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11/20/08 |
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After gaining admission at UCLA, I felt a glimmer of hope and happiness. It was in my struggle to become a freshman that I found myself. It was here that the pursuit of happiness became real. To remain a student, however, my two "D's" had to be raised to "C's. |
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The Christmas recess period began on Thursday, December 15th and lasted until Tuesday, January 3rd. I enjoyed it immensely. I caught up on some reading assignments in English and History and in writing letters home and to my buddies. I even went to see two films, a double feature bargain for 15 cents. They were "The Amazing Dr. Clitterhouse" with Edward G. Robinson, Claire Trevor, Humphrey Bogart, Allen Jenkins, Donald Crisp, and Vladimir Sokoloff, and "History is made at Night" with Charles Boyer, Jean Arthur, and Leo Carrillo. I rated both films with four stars. I would try to see some more movies before returning to classes on January 3rd. Returning to the 'pot games" again, I lost $4.00. A few days later I entered a Singles Handicap Tournament. The entry fee of a dollar and half was merely the charge for bowling six games. I was surprised to see Harold Lloyd bowling on the squad next to me. He bowled with his right arm despite an amputation of thumb and forefinger. With such an obvious handicap he still averaged about 165. I had read in the Bowlers Journal that his team planned to enter the ABC tournament in Cleveland. So during the game, I asked Harold if there was a chance of me getting on his team. I told him that I had participated in seven ABC's since 1930. He said no, that his team was already set. My score that evening was 1126 for the six games, not sufficient, of course, for the $50.00 first prize, However, I did receive an invitation to try-out with another team (Wilshire-La Brea) that was also planning to go to the ABC. They bowled on Sundays at 7:00 PM in the Southern California All-Star Classic League. Harold Lloyd's team also bowled in this league. On my first Sunday night with The Wilshire-La Brea team, to my amazement, I shot 635 on the team event and 666 in doubles. My consecutive scores were 162-232-234-216-236 and 214. I was pretty certain now that I had cinched a spot on the team and would make the trip home. Our team sponsor was the owner of the Wilshire-La Brea alleys. He also owned a stove factory (Gaffers and Safflers), and he had a stable of horses racing at Santa Anita. Our sponsor was picking up the tab for transportation and all expenses for the round trip to Cleveland. It seemed too good to be true. Two months after moving to Bel-Air, I decided to leave the Castera residence. It was a fateful decision and I agonized over it, especially since I was giving up my daily breakfasts besides the nice apartment above the garage. But I simply had to free-up more time for my studies. Sooner or later I had to make this move. How else would I manage to carry twelve units in the next semester? |
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When I explained my decision to Mr. and Mrs. Castera they acted as if they didn't want me to leave. I told them that I had not yet found a room and I would let them know when I did. As usual, they were sympathetic and very nice. Mr. Castera asked me to try and find another student to take my place. He also said I could stay on as long as I wanted to. I was very glad to see Frankie Grill and his wife Betty. Driving from Arcadia, they came to Bel-Air to pick me up. They wanted to see the tourist spots, movie studios, and movie stars. I was more than happy to be their guide. At the Columbia Ranch we saw a movie set from the picture, "Lost Horizon". In the film Ronald Coleman is about to enter the peaceful valley. Looking one way he sees "Shangri-La" and looking towards the mountains he sees the fury of the storm. This scene of the mountain's jagged rocks and peaks standing in front of us was a simple movie set. Frankie and Betty couldn't believe it. Neither could I believe how the camera's magic blended with the fantasy of film. We drove around the Warner Bros. Studio in Burbank, but we had to enter into the golf course to see some stars. We saw Johnnie Weismuller, Edgar Kennedy, and Robert Armstrong. At the Hollywood Lanes we saw Leo Gorcey (Spit), of the "Dead End" kids and Charles Boyer, who was again sitting at the bar. A few days before Christmas, I saw "The Scoundrel" one of the few films that I watched more than once. It received five stars in my movie list. Noel Coward was the star and the cast included Alexander Woollcott Eduardo Ciannelli, Lionel Stander, Julia Hayden and, Ernie Cossert. A few days after Christmas I saw "Four Daughters", the picture that introduced Jules Garfield. Movie audiences were enraptured with his role of "Mickey Borden". Overnight, he became a star. The studio changed his name to John Garfield. Others included in the cast were Claude Raines, Lola Lane, May Robson, Dick Foran and Frank Mac Hugh. On Christmas Eve, I went to Burbank to spend the afternoon and evening with Bill and Millie Cook. Bill's sister, Dorothea Lane was there, her husband Walter, and another couple that were married that same afternoon. A year and half earlier the newlywed couple were best man and maid of honor at Dorothea's wedding and today Dorothea and Walt stood up for them. Early Christmas morning I hitchhiked to Arcadia. Frankie and Betty had invited me to spend the day with them. When I arrived I went to a pay phone to place a call home. The operator said there was a three-hour wait. Betty cooked a delicious meal, a nice roast chicken. After eating I went back to the pay phone, I still had to wait. I kept trying until 8:00 PM before rescheduling my call to the next morning 9:30 AM. The next morning Frankie took me to Santa Anita. I watched him gallop a horse around the track. I then walked all over the premises, the grandstands and the turf club. A new addition was built on to the grandstand. New decorations were being added for opening day on