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1 ; r J | t; | 1 ! r C1 p b g 0 of and R q +r to e. w ]J a, jjj bit w w = in w h ar and n. re he he +j, the sa as as 2 wl ro role cil in in Ea *n nc ?1] all ini Actor Ray Walston Began Career as Printers Devil South Pacific Player Worked at Houston Racing Form in Thirties From printers ink to greasepaint— thats the saga of Ray Walston, currently appearing in the popular musical, South Pacific, now in its fifth month at the Shubert Theatre here. Ray, who has a prominent role in Oscar Hammersteins extravaganza, cut his working teeth with Daily Racing Form way back in 1931 when the nations banks were closing as fast as shows on Broadway and the nation was in the throes* its worst depression. Young Walston started out as a printers, devil in the New Orleans office of Daily1 Racing Form. Later on when the Crescent] City plant was closed and the paper moved Houston, Tex., Ray gathered up his linei gauge and apron and moved to the oil city with the rest of the staff. Soon young Walston was running a lino-i type machine and after working hours frequently made the rounds of the theatrical! booking agencies in the area looking for parts to play in the evenings. His ability i was soon recognized and he obtained more work than he was able to handle, playing the Little Theatre there until 1943. i Walston then moved north to Cleveland 1 where he was given prominent parts in Hamlet and The Front Page. In 1949 and 1950, Ray hit the big time had leading roles in Tennessee Williams Summer and Smoke and it was in recognition for his acting in this play that earned the Clarence Derwein award as best supporting actor of the year. Not satisfied with such an outstanding award that he also received the dramatic critics award for the most promising young actor for 1949-50. His big chance came in the fall of 1950 when he was given his present important in the Chicago company of South Pacific, a musical rated by many as the tops the past decade. Janet Blair, Richard Eastman Diosa Costello, and Ray form the quartet of stars that have attracted rare notices the country over. Chicago is expected to be Rays home for of 1951, and perhaps even longer, judging from the packed houses nightly at the Shubert.
