sidneysheldon.astrangerinthemirror-第22部分

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his　talent　until　it　shone　like　a　diamond。　And　he　was　appreciative　and　generous；　something　that　was　rare　in　this　business。　
　〃Every　top　hotel　in　Vegas　is　after　you；〃　Clifton　Lawrence　told　Toby。　〃Money　is　no　object。　They　want　you；　period。　I　have　scripts　on　my　desk　from　Fox；　Universal；　Pan…Pacific　　all　starring　parts。　You　can　do　a　tour　of　Europe；　any　guest　shot　you　want；　or　you　can　have　your　own　television　show　on　any　of　the　networks。　That　would　still　give　you　time　to　do　Vegas　and　a　picture　a　year。〃　
　〃How　much　could　I　make　with　my　own　television　show；　Cliff？〃　
　〃I　think　I　can　push　them　up　to　ten　thousand　a　week　for　an　hour　variety　show。　They'll　have　to　give　us　a　firm　two　years；　maybe　three。　If　they　want　you　badly　enough；　they'll　go　for　it。〃　
　Toby　leaned　back　on　the　couch；　exulting。　Ten　thousand　a　show；　say　forty　shows　a　year。　In　three　years；　that　would　e　to　over　one　million　dollars　for　telling　the　world　what　he　thought　of　it！　He　looked　over　at　Clifton。　The　little　agent　was　trying　to　play　it　cool；　but　Toby　could　see　that　he　was　eager。　He　wanted　Toby　to　make　the　television　deal。　Why　not？　Clifton　could　pick　up　a　hundred　and　twenty　thousand　dollar　mission　for　Toby's　talent　and　sweat。　Did　Clifton　really　deserve　that　kind　of　money？　He　had　never　had　to　work　his　ass　in　filthy　little　clubs　or　have　drunken　audiences　throw　empty　beer　bottles　at　him　or　go　to　greedy　quacks　in　nameless　lages　to　have　a　clap　treated　because　the　only　girls　available　are　the　raddled　whores　around　the　Toilet　Circuit。　What　did　Clifton　Lawrence　know　of　the　cockroach…ridden　rooms　and　the　greasy　food　and　the　endless　procession　of　all…night　bus　sides　going　from　one　hell…hole　to　another？　He　could　never　understand。　One　critic　had　called　Toby　an　overnight　success；　and　Toby　had　laughed　aloud。　Now；　sitting　in　Clifton　Lawrence's　office；　be　said；　
　〃I　want　my　own　television　show。〃　
　
　Six　weeks　later；　the　deal　was　signed　with　Consolidated　Broadcasting。　
　〃The　network　wants　a　studio　to　do　the　deficit　financing；〃　Clifton　Lawrence　told　Toby。　〃I　like　the　idea　because　I　can　parlay　it　into　a　picture　deal。〃
　〃Which　studio？〃　
　〃Pan…Pacific。〃　
　Toby　frowned。　〃Sam　Winters？〃　
　〃That's　right。　For　my　money；　he's　the　best　studio　head　in　the　business。　Besides；　he　owns　a　property　I　want　for　you；　The　Kid　Goes　West。〃　
　Toby　said；　〃I　was　in　the　army　with　Winters。　Okay。　But　he　owes　me　one。　Shaft　the　bastard！〃　
　
　Clifton　Lawrence　and　Sam　Winters　were　in　the　steam　room　in　the　gymnasium　at　Pan…Pacific　Studios；　breathing　in　the　eucalyptus　scent　of　the　heated　air。　
　〃This　is　the　life；〃　the　little　agent　sighed。　〃Who　needs　money？〃　
　Sam　grinned。　〃Why　don't　you　talk　like　that　when　we're　negotiating；　Cliff？〃　
　〃I　don't　want　to　spoil　you；　dear　boy。〃　
　〃I　hear　that　you　made　a　deal　with　Toby　Temple　at　Consolidated　Broadcasting。〃　
　〃Yeah。　Biggest　deal　they've　ever　made。〃　
　〃Where　are　you　going　to　get　the　deficit　financing　for　the　show？〃　
　〃Why；　Sam？〃　
　〃We　could　be　interested。　I　might　even　throw　in　a　picture　deal。　I　just　bought　a　edy　called　The　Kid　Goes　West。　It　hasn't　been　announced　yet。　I　think　Toby'd　be　perfect　for　it。〃　
　Clifton　Lawrence　frowned　and　said；　〃Shit！　I　wish　I'd　known　about　this　earlier；　Sam。　I've　made　a　deal　at　MGM。〃　
　〃Have　you　closed　yet？〃　
　〃Well；　practically。　I　gave　them　my　word。。。〃　
