Clint Learns There's No Secrets in Recipes
By Freida Zylstra
Chicago Tribune
June 16, 1967
Handsome Clint Ritchie is acting when he plays machine-gun Jack McGurn in the movie,
The St. Valentine's Day Massacre. But it's for real when he turns on the talent as handyman around the house, mending and refinishing furniture, remodeling and cooking.
"I'm still a novice cook, though," he said. "I can make anything short order, but I've only recently begun to work with recipes. They used to scare me."
Clint's success on the screen so far has come as a surprise to him. "Just think," he said, "I'm in a top movie with the great Jason Robards Jr. [who plays Al Capone in the Twentieth Century-Fox movie]. Clint's only other movie role was a bit part in
Sand Pebbles with Steve McQueen. His first professional performance was in the play "No Time for Sergeants," with Jerry Van Dyke, at Melodyland south of Los Angeles.
Clint was born in North Dakota. When he was 7 his family moved to Washington. He worked at dozens of odd jobs on dairy farms and construction sites before making "big money" as a director of men's gyms. He came to Hollywood in '62 to try his talent as an actor.
Clint lives in a rambling ranch style house in the San Fernando valley. Like the confirmed bachelor he is - for the time being - he takes charge of domestic chores. He considers himself lucky when he has dinner guests who can give him extra cooking lessons.
"So far I haven't found many gals who know their way around the kitchen," he said. "Sometimes I think it's a lost art among them."
Clint's mother and two sisters are excellent cooks. "They like to send me homemade breads and cookies and candies," he said.
An unexpected dinner guest or two never upsets Clint because he has the refrigerator stocked with steaks and chops - and now that he has discovered "there's nothing to cooking" he usually has an over-ready roast around. "I also like baked potatoes and yams," he said. "They help to round out any meal."
1935: Future daytime legend 
