Hollywood's Newest Belle

Chronicle (Levin), 15 May 1948, Page 6

Hollywood's Newest Belle

Winsome 24-year-old Barbara i Bel Geddes is a girl worth watch-' ing. Making her screen debut as a star she is headed straight fci future triumphs. Becoming a movie star in one jump is not the inconsiderable feat of Barbara. Others have done it before — what makes her story different is her previous record, a path of progress highiighted with Family Influence; obscurity in a series of Broadway plays; the flunking of one screen test, and declining a • starring role when it was offered. When she j flnally answered the call to Holly-| wood it was for a'star part and a nice seven-year contarct with R.K.O.-Radio all wrapped up. Barbara's determination to become an actress blossomed when she was still at school. Her father arranged with Ethel Barrymore to give her a walk-on part m a summer theatre show. That was .in, the spring of 1940 when she was a blonde of 17. In 1943 she was tested for the film "Guest In the House," but the part./went to AnneBaxter. Barbara; then' got married, and after her baby was born hit a winner in -a -Broadway play, earned the New York Critics' ' Award, and was voted the most promising young '-actress in a poi! of drama critics.' Hollywood then sat up and took .notice and competition started .for her services. Anatole Litvak eventually won her over for R.K.O. She was imm.ediately co-starred with Henry Fonda in "The Long Night" Her performance in the film was such a •success that she was given a star role in "I Remember Mama." She i's now working on "Pittsburgh Escapade" with Guy Madison as her leading man and at the completion of this film is set to co-star with Carry Grant in "Every 'Girl Should Get Married." But rather than look for too varied roles, she says she preters pictures that are not too far from what she is herself. "And," she tell's everybody with a crisp candour, "I want two more children." Her husband is Carl Shrever, a young electrical engineer.