The Brussels Post, 1948-4-14, Page 6Short on Inches, Long on Ability
By PETER RONALD
Although he's actually twenty-
eight years old -...has Leen twice =r-
iled, onee divorced, and i'• tin fath-
er of two children most folks still
mentally picture him as a boy of
seventeen or eighteen.
His first stage appearance—one of
the very few for which he received
no financial reward—was at the age
of fifteen months. Shortly after
achieving his second birthday he
turned professional, and ie. one way
or other has been appearing before
the public as a paid actor ever since.
He's only five feet, one and a
half i cites tall, and so youthful
oohing that in 1942—aged 22—he was
refused admittance to the Hialeah
Race Track on the ground that he
VMS a Ittinor.
His mother was a chorus girl. Ire
was named for his father -•-a stage
property man, later comedian -and
for years known se Joe Yule, fr.
He had this name legally changed,
however, to Mickey McGuire Rooney
—and he's known to millions the
world -over as plain Mickey Rooney,
one of the strangest and most in-
credihle figures in all the fabulous
realm of stage and ticreen.
In The Spotlight
Nobody who knows him, or has
ever even met him casually, would
ever accuse Mickey Rooneyof being
in any sense a shrinitink violet. Even
his best friends will admit that he's
an exhibitionist—something of
braggart—and a constant seeker after
the brightest section of the spotlight.
But unlike most people of that
type, he has the goods to back up all
his claims. I -Ie has appeared on the
screen with such top-ranking actors
as Spencer Tracy—remember "Cap-
tains Courageous" and "Boys'
Town"?—and Frank Morgan; with
actresses like Lana Turner, Ludy
Garta„d Esther \Williams, Ann Ruth -
n% with all their ability and
experience, nest one of them ever
caste close to stealing a scene on
him. Indeed, it was .'enerally the
other way around,
A Surprise Performance
What he did at President Roose-
velt's Inauguration Mala at Washing-
ton in 1941 is typical of Rooney. Ap-
pearing on the same hill with stars
such as Charlie Chaplin, Nelson
Eddy, Ethel Barrymore, Raymond
Massey and other famous figures,
most folks expected Mickey to do
some of the imitations for which he
has long been noted, When he sat
down at the piano the audience start-
ed to laugh, thinking he was about
to mimic Iturbi or some other key-
board celebrity, and probably end up
by standing on his head on. middle
B Flat, or something of the sort.
But they soon quieted dawn and
paid strict attention, once they rea-
lized that for a change Rooney wasn't
clowning. For nineteen minutes
straight he played a three -movement
symphony which he himself had com-
posed. When the solo ended there
was a tumult of applause; be ails
ins ited to the Presidential Btw to
receive congratulations; and the c,.nr
dnctor of the National Symphony
Orchestra seriously arun d him
that, with such talent, `.1 was a tca1
pity he was an actor.
Not bad ---especially when you C4111^
Sider that his only L.rtnal 11131,151
education consisted o1 a tea fifty
cent piano lessons whet be was five
years old.
As "Mickey MacGuire"
His initial ;titpear:wee on the
screen was a cigar -smoking n'i403
in a now•forgutten epic entitled
"Orchids ind Ermine" and starring
Colleen Moore. Then, in spite ni
fierce competition from :wane 311(1
other ambitious youngsters, and their
tnttllers,--also in sp•te DI 1' , 10
blond lucks instead of the dgrl.Ilan
the part called for --he secures the
leading role of Mickey IHinuclil
McGuire, a movie serial based on
Fontaine Fox's comic strip r!,aracter
of the same name.
At the beginning it ':s.1 . Nr,cicd
that young Yule we114 e_ alt out-
grow the part. Instead, bereetaleed
so small that he was al -le to l lag in
no less than 7S of these pictures titer
a period of h years, and so itletntitgin.,
himself with the tough kid that.
when he came to change his own
name he had merely to add "No tic
to the "\liekey McGuire",
In The Big Money
Mickey's first crack at the cfper
reaches of film drama was as Puck
in a picture version of 'llidsecaner
Night's Drtam"—which was an -ar-
tistic success, but failed L 0a1,0
any mob scenes at theatre entrances
throughout the land. Then came his
portrayal of .Andy Hardy in what
was intended to be a single picture
billed "The Family Affair', but
which developed into one of the most
protracted—also most h s hl 13 fit
able—picture ventures of al titt•e.
