Hollywood (Jan - Oct 1934)

A noted author gives his amazing analysis of Sex and Romance in Movielandl by DONALD HENDERSON CLARKE Author of "Mitli*," "John Barter, Jr./' ond "Ft/rule" J** Ramdn ISovarro ii extremely popular with the fair sex in Hollywood but he i$ the exception to the rule that the pa$»ion of men for athtetlc* is one of the rea$on$ for Hollywood's $ex-$tarvaHon — Erntst Bachrafh Sari Maritzn and Robert Young may indulge in love scene* for the c a m e r a $ without comment but after art innocent appearance in public together gossip mill have them engaged —Ernest Bachrach Gene Raymond and DoloreM Del Rio in a love scene from Flying Down to Rio. The making of movie* discourage* romance *fiv.i Donald Hen demon Clarke Whv LOVE is Doomed — Frrehci lleautie*t *uch at Kay Hughe*, wearing the *canlie*l garb imaginable are a commonplace at the studio* Dill despite this Hollywood i* the most sextets toirn in the world I A Bevy Of Chorus Girls in outfits that would make a beach patrolman reach for his measuring tape strolled along the studio path. On a nearby stage, a red haired star stepped under the glare of giant lights, faced an audience of fifty odd technicians, laborers and actors, and wearing little more than it would take to cover a couple of postage stamps, played a scorching love scene with a handsome young leading man. Sex, one might say, in a big way. As a matter of fact, for all its undraped beauties and passionate screen embraces, Hollywood is the most sexless town in the world. It has more sex appeal decorating its stages, walking its boulevards and adorning the nearby beaches than any other place of its size, bar none. Nevertheless, it is a sex-starved community. • One hears of wild parties and gay orgies in the home of the talking flickers. Divorce stories and scandal yarns make beautiful black headlines. Pictures of scantily attired ladies of name and fame thrill males from Podunk to Cairo. It's a rare film that one of our more shapely cinema queens gets through without a bit of undressing for audience enjoyment. That's one side of the Hollywood scene. It's the side that goes out for public consumption. No one can accuse Hollywood of not taking advantage of the commercial angles of sex appeal, or the newspapers of playing down the sensational stories that occasionally break. But in its private life, Hollywood is about as chaste as an Olympic athlete in training. Certainly there are a few wild parties. Of course there are love affairs. But there isn't as much wild partying and cheating going on in the film city as there is in the average small town, where half the husbands are chasing some other fellow's wife. The newcomer to Hollywood will find the picture folk ? deal more interested in keeping fit to hold down then jobs than they are in dallying with the flesh pots. The visiting male will be warned to wear his overcoat HOLLYWOOD in HOLLYWOOD! when he goes out in the evening. He will be told of dangerous changes of climate, and will listen too long, if not learned discussions on the central foci of infection. He will know within ten minutes which is the sportiest golf course in the vicinity, he will be advised by all means to go to the Hollywood Bowl concerts, and he will hear a lecture on the benefits of sun baths. Finally, he will be asked if he wants a girl. He can take his choice, so far as type is concerned, his host will assure him. Redheads, blondes and brunettes, all of them beautiful, are available. If he says "no," the host's eyes will brighten, and a vast relief will show on his face. Like a good fellow, he was just trying to do his hospitable duty. No personal enthusiasm was connected with his offer to arrange a party. He will swing immediately into the newest story about the dumb supervisor, go on describing the non-feminine charms of Hollywood, or hurry his guest off to a tennis match. • Naturally, even the busiest Hollywoodians have their moments of relaxation, and they don't spend all of them listening to concerts or sunning themselves on apartment house roofs. Fans read about Ginger Rogers and Lew Ayres stepping out at the Grove. Jack Oakie squiring Mary Brian at the Mirimar Club, and Franchot Tone dimng Joan Crawford at the Brown Derby. It's true, as I ve seen them myself. I've also been to a few Hollywood parties. I came home from one of them so tired I could scarcely walk. It was a veritable orgv. First there was tennis, hours of it, under the arcs of a lighted court. Then there was a swim in the pool. After that, the crowd broke up into ping pong twosomes, chess duos, and parcnesi cliques. , , , , Warner Baxter walked off with the tennis laurels. John Monk Saunders showed the way to the other swimmers and Fay Wray copped the ping pong championship i lost the price of a dinner at parchesi. JANUARY. 1934 • Its passion for sports is one of the answers to Hollywood's sex starvation. As a still beautiful character actress who is approaching middle age remarked: "these athletic chaps seldom make good lovers. All they are interested in is their handsome bodies. They wear themselves out with their sport stunts and haven't any energy left for making love. To be an accomplished lover is an art. The Hollywood men have neglected that art." Lest some young athletic star take offense at that, it might be well to call attention to the old saying that exceptions prove the rule. Whether or not he was an accomplished Romeo. Joe] McCrea, before his marriage to Fronces Dee, wos one of the most popular young blades with the film colony's fair sex. This same McCrea is also one of the leading athlete*. He rides, swims, plays tennis, and in his college days he used to toss the discus out of the township. One day I saw him leave a set at the RKO-Radio studios with an unexpected half day of freedom ahead of him. "Where are you bound?" Bill Seiter asked him. "Beach," McCrea answered. "Johnny Weissmuller and I are going to have a swim." That's the young man about Hollywood's typical afternoon off. That leads right up to the principal reason Hollywood's sex life isn't all it might be. There are mighty f«w .ifternoons off for the real topnotchers in the business. • To the newcomer, the demands the screen makes upon the time and energies of its workers is almost incredible. Naturally, the strain is most intense upon those in the creative end of the business. Ex< ic seldom leave their desks before eight or nine o'clock, and buring the midnight oil is often a figure of speech only in so far as the oil is concerned. Actors and actresses have to be up at six o'clock to meet their nine o'clock calls. The day's shooting usually