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The agent promptly astoni hed Jim by and signed to an MGM contract. His work
getting him a job in "The Farm r's Daugh- in "Battleground" led to other parts, one in ARE YOU
ter," playing one of Loretta Young's broth- "Hellgate" and one in "The People Against
ers ( the other two were Keith Andes and O'Hara." Then, as sometimes happens, the
Lex Barker). The producer tried to hire studio seemed to lose interest in him. For THE KIND OF MAN
Amess for minimum scale, but Lance one thing, other, shorter actors were re-
over them. Eventually he was released WHO COULD GO INTO
shrieked, "You can't victimize a war vet- luctant to work with a man who towered
eran! For shame!" and Jim wound up with
a salary of $400 a week. The single week's from his contract, but he did not stay at
liberty for very long. Charles Feldman, an
work for which he had been hired stretched agent, saw him and recommended him to BUSINESS WITH ME?
on into nearly sixteen, and Jim wound up
with a nice little pile of money, which John Wayne, who did not care how tall hi
brought out the hobo in him again. He was actors were. vVayne put him under con-
off to Mexico, where for months he had the tract, and with that his career was launched. Not many men will be
time of his life doing absolutely nothing. He appeared in "Hondo," "Big Jim Mc- able to. But those who
Clain," and a number of other Wayne are will have an
epics, sometimes as one of the ·good guys,
hen his money began to dwindle, .he sometimes as one of the bad. opportunity to make
W decided he ought to do something As the income began coming with some good money In their
constructive. He got a ketch for the purpose regularity, Jim -bought a house on Pacific own automotive
of shark fishing, having' heard that shark Palisades for his expanding family. He and
liver was used in the manufacture of vita- Virginia now have three children-Craig, business.
mins. Unfortunately for this wild scheme, eleven; Jenny Lee, eight, and Rolf, six. Charles E. Bowes, President
the war with Japan ended just about that, Arness' principal diversion these days is Bowes "Seal Fast" Corp.
time and enterprising businessmen on the rough-housing with the kids. He has built Let's get this clear first. Starting a busi-
vVest Coast resumed importing sharl< liver them a tree house in the back yard, and the
from Japan, which knocked the bottom out house is alwaxs full of neighborhood tots. ness of your own is no tea party. It takes
of the domestic market. "We've always got about a dozen miniature a man with an iron will to succeed. It
Broke and without prospects, Jim went Matt Dillons around here," Jim says. By takes work-hard work. It takes money.
back to Los Angeles. He looked up Lance, Hollywood standards, he lives a quiet life. But if the opportunity is right, and y,ou
who was not exactly glad to see him. He and his wife never give big parties and are the right man for the opportunity-
"You jerk," Lance said', "after that almost never go to premieres or the expen- well, judge for yourself.
Loretta Young picture I could have got you sive restaurants. One reason for the latter
a hundred jobs." is simple. They can't afford it. As a matter The man I want will distribute automo-
"Get me one now," Jim said. of fact, about the only thing Jim doesn't tive accessories and parts to service sta-
"Let's face it," Lance said, "the war's like about his present situation is the money. tions in a "protected" territory. Service
over. All the actors are back. For every When he signed for the show, he put his stations must have these products to stay
part available there are twenty-five guys name on a run-of-the-series contract that in business. This man will hold a fran-
hu~~ry for it." ,, . . began at around $1,000 a week. It grad- chise, but he will be completely inde-
I 11 work as an extra, Jim said. ually has worked up to $1,500 a week,
"Oh, no, you don't. You want to be an which seems to be its ceiling. That kind of pendent. So he must be a self-starter.
