it now. Let
her see it through. And lets hope she grows enough to manage it, not let it manage her.
I think shell do all right, Amy said loyally. You know something, May said, smiling for the
first time, so do I. Her new clothes are pretty, Amy said, relieved. She cant afford them, May said, grim again.
All these clothes are the first really foolish thing Ive seen Peggy do.
Well, Amy protested, unhappy again, sometimes you have to do something foolish oncejust to learn it is foolish.
Mays warm smile encompassed Amy. Peggys got one true fan, she remarked.
May, Amy said hesitantly, wanting to confide. What? replied May. I dont know if Im such a good friend after all. What are you talking about? May asked
sharply.
Well, Amy said miserably, somethings happened between Peggy and me. I dont exactly understand it. But ever since the night I got the part
in Amy broke off, ashamed.
46
You think Peggys jealous? suggested May. No, Amy said fiercely. Peggys not petty. Anything else happen that night? asked May. No, Amy said thoughtfully. We just went to
the play and then to the party. Nothing else
happened. We didnt even really talk much to anyone. We were too busy talking about One Last
Chance. Come to think of it, I dont remember seeing Peggy
Who was talking about One Last Chance? Randy and I, Amy said innocently. And
sometimes Mal. Well? said May. Well, what? asked Amy. Theres your answer, isnt it? Randy and you. May! Amy put down the cup she was drying,
shocked. Oh, May, you dont think Peggy thinks
Who knows? May said thoughtfully. It would explain a lot of things.
Peggy knows I wouldnt Peggy also knows people sometimes cant help
how they feel about other people. But, May, I dont like Randynot that way,
protested Amy.
How about Randy? asked May. Oh, no! exclaimed Amy. Oh, no, May.
Randys crazy about Peggy.
47
Well, said May, closing the cupboard door after hanging the last cup on its hook, maybe itll clear the air all around for Peggy to go to the Coast.
Upstairs, Peggy hurried with her bedtime ritual,
skipping a few steps including brushing her hair,
since she wanted to be in bed before Amy came in.
Hanging up her skirt, she glimpsed the new dresses,
draped carefully in plastic, on their hangers to the
side of the closet. They gave her no pleasure.
Maybe Hollywood is a mistake, she said aloud. And suddenly, the tears came. You big crybaby, she scolded herself. This is the second time
Abruptly, she remembered Doug Taylor. She
stopped crying. It was the first time shed thought of Doug Taylor since shed learned she was going to Hollywood. It was as if shed been saving the thoughtuntil she needed something to cheer herself up with.
You dont even know hes going to be in Hollywood, she reminded herself. He may be making a picture here in New York. Or not working.
Or on location. And even if he is in Hollywood, that
doesnt mean youll ever run into him again. Hes a big star. And youyoure a girl looking for her first big break. So dont be silly. Hes probably not even there. But Peggy didnt believe it. Doug Taylor was going to be in Hollywood, and she was going to
48
meet him. Officially. When she was happy, feeling
like herself. And looking her best in one of those
new dresses.
49
V
Good-bys . . . and Hellos
Peggys seat was on the far side of the plane, and she could not see Amy, Randy, and Mal standing on
the observation deck. But she knew that they were
there. Just as theyand shehad stood there before when a friend was off to some far part of the country
to play a small role that might, with luck, lead a step
closer to the bright goal of success.
She knew that they would stand there waving,
even though they could not see her, until the plane
trundled off down the runway to begin its rush into
the air. And by the time they had driven back into
the city, Peggy would be hundreds of miles away to
the west.
For the first time since Peggy had started flying,
she did not want to look out the window to see the
almost incredible sight of New York spread out
below her. She had said her good-bys, and did not
want to say them again. She tried to concentrate on a
magazine, but when the engines gave their final roar
50
and she felt the forward thrust of the plane, she
could not resist. The magazine slid to her lap as
Peggy looked out the window to see the ground drop
away.
As the great plane gained altitude, she could see
the towering spires of the city beginning to turn into
toy turrets. The water of Long Island Sound below
flashed green and gray and white in the crisp winter
air. The water reminded Peggy of her first flight
west from Idlewild Airport. Now, as then, the big
plane, its take-off pattern completed, headed inland,
still gaining speed and altitude for the five- and one-
half hour flight to the West Coast.
There was hardly any sense of motion as the giant
plane hurtled through the sky. The countryside
below seemed to drift by with tantalizing slowness.
