WHEN PI cAsso
later on Sept. 8, 1944. After two
years, they were back in New York and
Garrett was on Broadway in Call Me
Mister, singing the showstopper
"South American Way."
Then Parks was called to
Hollywood. He signed with Columbia
and was eventually chosen by Harry
Cohn, the head of the studio, to play
Al Jolson in The Jolson Story. Jolson
was not happy that a relatively
unknown got the role, especially since
he wanted to play himself — but was
obviously too old.
"He was a complete egotist," says
Garrett. "But you've got to give him
credit. He was a great performer."
After two years of a bicoastal rela-
tionship, Garrett moved to MGM,
where she began a promising film
career that included roles opposite
Mickey Rooney in Words and Music
and Frank Sinatra in Take Me Out to
the Ballgame and On the Town.
After The Jolson Story, it seemed
like the sky was the limit for Parks. He
made Down to Earth with Rita
Hayworth and a couple of swashbuck-
lers. Then Cohn decided to make
another Jolson movie. A contract dis-
pute ensued, and Parks sued the stu-
dio in what turned out to be a land-
mark case.
Although the judge ruled for
Columbia, he took away its right to
enjoinment, which meant the studio
could force Parks to make pictures but
couldn't keep him from working for
anyone else.
But the couple's most serious trou-
ble began in 1947 with the redbaiting.
The original group summoned to
Washington included 18 writers and
directors and one actor, Parks.
When asked "Are you now or have
you ever been a Communist?" the first
10 cited the Fifth Amendment and
were jailed for contempt. Just before
Parks was to take the stand, the hear-
ings were postponed.
Then, in February 1951, Parks was
called again, knowing this time he'd
have to take the stand. He'd seen the
toll taken on the families of the
Hollywood 10. The mood of the
country had changed. Studio support
had dwindled. The Korean War was
being fought. And the committee was
zeroing in on big-name stars.
Confusion ran rampant. When
Parks went to Washington, he didn't
know what he was going to do —
take the Fifth Amendment or admit
he had been a member of the
Communist Party — because he felt
he had done nothing illegal. He
opted for the latter. But the rub was
he refused to name names. The com-
mittee insisted.
"Nothing I have ever heard or read
about this testimony makes it clear,"
writes Garrett. "When Larry said the
names of the people he knew to be
Communists, he was not volunteering.
He was reading [from the committee's
list].
"When the final session was over,
[the committee chairman] told
Larry, 'I think you could get some
comfort out of the fact that the peo-
ple whose names have been men-
tioned have [already] been subpoe-
naed so that if they ever do appear
here, it won't be as a result of any-
thing you have testified to.'
"'It is no comfort whatsoever,'
Larry said."
And that was the end of Parks'
film career as he once knew it.
"Larry was a very resourceful man,"
says Garrett, "and he did not allow
it to stop his life. We had' a wonder-
ful, happy life."
A highlight of the book is an
episode Garrett laughs about now
because it seems so bizarre. It took
place in Las Vegas, where there was no
blacklist.
"We had just finished the late show
at El Rancho Vegas one night when
the maitre d' came backstage. 'Sen.
Joseph McCarthy has just seen the
show and he'd like to buy you a
drink.' Larry just looked at me and I
just looked at him. 'What do you
want to do?' Larry asked.
"`I don't want to have a drink with
the old son of a bitch,' I said. But
Larry had a kind of curiosity that sur-
mounted everything. 'I want to meet
the bastard face to face.'
"So we went out and there seated
in this big leather booth was Sen.
Joseph McCarthy. Smashed. The first
thing he did was put his arm around
Larry and say, 'They giving you a
hard time, kid?' You're asking me
that?' Larry said. 'Let me give you a
little motto to live by,' McCarthy
said. Bastardae non carborundum.
Don't let the bastards grind you
down.'
The next morning, Garrett walked
out to the swimming pool to find her
mother poolside. In the water was
McCarthy teaching her boys to swim.
"We got them out of there and took
them back to the room," she says.
"They never understood why they had
to take a bath right after going swim-
ming." Ell
CREATED
SOMETHIN G
NEW
HE INVITED ALL HIS
FK1ENDS.
W
at RcdFirc Grill arc new to Walled Lake but not new
to creating recipes we love to serve. Our chefs have created an artful palette
starting with "Baked French Brie wrapped in Fillo," mixing
"Linguine with Sauteed Chicken Breast"with tomatoes, basil and garlic,
adding flare to "Char-grilled New York Strip Steak" on a bed of
caramelized onions, roasted peppers and a dash of color you might not expect.
"Grilled Fresh Salmon" with corn salsa, all without the gallery prices.
Stop by and bring a friend, you'll he pleased.
REDFIRE
West Maple
Hours:
Pontiac Trail
Mon-Thurs 1 1 :30am - 9:00pin
Fri 1 1 :30am - 1 0:00pin
Sat -1:00pm - 1 0:00pm
Sun 1 :00pin - 8:00pin
Now Open for Lunch
WHERE GOOD FK1ENDS GET SERVED GOOD FOOD.
1050 Benstein Road, Walled Lake, MI 248 669 2122
-
-
FLEETWOOD ON SIXTH
FINE, CONTINENTAL DINING IN A CASUAL ATMOSPHERE
(4*--
LIVE JAZZ
ENTERTAINMENT
FEATURING
A CLASSIC
THURSDAY
PIANO AND
THROUGH
MARTINI
50% OFF
SATURDAY
BAR
ANY ENTREE WITH THE PURCHASE OF A SECOND ENTREE
(OF EQUAL OR GREATER VALUE).
TUESDAY THROUGH THURSDAY ONLY. NOT VALID WITH ANY OTHER OFFER.
ALCOHOL, TAX AND GRATUITIES EXCLUDED.
LUNCH
209 WEST SIXTH STREET
Monday — Friday
DINNER
BETWEEN
Tuesday — Sunday
MAIN & WASHINGTON
248.541.8050
ROYAL OAK
Excellent Thai Food As You Like It ... Extra Mild, Mild, Medium, Spicy and Extra Spicy
Rated *** by Detroit News
from $ 4 50
includes
soup &
rice
1 1:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m.
Lunch Specials
eaves-act 8 eateting eivailable • Cocktails eetvecl
Hours: Mon.-Thurs., I I a.m.-I0 p.m., Fri & Sat. I I a.m.-I I p.m., Sun. 12-9 p.m.
6635 Orchard Lake Road at Maple • Old Orchard Shopping Center • 626.6313
3/2
199
9