It is estimated that the 16 Andy
Hardy pictures drew more then "'i
million dollars in admissions—.,rd at
comparatively paltry expense, ss 110.0
things go in Hollywood. -
Althnnuli for many years he has
been one ..f the greatest drafting
cards 01 yr ':. ;awn, it is only compar-
atively reciiml3 That Mickey got into
the really "Lie money" Today- las
income rare, s between $.'110.1J1111 and
$700,000 a ,, ear—depending ou haw
many "1,110,:nal appearances' at 25
thousand a week he cares to mal:e—
it wasn't till ]res than two years ago
he started to ,!raw anything like this
sort of money. While entertaining
overseas with the U. S. Army unit
his old contract expired. Now, under
astute personal management, he is
starting to cash in on his terrific
drawing ability.
He Has Faith In Mickey
His first truly "grown-up" role is
that of "Ritter McCoy"—a tough
prize fighter in hard-boiled surround-
ings—in which fans will have a
glimpse of a Mickey Rooney far
ferent from what they have become
accustomed to seeing. But \rickey
says there will he ne more namby-
pamby, juvenile parts for him, From
now on he wants to play straight dra-
matic stuff—the kind which will give
him a real opportunity of exhibiting
his undoubted ability to act.
Whether or not he will be able to
draw his immense personal following
with him along these fresh paths re-
mains, of course, to be seen. But
judging of th.e future by the past, he
shouldn't have too much trouble,
Mickey Rooney sincerely believes
that there's nothing — outside, per-
haps, playing the role of a seven foot
giant—that he cannot do just as well
as anybody else living, and perhaps
a little better. Strangely enough, up
to now he's always been able to matte
good on his beliefs.
SIDE GLANCES
By Galbraith
",We broke our engagement again tonight—this time he ridi-
#tiled the perfume ads and I was wearing what I thought was
my most alluring scent!"
How's Your Water Supply?—The importance of pure water
and the terrible dangers of pollution are strikingly illustrated
in new Film Board picture "Out Beyond Town".
"Out Beyond Town"
of
The Beason farm s 's typical
many -to be found in rural Ontario.
The house, the farm buildings, the
fields—and even the old pump by the
kitchen door. All these go to make
it typical and familiar.
Just take the pump for example.
Mrs. Benson draws her household
water from it several times a day.
;11r. Ben -on washes up there for sup-
per. Young Paul often goes there for
a drink. The pump is a friend In
a friendly land where the air is
clean, the food nourishing, and exer-
cise unlimited.
The years pass, and although 'ale
'ensons do not suspect it, the pump
slowly turns into an enemy. Young
Paul becomes ill, and is taken away
to hospital. IIis parents are worried
—and puzzled. How can a lad be-
come so ill on so healthy a place es
a farm.?
The doctor finds the answer, and
the sanitary inspector backs hint up.
The well and pump are to blame.
Over the years the well has accumu•
laved poisons and infi:ctious germs,
and nothing has been dont to counter
this contamination.
*
But 'when the Bensons realize
what has happened, they make
amends as fast as they can, Mr.
Benson has a cement close -top well
installed. But he doesn't stop here.
\\'hen he gets to thinking about it,
he sees water can be contaminated
in many other ways: from accumu-
lated barnyard manure, from a ne-
glected privy, from the refuse of the
animal pens. And, again, summer
insect pests can carry the pollution
to the water supply.
•
The Green -Thumb
By Gordon L. Smith
Try Something New
One should remember that the
business of improving flowers and
vegetables does not stand still.
There are strains and types today
that were not in
existence before
the war, and each
year there are
some brand new
varieties. It is a
sound rule to try
something n e w
each season. In
this way' variety
and interest wi1l
be added to the garden. Even the
old standbys like Golden Bantam
corn Lnd Rosy Morn Petunias, to
mention only two, have been vastly
insproved. Plant breeders are con-
stantly strivin, for new colours,
more disease resistance and hardier
and earlier plants. Much interest
and value can be added to the
garden by trying two or three new
varieties or types of vegetables and
flowers each year.
Big Show For Little Work
A really wonderful showing can
be made with a big bed of annuals
and at surprisingly little cost.
