Introduction

 'Early Career'  1

 

In the end, Peter’s family played a key role in his decision to go west. His brother Jim Arness, who had dropped the ‘U’ from his surname because it was difficult to pronounce, had moved to Los Angeles after the war and was starting his acting career.

One summer while still at university, Peter visited Jim and was very impressed.

 

But, in 1949, a few months before he was due to graduate, the pull of Hollywood was too strong to ignore any longer, and Peter with his good friend Jack Smight finally made it to Los Angeles.

A concerned James met Peter at the Los Angeles Union Station, but told him, “My advice to you, is to get on that train and go right back. Things are terrible here.” But Peter, still using the family name ‘Aurness’ didn’t go back, and after a while, things got better. 

Joan followed them a few months later and with their finances on a knifes edge, she found work as a dentist’s receptionist. With Joan's father keeping an eye on the pair of them, and living together heavily frowned on back then, she found accommodation a few blocks away.

It was clear from the beginning that while Peter was trying to find acting work, he would also have to find employment elsewhere. In order to make ends meet, he would sell goods door to door, paint house numbers on the curb stones, and drive a cab. At the cost of 10c for a chilly dog, he regularly ate at Pinks, 709 North LA Brea. Los Angeles, CA 90038. And by 1946, he was one of their regulars.

On a recent trip to Los Angeles, I was pleased to find Pinks is still in business, and they have pictures of all the stars that frequented their premises over the years, Mr. Graves being one of them. (see bottom left 3rd picture in).

 

Pinks today.

 

Still, money was tight, so at night Peter took small parts in local theatres like the Pasadena Playhouse, which he also hoped would bring him to the notice of talent agents or producers who sometimes scouted the theatres for new talent. Influenced by the stars of that era, Peter knew exactly the kind of actor he wanted to be.