MY FIRST MOVIE STAR

In 1952 when I was eleven,  Jeffrey Hunter was an up and coming young star who made a personal appearance in Wichita, Kansas to promote his new film."Lure of the Wilderness" which co-starred Jean Peters and Walter Brennan.

It was well publicized in the Wichita newspapers and I begged my mother to take me.  She loved shopping in Wichita and had deposited me at the Miller or Orpheum Theater on numerous occasions before, while she visited the local stores.  (Remember these were simpler times.....I don't think it would happened today.)

On the appointed day, we arrived at the Miller Theater, I got my ticket and went inside.   Wait!
No Jeffrey Hunter!    I asked an usher (they still had them then) and he informed me that Mr. Hunter would be signing autographs at the top of the stairs that led to the balcony after the movie.    Hurrrah!

When the movie was over, I made my way up the stairs and there he was, sitting at a table with quite a long line waiting to see him.   I took my place at the end of the line and waited my turn.  When I eventually stood before him, he asked my name (then, how to spell it) and signed a photo.

Believe it or not, he was wearing the same jacket that is pictured in the photo.   And the only other thing I remember were his eyes.   They were crystal clear blue ice water!    What a great looking man, he was.  And my first interaction with a real "movie star."  It was an invigorating thrill for an eleven year old.

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