She said "No;" one of the manufacturers showed her the letter.
I said, "For God sakes, this is ridiculous, I never heard of such a
thing."
So when I come back to New York I right away went to see all of them.
They said, some were laughing about it. But some I know they had a
little something behind their heads.
Mr. JENNER. They were worried?
Mrs. DE MOHRENSCHILDT. Yes; even a thing like that, a prank like that,
already set people thinking. And do you know that I could not get a job
in New York, just because of that? And, fortunately, being in Texas, I
switched to designing dresses and sportswear, and I had two jobs in no
time in that market.
And I was able to get--I lost my job in Texas while I was in Europe
because of that.
He sent that to my employer.
I never told that--I don't know if my present husband knows it--because
that would really kill him, a thing like that.
But it was eventually straightened out. But I was actually out, I
couldn't get a job, my daughter had to go to the university, I had to
send her money. I had nothing.
Mr. JENNER. Where was she attending a university?
Mrs. DE MOHRENSCHILDT. UCLA.
Mr. JENNER. When was this?
Mrs. DE MOHRENSCHILDT. In 1957. Fall of 1957.
Mr. JENNER. Did your daughter come to live with you right after she
was----
Mrs. DE MOHRENSCHILDT. She came over for summer.
Mr. JENNER. In 1957?
Mrs. DE MOHRENSCHILDT. Yes; I will tell you. It is really a very tragic
thing. I knew I should have dropped this when she was 6 years old,
because he was a very, very wonderful person, her father. But we just
had different views on life, and liked to do entirely different things.
And he just could not adapt himself to the country.
I know a few people that when they lose everything they are lost.
Whatever we had, it is never the same. It never was good enough. Our
daughter would never have what we had in childhood.
He was from a very wealthy family, and, fortunately, I was, too.
I said, "For goodness sakes, who cares? We are alive. How many people
are dead already? We are here. It is a new country. We will make what
we want to make out of it."
I started from $25 a week. And in New York I was making $1,100 a week.
That is what you can do in this country, if you put your mind to it,
and you work. And if you don't have a negative attitude.
But he could not. Even when we had a nice home in California, with
beautiful bay window, and the ocean, you can see Catalina Island and
everything. He said, "No; at our house we had 30 people for dinner
every day." It is awful. He never could get adjusted to it.
Mr. JENNER. But he wasn't earning a living, was he?
Mrs. DE MOHRENSCHILDT. No; he wasn't. He was always--you see, I
understand from talking to doctors--he was off for quite a while, which
I didn't know. I didn't know it. And it never occurred to me. We were
brought up maybe 200 years set back. This was the husband, and that is
the way it is, and that is the way it is going to be, so whatever it
is that is how it is going to stay. So it never occurred to me there
could be different ways, something wrong with him mentally. In fact, my
brother many times mentioned he should go to a psychiatrist and find
out why he should have such an attitude, but I laughed at my brother.
Unfortunately, maybe I should have listened to him.
Mr. JENNER. Tell us a little bit--you came to this country. Did you and
your husband attempt to resort again to your ballroom dancing?
Mrs. DE MOHRENSCHILDT. We were supposed to. We had auditions with Moss
and Hart, very successful. And we were almost ready to have a contract
in the Rainbow Room. And then I became pregnant with my little girl.
And that really shattered us to pieces. We are awfully happy to have
a child, but that was not the time to have the child. We had to leave
everything in China, because we had to cross all Japan. So that was--at
the time it was just like a tragedy. And after she was born, I could
never dance.
Mr. JENNER. Now, after the birth of your daughter, did you--what did
you do to sustain your family?
Mrs. DE MOHRENSCHILDT. I stayed home for 1 year. We just lived on
whatever he made. Because I wanted to bring her up--I don't believe in
nurses. I like to bring my own child up, train her for everything, in
whatever a little baby should be trained.
And then if he could possibly make a little better, I would not go to
work.
But then I saw he is not getting any better, but he is getting more and
more depressed, and is getting worse. He just didn't care. He had that
attitude, "I don't care." I said if that is his attitude, if I don't do
something, my daughter will have nothing altogether. So I started to
think. What could I do? I spoke English, but crazy pigeon English.
