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Slow-.poken Jolm Trent. who waa yanked into the moYie. from the cockpit of a trc:maport plane. Leading. Men on Way to Stardom By ROSALIND SHAFFER Hollywood. Cal. T HEY are as different as old- fashioned apple pie and friv- olous crepes suzettes. But those in the Hollywood know have pounced on John Trent and Ray Milland as the most liltely star material in the year's constellation of new leading men. Trent. slow - spolten a Ir pilot yanked from the eockplt of a trans-- port plane .to a place before the camera, is still as clear-hooded as when the lives of passengers de- pended on his mental equilibrium. He's quite honelttly a bit dazed by this success that swooped upon him in Hollywood. Starred in his second film, ••A Doctor's Diary," Trent Is cannily holding on to his pilot's license -jultt In case; and he's making no spacious gestures. Not so the debonair Milland. Ray is taking his swilt up-curve In popularity following ••Three Smart Girls" all in the rangy stride that carried him over a good por- tion of the world before he reached his middle twenties. Cook on Q potato boat, gentlo- man jocky, British household caval- ryman, temporarily affluent member of thtl international smart set con- spicuous on the Riviera, and now rising Hollywood star, contemplat- ing a home in San Fernando valley in company with such luminaries as Paul Munl. the Richar.d Arlens, Mary Astor, and the Joel McCreas -that's Ray Mllland, in brief. They say that it cost the hazel- eyed Mr. Milland exactly $17,000 (every cent of his legacy from an aunt) to attain that Ittate of grace where head waiters In the swanlt- lest continental hotels not only re- membered his face but also his name. The right one. Off-screen life of the two Is sur- prisingly similar In several re- spects. Both, of course, are young. Trent is 29, Milland Q year older, though he's by far the more uncon- cerned. Each has one marriage, to a nonprofessional" to his credlt. Milland will tell you that his wife is tall, graceful. lovely. Her name before their marriage in 1931 was Muriel Webber. She's a Hollywood girl. but not an actress. Trent, who met and married Har- riette Dodson In Danville, Va., in the hazardous days before he be- came a TWA pilot, says modestly that his wife is responsible for his presence In Hollywood. She sup- plied the nerve for the adventure. I tallted with John Trent at his Hollywood flat, a pleasant little home on a shady, not particularly fallhionable street near the foot- hills. It was a 9 a. m. appointment. And no stalling) Accu.tomed to running his lile by air line sched- ules, where a .pUt second counts, this fiyer turned film player has carried over the habit of being punctual into hi. new life. It's not difficult to see why Trent draws feminine fan mail from the four corners of the nation. At 29 he's .till the cooed'. ideal of the all- American full baclt. California born, he grew up on a ranch in Orange county, California (just lOuth of Long Beach), actually played football at Orange Union High school, and learned to fly at a technical school in San Diego. Like many another ambitious Two Smart Fellows know how it goes. People say loti of things 1Ilte that-and then you get to the airport. Even when Mr. Schulberg offered me a test I was scared. It seemed such an awful chance, giving up a certain job, where I was making my living, for one I didn't know a thing about. ••Shucks, I never acted in my life. II It hadn't been for my wife here [with a nod at the slim, titian- hatred girl from Virginia who haa been Mll. John Trent for several years] I never would have come to Hollywood at alL" • • • Trent's rise ha, followed the bost story-book rule•. In his first picture, .• John Meade'. Woman," that lamou. thtee-mlnute love scene with Francine Larrimore so caught the fancy of romantic ladie. from Catalina to Nantucltet that Schulberg cututely plumped his discovery straight into the •.A Doctor's Diary" lead. Trent promptly clicked again, handsomer than ever as one of the dramatic men in whit•. .