=Reel One.= At last hearing “Doug” Fairbanks and Mary Pickford were
living here happily in their little grey home in the west, on top of a
big Beverly hill. Every day or so appears a dispatch that the Nevada
authorities intend to dissolve the partnership but this is taken to be
the final, spasmodic throb of a dying determination.
Doug thinks he’s married to Mary. Mary believes she is married to Doug.
Owen Moore, Mary’s former hubby, is quite certain he isn’t married to
Mary and what the state of Nevada thinks isn’t causing any particular
excitement. If Nevada proved a convenient place to arrange the legal
break and figures her dear judges or lawmakers were slip-shoddy she
should get some new judges and lawmakers. What is done is done.
=Reel Two.= Recent presentation of the new Griffith play, “Way Down
East,” caused a laughable situation for those who were aware of the
facts. The laughable situation did not get into the newspapers because
some of our very best families would have suffered humiliation. It
appears that “D. W.” issued several invitations to prominent society
women for the opening night, as his “guests”--though he was in New York.
What a flurry and flutter there was among the high-brows when they
learned that the invites had gone out. Who had been asked? It did not
occur to the high-brow ladies that D. W. Griffith is truly the master
mind of pictures and that his use of Mrs. Belmont in the picture was
smart bait to draw society. Mrs. Belmont really didn’t have much to do
but appear in an up-to-date gown and give Lillian Gish a haughty look.
But society here went daffy when it became known that some society women
had been invited by Mr. Griffith’s representatives, while others had not.
Immediately there was a buzz of phones and considerable indignation,
denouncements and heart-burnings seared the wires. “How came it that Mrs.
Such and So had been invited and ‘I’ have not? It reflects upon my social
standing.”
How crafty old D. W. must have grinned as the reports went into him
of the society ladies’ wrath. For lack of brains, poise and downright
self-respect society women cart off the well known cake. Newspaper women
laughed themselves sick at the coy admissions discreetly tendered them
that “Oh, by the way, Mr. Griffith sent me a personal invitation to be
present at the opening of ‘Way Down East.’” It possibly is stretching it
to say that the paper gals laughed themselves sick. They have become so
used to such situations that they scarcely laugh at all. They just grin
and “bear it”--and proceed openly to kid society in the papers without
society apparently becoming the wiser.
It is almost pitiable to watch fair and heavy matrons, who have done
well, raising a family or starting one, long for a chance to see
themselves upon the screen. They gaze upon Lillian Gish as some ravishly
blessed mortal lifted by the Gods but they see no reason why they would
not be just as good if given a chance.
Much of the nasty gossip which follows prominent picture folk emanates
from the society morgues where every skeleton known to scandal is laid
carefully away for future reference.
The fat ladies of wealth who are unable to fit into the screen take a
girl, perhaps like Lillian Gish, and in seeming fury that the girl has
succeeded, tear what they may of her character to pieces. About any
fashionable hotel where gather the disappointed “widows” and dames whose
husbands have let them come west for a “rest” may be heard the most
intimate details concerning the private life of every person prominent
on the screen. Nine times out of ten these details are featured by
everything but the truth.
Every girl that ever worked for Griffith, whether she knows it or not,
has been the victim of whispers relative to what price she paid for
her success. Griffith is a muchly misunderstood man. He is shrewd, too
smart for the average picture maker. His people appear to reverence
him. Probably no girl regrets her experience and training under this
particular director--though not as much can be said for many other
directors.
The name of Lillian Gish and Griffith have been mentioned in unsavory
tones more than once. The girl is a remarkably fine young woman who
scarcely would know what was meant by the insinuations cast abroad
concerning her and the director. Wherever Lillian goes her mother is not
far away. The two sisters, Lillian and Dorothy, are among the hardest
workers upon the screen. It is understood that the late Robert Harron was
extremely fond of Dorothy and it is understood that this admiration was
not returned in the way that young Harron would have wished.
Harron had a number of sisters, who spent much of their time about the
studios where their brother worked. The Gish and Harron families were
constantly together and a great friendship existed between them all. It
is understood that Dorothy admired Harron tremendously but could not
reciprocate his reported love for her. Bobby Harron was an exceptional
young man from a moral standpoint. He was clean and wholesome. In fact a
number of the Griffith stars have been marked for their personal virtues.
In view of these facts it is a relief to point out that some of the
unmentionable vices which beset Movieland are partially offset by the
cleanliness of many really great stars.
=Reel Three.= One of the greatest “parties” yet staged in Los Angeles,
was given by a well known director several nights ago. Now it should not
be assumed that the picture parties are particularly different than some
of the pajama and kimono parties tendered in Hollywood and Pasadena.
In fact many of the picture ladies “hold out” longer than their more
discreet sisters who get their kick out of a monthly party, whereas a
picture girl has an invite a night and knows every step and parry of the
game.
One of the best known girls of the screen sat in one chair throughout a
recent party and visitors remarked upon her serenity and refusal to rush
the bar.
A wild woman from one of the comedies gave her the once over. “Say,
Edna’s been stewed for two hours and can’t stand up. But she’s got sense
enough to keep still.”
But, referring to the big party. It lasted several days. Some of the
guests went home, changed their clothes and came back again. The affair
must have cost thousands of dollars. The guests were not numerous but
well selected. A number of orchestras were employed, one coming on as one
went off shift.
The host was a man of parts. He employed chauffeurs with cars ready to
grab any guest who wished to stumble home and might possibly not be
deemed able to guide his own car had he come without a driver. Most of
the drivers who came to the party left unceremoniously when the party
waxed late into the next day. Even chauffeurs have feelings.
The newspaper accounts mostly were suave and soft pedally. But it is said
that some of the best newspaper people remembered only the quietness of
the opening hour or so and were in no editorial mood to recollect just
everything that did happen.
=Reel Four.= A great social mix-up occurred at Hollywood the other
morning. One of our best matinee idols, a year or so ago separated from
his wife and half dozen children. He took unto himself another wife. The
decree allowed that the father could have the children part of the time,
or half of the time.
Following his new matrimonial venture the matinee star found himself
blessed one morning with a new baby. Just recently the former wife
emerged from the east and took apartments at one of the most fashionable
Hollywood hotels. She was accompanied by a flock of children.
The moment had come for the former husband to have his time portion of
the children. Bright and early on the day after their arrival they made
for the father’s home, where they were happily received by the foster
mother who showed them their half sister, her own child.
Kids will be kids, so it was no wonder that the mother of the flock was
surprised and amazed during the course of the morning when one of her
brightest young hopes trundled a baby carriage into her room and gaily
announced that he had a new sister to show her. He had come down from
the home of his father and foster mother with sure enough evidence that
father still was raising children.
The papers stated that the mother was threatened with hysteria and bade
her surprised child take his charge back to its father’s home. For comedy
and tragedy, go watch in the halls of childhood.
* * * * *
Eve tempted Adam with an apple. Were you ever tempted by an apple?
* * * * *