“MOVIE STARS OF OLDE” – BY Des Kelly

I still remember my very first movie. Accompanied by my dear Mum, God rest her soul, we walked to the Patton theatre in Moratuwa, a little Suburb (at the time), of Colombo, to see the 3.15 pm show of what I was informed, was a “Picture”. This was even before they were called Movies. I also remember that I was about 7 years old, excited to enter this big hall with many seats, and a huge “picture-screen” in front of me. In Ceylon, at the time, there were 3 sessions of pictures. 3.15 pm, 6.30 pm & 9.30 pm.

Anyway, there we were, and suddenly everything went dim,

the lights in the hall started to go out, and, for a moment, I felt the fear of darkness, starting to feel breathless, and grabbed for mum’s arm. She calmed me down and said to me “Desmond, watch the big screen over there”. I did, as it lit up the room, the picture started. I think it was what they called a Western, and now, come to think of it, the Star was a young Gary Cooper. Enthralled, I watched this picture show, felt disappointed when it ended, and still remember telling mum “Mummy, that is what I want to be, when I grow up”. We talked about it, walking home, and even though I had already been on-stage, at the Convent of Our Lady of Victories (where I had started School), doing my first solo song at age 6, I decided that I wanted to be an actor, just like Gary Cooper. Singing could be a sideline.

So, this was also when my craze for Movies, Actors, and Actresses began. Just like Music, Movies for me, had to be simple, meaningful ones. Nothing complex. Exactly as in this very interesting video, showing great Stars who unfortunately died young & also shows us that, the “bigger” they were, the quicker they passed on, to the big stage in the sky.