sidneysheldon.astrangerinthemirror-第9节

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　Toby　took　odd　jobs　around　Hollywood　because　they　brought　him　to　the　fringes　of　show　business。　He　parked　cars　at　Oro's；　and　as　the　celebrities　drove　Toby　would　open　the　car　door　with　a　bright　smile　and　　apt　quip。　They　paid　no　attention。　He　was　just　a　parking　boy；　and　they　did　not　even　know　he　was　alive。　Toby　watched　the　beautiful　girls　as　they　got　out　of　the　cars　in　their　expensive；　tight…fitting　dresses；　and　he　thought　to　himself；　If　you　only　knew　what　a　big　star　I'm　going　to　be；　you'd　drop　all　those　creeps。　
　Toby　made　the　rounds　of　agents；　but　he　quickly　learned　that　he　was　wasting　his　time。　The　agents　were　all　star…fuckers。　You　could　not　look　for　them。　They　had　to　be　looking　for　you。　The　name　that　Toby　heard　most　often　was　Clifton　Lawrence。　He　handled　only　the　biggest　talent　and　he　made　the　most　incredible　deals。　One　day；　Toby　thought；　Clifton　Lawrence　is　going　to　be　my　agent。　Toby　subscribed　to　the　two　bibles　of　show　business：　Daily　Variety　and　the　Hollywood　Reporter。　It　made　him　feel　like　an　insider。　Forever　Amber　had　been　bought　by　Twentieth　Century…Fox；　and　Otto　Preminger　was　going　to　direct。　Ava　Gardner　had　been　signed　to　star　in　Whistle　Stop　with　George　Raft　and　Jorja　Curtright；　and　Life　with　Father　had　been　bought　by　Warner　Brothers。　Then　Toby　saw　an　item　that　made　his　pulse　start　pounding。　〃Producer　Sam　Winters　has　been　named　Vice…President　in　Charge　of　Production　at　Pan…Pacific　Studios。〃
　When　Sam　Winters　returned　from　the　war　his　job　at　Pan…Padfic　Studios　was　waiting　for　him。　Six　months　later；　there　was　a　shakeup。　The　head　of　the　studio　was　fired；　and　Sam　was　asked　to　take　over　until　a　new　production　head　could　be　found。　Sam　did　such　a　good　job　that　the　search　was　abandoned；　and　he　was　officially　made　Vice…President　in　Charge　of　Production。　It　was　a　nerve…racking；　ulcer…making　job；　but　Sam　loved　it　more　than　he　loved　anything　in　the　world。　Hollywood　was　a　three…ring　circus　filled　with　wild；　insane　characters；　a　minefield　with　a　parade　of　idiots　dancing　across　it。　Most　actors；　directors　and　producers　were　selfcentered　megalomaniacs；　ungrateful；　vicious　and　destructive。　But　as　far　as　Sam　was　concerned；　if　they　had　talent；　nothing　else　mattered。　Talent　was　the　magic　key。　Sam's　office　door　opened　and　Lucille　Elkins；　his　secretary；　came　in　with　the　freshly　opened　mail。　Lucille　was　a　permanent　fixture；　one　of　the　petent　professionals　who　stayed　on　forever　and　watched　her　bosses　e　and　go。　
　〃Clifton　Lawrence　is　here　to　see　you；〃　Lucille　said。　
　〃Tell　him　to　e　in。〃　
　Sam　liked　Lawrence。　He　had　style。　Fred　Alien　had　said；　〃All　the　sincerity　in　Hollywood　could　be　hidden　in　a　gnat's　navel　and　there'd　still　be　room　for　four　caraway　seeds　and　an　agent's　heart。〃　Cliff　Lawrence　was　more　sincere　than　most　agents。　He　was　a　Hollywood　legend；　and　his　clients　ran　the　gamut　of　who's　who　in　the　entertainment　field。　He　had　a　one…man　office　and　was　constantly　on　the　move；　servicing　clients　in　London；　Switzerland；　Rome　and　New　York。　