A Proper Job
by Brian Aherne
I like to follow Self-Styled Siren's blog. She gives me some good ideas for books that I should read and movies to see. She recently recommended A Proper Job by Brian Aherne, because he was a good friend of one of her favorite stars, George Sanders, and wrote a biography about Mr. Sanders, that delightful cad. She reviewed A Proper Job and I read the review; it made me want to read the book.
Mr. Aherne was a good looking, tall, English actor who might have done better in the movies if he had applied himself in that job. But he preferred the theater and although he loved California and living there, he owned and ran a farm there for many years of his life, he was never a "star".
He was in the theater with Saint Joan with Tyrone Power and Maurice Evans, when Mr. Power came by the dressing room one night asking for advice. He had been offered a movie contract with 20th Century Fox and wanted Mr. Aherne's opinion on what to do about it.
Mr. Aherne told him the following: " You have talent and a wonderful appearance, but you are very young and I think you have plenty of time, so why not take a few years to gain your experience and to make your name in the theater....Blah, blah, blah".
Mr. Evans was wiser: "Rubbish! Don't listen to him, Ty! Take your chances when they come. Get out to Hollywood fast."
Mr. Power listened to Mr. Evans and made 20th Century Fox with his star power.
Mr. Aherne made another questionable job choice that Jack Warner of Warner Brothers never forgave him for. I can't find the quote in the book (no bibliography---huh?), but it was essentially: "Damn that Aherne. He cost me time, money, and emotional grief when he turned down Captain Blood and I had to cast Errol Flynn in it!"
Mr. Aherne was to make his biggest hit in movies with Captain Fury which was a knockoff of Captain Blood.
Mr. Aherne wrote the book himself, and he can write.
It's a good Hollywood read, even thought only a third of the book is about Hollywood. The rest is about flying and the theater.