Watching it, almost mesmerized, Peggy absently
accepted the cup of coffee offered by the stewardess.
It seemed only moments before the stewardess
returned, this time with Peggys luncheon tray. For the next half hour, Peggy devoted her attention
exclusively to the hot white turkey, brown gravy,
dressing, mashed potatoes, peas, and cranberry
sauce, followed by pumpkin pie and more steaming
coffee.
Leaning back with a contented sigh, Peggy once
more gazed out the window. The weather seemed to
change as the plane encountered wisps of cloud,
51
then fat clouds, then a whole mountain of clouds.
Suddenly, the plane began climbing, blue sky
appeared, and the sun, bright as a summer day,
illuminated the clouds below. Glancing downward,
Peggy saw a rolling expanse of fluffy white that
looked quite solid enough to walk on. It reminded
her of lambs wool and feather down and soft white sheets. . . . Slowly, her head began to nod, her eyes
closed, and almost immediately, Peggy was fast
asleep.
She awoke abruptly, sleepily rescuing the
magazine which had slipped from her lap to the
floor of the plane. She sat a minute, dazed with
sleep, then glanced at her watch and was surprised
to discover that she was more than halfway to the
Coast. Should she set her watch back now, or wait
until she actually was in California? Lazily, she
turned the tiny stem. Then her mind raced ahead, in
advance of the speeding plane, to the wonders of
California, the mysterious process of movie-making,
the excitement that certainly was waiting for her
only a few hours away.
Outside, the clouds were gone. Far below, the
level fields too were gone. Clear in the sunlight,
thousands of feet under her, the rugged peaks of the
Rockies lay tumbled and white, their precipitous
slopes hidden under a blanket of snow. At that very
52
moment, as if in response to her unspoken question,
the loudspeaker crackled, and the captains voice announced that they were crossing the Continental
Divide.
Peggy looked down at the landscape, then smiled,
realizing she was looking for the broken line
familiar from her geography booksas if it were going to be neatly printed across the mountains.
More mountains, more snow, occasional patches
of puffy cloud, then at last, the tawny expanse of the
Mojave, the great American desert, its colors
varying from a yellow that was almost white to deep
orange ,and a strange near-purple.
Peggy daydreamed a little, anticipating seeing
Californiaand Maggieand Doug Taylor. Then, at last, Los Angeles came into view, not like the
giant city it was, but like an endless sprawling
suburb of broad avenues, small houses, trees, coiling
superhighways, and hillsides white with close-
packed roofs. The plane slowly circled and settled to
the field, and as soon as the lighted sign at the front
of the cabin told her it was all right to remove the
safety belt and leave the plane, Peggy was in the
aisle and on her way. Thanking the smiling hostess
at the plane door, Peggy stepped into the jetway and
deplaned directly into the passenger terminal.
Miss Lane? A strange voice hailed her. Yes? Peggy said to the small, dark, plump man
53
54
who had called her. Yes? Just hold it right there a minute! he instructed.
Right there. Can you wave to me? Peggy doubtfully waved, and a brief flash from a
news camera momentarily blinded her.
One more, please! the photographer called. And smile this time, please!
Peggy smiled and waved again, while the
photographer took not one, but two more. Peggy
was nervously aware that this procedure was
delaying the passengers behind her, and as soon as
she felt that the little man was satisfied, she fairly
ran from the jetway entrance. The photographer,
ignoring her, picked up an attach case and walked
away.
What was that all about? she asked, bewildered. Im Max Gillian, the little round man said. Im
your agent here, and I wanted to get you started with
the right kind of welcome. If we have any luck,
youll see one of those in the papers tomorrow. Nice to know you, he added as an afterthought.
Im glad to meet you, too, Mr. Gillian, Peggy said. But why would a newspaper want to print a picture of me arriving in Hollywood? Im not news!
Nobodys news until they get into the papers, Gillian answered. At least not out here. And the reason the papers would want to print your picture is
55
that nothing else ever happens here. Only pretty girls
coming and going. If they get a good picture of a
new pretty girl, theyve got a news item. Unless some big star happens to be coming or going today.
If its a big star, then its big news, and you dont get your picture in the paper after all. Understand?
No. Peggy laughed. But Ill take your word for it.
