REDUCING AWARDS

Press, Volume XCVIII, Issue 28896, 16 May 1959, Page 2

REDUCING AWARDS

Paris Trip For Losing 751 b

HOLLYWOOD, May 15. Hollywood, which gives awards for almost everything, now has a “happiness” trophy for fat women who trimmed down from gunboat size. At a calory-laden cocktail party and banquet, executives of a national weight-reducing firm handed out gold statuettes to 10 of 28 finalists chosen from more than 600 entrants in the United States, Canada and Mexico. Some of the winners, who also received free trips to Paris and London, wept and told of the “new life” they had foufid since shedding the excess pounds. The losers got a free trip to Hollywood and a ride round southern California. The 28 finalists were joined by 31 of the company’s “counsellors”—salesgirls—who took the “cure,” and also vied for honours. All told, the 59 ladies shed 23101 b and 1310 inches. For those interested in such things—and Hollywood is—the girls trimmed off 365 inches of bosom. The winner, Marlene Griggs, of Ocala, Florida, picked up a fiancee on her way down from 14st 91b to Ost 41b. “I weighed 1381 b (9st 121 b) when I met my fiancee,” Miss Griggs said. The canny fellow proposed 81b later. Before starting her reducing programme, Miss Griggs was a fine figure of a girl at 46-36-52. Now she is a classic 36-26-36. “I thought I’d never get married,’’ she said. ’‘Actually, 1 only had a date once in awhile and I was ashamed to go out swimming or even wear shorts.” Each winner can take another person along on the European trip, so Miss Griggs and her new husband will have a free honeymoon. Picking over a dinner oi stuffed squab and salad, the other

girls told of their experiences since they started shying away from the feed bag.