Saturday, December 31st. Santa Anita is bigger and much more beautiful now than it was in 1935 when I first visited the racetrack. Returning to the pay phone, I again tried to place my call to Bedford. The operator explained that thousands of people had reserved their calling time as far as five to six weeks in advance. This was the day after Christmas and I still had to wait. After two more attempts my call went through. The charge was $3.95 for 3 minutes. I inserted 16 quarters into the slot. I did not mail a Christmas card to my family so I knew the phone call would be a big surprise. I wanted to hear their voices as I extended my greeting. When Frances picked up the phone, I asked her to call Ma to the phone and to round up the others to let them know I wanted to talk to each of them. I was so excited; I didn't say much more than Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. For three brief minutes I was back home again. In mid afternoon I began my hitchhike to Bel-Air. Arriving in Hollywood I stopped momentarily to watch the premier opening of Earl Carroll's theater restaurant on Sunset near Vine. There was such a big crowd it was impossible to get up close. I did see Al Jolson and Bob Hope. It sure was a wonderful Christmas. I even received gifts. The Casteras gave me five dollars and a writing pen with a holder. I was really surprised by their gift since they knew that I would be leaving soon. My family sent Italian candy plus five dollars. Other cash gifts were five dollars from Uncle Ben, two dollars from "Red" Pallotta, and one dollar from Frank Nyerges. The money gifts were frosting on the cake. I was happily surprised in receiving a Christmas card, from Mary Brown. It was forwarded to me from Bedford. She had married a journalist, Maurice Dolbier, and they were living in Bangor, Maine. During the week I found "The Prophet" while gazing in the window of a bookstore on Hollywood Blvd. I bought the book, reading all of it in a few hours. It was the greatest and best thing I had ever read. In reading the chapter on "work", I realized why I was so joyful working in the coffee shop. With the vision of attending U.S.C for the Cinema courses, I was "working with love". I knew now that it was true -- "All work is empty save when there is love". The Christmas recess became expensive since I spent a lot more than I earned. With the school cafeteria closed I paid for my dinners. The rains came and that prevented my caddying. Bowling in the Classic League cost me $2.25 each Sunday. I was glad the League suspended bowling on the two Sundays of Christmas and New Year. On New Years day I saw another double feature: "The Animal Kingdom" with Leslie Howard, Ann Harding, Myrna Loy William Gargan and Henry Stephenson and "Bill of Divorcement" with John Barrymore, Katharine Hepburn, Billie Burke, and Henry Stephenson. The Animal Kingdom was a four star smash, but what was most intriguing was to see Henry Stephenson in both films. He was on older English Actor who played good character roles in many films. I had seen him earlier in the film "Conquest" with Greta Garbo. He played the role of her husband, while Charles Boyer, in the role of Napoleon, was her lover. Henry Stephenson was also my neighbor. His two-story home, just above the Castera mansion, overlooked my garage apartment. Mr. Castera had two large purebred dogs, "Hanz" and "Zigger, and they occasionally bothered Henry with their early morning barking. The only time I saw Henry was the morning he raised his upstairs bedroom window and shouted loudly," For God's sake, keep your dogs quiet." His frustrated complaining didn't seem to bother Mr. Castera. He always referred to Henry as "The old sour puss." I went to Santa Anita on opening day, Saturday, and on Monday, January 2nd. Frankie had three mounts on opening day but he didn't get to ride his horses because his riding license wasn't approved until January 3rd. Since that was the day to return to school I didn't get to see him ride in a race. On both days, I paid $1.10 to get in but after the last race was run I went into the exclusive turf club area where I saw some of the biggest names in motion pictures: Louis B. Mayer, Bing Crosby, Edward G. Robinson, Darryl F. Zanuck, Spencer Tracy, Cary Grant, Warner Baxter, Don Ameche, and Oliver Hardy. Besides the admission price, I lost $8.00 betting on the races. My bank account took a nosedive, leaving me a single dollar. It was only a short while back, that I complimented myself for saving enough for my next semester's tuition. I didn't want to burden anyone at home for another $30.00, but now it looked like I'd have to send an SOS to Vito. It was time to pare down my expenses, balance the budget, and to focus on my studies. I told Mr. Castera that I would like to stay on, at least to the next semester. I quit bowling in pot games and in any tournaments. However, I didn't want to jeopardize my only chance to bowl in the ABC in Cleveland so I continued to bowl on Sundays in the Traveling Classic League. Since I could not caddy that day at Lakeside, it cost me more than the charge for bowling. Our first Sunday after New Year's, at the Ocean Park Lanes, I bowled three steady games of 194, 192, and 190. The following Sunday we went to Santa Barbara where my scores were 177, 184, and 165. I was disappointed and felt less confident of remaining on the team. The following Sunday my teammates told me that our sponsor was willing to pay our entry fees to the ABC, but not the round trip traveling expenses to Cleveland. My pipe dream came to an end. It had been just too good to be true. After returning to classes on January 3rd, there were only three more weeks to finals and the end of the first semester. My two final exams were scheduled for the 21st, and the 25th. In the English exam, I wrote a short essay on "Why We Like the Movies", and I took an additional test in Grammar. Although my History exam was less taxing, I felt I had not prepared enough for it. A few days later, however, I received a "C" in English and a "C" in History, ending my first semester on a happy note. Hugo P. Cipriani |