John Shepperd
He started life in Hillsboro as
Shepperd Struduick. An intense
ambition and plenty of hard
work have combined to bring
him to stardom in Hollywood.
By HOYT McAFEE
YOUNG, tall, brown-haired, neat-
looking, energetic John Shep¬
perd, an actor from Hillsboro,
North Carolina, todays stands on the
threshold of stardom at 20th Century-
Fox Studios. It remained for Shcp-
perd’s sparkling performance in
Belle Star, in which, naturally
enough, he played the role of a
Southerner and made spirited love to
the luscious Gene Tierney, to sell him
to Darryl F. Zanuck.
Now the 20th Century-Fox produc¬
tion chief has ambitious plans for the
six-feet-two, 170-pound, 31-year-old
man from North Carolina. And Shep¬
perd is happy that the goal toward
which he has struggled for ten years
is now within his grasp.
After a lengthy period of seasoned
experience with a Maine summer
stock company, as a leading man in
Broadway plays, and with the Tima t re
Guild, John Shepperd won Holly¬
wood’s nod of approval. His first role
in the film capital was in Flight Com¬
mand. Zanuck liked Shepperd’s work
in that production, but he wasn’t pre¬
pared, at that time, to offer the Tar
Heel actor an important part in a new
picture and groom him for star rank.
With Columbia Studios
Meanwhile, Shepperd did a stint
for Columbia Studios in The Men in
Her Life. In a word, he was one of
the men in leading-lady Loretta
Young’s life, cinematically speaking.
Loretta made a profound impression
on the North Carolinian.
Today, he will talk at length about
her good nature, her graciousness, and
the way she has with directors. Ob¬
serves Shepperd : “She doesn't hesitate
to tell them how she would do a scene.
She says so when she thinks a pro¬
ducer or director is wrong — and to
his face. What’s more, she gets away
with it. But she does it so gracefully,
intelligently, and persuasively that
you can’t help feeling and responding
to her influence.”
Belle Star was the springboard by
which John Shepperd catapulted in¬
to screen prominence.
Ни
imparted
color and dash and aliveness to his
role in that film. A born Southerner,
it was no trouble for him to give his
characterization as an Oklahoman a
true ring. His voice registered ex¬
actly the right accent, lie was believ¬
able. And making love to the fiery
Gene Tierney came under the head¬
ing of zestful pleasure.
John Slmpperd’s motto is this: De¬
cide what you want to do in life —
then pursue that course, that objec¬
tive. uudeviatingly and wholehearted¬
ly. That credo has served him well.
It was during his prop-school days
that a literary yen took hold of him.
He fell, then, that he was cut out
only for one career — writing. And he
poured his thoughts nud energies into
trying to make that ambition become
a reality. Ho didn't get so far. how¬
ever. Editor of his school paper was
his topmost journalistic achievement.
At Chapel Hill
At The University of North Caro¬
lina, he joined a dramatic group (The
Playmakers), not to acquire acting
experience, but to delve into and ab¬
sorb the various techniques of play
structure. That knowledge would, he
thought, equip him for the task of
writing an American literary master¬
piece. Only he, like millions of other
aspirants, never even started his
project.
In the end, he came to the regret¬
ful conclusion that writing wasn’t his
forte, after all. Thereupon he resolved
that he would answer the lure of the
stage. In that field, he was, over a
ten-year span, to enjoy a steadily-
growing success — a success which was
to pave the way for his entry into
films.
So long as lie had the urge to he a
writer, John Shepperd concentrated
on that endeavor with much determi¬
nation. Then, having been bitten bv
the acting bug, lie set out for New
York, there to pursue his chosen ca¬
reer. lie made his start at the bot
tom — in the production offices of
Charles Coburn, to be exact. But there
was no marooning one of his enter¬
prise and aspiration there.
One of his chores was to deliver the
morning mail to his boss. That was
all the opening that lie needed to
demonstrate his talents. For he would
cut loose with a characterization from
some dramatic play the moment he
entered the door. Startled and amused
at first, the power-behind-ihe-thronc
at the Coburn offices soon grew aware
that Shepperd was sincere and that
he had something on the ball. And in
a brief while he was designated as
understudy for Alexander Kirkland
in the Yellow Jacket.
Persistence and ingenuity earned
John Shepperd his first chance on
the stage. Now he was determine 1 to
advance many notches up the ladder.
And he was nor slow in doing just
that, either, for before Yellow Jacket
had finished its run. he was filling
Alexander Kirkland’s shoes.
From that point forth, he scored
successes in numbers of loading plays.
(Continued on page eighteen )
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