I couldn't do anything architecturally, because I don't know the
terminology. I can automatically make the drawings, but I would not be
able to render it. It would be impossible for me to have anything.
And then actually, without knowing anything, I became a model. I had
two lessons, and I pretended that I was very experienced. I fooled
everybody. And I somehow got a job as a model.
And then--at one place it didn't work out, because it was very
depressing and horrible atmosphere. On Seventh Avenue it is no joke.
Mr. JENNER. My daughter is a model.
Mrs. DE MOHRENSCHILDT. Probably with a good firm.
I have a couple of firms that are fantastic. And then I switched to
Leeds Ltd. And within 1 year, from modeling, from 25, I became in
charge of the showroom. I was selling, I was selecting fabrics, and
became a stylist.
And then gradually my salary was increasing and increasing, and I have
been with them for 7 years.
But to start with, I worked 7 days a week. I worked even Sunday, until
1 o'clock--that is how hard I worked.
And the very same firm paid me in 1957 to design a collection for them,
the same clothes I did 10 years ago--$500 for 5 days, for 4-1/2 days.
So you see what you can do if you put yourself to it. Only in the
United States.
Mr. JENNER. A country of opportunity.
Mrs. DE MOHRENSCHILDT. If you want to.
That is what Marina--that is why I get mad with her. I told her,
"Marina, look at me."
Let's not talk about Marina now.
Mr. JENNER. I want to get to that. But I would like to cover this
background first.
You continued as a designer?
Mrs. DE MOHRENSCHILDT. Yes; I switched firms.
Mr. JENNER. Of Leeds Wearing Apparel?
Mrs. DE MOHRENSCHILDT. Yes; then I started to travel to Europe.
Mr. JENNER. You made frequent trips to Europe?
Mrs. DE MOHRENSCHILDT. Twice a year.
Mr. JENNER. All right. Now, eventually, you reached Texas. How did that
happen?
Mrs. DE MOHRENSCHILDT. Well, my daughter had asthma. She is a very
allergic child. And her health was really terrible. In spite of all the
care given to her, she just could not stand the New York climate. And
our family doctor said the only way to save her--she was getting really
sick from antibiotics and penicillin--is to change the climate.
So I was very anxious to change the climate--going to California, that
was my aim.
But I could not reach California. Mr. Gold, of Nardis Sportswear in New
York, wanted to open a suit department. And, of course, the buyers did
know me all over the country--the same buyers--recommended to get in
touch with me and engage me. And it was pretty good. It was $20,000 a
year, plus two trips to Europe, with expenses paid, and about $7,000 to
buy the models--you just cannot go in and look at the shows.
So I decided I am going to go and do it. And Texas is better
climatewise than New York.
And, believe me, my daughter never had asthma since she left New York.
It is a fantastic change.
Mr. JENNER. Now, when did you go to Texas?
Mrs. DE MOHRENSCHILDT. I went to Texas in 1953, I believe.
Mr. JENNER. 1953. Did your husband accompany you?
Mrs. DE MOHRENSCHILDT. I came in the summer, and then I had to go
immediately to Europe. And he came over in the fall, when my daughter
returned from camp. He came over in the fall, and then shipped all the
furniture.
In the meanwhile, I stayed with the Golds. They have a very big
mansion----
Mr. JENNER. Your husband left Dallas?
Mrs. DE MOHRENSCHILDT. Yes; he came in the fall of 1953.
Mr. JENNER. He came in the fall from New York City?
Mrs. DE MOHRENSCHILDT. Yes.
Mr. JENNER. And he was there--how long did he stay?
Mrs. DE MOHRENSCHILDT. He stayed there until about February of 1954.
Mr. JENNER. And then he did what?
Mrs. DE MOHRENSCHILDT. Then he went to California.
Mr. JENNER. Was he working?
Mrs. DE MOHRENSCHILDT. No; he went to visit my brother for holidays.
We always tried to go to California instead of going to Miami, to be
with my brother. And he liked it so much, and we wanted so much to move
to California. So we thought if he goes there, maybe he can locate
something while I finish my contract. My contract was expiring in the
spring of 1954.
Mr. JENNER. Your contract with Nardis?
Mrs. DE MOHRENSCHILDT. Yes; then I would go there, also, also in the
late spring or early summer--maybe he can locate something in the
meanwhile, in California.