He　was　on　intiate　terms　with　all　the　important　Hollywood　executives　and　played　in　a　weekly　gin　game　that　included　the　production　heads　of　three　studios。　Twice　a　year；　Lawrence　chartered　a　yacht；　gathered　half　a　dozen　beautiful　〃models〃　and　invited　top　studio　executives　for　a　week's　〃fishing　trip〃。　Clifton　Lawrence　kept　a　fully　stocked　beachhouse　at　Malibu　that　was　available　to　his　friends　anytime　they　wanted　to　use　it。　It　was　a　symbiotic　relationship　that　Clifton　had　with　Hollywood；　and　it　was　profitable　for　everyone。　
　Sam　watched　as　the　door　opened　and　Lawrence　bounced　in；　elegant　in　a　beautifully　tailored　suit。　He　walked　up　to　Sam；　extended　a　perfectly　manicured　hand　and　said；　
　〃Just　wanted　to　say　a　quick　hello。　How's　everything；　dear　boy？〃　
　〃Let　me　put　it　this　way；〃　Sam　said。　〃If　days　were　ships；　today　would　be　the　Titanic。〃　
　Clifton　Lawrence　made　a　miserating　noise。　
　〃What　did　you　think　of　the　preview　last　night？〃　Sam　asked。　
　〃Trim　the　first　twenty　minutes　and　shoot　a　new　ending；　and　you've　got　yourself　a　big　hit。〃　
　〃Bull's…eye。〃　Sam　smiled。　〃That's　exactly　what　we're　doing。　Any　clients　to　sell　me　today？〃　
　Lawrence　grinned。　〃Sorry。　They're　all　working。〃　And　it　was　true。　Clifton　Lawrence's　select　stable　of　top　stars；　with　a　sprinkling　of　directors　and　producers；　were　always　in　demand。　〃See　you　for　dinner　Friday；　Sam；〃　Clifton　said。　
　〃Czao。〃　
　He　turned　and　walked　out　the　door。　Lucille's　voice　came　over　the　inter。　
　〃Dallas　Burke　is　here。〃　
　〃Send　him　in。〃　
　〃And　Mel　Foss　would　like　to　see　you。　He　said　it's　urgent。〃　Mel　Foss　was　head　of　the　television　division　of　PanPadfic　Studios。　Sam　glanced　at　his　desk　calendar。　
　〃Tell　him　to　make　it　breakfast　tomorrow　morning。　Eight　o'clock。　The　Polo　Lounge。〃　
　In　the　outer　office；　the　telephone　rang　and　Lucille　picked　it　up。　〃Mr。　Winter's　office。〃　An　unfamiliar　voice　said；　
　〃Hello　there。　Is　the　great　man　in？〃　
　〃Who's　calling；　please？〃　
　〃Tell　him　it's　an　old　buddy　of　his　　Toby　Temple。　We　were　in　the　army　together。　He　said　to　look　him　up　if　I　ever　got　to　Hollywood；　and　here　I　am。〃　
　〃He's　in　a　meeting；　Mr。　Temple。　Could　I　have　him　call　you　back？〃　
　〃Sure。〃　He　gave　her　his　telephone　number；　and　Lucille　threw　it　into　the　wastebasket。　This　was　not　the　first　time　someone　had　tried　the　old…army…buddy　routine　on　her。　
　Dallas　Burke　was　one　of　the　motion…picture　industry's　pioneer　directors。　Burke's　films　were　shown　at　every　college　that　had　a　course　in　movie　making。　Half　a　dozen　of　his　earlier　pictures　were　considered　classics；　and　none　of　his　work　was　less　than　Brilliant　and　innovative。　Burke　was　in　his　late　seventies　now；　and　his　once　massive　frame　had　shrunk　so　that　his　clothes　seemed　to　flap　around　him。　
　〃It's　good　to　see　you　again；　Dallas；〃　Sam　said　as　the　old　man　walked　into　the　office。　
　〃Nice　to　see　you；　kid。〃　He　indicated　the　man　with　him。　
　〃You　know　my　agent。〃　
　〃Certainly。　How　are　you；　Peter？〃　They　all　found　seats。　
　〃I　hear　you　have　a　story　to　tell　me；〃　Sam　said　to　Dallas　Burke。　
　〃This　one's　a　beauty〃　There　was　a　quavering　excitement　in　the　old　man's　voice。　
　〃I'm　dying　to　hear　it；　Dallas；〃　Sam　said。　〃Shoot。〃　
