“ GRAPES OF WRATH”

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXXIII, 7 December 1940, Page 8

“ GRAPES OF WRATH”

In the future O. Z. Whitehead will | he known in Hollywood as the actor | who achieved the impossible. 0.Z., as j hc prefers to be known, had only a’bil- . ity and appearance to recommend him 1 I for the part of A 1 Joad in Darryl F. | Zanuck’s production of “The Grapes of ! Wrath.” John Steinbeck’s widely-her-alded best seller. Tali and gangly, O.Z. looks as though he had spent alf of his life sitting on the corral fence of a Texas ranch, but in no other way does his life resemble that of the rough and ready Joad youngster. O.Z.’s Harvard background is miles removed from Al's environment and his father’s income as one of New York’s leading bankers precluded the possibility of O.Z.’s ever feeling the poverty that besets the Joads. Nevertheless, young Whitehead was determined to have the part of A 1 Joad. Armed with fine notices from New York drama critics and high praise : from Katharine Hepburn, he marched i on John Ford, and in a very short time ■ succeeded in convincing the director that he was the actor for this part. j

Not oniy George Raft, but one.of his racehorses, . Vain 80. will be seen in Walter Wanger’s “The House Across the Bay.” Raft is co-starred in the picture with Joan Bennett and the horse is part of a cast that features Walter Pidgeon. Lloyd Nolan, Gladys George and June Knight. Figuring that he had turned a neat business deal. Raft was. very jubilant when he negotiated a one-: picture contract for Vain 80. “It’s the

s first time I’ve ever been agent for aj i horse,” he admitted, “but I’ve been j > keeping Vain Bo long enough. He can ! - start keeping me now.’ Y * Y Y r Scores of the newest creations in \ ?gowns and street wear are shown ini 1 “Irene." RKO Radio’s new filmusical. | ? Anna Neagle and Ray Milland are co- • starred in the tuneful offering based j : eon the old stage hit. »-♦ —»-♦