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Ron Randell
in demand
From LONDON and HOLLYWOOD
AUSTRALIA'S Ron Randell will have to
get leave from the hit Saturday night
TV programme "On the Town," which he
comperes at the Embassy Club, to grab
another starring role in a film which is going
on location in Africa.
Randell is to star opposite
Donna Reed in "Mark of the
Leopard," which Columbia is
making in the jungle and in
London.
* * *
FRECKLED Van Johnson,
now in his late thirties and
currently in England making
his sixtieth film, has, too, a
routine for keeping young.
Says he, "It's a nap after
lunch every day. And early
to bed at least five nights a
week." Van is sticking re-
ligiously to this recipe in Lon-
don-in spite of Christmas
and New Year.
* * *
IT'S goodbye to Rita Hay
worth and hello to Kim
Novak in the cast of "Joseph
and His Brethren." Cute
young Kim was given the role
of Zuleika in the biblical epic
after long months of legal
squabbling between Rita and
Columbia. Simultaneously
with this announcement, the
studio disclosed that Kim is
also to star in "Pal Joey," the
film version of the hit Broad-
way musical of the same name.
IN keeping with the screen's
musical mood is Olivia
de Havilland's decision to
sing for the first time in her
forthcoming picture, "The
Ambassador's D a u g h t e r,"
being made in Paris. She has
two numbers in the film.
* * *
ROBERT NEWTON went
around the world in his
"Around the World in 80
Days" role, playing in Eng-
land, Australia, and points in
between, and the United
States. But he didn't quit
travelling, even after he got
back to Hollywood. He kept
right on going, to Havana,
Cuba. But, he insists, only
for a rest.
* * *
THERE are rumors of cast-
ing trouble at Ealing,
where they are busy allotting
roles for the film version of
the Australian best-seller "The
Shiralee," which Ealing hopes
to put into production soon.
They have not yet found a
suitable child to play the star
part of the swagman's little
girl, Buster-and so far they
have interviewed hundreds.
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