Janet Hardy in Hollywood Part 29

"Now you're wrong, Dad. We don't want that any more than you would want to do it."

"I guess you're right, dear. I did give you a boost with Billy and if you didn't make good on 'Broad Valley' there's little more that I can do."

They were silent for a time. Helen's mother, who had been to a neighborhood picture house, came home and they went into the dining room where a cold lunch was ready for them.

"I hear you had some unusual experiences," said Helen's father.

"Oh, we had a few falls," admitted Janet. There was no use in voicing their suspicions about Bertie Jackson.

The next four days were spent in sight-seeing around Los Angeles, in a trip to Catalina Island and several swimming expeditions at Malibu. Then came a call from Billy Fenstow.

"We're screening 'Broad Valley' at the studio tonight," he informed them.

"Better come on out. It's at eight."

This was the news they had been waiting for, but now that the actual screening was to take place, both girls felt nervous and upset. Helen's father and mother insisted on coming with them, "to enjoy the triumph or share the sorrows." Henry Thorne smiled and Janet later wondered whether he had advance information on the outcome of the picture.

The small auditorium in which the picture was screened was well filled that night with most of the members of the cast on hand, including Curt Newsom and Bertie Jackson.

The lights were out and the picture started. Janet read the t.i.tle: "'Broad Valley' with Curt Newsom and Bertie Jackson, directed by William Fenstow; produced by the Ace Motion Picture Corporation." Then came the cast of characters and well toward the bottom of the list she found her name. Her heart leaped and she held Helen's arm close. What a thrill it was to actually read her own name in the cast of characters of a film.

Then the action started, the story of Curt Newsom's fight to hold t.i.tle to his ranch.

Almost before Janet and Helen knew it they were in the picture, the midwestern cousins arriving for a visit and in spite of herself Janet chuckled as she stumbled over the rug. It DID look wholly accidental.

Then for a time they were out of the action, coming back again in the riding sequence in which Janet was dumped into the watering trough. This entire bit of action had been kept in the film and she heard several hearty chuckles as she went headlong into the trough.

After that came the wild ride in which Janet was pitched from her horse and the final victory of Curt over his enemies. "Broad Valley" came to a close with Curt winning the affections of Bertie Jackson and Janet felt her distaste for the actress growing as she watched the final fadeout.

The lights in the projection room flashed up and Henry Thorne turned to the girls.

"Nice work," he said.

"Do you really mean it, Dad?" asked Helen.

"Of course I do, honey. I think both of you handled your parts very well and Janet added a couple of top notch comedy incidents."

"They weren't intentional," Janet a.s.sured him.

"Then that explains why they look so natural. Billy will be a sap if he cuts them out in the final version."

"And I'm not a sap," said Billy Fenstow, who had quietly joined them.

"How about my next western? Think you could stand a few more weeks in my company?"

"Are you serious?" demanded Janet.

"Enough so that I'm promising you parts right now. In fact, we'll pay you $75 a week instead of the $50 a week you got for this first picture. How does that sound?"

"Not enough," put in Henry Thorne, "especially if the girls can give you some more comedy as good as the stuff they put into this one."

"Now wait a minute," protested the little director. "I don't work on budgets that run up to half a million. I've got to watch my pay-roll."

"I was only kidding, Billy. But honestly, the girls ought to be worth a hundred a week. You'll only use them a couple of weeks and that's pretty cheap."

"I won't make any promises about a hundred a week," said Billy, "but you can count on another job if you want to join the company for my next western."

"Then we're in right now," decided Helen, and Janet nodded her approval.

_Chapter XXIV_ "KINGS OF THE AIR"

The next morning Janet found an interesting paragraph in one of the morning papers, which had been written by a reporter who had attended the screening of "Broad Valley."

"One of the pleasant surprises about this latest Billy Fenstow western was the work of Helen Thorne and Janet Hardy, two newcomers. Miss Thorne is the daughter of the famous director and Miss Hardy is a friend of hers from the middle west. Although playing minor roles, both girls handled their parts well with Miss Hardy providing several of the best comedy touches seen in a western by this reviewer in some months. It is reported that both will be in the next western which the prolific Fenstow will produce."

Janet read the brief comment three times, then clipped it out of the paper, wrote a brief note home, and sent the clipping to her folks.

Later in the day they received their final vouchers from the studio for work on "Broad Valley." Altogether the two weeks work on the picture had netted them $100 apiece, more money than either of them had ever earned in a similar length of time.

"No wonder girls come to Hollywood," said Helen as she looked at the check.

"Yes, but remember that we're lucky. We didn't have to break down any barriers; we didn't have to make introductions. The way was all smoothed out for us. Look at those poor kids over at the casting office."

Helen turned in the direction Janet pointed. Half a hundred young men and women were waiting patiently in a line before the window of the casting office. Most of them were rejected; only one or two were allowed inside.

"That's what happens to the average seeker of fame in the films," said Janet. "So many, with some beauty and high hopes, come out here expecting to make a success, and then almost starve. Of course they get a bit once in a while, but it's hardly enough to buy their food much less their clothes and all of the other necessary things."

"You're right, of course," admitted Helen. "If it hadn't been for Dad we'd never have had a look-in."

They were having lunch that noon at the studio restaurant with Helen's father. They were waiting when he arrived. Accompanying him was a stranger.

"Girls, I want you to meet Mr. Rexler, general manager of the company."

The general manager, tall, thin and exceedingly nervous, greeted them cordially, then seemed to forget that they even existed for he talked business from the moment they reached their table until lunch was over.

But in spite of that Janet and Helen enjoyed the hour. Some of the most famous stars on the Ace lot were lunching there that noon and Janet and Helen enjoyed watching them come in.

The general manager, a man of quick thought and action, suddenly turned toward them.

"I saw 'Broad Valley' the other night. Congratulations on a nice bit of work."

The hour pa.s.sed quickly, with Helen's father and the general manager continuing their conference in the executive's private office in the administration building.

"Dad and Rexler are having trouble over the story for the new air picture," said Helen. "I heard him talking with mother just last night.

They can't agree on the final version. Dad was going over it last night."

"I'd like to read it," said Janet.