European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - March 25, 1987, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Magazine  actor Tony Curtis one of the last of the 1950s movie Star movie stars with copies of hit paintings. Pretty boy survivor Tony Curtis by Vernon Scott United press International Tony Curtis probably is the last a the 1950smovie-Star movie stars that group Olhan some Young men who tried to match their screen images Wilh their personal lives and sometimes succeeded Curtis was a contemporary of Rock Hudson Jolt Chandler Tab Hunter. George Nader and a Bunch of others including the up and coming comedy team of Martin and Lewis Many of them we a under contract to Universal pictures. They were Young handsome leading men of the 40s and 50s, such As Robert Taylor Tyrone Power John Payne and Glenn Ford. In those Post world War i Days Ian magazines chronicled he private lives of the you Shtul Glamour boys As if they were members of a Royal family. They were stars before they became actors. Some of them never did learn to act they have no counterparts today because the studio contract lists have Long disappeared. A few pretty boys pop up now and then but rarely survive in films sometimes winding up in to series. The class of 50 shared common characteristics handsome profiles full Heads of hair sleek physiques and romantic auras. They were a Breed apart from some of their contemporaries Marlon Brando and Paul Newman Tor example who were nol products of studio publicity Mills. Brando. Newman and a Lew others were heavyweight actors do lined to become superstars. Untie the manufactured heart throbs Brando and Newman eschewed exploitation and revealing their personal lives 01 them All. Tony Curtis was the most visible the country was enchanted by the rags to riches Story of the Bronx born jewish boy Bornie Schwartz he was As Friendly As a Puppy. He became a movie Star millionaire because he was highly motivated talented and brimming with chutzpah Curtis made himself available to the Media. Women loved i Long dark hair and killer Blue eyes. And he loved them. He still enjoys tolling Lales of his Early Days under contract to Universal earning s75 per week. To make t extra Money he rented an undertaker s limousine and drove to the old Hollywood Knickerbocker hotel to pick up tourists promising them a studio tour for 50 cents each and autographed photos of Ann Blyth end Donald o Connor. " was making pretty Good Money Curtis recalled the other Day. I kept telling the guards at the audio Gale the people in the car were my relatives from new York until the Day i drove up with three asians. It put an end to a Good  Curtis remained at Universal where the studio provided him with classes in drama voice gymnastics horsemanship and mime. The paternalism of the studio was Fine with him. At first he was featured in a series termed sex and Sand epics playing arabian nights characters with a Bronx accent the Prince who was a thief and son Ofa Baba. Truckloads of fan mail abetted by publicity hype. Soon made him Universal s Golden boy. Early in his Success Story Curtis married actress Janet Leigh. They were divorced in 1962 at the height of Curtis career. From the Early junk movies Curtis went on to Star in such hits As the defiant ones for which he won an Oscar nomination Kings go Forth trapeze some like it hot spartacus the last tycoon and the great Pace he married twice after his divorce from Leigh to German actress Christine Kaufman and Model Leslie Allen. The three marriages gave him six children Curtis now single worked Only sporadically in the 1970s in a movie or on television. In recent years to suffered bouts of alcoholism and drug addiction both of which he has put behind him. Today after More than to films to his credit Silver haired and 63, Curtis is Back at work As an actor and an Arlist. With typical Curtis Energy he is involved with his second career painting drawing and sculpting. He will hold a one Man Art exhibition april 17 at the Center Art galleries on the hawaiian Island of Maul where paintings and sculptures will be on display he was relaxing in a Corner of the Bel air hotel s dining room in Hollywood he now lives at that posh hostelry when away from his Home on Oahu i be already sold More than 22 canvases for More wednesday March 25, 1987 than $300,000 in Iho last few months Curon said proudly and would rather be known at an Arlist who acts than an actor who paints " Curtis s work 15 Eclectic impressionism and abstraction ism still lifts landscapes and seascapes line drawings and sketches not Many people know i be decided to go Public he said. Some of the paintings in Iho show were done As Early As 1952. Some arc acrylic some Are Oil and some arc water  eight galleries will display fits paintings representing a variety of the 300 works to has Slor cd in Hawaii he said Iho average Cost of a painting is $ 13,000. Curtis relents inference that he is just another celebrity Arlist. Painting is not end has never been a Hobby with him a said. I Don t bes eve actors have any More potential Tor becoming painters simply because they have an artistic Talent he said. You can find painters in All walks of life doctors or ditch diggers. Painting is an unspoken Rig age. It is the original language of the species. Pm who can t understand each other verbally can do it in drawings or pictures. It allows people to relate visually to describe a feeling or an idea. Ii transcends cultures and societies. To to a move Star and a Painter is no More unique than being a dentist and a Painter. The uniqueness is the painting itself going Back to the Cave  Curtis says he finds painting and sculpting More fulfilling creatively than acting. If i want to feel creatively secure As an actor i be got to find a script some other actors a cameraman film and then a critic to Tell me if he likes it or not. It takes a whole  he said. As an artist you need Only a Pencil and paper or a Canvas brushes and paints to express yourself. It takes me three to six Days to Complete an Oil painting but i never leave a painting and get Back to work on it later i Don t work on several paintings at one  among the celebrities who own Curtis originals Are Kirk Douglas Billy Wilder Burl Lancaster Jack Lemmon and Gregory Peck. But Curtis has not abandoned acting for painting he recently returned to Hollywood trom Spain where he starred in the last of Philip banter. He Hopes to Star soon at Columbia pictures in vibes with Dan Aykroyd and Cyndi Lauper. Producer Larry Thompson wants him to Star in a sequel to Houdini. He did t paint during his difficult recovery from drug and alcohol problems i found it difficult to do anything during that period. I was very ill i almost died he said. Now i m 21/ years into my recovery which is an overwhelming experience. I Don t live for anything less than my recovery. Ii has taken Over my life. You can t do it any other Way women loved Curtis killer Blue eyes 1958 photo the stars and stripes Page 13