Featured Interview
Charlotte "Charlie" Steele

—by Hollywood Correspondent Louise "Sparkle" Sanders (Senior Editor of "The Hollywood Scene" for The Tinseltown Tattler)

I recently had the pleasure of spending an afternoon with Major Charlie Steele, the leader of Hollywood's famed Metro Marauders, and the moving force behind the formation of our nation's air militia. I wasn't sure what to expect as the sleek limo Miss Steele sent for me pulled up in front of the massive carved doors of the Steele rancho on Sunset Boulevard, but I was delightfully surprised when the young aviatrix herself came out to meet me.

There is no other way to describe Charlie Steele than stunningly beautiful. Her shimmering platinum hair frames a heart-shaped face dominated by wide violet eyes. She was wearing a simple, but obviously expensive outfit—a cream-colored, wide-shouldered silk shirt and a tailored pair of khaki slacks with knife pleats that would have passed military inspection. Italian leather shoes, a strand of pearls (real, of course), a pair of gold Tiffany earrings, and a man's watch completed the ensemble.

She took me on a quick tour of the spacious mansion, which is full of rare antiques that her father, Edward Steele (and the most powerful movie producer in Hollywood) has collected over the years. Then she led me out onto a tiled veranda that overlooks an Olympic-sized pool where many of Hollywood's glitterati have been known to take a dip. A delightful array of Mexican hors d'oeuvres were accompanied by a pitcher of very spicy Bloody Marys, and Miss Steele did the hostess honors herself as we began to chat...

Sparkle: "Should I call you Major or Miss Steele or—"

Charlie: (with a warm smile) "Please, call me Charlie."

Sparkle: "I have so many questions, Charlie. You've accomplished quite a lot for such a young woman. Have you always been interested in flying?"

Charlie: (there was a brief clenching along her jaw before she answered) "No, actually it all happened quite...suddenly. Let's just say that I didn't have a lot of choice in the matter, but the important thing is that once I got serious about it, I was lucky to have the patient guidance of my dear friend Norm [referring to Norm Houston, an old acquaintance of the Steele family for many years and a seasoned pilot]."

Sparkle: "Your name has been linked with some of the most eligible bachelors around. Is there a special fella in your life?"

Charlie: "I really don't have a lot of time for romance, considering my responsibilities with the Marauders. Keeping a watchful eye on the borders of Hollywood is pretty much a full-time job."

Sparkle: "Is there any truth to the rumor that you and [air-pirate] Nathan Zachary are close friends."

Charlie: "No, there isn't. I've never been formally introduced to Mr. Zachary."

Sparkle: "What's your reaction to Loyle Crawford's comments about you and the Marauders?"

Charlie: (smiles coldly) "If I worried about what every two-bit fly-boy across the continent had to say about me, I'd never get anything done! To be honest, I have never put much stock in Mr. Crawford's arrogant antics, and his recent brush with the law just confirms my suspicion that he is really concerned more about himself than about his squadron. We don't put up with that kind of behavior in Hollywood."

Sparkle: (sensing that I was treading pretty close to the line here) "Alright, then. Let's talk for a minute about the planes, especially the Firebrand."

Charlie: (speaking with great intensity) "We were extremely lucky to get a pair of them so that we could run advanced trials. As you probably know, they are basically all wing, with a vertical aileron and no tail assembly, so they do look a little strange. However, with their dual Allison X-900s, they can peel off and climb pretty quickly. And they pack quite a punch with two .50-caliber and two .70-caliber guns. We hadn't expected that we would have to take them into combat as quickly as we did, but they came through for us."

Sparkle: "I've heard reports of some fuel consumption problems with them. Did you notice any difficulties?"

Charlie: "Firebrands do drink fuel a lot faster than our other planes, but as long as we keep an eye on the gauges, it's a minor inconvenience in exchange for overall performance and power. The other great thing about the Firebrand is the tandem cockpit, which means that one of us can navigate while the other one shoots. I think this is really going to be something we'll be seeing more and more."

Sparkle: "What about the increased risk on bail-out from the Firebrand?"

Charlie: "As a rule, Hollywood militia don't bail out of their planes, so it's not really an issue."

Sparkle: "Is it true that Howard Hughes is the main benefactor of the Hollywood militia squads?"

Charlie: "We have many generous people in our great nation, one of whom is Mr. Hughes. He is a great man and a great aviator, and we're proud to have whatever support he is willing to give us."

Sparkle: "Charlie, with your great looks and your connections, it seems that a career in the movies would have been a more natural choice for you, rather than 'daring aviatrix.'"

Charlie: (chuckles) "I get my picture taken so often these days it seems like I am in the movies! Seriously, I wouldn't want to be doing anything else. Insuring the safety of our nation is the most important job anyone can have, and I'm proud to be flying with the incredible people we have in the Marauders."

Sparkle: "I always end my interviews with a couple of short little questions. What is your favorite song, what is your favorite restaurant, and what is your favorite dance?"

Charlie: "Hmm, let's see. "It's Only a Paper Moon," Chasen's, and the tango."