BIOGRAPHY OF STARS

Chronicle (Levin), 28 September 1946, Page 7

BIOGRAPHY OF STARS

ALEXIS SMITH A PRODIGY Child wonders, be they tap dancers, memory experts, or mimics, especially mimics do something drastic to most of us Confronted by them and theii tricks, we're apt to see red ano reach for the nearest blunt instrument. Maybe it's rank jealousy on our part, but the overall fact remains that few of us can take a prodigy. That is what makes Alexis Smith something out of the ordinary. She was a child prodigy And Alexis Smith is easy to take to like and so on. Maybe it is because Alexis is as lovely as hei name — her first name. Maybe it is because she is a warm -and sincere person. Actually Alexis came aboul her rare talent in diversified fields of endeavour naturally. It was. the obvious result of an overpowing interest in dancing, singing, acting and formal music. Alexis was doing solo ballel dancing at Hollywood at the age oi thirteen. She was also an acceptable concert pianist and had £ lyric soprano vcice which manj said was meant for opera.. The fact that Alexis excelled at these things without impressing herseli with her own ability, that has something of the truly riobiein it Alexis Smith is her r'eal name Her father, Alexander ' Smith wanted a boy. Alexis was iiamec accordingly. Victor Orsatti; an agent took her over to the Warnei lot. Her first important part was opposite Errol Flynn in "Dive Bomber." Since then, Alexis has been in "Gentleman Jim," alsc with Flynn; "The Constant Nymph," with Charles Boyer and Joan Fontaine; "The Adventures oi Mork Twain," opposite Frederic March; "The Doughgirls," "®onflict," (with Humphrey Bogart) , "Rhapsody in Blue" (with Robert Alda) and "One More Tomorrow.'1 Alexis can ice-skate and play the harp. Last Christmas she cooked dinner for 15 members of the Smith clan. She can — but why gc on? We'll have to admit that Alexis is a prodigy — but on her it looks good. | Many recall, in the days of silent ! films, the excited patron who would yell a warning to the hero as the ivillain crept up behind him. This ! type of patron even still persists foi at a recent Welli.ngton cinema one such patron, rather disgruntlec ohat his warning shout had not made the hero tuni around in time said to his friend, "They can. make Tiem talk all right these days, bu1 they're still as deaf as a doornail."