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Feisty Kate fells Duke By Dick Kleiner HOLLYWOOD - (NEA) - One of this year’s — any year’s — most intriguing castings is that in Hal Wallis' film, “Rooster Cogburn." It co stars John Wayne and Katharine Hepburn, which, on the surface, is something like putting Anwar Sadat and Yitzhak Rabin in a remake of “What Price Glory.” Wallis admits he ap proached the project with galloping trepidation, but he says it worked out fine. “The chemistry worked," says the 76-year-old producer “They got along very well. Neither of them is too easy to get along with, but somehow they hit it off. Actually, what happened was that he did anything she wanted him to do.” The history of “Rooster Cogburn" is interesting. It is, as you might expect, Wallis' story. He had “True Grit,” the film which introduced Wayne as Cogburn and won him his only Academy Award. Wallis says Duke Wayne was anxious to do a sequel to "True Grit,” because he loved old Rooster and wanted to play the part again. "Usually Duke wants a script finished first,” Wallis says, “but this time I just had an outline. The girl’s part had developed, and it was a good part, so I called Kate on a long shot. I said I have something that might appeal to you. “I sent her the outline. She said she wasn’t sure if it was enough, she couldn’t tell if her part would measure up or be just what she called a feeder’ part — feeding lines to Wayne. But I had a first draft written and she read that and then she became very enthusiastic. “Eventually, I had to go through the final script with her, page by page, and she added ideas as we went along." There remained the ticklish business of the two big stars meeting each other, and deciding if they wanted to % \ ? / /1 \ 1 <r * S *r Q °-7 U k I ft <P k PLAQUES g | PICTURES G<.> eeifs | i f'b.V I | /i % \ I fe E % I M A J? !« <y s e, VS * \ | Find Something Meaningful $ For Everyone Under Your Tree $ I GIFT CERTIFICATES AVAILABLE) | CHRISTIAN BOOK CENTER I OF GRIFFIN g Cooks Shopping Center - Memorial Drive ja Open Mon.- Sat, 10:00- 6:00 rs? mmZ Textile Value Store I V CHRISTMAS SALE! | One Whole Week — Starts Friday Never g Before Such Low, Low, Prices g One table of better knits reg. $3.98 to $5.98 One Table of Assorted Knits § | Sale *1 00 Yd. Off Sale 9fl c Yd. g Would you believe that every other piece of material in the store will be priced at spß yl j or | ess ? g i 10% Off all notions 20% Off-blankets 8 spreads Steamstress Irons s lo m Ea. As Long As They Last." | Denim and Mifli Fade Ont ’1 n Yd. FREE PARKING | ■ \ JI A. I * V- i M I »I1 iHUiy ' Bk w ILcl ■MOI 1 w Y TOUGH GUY John Wayne fell captive to Kate Hepburn’s charm, when the two were teamed up in "Rooster Cogburn”. work together. Wallis ac complished that Major Event in London. Kate was working there on the TV special, “Love Among the Ruins," and Duke was there shooting “Branningan." The two had never met before. “He was shooting a scene on Piccadilly Circus,” Wallis says. "I took Kate over to meet him. She grabbed his arm. He turned around, saw who it was, gave her a big grin. Then he picked her up and twirled her around. That was that. From then on, they were friends.” All but two days of “Rooster Cogburn” was shot in the wilds of Oregon, mostly along the Rogue River Wallis says that, on the set, everyone was waiting for the fireworks to begin, for some show of temperament from these two highly individual performers. But there never were any fireworks. “It was a difficult location,” Wallis says. "And more so for Kate. She had had an operation on her hip, in which a pin was inserted in her hip. I told her that I wouldn't make her ride, but she insisted on doing all her own riding. “One day, she showed up on the set with a kayak. She had gone into a local sporting goods store and bought it. She said she wanted to try it. So she got in her kayak and paddled down the river. I had a man following her, of course. She didn’t need him. “And she’d go swimming, too — and the water was ice cold. Remarkable woman. I think she’s 64 — but she’s ageless.” Wallis says Wayne and Hep burn would go off in the woods together, to work on their scenes. He could hear them, off in the