Youll have to take my word for a lot of things, if were going to make you a success, Gillian said. Just accept the fact that youre in a strange, new land, and Im your guide. My job is to deal with the natives and make the arrangements; your job is to
get into pictures. You let me do my job, Ill make sure you get a chance to do yours. Got any
questions? No. Well . . . yes. Lots of them, Peggy said
confusedly. But they can wait. Right now, I only have one. Im looking for my friend, Maggie Delahanty. She was supposed to meet me.
Shes probably around somewhere, Max Gillian said, picking up Peggys travel case.
As Gillian moved away, Peggy caught sight of
Maggie, waving wildly from across the room, her
brown bangs wind-blown, her blue eyes sparkling
brightly. Peggy hurried to meet her, leaving Max
Gillian to follow with the bag.
After their first hugs and excited greetings were
56
over, Peggy introduced Max Gillian to Maggie. He
acknowledged the meeting soberly, then announced,
You two wait here while I take care of your luggage. Then Ill drive you to the hotel.
Hotel? Peggy said, but Gillian was already gone.
Hotel? Maggie asked, puzzled. But I thought you were going to stay with me!
I am, Peggy said. Mr. Gillian just must have assumed Id be staying at a hotel. Well tell him when he comes back.
But when the little round man returned, he proved
not so easy to tell.
I know, I know, he said. Meredith told me that you had made arrangements to stay with a friend,
but I think youll be a lot better off at the Hollywood Hills, where youll be seen and where you can meet some of the right people. This business of sharing a
little apartment with some other girl isnt going to get you anywhere.
And staying in a hotel isnt going to get me anywhere but broke, Peggy said firmly. Im sorry, Mr. Gillian. I dont want to make your job hard for you, but youre just going to have to accept the fact that Im not a glamor girl. Im an actress. And not a rich one.
A few minutes of argument convinced Gillian
that Peggy was not to be swayed, and, reluctantly,
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he agreed to drive her to Maggies apartment. But, he said, Ive got to comment on one thing. You said that youre an actress, not a glamor girl. Thats where youre wrong. Out here, the two are the same thing, and you cant be an actress at all unless you give off some glamor. Its all right with me if you want to live in that apartment. But youre not going to hang around there. I want you to get out where
the people are, Peggy, and make sure they see you
and know who you are. Youre just going to have to trust me and believe that I know this town and that I
know my business! Of course, Mr. Gillian, Peggy said. She broke
off as they walked outside. Here, on the ground, in
the middle of winter, the sun was shining! And
shining so brightly that it almost made Peggys eyes hurt!
Im sorry, she said, resuming the conversation as Gillian helped her into his long white convertible.
Im not going to be difficult. Honestly, Im not. Only about the hotel. Because, really, I just cant afford it. You understand, dont you?
For the first time since their meeting, Max Gillian
smiled, and when he did, it was a surprisingly warm
and childlike smile. Sure, Peggy, I understand. And I dont mean to be hard on you. Its just the way I talknot the way I feel. Ill understand you, and you understand me. Okay?
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Then, as he swung the big car into the airport
traffic and towards the city, Gillian abruptly
changed both his manner and the subject.
Now! he said, with an expansive wave of his hand, let me point out some of the sights of the fair and fairyland landscape of our great city! Welcome
to Hollywood, Miss Peggy Lane, starlet!
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VI
Palms and Plaster Palaces
It was all very strange and very new.
In fact, the newness of everything was what
impressed Peggy most as Max Gillians convertible whirled her and Maggie through the fast-moving
traffic of Los Angeles. All of the buildings seemed
to be made of white papier-mch and clear plastic,
although Gillian assured Peggy they really were
stucco and glass. Lining every street in great tall
rows were graceful palm trees that looked as
artificial as the ones that stood in pots in the lobbies
of big hotels. Peggy half expected to see neatly
uniformed workers moving them a little to one side
or the other to line them up properly. Every so often,
in among the white box-buildings, were a few
structures of quite different design. Immense
Spanish houses, English stone castles, pink Italian
palazzos, gingerbread cottages . . . It was all very
confusing and confused, and nothing looked as if it
went with anything else. The only thing they all had
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in common, including the most medieval structures,
was their obvious newness.
It all looks like a big movie set, Peggy commented.
It is, Max Gillian agreed cheerfully. The only reason this city is here is the movie business.
But certainly all the people in all these houses arent working in the movies! Peggy said in astonishment.
Certainly not, Gillian agreed. But if it hadnt been for the movies, they never would have come
here to do whatever theyre doing. If it hadnt been for the movies, I dont think there would have been a city here at all.