Where space is available one should
not crowd these things. Indeed in
very long borders along roadways
or paths it is possible to do much
of the preliminary cultivation with
a hand -drawn or tractor - operated
cultivator,
First the bed should be dug or
cultivated thoroughly at least twice
before the annuals are sown or set
out. This gets rid of the weeds
and gets the soil in good shape.
For a long bed, three feet wide is
about a minimum requirement. Into
this one can plant dozens of differ-
ent type annuals, with the smaller
things generally at the front, the
bigger things at the bottom, For
tiny things like French Marigolds,
allow about ten inches between,
and for the biggest things like
cosmos, full size zinnias, etc., two
and a half to three feet is not too
match room. Where one has only
a small piece of ground available
closer planting is advised in order
to get more bloom.
screens he
Mr.Benson puton t
So
windows, and cleans up the barn-
yard and privy. He makes sure that
1111 well wader is analysed regularly
after Paul's illness, 1 -le even puts in
a coveredleaking-pitf.t water
dis-
posal,
since Ise has no drains.
* * *
Who are the Bensons? They
might he 3011. But, if you like, you'
can see these particular Bensons in
a new National Filum Board film,
"Out Beyond Town", which is now
playing cm the rural film programs
in many Ontario counties.
2-4-D Wonderful
But Not Cure -All
A new chemical, 2-4-1, is proving
to be one of the most effective in
the control of a variety of weeds.
The expansion of the market for
2-•1-1) in Canada has been pheno-
menal. In 1917 about 505,000 nue.:
of faros land in Western Canada
were treated with the new chemical.
In 1948, according to an estimate of
a leading man facturer of chemi-
cals, from five to 10 million acres
will he treated.
Meanwhile weeds are eaueing an
annual loss to farmers, in Canada
of more than $.:00,000,000.
Those who have trade •u study
of the effectiveness of 2.4-D, no a
weed control agent, feel confident
in recommending it for the control
of weeds, such as mustards, stink-
weed and ragweed in cereal crops.
At recommended rates, an increase
in yield in proportion to the number
of weeds removed will more than
pay for the cost of application. On
the other hand, there are weeds,
which may be resistant to 2-4-D.
New chemicals for weed control
should not be regarded as a "cure-
all", but they can be powerful
weapons in the farmer's fight
against weeds.
Ack Ack
The aunts were paying a visit to
Southern England during the war
and went upstairs to hear their little
niece say her prayers. All went well
and the little girt remembered to
bless all her aunts and uncles, but
just as she was going to say Amen;
she paused and added very hurriedly:
"Oh, and God bless Auntie Aircraft,"
'thief
in the Night
By
N. G. 1U3LINGTOY
The old caretaker was not sur-
prised when confronted by the man
with Ole gun. He had been expect'
ing something of the sort ever
since the publicity in the paper.
Ile was swiftly but thoroughly
searched.
"Where is it?" demanded the
gunman,
"In the table drawer," said the
old caretaker. "I never carry it
with ate. Pm afraid of it,"
The old man dares: to relax.
"Thanks," he said, "1 was getting
kinda tired holding '511) up. Do you
mind if I sit down?"
"Yes," he said, with a sigh, "1
told \lister John it was foolishness,
putting all that stuff in the paper,
no good would come of it."
"How right you were," grinned the
man with the gun. "According 10
this spread, Ice's closed the joint up
while he and his wifespend the sum-
mermer
on the coast. Must he nice to
have dough"
The old man shrugged. "That's
the story the paper got."
"What do you mean," asked the
gunman sharply. "Aren't you alone
here?"
"Sure I'm alone," said the care-
taker hastily. "I meant there was
more to 'em closing the house up
than the paper was told. Mister
John's wife didn't like it here."
"Most dames could stand living
in a sha"k like this."
"They've only been married three
01011ths. She lilt, it here at first,
then she said it got on her nerves.
Claimed the place was spooky, It's
a pretty old place, you know.
"]?nough of this spook talk," the
gunman said roughly. "here's idiot
I'm interested in." He scored a
fete lines on the paper with his
thumbnLil, then tossed the paper
to the old man.
Slowly the caretaker read ala'sd
from the society page blurb.
"Among the many treasures gath-
ered under the roof of the historic
old house is an early Van Gogh
"1 was going to tie yon up
first," said the gunman, with an•
other quick glance at the dark pas-
sage, "but on second thought I'll
let you show me where it is. Let's
go."