distance, reading their lines and discussing them. Then they’d come back with things worked out. A young director, Stuart Beware Ides I of December AKRON, Ohio (UPI) — Beware the Ides of December, Akron, because that’s the day John William Zofchak says he will drop a powerful load of snow on you. (Sitting atop a wooded hill north of the city, Zofchak, 29, broods over his 1 weather control machine: a six-foot- Ihigh plastic-covered model of the Great Pyramid of Gizeh. The pyramid is composed of layers of steel wool wrapped in aluminum foil. It also has wires running from its peak to a pair of billiard cues mounted on revolving steel pipes. Tall, dark-bearded Zofchak maintains that this machine has been responsible for the area’s unseasonably mild weather the past few weeks. I He says he will prove the legitimacy of his “bioplasmic energy-gathering accumulator” Monday by allowing two I feet of snow to fall. “A lot of people feel I’m crazy,” Zofchak said, recounting his efforts to interest government officials, weather men and a patent lawyer in his device. - V///' Millar, was in charge of "Rooster Cogburn." Wallis says he likes his work, but adds, "Wayne and Hepburn take care of their own direc tion." For Hal Wallis, “Rooster Cogburn” is the latest in a long line of films. The problem is —for him as well as for Hollywood historians — no one exactly knows how long that line is. "I never kept track of the pictures I did,” he says. “It is estimated at between 300 and 400. I think 300 is probably closer. At a recent retrospec tive at the Museum here, they showed 77." It all began for Wallis in the early 19205, first as a publicist, then publicity direc tor, then studio manager at Warner Bros., then, in 1931, he started producing his own films. He says he still gets a kick out of making movies, although he isn't making as many as he once did. “I’m beginning to like doing nothing.” he says. “For a while, I thought of giving it all up, but I couldn’t be happy completely away from the business. “Nowadays, I like to have one project going at all times. One in production, one in preparation. But I’m not going to do them in groups any more, as I used to do. “If I like a picture project, I get totally involved in it. I love to scout for locations, for example. But I am slowing down now.” Wallis is one of those who openly admits he preferred the old days to today’s Hollywood. He recalls, with pleasant nostalgia, his days at Warner Bros., when he was in charge of that studio’s famous stock company of actors — Cagney, Bogart, DeHavilland, Sheridan, Davis, so many more. “We could cast all our films from that stock company,” he says. "It was a wonderful time for me — and for Hollywood.” Today, he says, the whole business is different. But he still loves it, still enjoys the creative process of taking an idea and turning it into a mo tion picture. Next? "Well, at the end of ‘Rooster Cogburn,’” he says, “the two characters part and she says, We’ll meet again — someday.’” Someday will be soon. There will be a sequel to “Rooster cogburn,” Wallis says. Both of his stars have OKd the project, and he says he’ll start filming next April. I NEWSPAPER ENTERPRISE ASSN I Polished Pablum By Dick Kleiner DEAR DICK: Why are they taking Beacon Hill off the air? It is the only program on TV enjoyed by the mature, sur fisticated audience. I cannot imagine among what groups the poll giving it a low rating could have been taken. It is a favorite program of mine and all of my adult friends, both young, middle-aged and old. E.S., Biloxi, Miss. I guess most of us had high hopes for Beacon Hill, but the show was a consistent disappointment to the majority of the viewers. It degenerated into little more than a gaudy soap opera. And it was opposite two shows — the established Mar cus Welby, and the new police hit, Joe Forrester — which murdered it in the ratings. Also, whether you like it or not, the ratings seem to be reasonably accurate. I’m afraid you and your surfisticated friends will have to find something else. DEAR DICK: Can you tell me more about Jason Miller, who starred in “A Home of Our Own”? Is he married, how old is he and where does he live? JACKIE MOSS, Massillon, Ohio Several