Jimmy and Fay Read Free Page A

real reason to accede to these demands. Of course, since you choose not to share the contents of these pictures, we cannot be certain. In fact, we have only your word that they exist—”
    â€œHazel has seen them, too. She saw them first.”
    Hazel’s head bobbed up and down. “Yes, they’re horrible.”
    Sleave didn’t sound like he believed her. “So you say, but unless we can examine the material, paying six thousand dollars is simply out of the question.”
    Miss Wray stared at him for a long time before she opened her purse and took out a small leather address book. She looked at me and asked if she could use the phone. “It will be long distance,” she said, looking at Grossner. “I’ll take care of the twenty-five dollars.”
    â€œOf course,” I said. The lady had brass.
    She picked up the handset and said to me, “This is the private number of Merian Cooper. He directed the picture. But that was two years ago. Since then he has been promoted. Yes, Mr. Selznick was in charge of the studio while we were making the picture, but he recently resigned and now Mr. Cooper runs things at RKO.”
    She looked at the book and dialed “O.” Beads of sweat popped out on Grossner’s forehead.
    â€œOperator, connect me with Los Angeles, California.”
    Grossner held out a hand, pleading. “Please. We really think it best if we do not involve Mr. Cooper’s office. That is what we have been trying to do all afternoon. I am sure we can accommodate anything you desire.”
    She put down the phone. “I want this to be settled right away without so much as a whisper from Louella Parsons. I have been through this before and it will not happen again.”
    Things had started that morning while she was at the premiere. Hazel was at the hotel where the studio had put them up—the Pierre. Hazel had been her stand-in on King Kong . They’d become friends and the studio brought her along so Miss Wray would have some company while she was promoting the picture. As nice as it was to stay at a tony joint like the Pierre, Hazel and the production manager of King Kong had fallen for each other, and she really wanted to go back to California to see him. She stayed at the hotel that morning accepting flowers and congratulatory telegrams and the like. She opened all the messages and kept them together in order of importance so they’d know who needed a telephone call that day or a personal letter or a signed eight-by-ten glossy.
    The little package that they delivered to the room was with a bunch of telegrams. It was a thick sealed envelope. “Fay Wray—Personal” was written on the outside.
    Hazel opened it and found a small book or booklet. When she opened that, a handwritten note fell out. It read: “$6,000 or we send copies to every newspaper, fan magazine, and gossip column in the city. Have the money ready in 24 hours.”
    Miss Wray said, “Show it to them.”
    Hazel opened her purse and took out the note. Sleave snatched it out of her hand. He quickly passed it to Grossner, who gave it to Ellis. Sleave said, “Let’s see the book.”
    Hazel looked at Miss Wray. She nodded and said, “It’s all right. It has nothing to do with us.”
    Hazel reached into her bag again and produced a thin book. She held it with her fingertips like it was white hot. As she passed it to Sleave, I could see that the cover was thick, flexible paper and Kong was printed on it in blue lettering.
    The two lawyers did a poor job of hiding their intense interest in the book. They may have steamed up their glasses.
    After they’d had their look, the taller one cleared his throat and said, “This is absolutely outrageous. Scandalous.”
    The shorter one said, “It is a blatant violation of our copyrighted material, our sets and costumes.”
    â€œNo,” Miss Wray interrupted. “That’s not