The usually “hard-boiled” drama critics were astonishingly com plimentary. Better parts came right along. The goal of his life was in sight; he was on his way to the big time, and Bill was rid ing the crest of the wave. What a far cry was this from a hen house in Waxahachie, Texas! Nevertheless, there was anoth er side to the coin. Something in his background constantly haunt ed Bill. The mother who had la bored so sacrificially to rear him and to give him a good education was a woman of God who lived what she professed. Often Bill had seen her kneeling on the cold floor of his room, praying for him. She taught him verse after verse from the Bible but he would not let any of it get through to him. There was no place in his dreams of life for the Lord. Yet in his heart the young actor rec ognized that his mother’s life was real and his was a sham. He knew only too well that what one wag had said was true enough: “Un derneath the outer phoniness of show business is a genuine phoni ness.” Bill tried to forget all of this in the enchantment which surrounded a handsome, talented, young Thespian in the capital city of the theater. He trained under the best coaches; he was at home in all the top night clubs; he was popular at the glittering parties; he drank with the reckless crowd. He says, “ I lived in a smart East- side apartment and wore one- hundred - and - fifty - dollar suits. Weeks turned into years, and I lived glamorously, but unhappily. I had everything I dreamed of, but could find no peace or joy. I was becoming a playboy, but God had other plans for me.” Indeed He did. One was a visit from the mother whom he loved and honored. Bill provided her every comfort, trying to impress upon her the desirability of his successful life. He even got out his bank-book to show her how well he was doing. Although her two-weeks’ stay lengthened into (Continued on page 2 5 )
and college,” he relates, “and from that time I was wrapped up in self-glorification, but as a per son I was lonely. I had an urgency to get started in New York and to become a big name, famous the world over. I even imagined how I would act, signing autographs! However, it was not for glamor alone, for I truly loved to act.” So driving was Bill’s ambition to get into show business that with only one quarter to go in his Senior year in college, he dropped out to join the Texas Touring Theater, a Shakespeare an repertory company. With top billing, doing one-night stands in tough towns along the Mexican border, the young actor got into some escapades wh ich might have ended his career. Yet he emerged unscathed. At last, after only six months, the company folded in Dallas, Texas, for lack o f funds. Stranded, Bill turned to another field in which he was pro ficient— ballroom dancing. Soon he became an instructor in the Arthur Murray Studio in Dallas and from then on, it was up, up, up all the way. Bill had his sights set on the Mecca of the theater— New York. It was not difficult at
all to secure a transfer to the Murray studio in the big city. In credibly, in short order he was on Fifth Avenue without the agony of trudging from casting office to casting office, begging for a job! He had to pinch himself to see if in the familiar words of Shake speare, it was not “ such stuff as dreams are made on.” True, al though he was an instant success as a dancing master, he was somewhat taken back by the fact that the majority of his pupils were middle-aged, but well-to-do, women, seeking to renew their fast-departing youth. One wom an actually signed up for three “ lifetime” courses (1,000 hours at ten dollars or more an hour was “ lifetime” ) for the stagger ing sum of $32,000.00! Such a fa vorite the young instructor be came that a wealthy woman of fered to finance his show business career. As Bill had foreseen, New York was the magic land. There he met the professionals, was auditioned by Tennessee Williams and other famous playwrights, was contact ed by Metro - Goldwyn - Mayer scouts, appeared in seven success ful off-Broadway plays in a row.
THE KING'S BUSINESS
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