That must be why everything looks so new, Peggy said thoughtfully. It must have all been built since the motion picture business startedand that cant be more than forty years ago.
Thats about when it all started, Gillian said. Of course, I wasnt here then, being just a little baby at the time, but Ive been told by people who were here at the beginning that Los Angeles was just
a small town when they came. Thats one reason the movies moved their studios here from Long
Islandthere was so much space for shooting films. And, of course, the other reason was the weather.
You mean they moved a whole industry because they liked the climate? Maggie said.
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Well, yes. But not the way you mean, Max Gillian answered. It wasnt just because its nicer to work in a sunny place. You see, most movies were
made outdoors in the early days because sunlight
was a lot better than the best studio lights they had.
And also because if you made a picture in a woods,
or in front of a house, or by the seashore, you had
the scenery for a background, and you didnt need to spend all the money to build sets. Out here, they
found that they could count on more than twice as
many sunny days as they could in New York, and
that meant they could make twice as many pictures.
Or make one picture in half the time. And since time
is money when you have to pay a lot of people to
stay around till a picture is finished, that meant that
they could make movies a lot cheaper in California. I guess that must still be true, Maggie said,
and thats why they stay here. No, not any more, Gillian said. They only stay
here now because the studios are here, and
everybody in the business is used to it here. Its too late to move, and besides, theres no place much better to move to. But the reasons for coming here in
the first place dont apply any more. For one thing, sunlight doesnt count any more. Most of the pictures are shot indoors. And theres not much space left, either, except for pictures youd want to make in the desert, like Westerns. As for location
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shooting other than Westerns, it takes place all over
the world. One of my actors is in Africa now.
Another one is in Spain. Two of my girls are in
Alaska, making a picture about the frontier living
there today. Another one is in Chicago, and one is in
New York. And I have to see an actor of mine off on
the plane to Vienna tonight. Wow! commented Peggy, impressed. There
must be no end to places to make movies! All the worlds a sound stage, Gillian said,
paraphrasing Shakespeare, and all the men and women merely players. Or agents. Or directors or
producers or cameramen or set designers or writers
or cutters or grips. Cutters? Grips? Maggie and Peggy asked in
chorus.
A cutter? Well, he can be something like a film editor, he explained. And a grip is like a propman or a stagehand.
I guess Ill have to learn a whole new language, Peggy said, just the same as if I were in a foreign land.
He turned the long white convertible from the
wide main street on which they had been traveling,
and drove down a quiet side street with small houses
and more of the inescapable palm trees. A few
blocks farther on, he turned again, and pulled up in
front of a long, featureless, white two-story building.
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This the place? he asked Maggie. Right, she said. Looks like a factory, Gillian commented. Are
you sure youd rather not pick up your reservation at the Hollywood Hills? You can any time, Peggy. And
Maggie could move in with you. It would cut the
cost in two, you know. No, thanks, Peggy said. Wed need about four
other girls with us to cut the cost to what this will
be. And Im sure that its a fine place to live. She eyed the building doubtfully, though. It did
look like a factory. Still, if it was good enough for
Maggie . . .
Thanking Gillian and refusing his offer to help
with Peggys luggage, the girls started to leave. Just take it easy this afternoon and this evening,
Max Gillian told Peggy in parting. You have a busy day tomorrow. Ill pick you two up in the morning atwhat times your rehearsal start?
Ten, Maggie said. At nine-thirty then. Ill drive you down, because
I want to be there when Peggy meets Henry Berger.
Well discuss further plans in the morning. Thanks again, Mr. Gillian, Peggy said as she
stepped out of the car.
So long, Gillian said. And its nice to have you here! he called out as the car swung away from the curb.
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Come on, Peggy, Maggie said impatiently. I want to show you the factory!
I didnt say Peggy began. I know you didnt. Mr. Gillian did. But Ill bet
that you secretly agreed with him. It does look like a
factorybut wait till you see the inside! Peggy followed her friend up the short walk
alongside the building to a low, broad archway cut
into the white stucco. Maggie pushed open one of a
pair of heavy, carved oak doors and stood aside for
Peggy to see.
She could scarcely believe her eyes! The
building, apparently an enormous block, was in
reality a hollow square that surrounded an open
court filled with palms and floored with a bright
green lawn. In its center sparkled the bright blue
waters of a good-sized swimming pool.
