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cess. He's just cold-blooded enough."
While most former press agents do
like O'Brian, they agree he was
troublesome as a client. "He's a nice
guy personally. I wouldn't want to
handle him again, however." And, "He
drives you cuckoo."
Conversely, a woman press agent
(married) finds him "one of the most
attractive men I've ever met. Divine
eyelashes. He's very stimulating, full
of ideas, a great sense of humor."
Back to the male point of view:
Their hero: Hugh O'Brian followed by "He's very much like Mark Stevens-
eager fans during Dodge City visit. implacable, single-minded, driving.
"I don't think I ever saw him pick
Hugh O'Brian / continued up a check. He used to have a place
on the beach up at Malibu, you know.
"O'Brian," says another, "works 24 Gave a party up there one day for
hours a day at being a star. He is about 75 friends. When they started
dedicated to it, feels that it's a respon- looking around for something to eat
sibility. He has an innate publicity and drink, there just wasn't any-
sense and is always full of ideas. He thing. O'Brian had expected everyone
used to reach too much-there was to bring his own liquor and food."
nothing he wouldn't do to get a line
in a column. On another occasion, however, O'Brian
"He was quite insecure in those borrowed a friend's house for an after-
days. Used to be terribly nervous. I noon and gave a p.lrty for some 200
remember his nails were always bitten members of a local Hugh O'Brian
right down to nothing. But he was Friend Club, a term he prefers to "fan
shrewd. When he got started on that club." He paid. He also gave up an
fast-draw publicity, he very carefully entire afternoon and evening to the
qualified it. He knew there were a president of his Pittsburgh Friend
number of stuntmen and other old Club recently.
pros he couldn't outdraw, so he al- One firm's representative points tc
ways referred to himself as the fastest- O'Brian's innate decency with "I've
drawing star. And he's always said he known him to go way out of his way
couldn't hit a bull fiddle at 10 paces." to help an unknown actor get in tc
see a producer. He remembers ho'\\
Says a third press agent: "O'Brian tough it was for him to get started."
is one of the most astute businessmen Says one of his earlier press agents,
I've ever known. He has talent as an thoughtfully: "I always liked his re-
actor, but he is trying to do too much. gard for his parents. He's genuinely
Take those guest appearances. He can't fond of them. He had a zest in those
sing and he can't dance. He should early days which I don't think he has
confine himself to acting. He's a good, now. I think he wears his success very
working actor. Frankly, I don't like well. He's realistic and on the level, or
him. He's polished around the edges always has been with me."
just enough to get by with the social- Yet another sums it all up rather
climbing bit. He doesn't ring true to succinctly: "Say anything you like
me. But he will emerge a great suc- about him-to him, it's all publicity."
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