A reporter in search of information once wired Cary Grant's agent: "HOW OLD CARY GRANT?" Grant, having happened upon the message himself, soon wired back: "OLD CARY GRANT FINE. HOW YOU?"

[At the age of nine, the future star came home from school one day and was told that his mother had gone off to a seaside resort; in fact she had been checked into a mental institution -- where she remained for years (Grant did not see her again until his late 20s). He left school at 14 and, lying about his age and forging a letter of consent, joined Bob Pender's troupe of pantomime comedians. In 1920 he was one of eight Pender Boys selected to go to America; their show on Broadway, "Good Times," ran for 456 performances and Grant was on his way to stardom]