Nice factory, huh? Maggie grinned. The pools heated too. Come on in and take a look around!
Once inside the court, Peggy thought she had
never seen a nicer place to live. A covered balcony
ran completely around the buildings at the second-
floor level, making a shaded porch for each
apartment. Access to the second floor was provided
by several outside stairways of rough-hewn redwood
that made a pleasing contrast with the white stucco.
Here and there, flowering vines climbed the stair
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rails and ran along the porches, mounting in places
to the eaves of the orange tile roof.
Its beautiful! Peggy gasped. It is, Maggie agreed, but its not unusual out
here. In fact, it would be considered quite beneath
them by most of the movie people. But I love it, and
its inexpensive and well run. There are about forty little apartments for girls only. And most of the girls
are pretty nice. A few of the kids from the Playhouse
live here, which is how I found it. When one of them
needed a roommate, I moved in. And, as luck would
have it, she had to move out to take a job on location
just about the time that you told me youd be coming. So we have a whole apartment to
ourselves. As she was talking, Maggie was leading the way
across the court. Come on, well drop your things and Ill show you your new surroundings.
On the far side of the patio, Maggie paused. We live up there, she said. Its the choice spot, too. We get the morning sun to wake us up. And our
back windows look out on a beautiful private garden
next door! Peggy followed Maggie up the stairs and through
a shutter door, which Maggie kicked open casually.
I never lock up, she explained. It would take two people to rob meone to bring me something and another to take it away!
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Peggy entered the apartment and looked around
delightedly. The main room, which they had
entered, did triple duty as a living room, dining
room, and kitchen, but the three areas were
separated by airy screens of rattan and bamboo
grillwork, making a pleasing effect. The furniture,
too, was mostly of rattan or bamboo, with bright
blue cushions and a few yellow pillows as accents.
And heres the bedroom, Maggie said, opening a door and indicating a tiny room barely big enough
for the two beds and two chests that took up every
inch of space. Its just about big enough so theres enough usable air for both of us to breathe, but itll do!
I think its wonderful! Peggy exclaimed. Her survey of the small apartment completed,
Peggy gratefully curled up in one of the chairs.
Maggie, with one of her swift, uncannily smooth
dancers movements, dropped to a cross-legged position on the floor. As she looked up at Peggy, her
expression changed from the light, bantering one she
had been wearing.
Now lets talk, she said soberly. You havent explained Mr. Gillian to me. Whats this about being seen with the right people? I thought you were here to work with the Playhouse.
Well, in a way I am, Peggy said, but in another way, Im not. Mr. Meredith, my agent in
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New York, decided that I ought to be in movies, and
he wanted me to come out here for a screen test. So
he arranged for me to be with the Playhouse while
Mr. Gillian set things up with some of the studios. I
guess the Playhouse is just awell, a convenience. Something to pay my way until I can get a job in the
movies. So thats it, Maggie said. Well, let me give
you some advice, Peggy. Dont ever tell Henry Berger thats why youre hereand make sure he doesnt hear it from anyone else either. Hes a wonderful director, and the Playhouse is the most
important thing in the world to him. He takes it very
seriouslyand so do the rest of us. He hasnt got much use for starlets or movie-struck kids. And if he
thinks that the Playhouse isnt the most important thing to you, too, you wont last very long with him.
But Maggie, I think Mr. Meredith explained it all to him when he agreed to take me on, Peggy said. At least, I hope so. Id hate to think I was taking a job under false pretenses. Anyway, the
Playhouse will be the most important thing to me!
Im working for Mr. Berger, not for a movie studio. At present, that is.
Maggie looked dubious. If you keep that outlook, I think youll be all right. I dont think Henry Berger could mind anyone keeping half an
68
eye on a movie career, as long as it doesnt interfere with what hes trying to do at the Playhouse. But if it gets in the waywatch out!
I just wont let it get in the way, Peggy said with determination.
Oh, I trust you, Maggie said. But Im not so sure that Max Gillian is going to see things that
way. He seems reasonable, Peggy said. He
understood about my not wanting to live in a fancy
hotel, didnt he? Yes, Maggie said. And Ill chalk one up for
you. But I have an idea that Mr. Gillian keeps score,
too, and for each point you win, I suspect hell want a point or two for his side.
