Sandra Dee and Edd Brynes:
"Please Don't Believe Those Love Lies About Me!"
This article, written by Scott Fairfield, appeared in TV Screen
Parade Magazine April, 1960
Edd Byrnes's life is not exactly a bed of roses these days. He has had
to face up to the problems, that could have wrecked his career, and his acting
future. Though surrounded by people who have his interest at heart, it is Edd
and Edd alone who must make the final decisions. It is Edd who must gamble on
his chances in coming to grips with his studio bosses. It took a lot of
soul-searching to finally walk out on the big studio who gave him his first
important break, who were instrumental in rescuing him from obscurity and
skyrocketing him to undreamed of fame.
Fame! On that word hinged one of Edd's most pressing problems. He has
had to search for the meaning of fame without fortune. What, he had to find out,
was fame without financial security? True, Edd is the first to admit, he has
never had it so good, financially. Memories of poverty--real belly kind of
poverty--does not fade away with the coming of popularity. But Edd is a
realistic young man. Grateful--deeply and fervently grateful--to Warner Bros.,
he nevertheless is keenly aware of the inescapable fact that he is one of their
most important properties, though by no means in the salary bracket such
popularity deserves. He is also aware of the fact that stars with lesser talent
and popularity are making more money than he is. This, however, does not concern
him, because he is only concerned with the moral principle as it affects him
personally--his pocketbook and his bank account.
As we go to press Edd Byrnes has "gone on strike" against his studio.
He put himself out of business, temporarily, we hope, to wage his fight for a
better financial deal. This action took courage. Edd knew it could end in a
stalemate, in a long drawn-out legal battle. But he had to take his chances.
Just prior to this dramatic decision Edd was beset by other problems.
These caused him great mental and emotional anguish. Much as a personality
thrives on the lime-light, much as publicity is a vital part of the star
build-up, Edd, a man of integrity and good taste, was appalled to read stories
that purported to be the truth about his life. A dozen times a day he would read
in the gossip columns stories about his secret engagement or his marriage to
lovely Asa Maynor. He would also read he had broken darling Sandra Dee's heart,
that she pining for him and that he was indifferent to her
charms.
The fan magazines didn't help the situation any. There was hardly an
issue that appeared on the newsstand that didn't cover the absolute scoop of
the year--that writer had been present at Edd's engagement party to Asa.
Sometimes his eyes bulged with the intimate details of the gay affair . . . the
conversation that went on, how his "fiancé" looked, what she wore and what she
said.
"How can writers write those lies?" he asked a friend. "How can they
make a lie sound so real, as though it actually happened?" How,
indeed!
Edd's friend and adviser tried to console him. She reminded him that
Rick Nelson had also been the victim of the same type of outrageous lies.
"You've got to learn to live with these fictionized versions of your love life"
she told him, gently. "After all, you know and Asa knows that you're not
engaged. As for Sandra Dee brooding over her love for you--well, what can I
say..."
"Well, I just don't want people to believe those love lies about me,"
Edd replied. "Of course, I date Asa. I've known her for a long time. She knows
I'm in no position to get married now. Certainly we're not engaged. You know I
don't have too much time for dating, but when I do go out I date any number of
girls. Asa is free to date others."
Just that morning Edd had had to deny a half-dozen stories about his
engagement and marriage. He was disturbed. He had much on his mind. What he
needed above all else was peace of mind since he was in the midst of making the
important decision as to whether he would quit 77 Sunset Strip until
Warners gave him a raise. At the same time he had an appointment to pose for the
cover of TV SCREEN PARADE with Sandra Dee, and to spend a few hours with her for
the pictures you see on these pages.
It was obvious to this writer that Sandra was in good spirits and far
from being the victim of a broken heart or unrequited love. She was gay and
charming and chatted away with Edd as the photographer busied himself with his
camera and lights. Both she and Edd horsed around, taking pictures of each
other. For just a little while Edd was able to forget his problems. You couldn't
be depressed around Sandra Dee.
After the shooting, we sat and chatted with Edd. We brought up the
stories we had read about his engagement and marriage. "All I can say," he told
us, "is that I am not engaged. Sure I'd like to get married, but now is not the
time. But one thing is certain," he told us, "and that is when I do become
engaged, it will be the young lady's parents who will make the
announcement."
Edd is old-fashioned at heart. He believes it is proper for the girls
parents to announce their daughter's engagement and marriage. Edd is
refreshingly unspoiled by all the attention from fans and the girls who try to
attract his attention. He has wonderful manners and never brags. He is also one
of the most cooperative stars when it comes to doing interviews and picture
layouts. This is not easy when you consider the many hours he puts in every day
on the 77 Sunset Strip set. But somehow he manages to fit in all the
requests for interviews and picture layouts. He gives up much-needed rest and a
chance to see his friends to oblige the press and magazines.
As we talked about the stories that appear in print, he seemed to relax
a bit when we pointed out that such fakeries were sometimes part of the penalty
of fame. "It takes time to learn to live with these things," we told
him.
"I guess I'll get used to this stuff in time and maybe, too, editors
will begin to realize that their readers will skip over the stuff that sounds
like hogwash. It still beats me why everybody's trying to get me married off. Or
breaking Sandra's heart." Edd smiled when he mentioned Sandra's broken heart.
"She's just beginning to date and is getting such a kick out of it. She's at the
stage of her dating life where she likes variety--which is as it should
be--since she's still so new to the girl and boy bit. Sandra likes me and I like
her. We expect to be friends for a long time. Forever, I hope."
Edd talked about the wonderful strides Sandra is making in her career.
She takes her acting and singing very seriously. She's a perfectionist and works
very hard at improving her acting technique. Sandra is also enjoying every
minute of her popularity. Her biggest problem when she is getting ready for a
date is what to wear. She loves lovely clothes and knows what is most
becoming.
At the moment Edd Byrnes has one great love--acting. He is consumed with
the desire to be the best--the very best. It is because of this great desire to
act that he struggled and starved and studied and prayed to get where he is
today. That he has become overwhelmingly popular in so short a time has made him
realize the importance of always giving the best that is in him when he is
before the cameras. He gets a real thrill out of the countless fan letters that
pour into the studio every day. He thinks it is quite something that people take
the time to tell him that they enjoy his work and he is grateful for their
interest.
"It sure boosts a guy's morale to read all those letters," he admits.
And because the fans mean so much to him he doesn't like to fool them by having
them read phony stories about him. He wants to make absolutely certain that they
know the truth about his marital status.
The fans ask him a lot of personal questions and when he can't answer
them he refuses to dodge the questions by telling fibs.
"You'd better not get married before this story get into print," we
kidded Edd. He gave us one of those looks that can only be described as that
very special Edd Byrnes look.
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