　Twenty　minutes　later；　Clifton　Lawrence　had　negotiated　a　lucrative　arrangement　for　Toby　Temple　in　which　PanPadfic　Studios　would　produce　〃The　Toby　Temple　Show〃　and　star　him　in　The　Kid　Goes　West。　The　negotiations　could　have　gone　on　longer；　but　the　steam　room　had　bee　unbearably　hot。　
　One　of　the　stipulations　in　Toby　Temple's　contract　was　that　he　did　not　have　to　e　to　rehearsals。　Toby's　stand…in　would　work　with　the　guest　stars　in　the　sketches　and　dance　routines；　and　Toby　would　appear　for　the　final　rehearsal　and　taping。　In　this　way；　Toby　could　keep　his　part　fresh　and　exciting。　
　On　the　afternoon　of　the　show's　premiere；　in　September；　1956；　Toby　walked　into　the　theater　on　Vine　Street　where　the　show　would　be　taped　and　sat　watching　the　run…through。　When　it　was　over；　Toby　took　his　stand…in's　place。　Suddenly　the　theater　was　filled　with　electricity。　The　show　came　to　life　and　crackled　and　sparkled。　And　when　it　was　taped　that　evening　and　went　on　the　air；　forty　million　people　watched　it。　It　was　as　though　television　had　been　made　for　Toby　Temple。　In　close　up；　he　was　even　more　adorable；　and　everyone　wanted　him　in　his　living　room。　The　show　was　an　instant　success。　It　jumped　to　number　one　in　the　Nielsen　Ratings；　and　there　it　firmly　remained。　Toby　Temple　was　no　longer　a　star。　He　had　bee　a　superstar。　
　
　　
　Hollywood　was　more　exciting　than　Jill　Castle　had　ever　dreamed。　She　went　on　sightseeing　tours　and　saw　the　outside　of　the　stars'　homes。　And　she　knew　that　one　day　she　would　have　a　beautiful　home　in　Bel…Air　or　Beverly　Hills。　Meanwhile；　Jill　lived　in　an　old　rooming　house；　an　ugly　two…story　wooden　structure　that　had　been　converted　into　an　even　uglier　twelvebedroom　house　with　tiny　bedrooms。　Her　room　was　inexpensive　which　meant　that　she　could　stretch　out　the　two　hundred　dollars　she　had　saved　up。　The　house　was　located　on　Bronson；　a　few　minutes　from　Hollywood　and　Vine　Street；　the　heart　of　Hollywood；　and　was　convenient　to　the　motion…picture　studios。　There　was　another　feature　about　the　house　that　attracted　Jill。　There　were　a　dozen　roomers；　and　all　of　them　were　either　trying　to　get　into　pictures；　were　working　in　pictures　as　extras　or　bit　players　or　had　retired　from　the　Business。　The　old…timers　floated　around　the　house　in　yellowed　robes　and　curlers；　frayed　suits　and　scuffed　shoes　that　would　no　longer　take　a　shine。　
　The　roomers　looked　used　up；　rather　than　old。　There　was　a　mon　living　room　with　battered　and　sprung　furniture　where　they　all　gathered　in　the　evening　to　exchange　gossip。　Everyone　gave　Jill　advice；　most　of　it　contradictory。　
　〃The　way　to　get　into　pictures；　honey；　is　you　find　yourself　an　AD　who　likes　you。〃　This　from　a　sour…faced　lady　who　had　recently　been　fired　from　a　television　series。　
　〃What's　an　AD？〃　Jill　asked。　
　〃An　assistant　director。〃　In　a　tone　that　pitied　Jill's　ignorance。　〃He's　the　one　who　hires　the　supes。〃　
　Jill　was　too　embarrassed　to　ask　what　the　〃supes〃　were。
　〃If　you　want　my　advice；　you'll　find　yourself　a　horny　casting　director。　An　AD　can　only　use　you　on　his　picture。　A　casting　director　can　put　you　into　everything。〃　This　from　a　toothless　woman　who　must　have　been　in　her　eighties。　
　〃Yeah？　Most　of　them　are　fags。〃　A　balding　character　actor。　
　〃What's　the　difference？　I　mean；　if　it　gets　one　launched？〃　An　intense；　bespectacled　young　man　who　burned　to　be　a　writer。　
　〃What　about　starting　out　as　an　extra？〃　Jill　asked。　〃Central　Casting　〃　
　〃Forget　it。　Central　Casting's　books　are　closed。　They　won't　even　register　you　unless　you're　a　specialty。〃　