They were hall way through the
passage, the caretaker leading,
when the gunman stopped and
gripped him by the arm.
"What was that?"
"I didn't hear anything."
They crossed a couple of rooms
that must have been enormous,
judging by the time it took to trav-
erse them, before the caretaker
halted again, this time of his own
accord.
"This is the music room," he said.
"The painting's on Ole far wall,"
The man with the gun gave a
grunt of satisfaction. With the pia-
no as a bearing, it was easy to
locate the Class tdogh. He let the
light play on it, making addible
noises of satisfaction. "You can
help me—" he began, but the sena
tense was never finished.
High and clear, came the tink-
ling notes of a piano. It was as
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though a., invisible hand had
brushed over the keys, or lightly
ran up it scale. The sound was re-
peated, but this time the notes were
slow and uncertain, as if the WI'
seen player tried to pick out an
almost forgotten~ tune. The circle
of light on the painting wavered
violently, then jerked wildly down
to the piano. 13y its light the two
men save that the stool was unfen-
anted, but as each note sounded
a key was depressed by invisible
fingers, The old man was touching
the gunman, and he felt hi n go
rigid in terror. The next second the
room was in darkness as the lamp
fell or was hurled to the floor.
The kitchen door had slammed
behind the intruder before the care
taker recovered the lamp. Ap-
proaching time piano, he fumbied
antler the open top, and when he
withdrew his arm the music ,ceas-
ed abruptly.
"You little rascal, you, chuckled
the old man fondly, to the furry
bundle in his hand. "It's a good
thing for Mister John he told use
I could use -his planner. But it s
no place frr a Mitten to play in."
The End
How Imes Change
Pre-war: The Customer fs ah
ways right.
Wartime: The Customer was of-
ten belt,
Post-war; Unless you treat Cus-
tomers right, you won't have any
Customers left.
Red Cross Nurse Keeps
Vigil on Eunely !eland
INS 90W AWARD
THERESA AMSENEAU
OF MOO ISLAND, N.B.
i 1herself, tends expectant mother
until plane with dotter arrives
On barren, storm -swept Mis-
cou island; 20 miles off New
Brunswick's northeast tip,
Theresa Arseneau waited at the
bedside of Mrs. Omer Ward, an
expectant mother. All was not
going well with the patient.
Dangerous symptoms had de-
veloped ... and the 21 -year-old
Red Cross nurse feared for Mrs.
Ward's life. But she stayed at
her post all day ... all that night
doing what she could to
help the suffering woman.
PHONES MAINLAND
By morning Theresa realized
that a doctor must be summoned
if Mrs. Ward and her baby were
to live. Shehoned the hospital
in Bathurst for help .'-. and then
returned to wait at the bedside.
The gallant nurse was seriously
ill herself by this time ... run-
ning a temperature of 103.
An hour later a plane landed
a doctor on the bleak little
island. Rushing to the -Ward
home he found the feverish and
almost completely exhausted
nurse still beside heratient.
He delivered the baby safely and
then attended to the nurse.
Theresa Arseneau, who with
one other nurse staffs the Red
Cross Outpost Station on Miscou
Island, has earned the praise of
every Canadian fol tier coura-
geous devotion co duty. We are
proud to pay her tribute through
the presentation of The Dow
Award.
THE DOW AWARD is a
citation for outstanding hero.
ism and includes, ss a tangible
expression of appreciation, a
Stec) Canada Savings Bond.
Winners are selected by the
Dow Award Cotntnittce, a
group of cditors of leading
Canadian newspapers.
The gallant nurse, running a high
temperature and seriously ill herself,
realized that her patient's life was in
real danger. Frantically she phoned
the hospital in Bathurst and pleaded
for help. Then she returned to Mrs.
Ward's bedside and waited.
A plane, carrying a doctor and
medical supplies, was rushed to the
desolate little island. The doctor
delivered the baby safely and then
treated the exhausted nurse.
LiSTEN TO THE DOW AWARD RADIO SHOW
SATURDAY — 8.30 P.M.
JITTER
•! W-IA1' Meg YOU
- STARIN' Ar? von
LOOK LIKE YOU
e; NEVER SAW A 5140V
FITTED AND 145)190
ON 'EiEFOREI
I THINK ills I4AVE'�
YOU FITTED FOR SHOES
WHILE WE'RE THERE,
By Arthur Pointer