Etta Kett #11

When a glamorous film premiere rolls into Etta's small town, she spots her chance to help her father with the big event—only to discover that a mysterious newcomer has also arrived, vying to become "Queen of the Ball!" Etta and the local crowd grow suspicious of the blonde stranger's real intentions, setting up a contest between ambition and hometown loyalty that'll be decided by an applause meter.

When a fed-up movie star named Gable Taylor sneaks away from his public duties in disguise, he ends up on a blind date with Etta Kett—who has no idea she's dating Hollywood's biggest heartthrob. As the town searches frantically for the missing celebrity and Etta prepares for her big night as queen of the movie ball, circumstances conspire to bring them together in the most unexpected way.

When Etta dreams up a fake marriage to Pete Perkins as cover for pursuing a movie career in Hollywood, her scheme kicks into high gear—complete with a hastily announced "wedding" that leaves her parents reeling. But keeping the pretense alive proves trickier than expected when Pete starts getting a little too comfortable with his new "bride," and Etta's forced to juggle her Hollywood ambitions with keeping her cover story from unraveling. Written with a teen's scheming energy and illustrated with classic 1948 humor, "Cinema Career!" is a lighthearted romp through one girl's bid for stardom.

Etta Kett lands a role in Carol Carrol's summer theatre production at the lake, eager to prove herself as an actress when word arrives that a Hollywood talent scout will be watching the show. But when the old-time movie star discovers the scout is actually there to see Etta—not her—Carol decides to take the leading role herself, forcing Etta to step aside just as her big break appears within reach. Will Etta get her moment on stage, or will Carol's desperation for a comeback steal the show?