“LEAVE ME ALONE!”

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXI, Issue 18545, 3 November 1934, Page 5

“LEAVE ME ALONE!”

TENNIS STAR’S PLEA RUMORED FILM. OFFER LONDON, Nov. 1. The Daily Express says that F. J. Perry, the world tennis champion, has accepted a film company’s offer to go to Hollywood -as assistant producer directly after his;-New Zealand and Australian tour. -. Miss Diary. Lawson, his .fiancee, says: ‘‘Fred vcabled .ineb'when., he left Los Angeles'that ho was offered an amazing contract"by "a.: major Hollywood studio, the message adding: ‘lt is too good to be true.’ ” When the London message was shown to Perry at Auckland last, night, he declined either to confirm or deny it. ‘‘l am supposed to have received so many offers, both concrete and mythical,’’ he said, “that I have given up hope of trying to settle down and lead a quiet life. I shall probably retire to a desert island, where nothing has been either heard of lawn tennis or reporters, and spend the rest of my days there. •‘I should. be . .very pleased and consider it a great favor, ’ he added, ‘‘if' the press would kindly leave my private affairs alone and concentrate on my lawn tennis activities. If they want advice, they should comedo me and not involve either my family or my fiancee. I wish my tour of Australia and New Zealand to he such that I can concentrate on lawn tennis.” ASSOCIATION'S MOVE RELAXATION OF RULES

LONDON, October 25.. A section oi the council of the English Lawn Tennis Association, says Mr. B. N. Doust, the old Australian international, is making a determined effort to secure an amendment of the amateur rulea to meet the ease of Fred Perry. They hope to retain him, not only for amateurism, but also as the biggest profit-maker in the association’s history. They hope that the “die-hards”; will compromise and allow amateurs t'o act in educational films' in the same way that they are now allowed to write educational articles and books. This would permit Perry to accept a £15,000 film contract.

The main consideration is the fear that without Perry the Davis Cup will go to tlm United States, and that, thereafter. Australian, Japanese and Indian teams will compete in the American zone and not come to Wimbledon.

This would seriously affect the “gates.” Even the “die-hards” are influenced by the financial aspect. Moreover, a little revolution in the tennis world would follow Perry’s turning professional.