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wenty…eight thirty…three。 If you can play football or baseball； that pays thirty…three fifty…eight same as an amputee。 If you ride a camel or an elephant； it's fifty…five ninety…four。 Take my advice； forget about being an extra。 Go for a bit part。〃
〃I'm not sure what the difference is；〃 Jill confessed。
〃A bit player's got at least one line to say。 Extras ain't allowed to talk； except the omnies。〃
〃The what？〃
''The omnies the ones who make background noises。〃
〃First thing you gotta do is get yourself an agent。〃
〃How do I find one？〃
〃They're listed in the Screen Actor。 That's the magazine the Screen Actors Guild puts out。 I got a copy in my room。 I'll get it。〃
They all looked through the list of agents with Jill； and finally narrowed it down to a dozen of the smaller ones。 The consensus of opinion was that Jill would not have a chance at a large agency。
Armed with the list； Jill began to make the rounds。 The first six agents would not even talk to her。 She ran into the seventh as he was leaving his office。
〃Excuse me；〃 Jill said。 〃I'm looking for an agent。〃
He eyed her a moment and said； 〃Let's see your portfolio。〃
She stared at him blankly。 〃My what？〃
〃You must have just gotten off the bus。 You can't operate in this town without a book。 Get some pictures taken。 Different poses。 Glamour stuff。 Tits and ass。〃
Jill found a photographer in Culver City near the David Seiznick Studios； who did her portfolio for thirty…five dollars。 She picked up the pictures a week later and was very pleased with them。 She looked beautiful。 All of her moods had been captured by the camera。 She was pensive 。。。 angry 。。。 loving 。。。 sexy。 The photographer had bound the pictures together in a book with looseleaf cellophane pages。
〃At the front here；〃 he explained； 〃you put your acting credits。〃
Credits。 That was the next step。 By the end of the next two weeks； Jill had seen； or tried to see； every agent on her list。 None of them was remotely interested。 One of them told her；
〃You were in here yesterday； honey。〃
She shook her head。 〃No； I wasn't。〃
〃Well； she looked exactly like you。 That's the problem。 You all look like Elizabeth Taylor or Lana Turner or Ava Gardner。 If you were in any other town trying to get a job in any other business； everybody would grab you。 You're beautiful； you're sexy…looking； and you've got a great figure。 But in Hollywood； looks are a drug on the market。 Beautiful girls e here from all over the world。 They starred in their high school play or they won a beauty contest or their boyfriend told them they ought to be in pictures … and whammo！ They flock here by the thousands； and they're all the same girl。 Believe me； honey； you were in here yesterday。〃
The boarders helped Jill make a new list of agents。 Their offices were smaller and the locations were in the cheap…rent district； but the results were the same。
〃e back when you've got some acting experience； kid。 You're a looker； and for all I know you could be the greatest thing since Garbo； but I can't waste my time finding out。 You go get yourself a screen credit and I'll be your agent。〃
〃How can I get a screen credit if no one will give me a job？〃
He nodded。 〃Yeah。 That's the problem。 Lots of luck。〃
There was only one agency left on Jill's list； remended by a girl she had sat next to at the Mayflower Coffee Shop on Hollywood Boulevard。 The Dunning Agency was located in a small bungalow off La Cienega in a residential area。 Jill had telephoned for an appointment； and a woman had told her to e in at six o'clock。 Jill found herself in a small office that had once been someone's living room。 There was an old scarred desk littered with papers； a fake…leather couch mended with white surgical tape and three rattan chairs scattered around the room。 A tall； heavyset woman with a pockmarked face came out of another room and said；
〃Hello。 Can I help you？〃
〃I'm Jill Castle。 I have an appointment to see Mr。 Dunning。〃
〃Miss Dunning；〃 the woman said。 〃That's me。〃
〃Oh；〃 said Jill； in surprise。 〃I'm sorry； I thought 〃
The woman's laugh was warm and friendly。 〃It doesn't matter。〃 But it does matter； Jill thought； filled with a sudden excitement。 Why hadn't it occurred to her before？ A woman agent！ Someone who had gone through all the traumas； someone who would understand what it was like for a young girl just starting out。 She would be more sympathetic than any man could ever be。
〃I see you brought your portfolio；〃 Miss Dunning was saying。 〃May I look at it？〃
〃Certainly；〃 Jill said。 She handed it over。 The woman sat down； opened the portfolio and began to turn the pages； nodding approval。 〃The camera likes you。〃
Jill did not know what to say。 〃Thank you。〃
The agent studied the pictures of Jill in a bathing suit。 〃You've got a good figure。 That's important。 Where you from？〃
〃Texas；〃 Jill said。 〃Odessa。〃
〃How long have you been in Hollywood； Jill？〃
〃About two months。〃
〃How many agents have you been to？〃
For an instant； Jill was tempted to lie； but there was nothing but passion and understanding in the woman's eyes。 〃About thirty； I guess。〃
The agent laughed。 〃So you finally got down to Rose Dunnins。 Well； you could have done worse。 I'm not MCA or William Morris； but I keep my people working。〃
〃I haven't had any acting experience。〃
The woman nodded； unsurprised。 〃If you had； you'd be at MCA or William Morris。 I'm a kind of breaking…in station。 I get the kids with talent started； and then the big agencies snatch them away from me。〃
For the first time in weeks； Jill began to feel a sense of hope。 〃Do do you think you'd be interested in handling me？〃 she asked。
The woman smiled。 〃I have clients working who aren't half as pretty as you。 I think I can put you to work。 That's the only way you'll ever get experience； right？〃
Jill felt a glow of gratitude。 〃The trouble with this damned town is that they won't give kids like you a chance。 All the studios scream that they're desperate for new talent； and then they put up a big wall and won't let anybody in。 Well； we'll fool 'em。 I know of three things you might be right for。 A daytime soap； a bit in the Toby Temple picture and a part in the new Tessie Brand movie。〃
Jill's head was spinning。 〃But would they ？〃
〃If I remend you； they'll take you。 I don't send clients who aren't good。 They're just bit parts； you understand； but it will be a start。〃
〃I can't tell you how grateful I'd be；〃 Jill said。
〃I think I've got the soap…opera script here。〃 Rose Dunning lumbered to her feet； pushing herself out of her chair； and walked into the next room； beckoning Jill to follow her。 The room was a bedroom with a double bed in a corner under a window and a metal filing cabinet in the opposite corner。 Rose Dunning waddled over to the filing cabinet； opened a drawer； took out a script and brought it over to Jill。
〃Here we are。 The casting director is a good friend of mine； and if you e through on this； he'll keep you busy。〃
〃I'll e through；〃 Jill promised fervently。
The agent smiled and said； 〃Course； I can't send over a pig in a poke。 Would you mind reading for me？〃
〃No。