sidneysheldon.astrangerinthemirror-第25节

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　〃What's　an　AD？〃　Jill　asked。　
　〃An　assistant　director。〃　In　a　tone　that　pitied　Jill's　ignorance。　〃He's　the　one　who　hires　the　supes。〃　
　Jill　was　too　embarrassed　to　ask　what　the　〃supes〃　were。
　〃If　you　want　my　advice；　you'll　find　yourself　a　horny　casting　director。　An　AD　can　only　use　you　on　his　picture。　A　casting　director　can　put　you　into　everything。〃　This　from　a　toothless　woman　who　must　have　been　in　her　eighties。　
　〃Yeah？　Most　of　them　are　fags。〃　A　balding　character　actor。　
　〃What's　the　difference？　I　mean；　if　it　gets　one　launched？〃　An　intense；　bespectacled　young　man　who　burned　to　be　a　writer。　
　〃What　about　starting　out　as　an　extra？〃　Jill　asked。　〃Central　Casting　〃　
　〃Forget　it。　Central　Casting's　books　are　closed。　They　won't　even　register　you　unless　you're　a　specialty。〃　
　〃I'm　　I'm　sorry。　What's　a　specialty？〃　
　〃It's　like　if　you're　an　amputee。　That　pays　thirty…three　fifty…eight　instead　of　the　regular　twenty…one　fifty。　Or　if　you　own　dinner　clothes　or　can　ride　a　horse；　you　make　twenty…eight　thirty…three。　If　you　know　how　to　deal　cards　or　handle　the　stick　at　a　crap　table；　that's　twenty…eight　thirty…three。　If　you　can　play　football　or　baseball；　that　pays　thirty…three　fifty…eight　　same　as　an　amputee。　If　you　ride　a　camel　or　an　elephant；　it's　fifty…five　ninety…four。　Take　my　advice；　forget　about　being　an　extra。　Go　for　a　bit　part。〃　
　〃I'm　not　sure　what　the　difference　is；〃　Jill　confessed。　
　〃A　bit　player's　got　at　least　one　line　to　say。　Extras　ain't　allowed　to　talk；　except　the　omnies。〃　
　〃The　what？〃　
　''The　omnies　　the　ones　who　make　background　noises。〃　
　〃First　thing　you　gotta　do　is　get　yourself　an　agent。〃　
　〃How　do　I　find　one？〃　
　〃They're　listed　in　the　Screen　Actor。　That's　the　magazine　the　Screen　Actors　Guild　puts　out。　I　got　a　copy　in　my　room。　I'll　get　it。〃　
　They　all　looked　through　the　list　of　agents　with　Jill；　and　finally　narrowed　it　down　to　a　dozen　of　the　smaller　ones。　The　consensus　of　opinion　was　that　Jill　would　not　have　a　chance　at　a　large　agency。　
　Armed　with　the　list；　Jill　began　to　make　the　rounds。　The　first　six　agents　would　not　even　talk　to　her。　She　ran　into　the　seventh　as　he　was　leaving　his　office。　
　〃Excuse　me；〃　Jill　said。　〃I'm　looking　for　an　agent。〃　
　He　eyed　her　a　moment　and　said；　〃Let's　see　your　portfolio。〃　
　She　stared　at　him　blankly。　〃My　what？〃
　〃You　must　have　just　gotten　off　the　bus。　You　can't　operate　in　this　town　without　a　book。　Get　some　pictures　taken。　Different　poses。　Glamour　stuff。　Tits　and　ass。〃　
　Jill　found　a　photographer　in　Culver　City　near　the　David　Seiznick　Studios；　who　did　her　portfolio　for　thirty…five　dollars。　She　picked　up　the　pictures　a　week　later　and　was　very　pleased　with　them。　She　looked　beautiful。　All　of　her　moods　had　been　captured　by　the　camera。　She　was　pensive　。。。　angry　。。。　loving　。。。　sexy。　The　photographer　had　bound　the　pictures　together　in　a　book　with　looseleaf　cellophane　pages。　
　〃At　the　front　here；〃　he　explained；　〃you　put　your　acting　credits。〃　