people inquired about Miller, who had been primari ly a writer, and a good one, before he turned actor in “The Ex orcist.” He used to be married to Jackie Gleason’s daughter, and they have three children. He’s 33 and currently lives on the beach, Trancas to be exact, which is not far from Los Angeles. DEAR DICK: Is Nancy Walker, who plays Rhoda’s mother really Valerie Harper’s mother? MAE BELL JACKSON, Mobile, Ala. No. DEAR DICK: On Wednesday, Oct. 8, Donna Mills played a singer on Cannon. I would like to know who it was that was singing and also the name of the album. RAY M. HOLTON, Killeen, Tex. A girl named Myrna Jay did the singing for Miss Mills in that episode. She sang Will Jennings’ song, “Sleeping With Strangers," which is not from any album. DEAR DICK: About a month ago, I read that the song, “Pinball Wizard,” by Elton John, was coming out as a single. But when we called up the radio station to request it, they said they weren’t playing it any more. And it’s not in the stores. What’s going on? PAULETTE WARGER, West Sand Lake, N.Y. Nothing’s going on. It’s just that the song is old, and nothing disappears quicker than yesterday’s song hit. John did the number in the movie, “Tommy,” and the single was pulled out of the sound track and was released —a long time ago. It’s just run its course, that’s all. DEAR DICK: Watching Sheree North in Big Eddie and other programs, I’ve noticed she constantly shakes her head. Is this a habit or a medical problem? D.K. NOTTLESON, Orange, Ca. I steeled myself and watched Big Eddie but I could not see any North head-shaking. And I checked with people on the show and they said she has no medical problems which would explain what you’ve seen. If she does it, it must be just a mannerism. DEAR DICK: I watch Big Valley every day on TV. I know what became of Lee Majors and Richard Long, but you never hear anything about Peter Breck. Can you please tell me what became of him? MRS. DEBORAH JOHANSEN, Homestead, Fla. Breck is still acting, trying to find jobs like any other actor these tough, competitive days. If you watch S.W.A.T., you’ll see him in a few weeks, because he just did an episode in that series called “Murder By Fire.” (NEWSPAPER ENTERPRISE ASSN i I , I $ service I 3£ ® shoes -quality liHffIMVHHIHM » ioffl 125 South Hill Street I 3 * WStaW * *▲ A i I W —l | GIFT TIES.... I | \ * n T' me f° r Christmas| I 28™ I I '' —? Hl i j® Hush Puppies” soft leather WW~ JZ casual tie, tricot lined. Roomy jflwVnK B C moc toe styling. Lightweight, y/ lk. durable crepe sole with a steel ® IH. ■nWWw'fe'H ’Sjt & shank support. jfJK g g£ ■ .MMmdiHll, *- BRAND SHOES ! 2 i I Qv - Jk i | 3QOO I g SIOUX Breathin’ Brushed Pigskin* ® EE Here's a two eyelet tie made of casual classic bound in soft leather. y that Hush Puppies* comfort- Moc toe in design to give your toes a SJ gg able pigskin bound in soft treat. Cushiony nitro crepe sole 3f % leather. Fashioned in the Rover with a steel shank support. Durable 3? style, it features a padded, built- shoe at a sensible price. g up arch with a wedged gum sole. r « Page 11 — Griffin Daily News Thursday, December 11,1975 J Coater P ■ 315 W. Solomon St I I “TAEKWONDO SCHOOL” I I 18 Years Experience ■ sth De ß ree B|ack Be,t 1 II 7 Instructor 1 I / Hu-Sik Oh I \/ Men & Women Classes I 1 \ Call 227-0475 I Divorce holiday OKLAHOMA CITY (UPI) - A judge, admitting he might be technically wrong but morally right, will accept no more divorce cases until the day after Christmas. District Court Judge Raymond Naifeh, who took similar action a year ago, posted a notice to that effect Wednesday on his courtroom doors, noting attorneys had told him two marriages were saved by the Christmas moratorium in 1974. “If even just one marriage had been saved, it would have been justification for the moratorium,” Naifeh said. “But two were saved, and who knows, maybe we will up that score this year. “God meant for marriage to be sacred, and this holy season will be a good time for couples with marital differences to sit down and talk things over, rather than jump precipitously into what can become an often stormy affair. “I might be technically wrong in taking this stand, but I’m convinced I’m morally right.”