Having a wonderful time

Judy Sloane meets Hollywood star Douglas Fairbanks Junior, son of the famous actor in silent movies. FairbanksJunior has made an extremely successful career of his own.

Being brought up in a show business family, did you want to be an actor?

Well, it wasn't a show business family. 0 I I couldn't help but be aware of it to a certain extent, because people would come around but the talk was very seldom shop-talk.

During your long and successful career you've certainly made the name Fairbanks your own, but when you were starting out was it a nuisance to you to be named after your father?

I think it probably was. It was a mixture in a way. It was useful in having the door open to get interviews, and to be allowed in to talk to the boss. _________

Were you and your father close?

Not at first. We were just shy of each other. I think we were always fond of each other._____ It wasn't until Iwas in my late twenties that we got to know each other very well.

Was your father a big influence in your life?

Not really, except I certainly took notice of his wonderful good nature with people.______It was a natural friendliness, and I admired that and I probably wanted to give that same impression when I was young.

Out of all your father's films, do you have a favourite one?

I think my very favourite one is 'Thief of Baghdad'. It was one of the finest films ever made by anybody._____ He was the guide and more or less the creator.

When did you know that you wanted to become an actor yourself?

When my mother and I were living abroad because it was cheaper, and mother's family had run out of money and we didn't know quite what to do, and somebody offered me a job! _____ It was a job at Paramount Pictures to play in a film called 'Stephen Steps Out' for which I got $ 1, 000 a week for two weeks.

Your role as Rupert of Hetzau in 'The Prisoner Of Zenda’ was one of your greatest.

It was a wonderful, wonderful part. ______. Then I had this offer to come back and do 'Prisoner of Zenda'. I thought I'd better stick with this new company I'd started. My father was around and he said, 'Do not be a fool, you have got to go back, give up everything and play in " The Prisoner of Zenda". It's the best part ever written. And that decided me so I said, 'Yes, I will! '

Do youlike the films they're making today?

The films themselves are all right._____. There are still some very fine films that are being made but some of them are of questionable taste and I blame the public. Being a business and an industry, producers produce what people buy. If the public don't like it, they won't go, and the films will stop being produced.

95. Read this text and decide which of the four alternatives best fits each gap.

King Lear

Adrian Noble's modern production of William Shakespeare's 'King Lear' opened last week at the Barbican Theatre in London to enthusiastic (1)……..

Robert Stephens, heading an impressive supporting cast, gives a moving and powerful (2) …………. as Lear, and David Bradley, who (3)……… the Earl of Gloucester, is so convincing in the (4)……….that several members of the (5)…………… who were sitting in the front (6)………… are reported to have fainted during one particularly realistic (7)……...

(8)…………. its length - the play runs for three and three quarter hours with two half-hour (9) …………. - Noble's production is anything but tedious. 'King Lear' will run at the Barbican until March and (10)................. booking is recommended.

The Ukrainian Theatre. My Favourite Playwright/

Theatre Actor/Actress

— Speaking