I dont know what you mean by sides, Maggie, Peggy said half in anger. Mr. Gillian is my agent! That means hes working for me. Were both after the same thing, and I made up my mind before I
came that Id cooperate and take advice. This is a new world for mebut one he knows. Youve got to be a realist, Maggie.
I am, Maggie said gloomily. And thats why Im afraid Mr. Gillian is going to cause trouble before too long. I only hope Im wrong.
Im sure you are, Peggy said. But she wasnt sure at all.
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VII
The Playhouse Is the Thing
The morning sun that filled the cheerful little
apartment seemed to take all the shadows out of
Peggys and Maggies minds. The bacon and eggs were good, and as they ate at the tiny table that
overlooked the flamboyant garden next door all
traces of the previous nights worries had disappeared. In fact, all that Peggy could think of
was her good luck, and the excitement of meeting
the famous Henry Berger and starting at the
Playhouse in an hour.
What do you suppose Ill be doing, Maggie? Peggy asked. She knew that Maggie was playing
Luciana in A Comedy of Errors and rehearsing a role
in Too Little, Too Late, a sophisticated mystery
which had been a Broadway hit two seasons back.
Were casting a new play thats due to go into rehearsal this week, Maggie mumbled, hastily swallowing a mouthful of bacon and eggs. She
paused to take a sip of coffee, and went on. I guess
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youll be in that, because were getting pretty short of actors right now. An evening of three short plays
by Montana Hempler is alternating with A Comedy
of Errors right now. But there arent any replacements needed in those as far as Ive heard, so you must be in for the new one. I dont know what it is, but its an original play by a young English writer, and I hear its very good.
It must be, or Mr. Berger wouldnt have picked it, Peggy said. I know something about the reputation of the group.
Hed be glad to hear you say that, Maggie said. Before this brief near-reference to the previous
nights conversation had a chance to stimulate another talk, Maggie suddenly interrupted herself.
Look at the time! Mr. Gillian will be here any minute, and we have to be out front. He cant come in, you know. Its one of the rules. No men except between noon and ten. That way we dont have to worry about being decent as people stroll along the
balcony outside the apartments. Come on! We only
have five minutes to do the dishes and get going! They settled for scraping the dishes and soaking
them in soapy water, deciding that they would do themselves that way and only need rinsing and drying later on. Taking last quick looks at
themselves in the mirrorbarely time enough for fresh lipstickthey hurried out to the balcony and
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down the stairs.
Do I look all right? Peggy asked as they half trotted across the courtyard.
Fine, Maggie assured her, except for that New York pallor. But a few days in the California sun
will take care of that. All your freckles will come
out, and youll look like a native of the state! I dont freckle, Peggy said. I peel. Everything in good time. Maggie laughed.
First you peel, and then you freckle. Its the custom here!
They passed through the gate and turned down
the side path just in time to see Max Gillians long white convertible pull up to the curb. He waved
cheerfully.
Right on time! he called. But were almost ten minutes late, Peggy
answered, opening the car door, and so are you. Thats what I meant by right on time, Gillian
said. I guessed that you two would be the ten-minutes-late type, so I arranged my arrival
accordingly. You didnt look like the half-hour-late variety to me.
How about the just-on-time girls? Maggie asked. Do you ever guess wrong and keep them waiting for you?
There are no just-on-time girls, Gillian said seriously. Ten minutes late is just on time in my
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opinion. Peggy settled back comfortably in the big car and
watched the palm trees go by. Everything had a
fresh, crisp, well-washed look in the morning
sunlight, and the breeze that ruffled her chestnut
curls felt like spring, not winter. After a few minutes
of riding, Gillian broke the silence.
Well, Peggy, I hope you got a good nights sleep. You have a busy time ahead of you.
I slept like a log, she said. And Im looking forward to my first day at the Playhouse. I know
what these things are, and Ill probably have to sleep twice as much tonight!
No such luck, Im afraid, Gillian said. Tonights all accounted for. And sos this afternoon after rehearsals at the Playhouse.
What do you mean? Peggy asked. You dont have a screen test set up already, do you?
Im not that fast. Max Gillian laughed. But Im fast enough. No, tonight will be your first time out in Hollywood. Just a chance to get a few pictures
for the papers, thats all. Part of the regular process. And by the way, he added, I dont suppose youve seen this mornings papers yet, have you? He handed her a folded daily. Page twelve. Youre in the news.
Peggy turned the pages with difficulty as the
wind fought with her, but finally she managed t