Pars About Stars

Chronicle (Levin), 17 April 1948, Page 6

Pars About Stars

Raymond Massey, who has played every thing from a Nazi officer to General Chennault, is pleased to have a civilian role in "Pqssessed," in which he co-stars with Joan Crawford and Van Heflin. -K' -K -K Film actors aird actresses' birth1 days for this month " are : . Wallace Beery, April 1, Harry " LeWis, April 1, Bette Davis, April 5, Joan Lorring, April 17, Barbara Hale, April 18, Peggy Knudsen, April 27, Lionel Barrymore, April 28, and Eve Arden, April 30. • . ■ * ,-K M ■> When Linda Darnell w&s making "Forever Amber" it was rumoured that she would be ari Academy Award contender. She was not,, but her husband, Bev Marley, is — for his photography on "Life with Father." * -K * Roy Rogers is to start farming operations on his newly acquired "Sky View" ranch. Originally, he ha'd planned not to turn farmer until late next year; however, because of the critical grain shortage, he has decided to sow oats and barley on 220 of the 380 acres on the ranch — the maximum which can be handled with his present equipment and personnel. -K -k John McCallum, Australian star ,who appears with Googie Withers, Jean Kent and his fellow- Australian Chips Rafferty, in Michael Balcon's "The Lovfes of Joanna God'den,": was scratching his head' over a suggested change of name when seen on the-set at Ealing. "A hard name to spell," certain movie moguls had told him. "MacLaren"

has been put forward as an alternatiye. Latest bulletin: McCallum holding out'to remain McCallum. * * -K Guests at an hotel near Rye, Sussex, England, would have been very surprjsed one evening last summer had they wan'dered into the kitchen to see a bunch of film stars doing the washing up. It wasn't for a film'.scene either. A film unit for "The Loves of Joanna Godden" were on loc'ation in that district, and a special showing of the successful Ealing picture /"Dead' of Night-," was arranged for members of the unit and the local people 'who had, been helping the "Joanna God'den" company. So Googie Withers, Jean Kent and John McCallum, stars of thee film, volunteered to do'.the washing up at their hotel to giVe the staff time off to see the picture--K * * In a poll Organised by ihe Berlin newspaper "Abend," James Mason was chosen as the readers' most popular star. Stewart Granger was second on the' list. Bing Crosby was third, an-d Ingrid Bergman and Rita Hayworth fourth and fifth. -K -K ■¥■ Bette Davis for her performance in Warner Bros.' "Deception" and Gary Cooper for his role in "Saratoga Trunk" have been awarded "French Oscars" by the Motion Picture Academy of France.