FAVOURITE AGE

Wairarapa Times-Age, 11 January 1940, Page 3

FAVOURITE AGE

OF WELL KNOWN PICTURE STARS.

Everyone, young or old, famous or "just folks,” has reflected upon his life or its prospects and dreamed dreams of its happiest moments or built air castles of the moments that were to come. Each of us has his or her favourite age. Hollywood, where things happen swiftly and life is Jived according to the whim of a fickle public, is peopled by men and women who also live their dreams. Eleanor Powell's favourite age was thirteen. It was then that she got her first break in her dancing profession when she was engaged for a revue. “Nothing I have achieved since then has given me the thrill of my first opportunity.” says the Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer star. "While I have been greatly interested in my work and have been pleased by each successful attainment, nothing ever gave me the kick of my first job. Life in the theatre and on the screen is one built of emotional experiences. I was striving for something then, and, while I still am.striving to do better things. I think the attainment of that first goal gave me my greatest pleasure."

Robert Taylor's favourite age was nineteen, while he was studying at Pomona College. "A man in college somehow manages to separate himself from the realities of life. He is not sure where he is going and it doesn't worry him much. That may seem silly for a man approaching his twenties, but it really is not, because in nine cases cut of ten he doesn't go where he plans to anyway. Take my own case. I thought I wanted to be a doctor. I roan actor, through no particular planning on my own. The age where one does not take oneself too seriously is the age in which one should be happiest.” Jeanette MacDonald's favourite age is constantly changing and is summed up in "the present.” "I am happier now than at any time in my life." explains Jeanette, "yet there were many, many times when I would have said the same thing. As a schoolgirl I had fun. When I began working towards a career the suspense, the excitement of trying to win thrilled me. And. I suppose, when I approach old age, I will be contented as I drcam about it all" Judy Garland thinks her favourite age will be thirty. She believes that her motion picture career then will have passed its peak and she will be Mrs Somebody, ready to settle down and raise a family. As for Mickey Rooney, he's only waiting until he is twenty-one, when he has the thrill of voting.