• The Great Gamblnl" followed. And now he's starting worlt on a light little thing with love in the title. He thinlts it'. going to be fun, Trent, hunching his sweatered shoulders and thoughtfully puffing his cigaret, finally concluded that he had no hanltering \0 play a cer- tain role on the screen. Most actors have at lecut one favorite part up theit well tailored .Ieeves. ••1 haven't been in Hollywood long enough lor that," he said. .. All I aslt is a chance to be natu· ral. And no emoting I Maybe I can do that later, but not now:' With the same tenacity that got him a transport pilot's license Trent is learning this .l)ew business of being q. film actor. He go.s faith· fully to dramatic school and has Note: The Trent contract with Producer B. P. Schulberg i'minus the .• no flying" clause. Nothing could have persuaded the avIator to sign away his right to the air I Today he's Hollywood's number one .• ladies' man" by right of dis- covery. Feminine member. of Pr0- dueer Schulberg's transcontinental air party insisted that the good- looking TWA pilot waa precisely their idea c» a leading man. A, you might expect, their frank opin- ion carried weight. •. I didn't pay much attenllon," Trent explained with a grin. "'You Trellt alld Buth Coleman In a lCen. from "A Doctor's Diary:' youth, the boy, then known as La Verne Browne, leamed. to fly, only to discover that handling a ship is only one of a modem pilot's ac- complishments. Nothing deunted, he enrolled at Hancock Foundation college. Santa Maria, Cal., and emerged on schedule as an accred- ited aeronautical engineer. And then he had to fly trans- ports out of Kanlas City before Holly...• ,( od found him I e•• Dogged in his determination to get those precious air hours neces- sary lor the transport pilot's license he wanted more than anything elae " in the world, he barnstormed through the deep south in an old • cabin plane, got as high as $1.50 a ride from delighted Negroe. who didn't recognize a risk when they met one. Perhaps that's one good reason why Actor Trent keeps such a bull- dog grip en his license. After all. you don't get one because you have broad sho.ulders, an engag. ing. boyish grin, or fine gray eyes. .- .• Just after he hCldleCUlled to fly. TNllt beade the plan. In which he had luat completed hfa firlIt 11010. found, to hi. intense relief, that leaming lines is no great tali.. Eager to profit by all experience, he wcu fascinated by Akim Taml- roff's way of mastering his part in .• Gambini." "He translated every word into Ruslian:' Trent explained envious- ly, .. then back into English, alter he had learned the part. In that way he got the feeling of the thing, not ju.t the einpty words. I thlnlt It's an advantage. When you finilh you have more than a Milland In the uDiform b. wore aa member of the Britilb hoU;8' hold cnaUy. atrlng of worda. You know what's behind them." Except for his obstinacy on the pilot's licena. matter. Trent has submitted meeltly to other Holly- wood vagaries. After the inter- view he was due for a visll from the bootmak.r. That worthy was going to step up his alroady ac- ceptable height a few inches. But there has been no change in the Trent hat size. As a matter of fact, he doesn't wear one, except for pictures. Studio stenngraphell' and .cript girls agree, "John's exactly the same now as the first day he walked into the studio." • • • Le.s spectacular i.the lilm ca- reer of the Britiih Ray Milland. He has been filtUng baclt and forth between Hollywood and London for the laat five or .Ix yeare, and started making an impression on the populace in Universal's ••Next Time We Lov•.•.•• Jungle Princess," with seductive Dorothy Lamour, furthered both MUland and Miss Lamour (one·lime Chicago elevator girl) to prominence. Th. fans back home (England to you) lilted Milland' ••• Next Time We Lo".," And with ·the famous light touch to the . fore in ••Three Dehoncrir Bay MiUO'Dd.ex ~cnalrymem. ex· coolc. and ex - genUeman loc:ky. who haa crttc:dDedClmettked succe •• in fI1ma. Smart Girls" he was all set for fame and fortune. Not bad for a lad who admittedly took his first extra job- as a lark I Born in Wales, the son of a steel mill supervisor named A, Mullane, Milland spoke Welsh before he did English, and still retains a senti- mental attachment for the land of hi. birth. Hie favorite dog of the moment is named alter a Welsh canine hero which distinguished itself for devotion to duty sev.ral hundred years ago. Destined for Cambridge, Milland studi.d at King's college until