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Hollywood Does Not
Know Him
RON Randell, who was a fop screen
star in Australia known to thou
sands of fans there, is finding
things a little different in Hollywood.
He has begun his American screen career
with the title role in Buldog Drummond At
Bay but still has to seftle down.
'I'm a complete stranger here,' he told me in
an interview at the Hollywood AtMetic Club
where he is living.
'I know very few people here and, strangest of
all to me, no one knows me. I can walk to the
studio and pass groups of fans at the studio gates
and they don't even bother to give me a second
glance. I believe they think I'm just an extra
player.
'It seems funny to be well-known in one coun
try and then find yourself completely unknown
in another. But I suppose it's good -for me.
'It certainly has taught me that I still have a
!ong way to go.'
Though he is not being rushed by fans for his
autograph or treated like another Van Johnson,
Randell admits that this trip to Hollywood is bet
? er than his last attempt to break into Holly
wood, when he was reduced to washing dishes to
pay his room rent.
He finds himself in the peculiar position of hav
.ng to leave Hollywood a complete failure and re
urn to Australia to be discovered by Hollywood.
This is a very long road to success and it may
seem silly, but it is true. I met Randell on his first
vdsit to Hollywood in 1943 and knew of his prob
lems. v
On that trip, he arrived here with few introduc
tions to the right people and very little cash. He
was unable to sit it out and wait for his chance
to come. - -
So when his money was about gone he went to
San Francisco and managed to get a role in a
stage production which enabled him to stay in
America a little longer.
When that play closed, he tried New York,
where he hoped that he might get a stage role
;hat would lead him back to Hollywood. '
* ? ? ? *
|DUT Ron Randeil found New York just as
indifferent to his talents as Hollywood.
After several weeks of. doing nothing he decided
o get himself back to Australia while he still had
the boat fare.
He booked passage on a British ship leaving
New York for Brisbane by way of Panama, and
was about to go aboard when he was stopped by
immigration officials, who demanded to
see his sailing permit.
Randall discovered that he should have
registered with the Draft Board for Army
service on his arrival in this country.
He explained that he had served in the
AJ.F. and had been discharged medically
unfit. But he had forgotten to bring his
discharge papers from Australia.
So he was told that he could not leave the Uni
ed States- until the Draft Board had given him
permission.
The boat sailed wfthout him and he found him
self stranded in New York with two dollars (12/4)
between him and starvation. '
'That was just about the worst moment in my
life,' he recalled. 'I knew it might take months
to find another ship and meanwhile I was stuck
in New York, broke.'
Randell reported to the Draft Board and was
rejected for service as medically unfit. He would
have welcomed being drafted, because he had no
job and no money.
He again tried to get a stage role, without suc
cess, and he was so far behind in his room rent
at the hotel he could not leave until he had paid
up. He eventually landed a 'job as a soda jerk
in a drug store, and then as a dish .washer in a
New York quick lunch restaurant.
l washed dishes from 10 a.m.
to midnight each day,' he said.
'It was like a nightmare, be
cause the dishes never seemed
to get any. less and I was stuck
down in the basement amid
steam and grease.
'1 vyas unable to earn enough
to catch up on my room rent
and it began to look as if I
would be stuck 'in New York
forever. The hotel was holding
my luggage as security, so that
I just couldn't get out.' .
» *. . *
J^ BANK draft from Aus
tralia finally released
him. There was enougri
money to pay up his rent and
buy a passage to Australia
'What a change this time,'
he went on. 'I'm now earning
about five times the money I
was paid in Australia, and my
salary is guaranteed for a full
year, . with yearly options up to
seven years.
'If I make good here 1 will
be up in the big time within a
few years.
'Even if the public does not
know me, at least the studio
is treating me as an important
playei and doing everything ro
keep me in luxury.'
Randell brought a large wares
robe from Australia, but he has
been forced to discard it.
'1 found that my Australian
suits were quite tight and
skimDy-looking compared with
the full drape and long coats
worn here. I stuck out like a
sore thumb in them- and the
studio sent me to the best tailor
in town to order several new
ones.
'These are actually for my
first role, but I was told to keep
them as mine. Great place,
this Hollywood.'
ifWN
Though Bulldog Drummond at Bay cannot be
regarded as a class A production, Randell is never
theless quite happy about it because it is the first -
production of a new company, Venture Pictures,
which borrowed Randell Irom Columbia.
He is quite conscious of the fact that in play
ing Bulldog Drummond he is following in the foot
steps of several illustrious players. The role has
been previously played by Ronald Coleman, Ray
Milland and John Howard. '
* 4i * * *
DUT there is every reason to believe that this
likeable young -Australian will make good
in his first Hollywood role.
He will have the benefit of good direction and
proper lighting to make him appear more hand
some than he is, as well as an expert cast of sup
porting players to back him up.
No one here, outside Columbia officials, has yet
seen his work in Australian-made Smithy which -
won him his Hollywood contract. So it is quite -
likely that he will be first introduced to the .
American public in this Hollywood-made film.
Although Randell Is not yet known to the public
at large, Columbia is taking care of this.
The publicity department already has set .
its propaganda machine working and his
name is cropping up in all the movie col
umns here.
Just as soon as his picture rolls the
country will be flooded with stories and
pictures about the Australian, for Holly
wood never neglects its new players.
Although Randell entered the United States
on only a visitor's permit, he probably will take
out an immigration quota number in the near
future to enable him to stay here and work as
long as lie likes. And from what I gather he will
want to stay here permanently.
Once he settles' in and becomes more widely
known he should like the place and its people.
He has an engaging personality and so, long as he
doesn't let the glitter of Hollywood turn his head
he will make plenty of friends.
The fact that he is living at the Hollywood
Athletic Club does not mean he is in a
kind of Y.M.C.A. This qlub is one of the finest
in America, more like a first-class hotel than
an athletic club.
Besides gymnasiums, swimming pools, squash
and badminton courts, there are dining rooms,
cocktail bars, lounges . and libraries for guests,
many of whom are leading stars.
AUSTRALIA'S MM KAN DELL . . . but I suppose ifs good for me Help
AUSTRALIA'S MM KAN DELL
. . . but I suppose ifs good for me
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