Hollywoodland Page #3

My wife will take

another Gibson.

Well, what do you think?

The most I ever got from

a girlfriend was a tie.

Just how Toni

does things, I guess.

You should be happy, George.

Wouldn't mind a job.

Well, maybe she can put in

a word. With her... You know.

Hey, take it.

What's this?

It's a couple of hundred.

I see, but why are you

giving it to me?

Because I got it,

you need it.

Go ahead, kid,

make your first million.

Your talent is required.

All right.

"Lois and Jimmy,

what have you done with them?"

"They're safe

for now, Superman.

"Just don't get any big ideas

about stopping the robbery. "

"All right.

You win this time.

"But if something happens to them, I

promise you'll wish this day never arrived. "

Whenever you're ready,

George.

All right.

"They're safe for now,

Superman.

"Just don't get any big ideas

about stopping the robbery. "

Actually, George,

you're reading the other role.

Oh, uh, Superman.

Yeah.

He's, you know,

the hero.

I suppose I've always felt

more the criminal type.

We're looking for

a new take here, George.

Someone the kids will buy, sure, but

adults, too. It needs a real actor.

What's the worst that could

happen? We offer you the part.

Well, okay.

"All right, Mr. Prince, I got

your message. What is it you want?"

"It's not what I want,

Superman, it's what you want. "

"Listen. I'm not in the mood

for games,

"but I promise you this. If anything

happens to Lois or to Jimmy... "

An actor can't always act.

Sometimes he has to work.

You're talking to the man who defended

Camelot with a cardboard sword.

I enjoyed you in that.

You were the oldest boy

in the theater.

Look, it's a dirt-cheap kiddie

show. It doesn't even have a sponsor.

Odds are no one's

ever gonna see it.

It's just sounding

better and better.

And you need the money.

There's money.

I mean money of your own.

Oh, come on, George.

What do you want from life?

Oh, I don't know. I'd settle

for Clark Gable's career.

Take the job,

cash the check.

Can I tell you something, Art?

Seriously.

Of course.

You're beautiful when

you take your glasses off.

So, does this mean

we're saying yes?

TONl:
Why is it so drab?

Superman wears blue and red.

Not on TV,

not enough contrast.

But, maybe if the show flies,

they might film in color.

For when the color sets

come out.

Then I'll get to wear

the blue and red.

I look like

a damn fool.

Nice car.

That's my baby. Lou?

Yeah. Hey. I'm Russ Taylor. We're...

Goofy.

I'm sorry?

You went to Disneyland.

Oh, yeah, that's right,

last week.

She's a little upset. I happened

to be in the neighborhood, so...

That's convenient.

Hey, he's a good kid.

I saw that right off.

Well, you would know,

huh, Russ?

The policy will cover it. That's

not a problem. But she's concerned.

He took charcoal fluid, poured it

all over it and put it on the couch.

Put what on the couch?

What's the deal, Scout?

Your mom is very upset

with you.

What if you

burned the house down? Huh?

You wouldn't have a place to live.

You know people get killed in fires?

Huh? Use your noggin.

It was just to get rid of it.

What, the costume? Scout,

you begged me for that thing.

You wanted it so bad,

you remember?

Not any more.

Why?

He shot himself in the head

with a Luger.

That's a Nazi pistol.

So, you know this man?

He was an actor.

And if he did shoot...

Whatever he did.

You can still watch him on TV,

can't you?

Scout, I asked a question.

Evan, you hear what

I'm saying? All right.

Evan, you answer

when I talk.

Evan! Put it down!

Come on, what are you doing?

Let's leave it.

Put it down.

Evan. Put it down!

Louis!

Stop it, okay,

God damn it!

This kid...

Why do you even

bother calling me?

I don't know.

Possibly you might care

that your son is having a...

Maybe you should take a breath.

I do care. I care very much,

he's my son.

Just 'cause I don't have

every minute of the day...

No, you have

so much going on.

Is that what this is? Huh? 'Cause I've

heard it already a thousand times from you.

The actor.

This gimmick you're pulling.

We noticed the item

in the paper.

What? I was hired.

Can't you see

what these endless little tricks

wind up... This is my f***ing living.

Lou, that kind of language...

This is how I make money

that I send you. I'm sorry,

is this his business?

I'm just trying to

keep things civil.

Russ, this is between

Louis and me.

Listen, Lou.

He asked for you.

I wasn't gonna call you.

He asked.

Well, I'm sorry I couldn't be more

help but, after all, I'm not Superman.

Jeepers, no,

Mr. Kent.

I suppose that would be

too much to ask.

I suppose it would, Lois.

I suppose it would.

Sorry, that's me.

Keep rolling. Take it back a

line, George. All right, Tommy.

Where were we? Lois, would you

like to see the real Man of Steel?

Well, sure I would.

All right then,

here he is!

You're next, Jimmy!

Leave the bowtie on!

Great Caesar's ghost!

More powerful than a locomotive,

chief! No one is safe!

What did you think?

The scripts are awful.

And everything looks cheap.

You were charming.

Well, that's all

that matters.

She's a lesbian, you know.

Who?

The one playing Lois.

Mr. Reeves?

Yello?

Whenever you're ready.

All right.

Phyllis? Is she really?

No. She is now.

As far as you're concerned.

Well. There it is.

Cue fans!

Action, George! One!

Two!

Three!

Cut it! Cut it!

Unhook him!

You all right, George?

Leave him alone.

All right, let him go.

All right, all right.

I'd like to thank the Academy

and all the good people

of Galesburg, Illinois,

for making me who I am today.

Okay.

Who was that

next to you when I came in?

Chad. He's in my acting class.

Yeah?

He any good?

He's okay, I guess.

You shouldn't hang around people

who are less talented than you.

You've never seen me act.

So?

So, you don't know

if I'm talented.

You don't know

what I could do.

You don't know

a thing about me, do you?

You ever going to tell me

how you got that?

What?

Under your armpit.

Something stupid.

A fight?

My pop, he was

on the gate at Warners.

A guard?

Yeah, he used to go to work

in this uniform.

You know, crease in the pants

like a knife.

I used to think

he was the Chief of Police.

He... He did that?

I was a month

out of the Army.

It was 1946, so no job.

You know, Pop got me set up.

And there was a strike at the studios.

So, keep the union guys off the lot.

You know, platoon around the

gate, me and 40 other saps.

You know, bats and billy

clubs. Got out of hand.

Little Teamster sh*t

came at me with a razor.

Two years in North Africa,

all I get are crabs.

Six days in Burbank,

and... Man.

And my pop apologized.

To you?

To the studio.

For his son screwing up.

Like the chicken sh*t peasant

he was.

What's that look?

Just watching you.

Mrs. Bessolo.

I don't need this.

I do. Sit down,

please.

Mrs. Bessolo.

Right here.

Mrs. Bessolo.

Mrs. Bessolo.

I'm James Engelmann,

from RKO-Pathe Studios.

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