　Dallas　Burke　leaned　forward　and　began　talking。　〃What's　everybody　in　the　world　most　interested　in；　kid？　Love　　right？　And　this　idea's　about　the　most　holy　land　of　love　there　is　　the　love　of　a　mother　for　her　child。〃　His　voice　grew　stronger　as　he　became　immersed　in　his　story。　
　〃We　open　in　Long　Island　with　a　nineteen…year…old　girl　working　as　a　secretary　for　a　wealthy　family。　Old　money。　Gives　us　a　chance　for　a　slick　background…know　what　I　mean？　High…society　suite。　The　man　she　works　for　is　married　to　a　tight…assed　blueblood。　He　likes　the　secretary；　and　she　likes　him；　even　though　he's　older。〃　
　Only　half…listening；　Sam　wondered　whether　the　story　was　going　to　be　Back　Street　or　Imitation　of　Life。　Not　that　it　mattered；　because　whichever　it　was；　Sam　was　going　to　buy　it。　It　had　been　almost　twenty　years　since　anyone　had　given　Dallas　Burke　a　picture　to　direct。　Sam　could　not　blame　the　industry。　Burke's　last　three　pictures　had　been　expensive；　old…fashioned　and　box…office　disasters。　Dallas　Burke　was　finished　forever　as　a　picture　maker。　But　he　was　a　human　being　and　he　was　still　alive；　and　somehow　he　had　to　be　taken　care　of；　because　he　had　not　saved　a　cent。　He　had　been　offered　a　room　in　the　Motion　Picture　Relief　Home；　but　he　had　indignantly　turned　it　down。　〃I　don't　want　your　fucking　charity！〃　he　had　shouted。　〃You're　talking　to　the　man　who　directed　Doug　Fairbanks　and　Jack　Barrymore　and　Milton　Sills　and　Bill　Farnum。　I'm　a　giant；　you　pygmy　sons　of　bitches！〃　And　he　was。　He　was　a　legend；　but　even　legends　had　to　eat。　When　Sam　had　bee　a　producer；　he　had　telephoned　an　agent　he　knew　and　told　him　to　bring　in　Dallas　Burke　with　a　story　idea。　Since　then；　Sam　had　bought　unusable　stories　from　Dallas　Burke　every　year　for　enough　money　for　the　old　man　to　live　on；　and　while　Sam　had　been　away　in　the　army；　he　had　seen　to　it　that　the　arrangement　continued。　
　〃。。。　so　you　see；〃　Dallas　Burke　was　saying；　〃the　baby　grows　up　without　knowing　her　mother。　But　the　mother　keeps　track　of　her。　At　the　end；　when　the　daughter　marries　this　rich　doctor；　we　have　a　big　wedding。　And　do　you　know　what　the　twist　is；　Sam？　Listen　to　this　…　it's　great。　They　won't　let　the　mother　in！　She　has　to　sneak　in　to　the　back　of　the　church　to　watch　her　own　kid　getting　married。　There　won't　be　a　dry　eye　in　the　audience。。。。　Well；　that's　it。　What　do　you　think？〃　
　Sam　had　guessed　wrong。　Stella　Dallas。　He　glanced　at　the　agent；　who　averted　his　eyes　and　studied　the　tips　of　his　expensive　shoes　in　embarrassment。　
　〃It's　great；〃　Sam　said。　〃It's　exactly　the　kind　of　picture　the　studio's　looking　for。〃　Sam　turned　to　the　agent。　〃Call　Business　Affairs　and　work　out　a　deal　with　them；　Peter。　I'll　tell　them　to　expect　your　call。〃　
　The　agent　nodded。　
　〃Tell　them　they're　gonna　have　to　pay　a　stiff　price　for　this　one；　or　I'll　take　it　to　Wamer　Brothers；〃　Dallas　Burke　said。　〃I'm　giving　you　first　crack　at　it　because　we're　friends。〃　
　〃I　appreciate　that；〃　Sam　said。　He　watched　as　the　two　men　left　the　office。　Strictly　speaking；　Sam　knew　he　had　no　right　to　spend　the　pany's　money　on　a　sentimental　gesture　like　this。　But　the　motionpicture　industry　owed　something　to　men　like　Dallas　Burk