The late George Eells, a close friend, was the entertainment editor of Look back in the 50s. It's a great source of regret that I didn't carry a tape recorder around with me when we were together. He had great stories. I never ceased begging him to write HIS memoirs, but George kept begging off. I think I was still after him to do this when he was practically on his deathbed in 1992.

One story I recall concerned Betty Hutton (who turns 84 today). In the early 1950s, George had finished editing an advance Look feature on her appearance at the Palace. The day following the opening, the reviews were so strong that a last minute cover shoot was arranged. But when George arrived at the appointed location (the day following Betty's smash opening) she was being taken away in an ambulance. Her publicist explained that his client felt that she'd given such a bad performance opening night that she'd suffered a breakdown and had to be temporarily hospitalized. THIS, after perhaps the best notices of her career. Hearing this, I couldn't help but recall Mort Sahl’s remark that Show Business is the only animal that eats its young. MORE

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