　〃I'm　　I'm　sorry。　What's　a　specialty？〃　
　〃It's　like　if　you're　an　amputee。　That　pays　thirty…three　fifty…eight　instead　of　the　regular　twenty…one　fifty。　Or　if　you　own　dinner　clothes　or　can　ride　a　horse；　you　make　twenty…eight　thirty…three。　If　you　know　how　to　deal　cards　or　handle　the　stick　at　a　crap　table；　that's　twenty…eight　thirty…three。　If　you　can　play　football　or　baseball；　that　pays　thirty…three　fifty…eight　　same　as　an　amputee。　If　you　ride　a　camel　or　an　elephant；　it's　fifty…five　ninety…four。　Take　my　advice；　forget　about　being　an　extra。　Go　for　a　bit　part。〃　
　〃I'm　not　sure　what　the　difference　is；〃　Jill　confessed。　
　〃A　bit　player's　got　at　least　one　line　to　say。　Extras　ain't　allowed　to　talk；　except　the　omnies。〃　
　〃The　what？〃　
　''The　omnies　　the　ones　who　make　background　noises。〃　
　〃First　thing　you　gotta　do　is　get　yourself　an　agent。〃　
　〃How　do　I　find　one？〃　
　〃They're　listed　in　the　Screen　Actor。　That's　the　magazine　the　Screen　Actors　Guild　puts　out。　I　got　a　copy　in　my　room。　I'll　get　it。〃　
　They　all　looked　through　the　list　of　agents　with　Jill；　and　finally　narrowed　it　down　to　a　dozen　of　the　smaller　ones。　The　consensus　of　opinion　was　that　Jill　would　not　have　a　chance　at　a　large　agency。　
　Armed　with　the　list；　Jill　began　to　make　the　rounds。　The　first　six　agents　would　not　even　talk　to　her。　She　ran　into　the　seventh　as　he　was　leaving　his　office。　
　〃Excuse　me；〃　Jill　said。　〃I'm　looking　for　an　agent。〃　
　He　eyed　her　a　moment　and　said；　〃Let's　see　your　portfolio。〃　
　She　stared　at　him　blankly。　〃My　what？〃
　〃You　must　have　just　gotten　off　the　bus。　You　can't　operate　in　this　town　without　a　book。　Get　some　pictures　taken。　Different　poses。　Glamour　stuff。　Tits　and　ass。〃　
　Jill　found　a　photographer　in　Culver　City　near　the　David　Seiznick　Studios；　who　did　her　portfolio　for　thirty…five　dollars。　She　picked　up　the　pictures　a　week　later　and　was　very　pleased　with　them。　She　looked　beautiful。　All　of　her　moods　had　been　captured　by　the　camera。　She　was　pensive　。。。　angry　。。。　loving　。。。　sexy。　The　photographer　had　bound　the　pictures　together　in　a　book　with　looseleaf　cellophane　pages。　
　〃At　the　front　here；〃　he　explained；　〃you　put　your　acting　credits。〃　
　Credits。　That　was　the　next　step。　By　the　end　of　the　next　two　weeks；　Jill　had　seen；　or　tried　to　see；　every　agent　on　her　list。　None　of　them　was　remotely　interested。　One　of　them　told　her；　
　〃You　were　in　here　yesterday；　honey。〃　
　She　shook　her　head。　〃No；　I　wasn't。〃　
　〃Well；　she　looked　exactly　like　you。　That's　the　problem。　You　all　look　like　Elizabeth　Taylor　or　Lana　Turner　or　Ava　Gardner。　If　you　were　in　any　other　town　trying　to　get　a　job　in　any　other　business；　everybody　would　grab　you。　You're　beautiful；　you're　sexy…looking；　and　you've　got　a　great　figure。　But　in　Hollywood；　looks　are　a　drug　on　the　market。　Beautiful　girls　e　here　from　all　over　the　world。　They　starred　in　their　high　school　play　or　they　won　a　beauty　contest　or　their　boyfriend　told　them　they　ought　to　be　in　pictures　…　and　whammo！　They　flock　here　by　the　thousands；　and　they're　all　the　same　girl。　Believe　me；　honey；　you　were　in　here　yesterday。〃　
　The　boarders　helped　Jill　make　a　new　list　of　agents。　Their　offices　were　smaller　and　the　locations　were　in　the　cheap…rent　district；　but　the　results　were　the　same。　
　〃e　back　when　you've　got　some　acting　experience；　kid。　You're　a　looker；　and　for　all　I　know　you　could　be　the　greatest　thing　since　Garbo；　but　I　can't　waste　my　time　finding　out。　You　go　get　yourself　a　screen　credit　and　I'll　be　your　age