One of Hollywood's best kept secrets has been the years-old bond of affection between actress Piper Laurie and singer Dick Contino. You've read about Piper and her other romances, producer Leonard Goldstein, actor Dick Anderson, hotel heir David Schine, crooner Vic Damone and movie executive Charles Simonelli: but until recently there has been no public mention of the young singing accordionist.
Costino, in a case that made national headlines a few years ago, was sentenced to jail for evading the draft. Studio executives- not Piper- believed that any connection between them, however remote, might affect her career adversely. Contino was released and promptly volunteered for military service and the Army shipped him to Korea. He was returned to California and honorably discharged in January. When he got back to Hollywood the first girl he phoned was Piper Laurie. "We had a lot to talk over so we went riding around town, and then, the next time I took her to Mocambo and the camera boys took our pictures, and well- and it was just wonderful seeing and being with her again."
Piper and Dick had met three years before "the incident" as he calls it. "I asked a movie magazine editor for her phone number," he remembers. "She was very nice and gave me a date. We saw quite a bit of each other." "This is a funny kind of town, and when you're on top the way I was (Contino used to average $5,000 per week as a night club performer), everyone is your pal. The minute something happens all your pals walk out. But during the troubles Piper stood by me. When things were darkest she wrote me letters, gave me encouragement. She has a lot of character. She's been over to Korea twice in her spare time just to entertain the troops. I saw her over there about a year ago, and it was just like the sun coming out of the clouds."
While Contino was overseas, Piper went out with Producer Leonard Goldstein, of whom she says, "He's old enough to be my father, but he's a friend, not a romantic interest. The columnists insist on coupling us, so I don't argue, but Leonard is a man with whom I discuss my problems." With Dick Contino she discusses marriage, love, and the pursuit of happiness. Piper is proud of her friendship with Dick and doesn't care who knows about it. If Dick made a mistake, certainly he's paid for it.
Says Contino, "Piper is one girl in a million, and I know it. Sure, we've discussed marriage. But we both know I've got to re-establish myself in show business, that I've got to work like a dog, that I've got to be accepted again by the American public. (Contino started his comeback at the Macombo on March 2.) "Piper's her own career to think of, and neither of us is ready for a wedding. At least I'm not- not for several years. There's one thing I can't say strongly enough. This girl stood my when the going was the toughest. If she wanted it, she could have my right arm. That's how much I think of her. Maybe she'll fall in love and marry someone else. But she'll always have a friend in me. She is the finest girl I've ever met."
It seems that Piper Laurie feels much the same way about Dick Contino. Which is why you will be reading about the beautiful redhead and her handsome accordionist. This looks like real romance, the first real romance in Piper Laurie's twenty-two years.

The article is accompanied by a small black and white photo of Piper and Dick- Piper Laurie and accordionist D. Contino