he was sixteen. Then his volatile ne- tur. got the better of common sense and, unable to get a job on a deep- sea veasel, the boy ecntented him- self with a potato boat plying be- tween the channel islands. Then he worked for an uncle, a breeder of line heraes. He brolte, trained. and exercised the most capricious mounts. Expert horsemanship led to the Cheshire yeomanry and finally to the British household cav- alry (the" Blues.") Shooting, box- ing, and fencing (all handy ceeom- pli.hment. if you are coming to Hollywood) belong to his period. Estelle Brody, a British film actress whom Milland met on the continent while he was getting rid of his aunt's legacy in the mosl amusing manner polt8ibl., intro- duced him to her boss, The result- ing extra job as a larlt, and a steady job followed. At the moment he's busy with ••Easy Uving," as the playboy son A humoroua Iltuatton In the Pc:rrtImount film. ••Ecray IJYing:' MiUand and Jean Arthur. lIei£e .f tLe ~."ie F•• tetter, J»lbUshed in this department should be written on one side of the paper. If ,ou wish a p.ersonal repl, please inclose a stamped, self·addressed eneelope. My dear Mae Tinee: t'm a boy of 20 years of age and have been your "fan mail" reader every Sunday and every day for a long time. I had to write to you to let you know how much I enj oy r.ading your col- umn, and when you praise a play I then make a plan to se. it. I saw Simone Simon in a movie the other nIght. and really, Mae, this young star i. in my heart and I will go again to ••• SltoIONE SltoION her. I had to let Star b hi hurt of moyl. fall. you know what I think of this dar- ling. I promise to s.. all her picture. from now on. Weil, my tim. 11 up, and before I .ay adios, s.norita, will you please mention or print a little about Simon. Simon in Sunday's column? I will appre- ciate your kindn •••. I remain your ••fan mall" reader, GUSTAVE WAYNE. Editor'. "ote: BI~ S~ WGI bom at Ma,..elUu, FraflCe, AprU 83, 1914. At the age 01 4 she waa toke" to Madagae- car, thO" Oft to V4et&tta,Budaf)eat, BerlfM, Bnu.els, !lAd Pam. B1I.e Cltt6tlde4 8leu6ft schools a"d «a the jlnt of Nr c~ to take to the tllflater. At the 046 of 11 .he mcIde her jlrst proluriOf&aJ perf01'fn<lflCo Oft t1l.e Pam .tage, hcw4tlga lttle 4tl a mob 'CMe. Bhe «a 5 feet 4 'flChee taJl, we4gM 1J7 pot,,,"', hCM brown hair, bltul 61168, Cl tUrMct-ul' M.e, afld a tUmpl6 Oft her right cllfJek. Dear Mae Tinee: I'm no compoaer of swell .peechel, but I'm sure you'll under- stand. I want to eay a few word. to the theater managera, They brought Robert Taylor back in ••Society Doctor" and other films; they brought .•Dancing Lady" and Clark Gable; but why not be real amart and bring a grand guy baclt in a great picture? Who? Why, Nelaon Eddy in ••Student' Tour," Remember how swell he sang the American bolero,..The Carlo "? Come on, managers, give us a real treat. Thank you. ROBERTA KUCHTA. Editor'. fl.Ote: uti. 1l.op6.ome mclMg. er .ees the•• Dear Min Tlnee: 1 recently *XW "Born to Dance" and would like to know who played the part of the officer in aentral park who .howed Jame. Stewart lu.t how a band shoull! be directed. Thl. actor waa the prize of the picture, which I considered dull because of the player. breaking out in lOng or dance every few minute.. Why can't we have IUlt one .ong or dance in mu.ical. and build up a better .tory than what we are getting? JOSEPH ZMUDA. Editor'. " 0 t e: Reg4ft.alcJ QareUtter plal/ed the r616 of t1l.e poUcemaft.. MJf "ott Dear Min Tinee: 1 lu.t read where David Selznick, the producer of ••Gone with the Wind," haa decided to COlt an unknown girl, preferably from the south. in the role of Scarlett O'Hara. I could re.train myself no longer I What a stupid idea 1 That role will take a fini.hed actre •• to put it oYer, and with all the talent in Hollywood 1 see no reason to meander louthward. I ean feature no other actre •• in the part of Scarlett than the superb, dra- matic, and finished Bette Davi.. She hcu ltre J And with her teeth in a role like that-wow I It'. made for her. With Clark Gable aa Rhett Butler and Bette Davi. as Scarlett the picture couldn't \ help but be the biggest hit that ever was turned out of Hollywood. Pleale help U', MiN Tin•• , by printing this letter. At leatt get our idea of ••no unknown for the role of Scarlett O'Hara" over .ome way. Gratefully, RITA E. RUSSELL. Ed4tor's Mt6: WeU, 1I.ere'. tt geffiftg j(our 4cJeaowrl' GtljfW431. Let me 1ct&ow ., !lAl/th4ttg C~ of 't. Dear Min Muffitt: So you sent out a call for the int.me. to go and .ee ••In- terne. Can't Take M 0 ne r: What for? 1. To see Bar- b a r a Stanwyclt faint from malnu- trition when .h. looltl as healthy cu Wimpy, the Hamburger ICing? 