　Credits。　That　was　the　next　step。　By　the　end　of　the　next　two　weeks；　Jill　had　seen；　or　tried　to　see；　every　agent　on　her　list。　None　of　them　was　remotely　interested。　One　of　them　told　her；　
　〃You　were　in　here　yesterday；　honey。〃　
　She　shook　her　head。　〃No；　I　wasn't。〃　
　〃Well；　she　looked　exactly　like　you。　That's　the　problem。　You　all　look　like　Elizabeth　Taylor　or　Lana　Turner　or　Ava　Gardner。　If　you　were　in　any　other　town　trying　to　get　a　job　in　any　other　business；　everybody　would　grab　you。　You're　beautiful；　you're　sexy…looking；　and　you've　got　a　great　figure。　But　in　Hollywood；　looks　are　a　drug　on　the　market。　Beautiful　girls　e　here　from　all　over　the　world。　They　starred　in　their　high　school　play　or　they　won　a　beauty　contest　or　their　boyfriend　told　them　they　ought　to　be　in　pictures　…　and　whammo！　They　flock　here　by　the　thousands；　and　they're　all　the　same　girl。　Believe　me；　honey；　you　were　in　here　yesterday。〃　
　The　boarders　helped　Jill　make　a　new　list　of　agents。　Their　offices　were　smaller　and　the　locations　were　in　the　cheap…rent　district；　but　the　results　were　the　same。　
　〃e　back　when　you've　got　some　acting　experience；　kid。　You're　a　looker；　and　for　all　I　know　you　could　be　the　greatest　thing　since　Garbo；　but　I　can't　waste　my　time　finding　out。　You　go　get　yourself　a　screen　credit　and　I'll　be　your　agent。〃　
　〃How　can　I　get　a　screen　credit　if　no　one　will　give　me　a　job？〃　
　He　nodded。　〃Yeah。　That's　the　problem。　Lots　of　luck。〃　
　There　was　only　one　agency　left　on　Jill's　list；　remended　by　a　girl　she　had　sat　next　to　at　the　Mayflower　Coffee　Shop　on　Hollywood　Boulevard。　The　Dunning　Agency　was　located　in　a　small　bungalow　off　La　Cienega　in　a　residential　area。　Jill　had　telephoned　for　an　appointment；　and　a　woman　had　told　her　to　e　in　at　six　o'clock。　Jill　found　herself　in　a　small　office　that　had　once　been　someone's　living　room。　There　was　an　old　scarred　desk　littered　with　papers；　a　fake…leather　couch　mended　with　white　surgical　tape　and　three　rattan　chairs　scattered　around　the　room。　A　tall；　heavyset　woman　with　a　pockmarked　face　came　out　of　another　room　and　said；　
　〃Hello。　Can　I　help　you？〃　
　〃I'm　Jill　Castle。　I　have　an　appointment　to　see　Mr。　Dunning。〃　
　〃Miss　Dunning；〃　the　woman　said。　〃That's　me。〃　
　〃Oh；〃　said　Jill；　in　surprise。　〃I'm　sorry；　I　thought　〃　
　The　woman's　laugh　was　warm　and　friendly。　〃It　doesn't　matter。〃　But　it　does　matter；　Jill　thought；　filled　with　a　sudden　excitement。　Why　hadn't　it　occurred　to　her　before？　A　woman　agent！　Someone　who　had　gone　through　all　the　traumas；　someone　who　would　understand　what　it　was　like　for　a　young　girl　just　starting　out。　She　would　be　more　sympathetic　than　any　man　could　ever　be。　
　〃I　see　you　brought　your　portfolio；〃　Miss　Dunning　was　saying。　〃May　I　look　at　it？〃　
　〃Certainly；〃　Jill　said。　She　handed　it　over。　The　woman　sat　down；　opened　the　portfolio　and　began　to　turn　the　pages；　nodding　approval。　〃The　camera　likes　you。〃　
　Jill　did　not　know　what　to　say。　〃Thank　you。〃　
　The　agent　studied　the　pictures　of　Jill　in　a　bathing　suit。　〃You've　got　a　good　figure。　That's　important。　Where　you　from？〃　
　〃Texas；〃　Jill　said。　〃Odessa。〃　
　〃How　long　have　you　been　in　Hollywood；　Jill？〃　
　〃About　two　months。〃　
　〃How　many　agents　have　you　been　to？〃　