extra the rest of your life? You'll ju t have money is not exactly pin money, but it is He will need to invest about $7,500 in a
to get by until I find you something." nol a high salary considering Arness' popu- truck and stock. From this original in-
For nearly a year, Jim did what he could larity and the fact that some comedians can vestment, he should earn $9,000-$12,000
to keep alive. He sold plywood, worked as command upwards of $5,000 just for a a year in a few short years. And if he
a carpenter, tried to sell advertising space single performance on, say, a weekly spec- makes money, we do too. So we're care-
for a newspaper, and eventually concluded tacular like the Dinah Shore show. Also, an ful to select the right man, and then
there was practically nothing in the world actor's life is in many ways comparable to give him all the help he needs toward
he was suited for. A venture into the real a baseball player's. Even though Arness
e tate business was disastrous. Once he had has been careful to keep himself from being building a solid, depression-proof busi-
a house for which the owner was asking typed as Dillon ( he did a movie with ness. If you think you have what it takes,
$30,000. "It was worth. about twenty-one Ginger Rogers, "The First Traveling Sales- if you think this is an opportunity for
thousand," Jim recalls. lady" ), there is a chance, even though it is you, send today for the complete story.
Presently a buyer made a tentative off r. a slight one, that "Gunsmoke" is the begin- o obligation of course.
"Do you think the owner will take it?" he ning and end of his career. He does not
asked Jim. stand to earn much more than about $100 Bowes Distributors throughout the coun-
"He'll be crazy if he doesn't," Jim said. per showing ram the re-runs. Last year try are part of a mult-i-mUlion dollar oper-
The owne had been listening. He ( 1958) he took home about $35,000 in fees ation. They represent a firm which in 40
years has grown to be one of the largest
jumped out fr' m behind a door pointing his for personal appearances, but his total sal- of its kind, with plants in London, Eng-
finger accusin ly at Jim. "You aren't acting ary was not much in excess of $85,000. land, Hamilton, Ontario, Riverside, Cali-
fornia, and Indianapolis. Its credit rating
in my intere. d" he cried. 'Tm going to That figure puts him into a bracket where through Dun & Bradstreet is the highest
reI?,art you to your boss!" ,, . the government takes a good bit over half (AAA-1) available.
That wont be necessary, . Arness said. of his income.
''I'll do it myself." "Sure, there's a Cadillac and a station 1------CLIP THIS·------,
That ended that job. Jim, meanwhile, wagon," he once told an interviewer, "but I
had acquired a wife-a pretty brunette they aren't paid for yet. Neither is the I Mr, Charles E. Bowe s, President
named Virgi ia Chapman, who was work- house. Nor am I saving any money. And I The Bowes "Seal Fast" Corporation
ing at the Pasadena Playhouse. He played I've got three kids to send to school." I De pt, 2420, 5902 E. 34 th Street
with her in "Candida," and they were mar- I Indianapolis 1 8, Indiana
ried a short time later. For a time, Jim till, he is reasonably content with his I Please send a copy of "So You Want To Be
Your Own Bossi" Also tell me without obliga-
worked in a china shop owned by his S lot. The pa1t of Matt Dillon has taught I tion how I can go into business for myself as a
father-in-law, but he was somehow unable him a good deal. And there is the simple I Bowes Distributor.
to keep from breaking a quota of two or fact that his patron and idol, Duke Wayne, 1
three figurines each day. For the most part, is getting along in years and getting more I Nmne .................................................... Age ....... .
he and his wife lived on his disability pen- and more interested in the production end I A
sion, plus whatever else he could pick up of films and TV. It could be that Arness I Address ...................................... Phone .............. . R
from odd jobs. eventually will take Wayne's place as the I G
Leo Lance, meanwhile, was still looking king of the he-men. It's a safe bet that by I City and State .................................................... . 0
1•w•~
for parts. Presently he heard that Dore the time my thirteen year-old has kids of s
Schary, who had hired Jim for "The his own they'll be pestering him to stay up l the famous "500" line ,.~. of car care products y
I
Farmer's Daughter" was casting a war pic- and watch Arness the way he currently
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ture, "Battleground." Jim was tested, hired, pesters me. And it'll serve him right. • • 73