2. To have the hoapltal .uperin- tendent, Dr. Fear- sen. adv1le them of the newly dis- covered location of the rectu. mu•• cle? When con- demning Interne Weeka he pointed to the right .id •• of hi. che.t when he .poke of thi. mu.ele. For your own information. it is the muacle of the anterior abdominal wall. 3. 0, and when Inne. was wounded, and the hero was .aYing hi. life by doing lOme suturing that wcu exactly not being .hown in the movie, why not at lecut bave the great .tar go through the motions of the hand and foreartn necelsary in thi. act? •. What doctor would bring to an under- nourished .ubject ••hot dog s "? With all the faclUtlee that the industry 'AlIARA STANW'fCIC "r ••• hMlthr I. p1etvre decl.,.. _ crItic. hcu it should be easy enough to obtain for technical detail information that would accurately depict things cu they should be. But why bother? It is only a cloak and .ult industry. L. R. E44tor'. "ote: 0, mrf (.ald. .he from her tul!I1f). Dear Mias Tlnee: Would you please print in your paper the name of the grand actor who played Madeleine Carroll's hua- band In the film .. Uoyds of London"? He was really a lord in looks and manners. A FAN. EcUtor'8 Mte: George Ba.t&deraf)lCl2led the r6Ie of Lord. Everett Bt4cJI, MlJdelei"e CarroU'. huabmui, i" the aboue jIlm. Dear Min Tin•• : Why don't we have moro picture. here .tarring Robert Donat? Is he dead? Did he lo.e hi. voice or abU- ity? What'. the matt.r With movie execu- tives? Can't they take advantage of a good thing when they have it? I always read and greatly enjoy your reviews and personals. They're my •• movie dictionetty." In only one of hi. foUr pic- tures did 70U disapprove of Mr. Donat; then you .aid the fault wcu in the play, not the actor. When people write to your column giving their favorite actora hi. name i. among the be.t. Hi." Count of Monte Cri.to," ••39 Stepe," and ••Gho.t Goe. We.t" were all amuling, different, and entertaining. There's my opinion of Mr. Donat, Min Tin... My plea is for new. of him. I. he .till making picture.? If '0, what are they? Hopefully youra, MARIE KENNEDY. Bd4tOf'. Mte: Mr. DOtaClt wae out of pictures for S01M motlth. beCCluae of m.. flea.. He'. I" E"gl<Mtd at t1l.e p7'eS6ftt dme. Becefttlv, howetle1', he jI,,«a1l.ed work HI ,., K"'g1l.t Witllout Armor," oppo- lite Marlette Dietrich. It win be releaeed S01M time HI tile future. of Edward Arnold. He lands in an automat, with Jean Arthur to COil- sole him during his dayl of less easy living. Paramount has great plana for her newest favorite. Mil- land's even been mentioned for the form.r Ronald Colman role in .•Beau Geste," among others. Yes, he takes it all In his .tride, show. a healthy interest in the studio restaurant menu while being interviewed, dismisses with a men- tal wave of the hand the fact that work forced him to mls. the coro- nation of George VI. It would have been hard work, really, due to his former statlUi with the household cavalry. And he and hi. wife were back in jolly old London lust a year ago. It was Mrs; Mllland'. first vi.lt, and her husband found her vast enthusiasm amusing. He.aw the city for the first time himself through her ex- cited eye •. StatUI of .tar apparent comes oo.ily to Mllland. He'. well edu- cated, superficially flippant, but essentldlly conservative. He has little .ympathy with strike.; helped deal with one in England with a firm hand. He reada widely, rapidly, Is amused by such flashing modems cu Noel Coward, declines to accept the populett vIew that " Cavalcade •. was intended to be taken" straight." And the proposed home in San Fernando valley is the apple of hi" roving eye at the moment. ••It may lOund .uperflcial to you "-he fixed the reporter with an appraising glanc_" but I do mean it. Several years ago I u.ad to drive through the valley and wonder what it would be Uke to have a home thete. Now I'm actu- ally going to build one I "