　For　an　instant；　Jill　was　tempted　to　lie；　but　there　was　nothing　but　passion　and　understanding　in　the　woman's　eyes。　〃About　thirty；　I　guess。〃　
　The　agent　laughed。　〃So　you　finally　got　down　to　Rose　Dunnins。　Well；　you　could　have　done　worse。　I'm　not　MCA　or　William　Morris；　but　I　keep　my　people　working。〃　
　〃I　haven't　had　any　acting　experience。〃　
　The　woman　nodded；　unsurprised。　〃If　you　had；　you'd　be　at　MCA　or　William　Morris。　I'm　a　kind　of　breaking…in　station。　I　get　the　kids　with　talent　started；　and　then　the　big　agencies　snatch　them　away　from　me。〃　
　For　the　first　time　in　weeks；　Jill　began　to　feel　a　sense　of　hope。　〃Do　　do　you　think　you'd　be　interested　in　handling　me？〃　she　asked。　
　The　woman　smiled。　〃I　have　clients　working　who　aren't　half　as　pretty　as　you。　I　think　I　can　put　you　to　work。　That's　the　only　way　you'll　ever　get　experience；　right？〃　
　Jill　felt　a　glow　of　gratitude。　〃The　trouble　with　this　damned　town　is　that　they　won't　give　kids　like　you　a　chance。　All　the　studios　scream　that　they're　desperate　for　new　talent；　and　then　they　put　up　a　big　wall　and　won't　let　anybody　in。　Well；　we'll　fool　'em。　I　know　of　three　things　you　might　be　right　for。　A　daytime　soap；　a　bit　in　the　Toby　Temple　picture　and　a　part　in　the　new　Tessie　Brand　movie。〃　
　Jill's　head　was　spinning。　〃But　would　they　？〃　
　〃If　I　remend　you；　they'll　take　you。　I　don't　send　clients　who　aren't　good。　They're　just　bit　parts；　you　understand；　but　it　will　be　a　start。〃　
　〃I　can't　tell　you　how　grateful　I'd　be；〃　Jill　said。　　
　〃I　think　I've　got　the　soap…opera　script　here。〃　Rose　Dunning　lumbered　to　her　feet；　pushing　herself　out　of　her　chair；　and　walked　into　the　next　room；　beckoning　Jill　to　follow　her。　The　room　was　a　bedroom　with　a　double　bed　in　a　corner　under　a　window　and　a　metal　filing　cabinet　in　the　opposite　corner。　Rose　Dunning　waddled　over　to　the　filing　cabinet；　opened　a　drawer；　took　out　a　script　and　brought　it　over　to　Jill。　
　〃Here　we　are。　The　casting　director　is　a　good　friend　of　mine；　and　if　you　e　through　on　this；　he'll　keep　you　busy。〃　
　〃I'll　e　through；〃　Jill　promised　fervently。　
　The　agent　smiled　and　said；　〃Course；　I　can't　send　over　a　pig　in　a　poke。　Would　you　mind　reading　for　me？〃　
　〃No。　Certainly　not。〃　The　agent　opened　the　script　and　sat　down　on　the　bed。　〃Let's　read　this　scene。〃　
　Jill　sat　on　the　bed　next　to　her　and　looked　at　the　script。　
　〃Your　character　is　Natalie。　She's　a　rich　girl　who's　married　to　a　weakling。　She　desides　to　divorce　him；　and　he　won't　let　her。　You　make　your　entrance　here。〃　
　Jill　quickly　scanned　the　scene。　She　wished　she　had　had　a　chance　to　study　the　script　overnight　or　even　for　an　hour。　She　was　desperately　anxious　to　make　a　good　impression。　
　〃Ready？〃　
　〃I　　I　think　so；〃　Jill　said。　She　closed　her　eyes　and　tried　to　think　like　the　character。　A　rich　woman。　Like　the　mothers　of　the　friends　that　she　had　grown　up　with；　people　who　took　it　for　granted　that　they　could　have　anything　they　wanted　in　life；　believing　that　other　people　were　there　for　their　convenience。　The　Cissy　Toppings　of　the　world。　She　opened　her　eyes；　looked　down　at　the　script　and　began　to　read。　
　〃I　want　to　talk　to　you；　Pete