And then I was very lucky. It was Mr. Gold's tough luck. But it was
good luck for me, because he was indicted for taxes. There was a
tremendous scandal. And he had two buildings--he lost one of the
buildings. In other words, he could not afford even to go into the
suit operation, and go ahead with it. So he was very glad that I asked
for release, and he was glad to give it to me. He thought I am going
to demand money and everything, because he wants to drop the contract
before. And I was very glad. It worked out very nice for me. We
remained good friends. And then I went to California.
Mr. JENNER. Did you work in California?
Mrs. DE MOHRENSCHILDT. Yes; I worked with Style Garments, a coat and
suit firm.
Mr. JENNER. Is that the name of it?
Mrs. DE MOHRENSCHILDT. Style Garments. They are out of business now.
The owners were interested in real estate. And they went into real
estate. So the firm closed up.
Mr. JENNER. How long did you remain in California?
Mrs. DE MOHRENSCHILDT. Actually living in one spot--that was 1954. I
think it was 1955, spring, I received an offer from Dallas, to fly
just for 2 or 3 weeks, and design a collection of suits. It was for I.
Clark. That was wonderful.
Mr. JENNER. That took you back to Dallas?
Mrs. DE MOHRENSCHILDT. On and off. I just went for a few weeks. You
see, I designed a suit collection, and I went back. And then they asked
me to come over and do some more dresses. So I started to go there back
and forth. And also, at the same time, going to New York to buy fabrics
for the firm, and at the same time I decided, well, if I do that, I
might do the same type of work in New York. If I can fly to New York
to buy fabrics, I can design in a few weeks, and make a few thousand
dollars.
I designed a collection for Handmacher. I designed a collection for
Leeds. One week I got $1,100. So you can see what can happen.
But that really was getting me. Because it went on until 1956 fall. I
was on the plane more than off the plane. And it wasn't very good for
my daughter. She was already 14, 15.
Mr. JENNER. You had custody of your daughter?
Mrs. DE MOHRENSCHILDT. In the divorce?
Mr. JENNER. Were you taking your daughter on these trips?
Mrs. DE MOHRENSCHILDT. Oh, no; how could I? She was going to school all
the time.
Mr. JENNER. Was she going to school in California?
Mrs. DE MOHRENSCHILDT. Yes; going to high school.
Mr. JENNER. Eventually, did you take up permanent residence in Dallas?
Mrs. DE MOHRENSCHILDT. I took up permanent residence at the time when I
told my husband I am going to divorce him, and that was early fall of
1956.
Mr. JENNER. And you went to Dallas?
Mrs. DE MOHRENSCHILDT. I went to Dallas.
Mr. JENNER. Did you take your daughter with you?
Mrs. DE MOHRENSCHILDT. No; I did not.
Mr. JENNER. She was then what age?
Mrs. DE MOHRENSCHILDT. She was 15. And I have a reason for doing that,
because I just couldn't do it to her father. He would be completely
killed. The only thing left--he doesn't have any relatives at all. He
doesn't have a single soul in this world. In fact, I tell you--in the
divorce case, I insisted that he will have custody, so by giving her
money, he will have money to live on, too.
If I took the daughter, I could not give him money to live on--he
wouldn't take it. But if he had custody of the child then she will be
provided for, and he could still keep on going with that.
So that was the thing. But it worked out the other way--when he
completely turned in rage. He even, when I flew to California he
wouldn't let me see her. I had to get a sheriff to see her. Now, I
understand.
Mr. JENNER. He is in a mental institution in California now?
Mrs. DE MOHRENSCHILDT. Yes. He was, on and off, and finally he is
there. He seems to be incurable.
Mr. JENNER. Now, when did you meet your present husband?
Mrs. DE MOHRENSCHILDT. 1956.
Mr. JENNER. When you came back to Dallas?
Mrs. DE MOHRENSCHILDT. To design a collection. I was working there.
Mr. JENNER. And did his daughter as well as your daughter join you?
Mrs. DE MOHRENSCHILDT. She did, but later on.
Mr. JENNER. When was that?
Mrs. DE MOHRENSCHILDT. She joined us in, I think, the spring of 1959.