The New Movie Magazine (Dec 1929-May 1930)

Home Town Stories of the Stars (Continued from i><ige 75) "Aunt" Lila Tucker, nurse of William Haines, the movie star. Aunt Lila became a servant in the family of Haines' grandparents and continued in their service for two generations. church school records show William was a regular attendant in early life. William's father and grandfather were cigar manufacturers, having their factory on the second floor of a store building in West Beverley Street, Staunton. Quite a reputation was made by these men as makers of excellent brands of cigars. And William, just a kid, used to work at times in the factory. The boy spent a great deal of time with his grandparents, whose home he passed going to and from school. They were quite fond of him as a kid, but as he grew older, family records indicate that the grandfather lost patience with the future movie star. "He'll never amount to anything," the grandfather would say. "He never thinks of anything but silk pajamas, silk underwear and good clothes. And the way he decorates his room! Pictures of all kinds, and everything fancy!" ONE of Haines' most enthusastic admirers in his home town is "Aunt" Lila Tucker, a true type of Southern darkey, born in Nelson County, Virginia, but a Haines family servant for years. "Aunt" Lila nursed William when he was a baby. Lila worked, she says, twenty years for William's grandparents on North New Street. Later she left the old folks and moved to William's home, just one block north of the old Haines' homeplace. 122 It was while she was here that William was born. Some time later, the parents moved to the home-place, where they occupied the second floor. Here for only a short time, William's parents moved to North Coalter Street, where the mother engaged in the dressmaking business, and where William spent most of his early boyhood. From here, the parents moved to Richmond, Virginia. "William warn't so good as a baby," the old Negro says. "As he growed older I offun says dat boy war going to be a great actor some day." William went to the public schools and the R. E. Lee High School of Staunton. While the records are not complete, it is believed that he completed the seven elementary grammar grades and two years of high school work. His record while in the first year High School, however, is intact. This, with reminiscences of his teachers, vouches for the fact that . William was never a student. In the grammar grades, it appears that he was regularly promoted from grade to grade, never making brilliant marks in his studies. Interesting facts about William Haines may be learned from his former High School teachers. "He was a nice, lovely boy," his English and history teacher relates. "While he never failed to show respect for his teachers, he appeared to have no ambition to excel in his studies." THIS instructor tells the story of Haines' first public declamation. He was a member of the school literary society but, whenever assigned a part on the program he would always beg off with the plea that it was simply impossible for him to speak in public. "In the first place, I couldn't learn it, and in the second place, I know I would forget it when I got before the audience," was the plea. Nevertheless, his teacher persisted, finally persuading him to memorize "England and Her Policies of Taxation." "He did learn it," this teacher relates, "and he spoke it with credit. Much time did we spend together in preparing for this first accomplishment in his literary career." Haines' Latin and Algebra teacher despaired of him many times. He was a mediocre student, she says, always with a sad, wistful expression on his face, particularly at recitation time in Latin. Practically every person who knew the youthful William Haines says his love and devotion to his mother were outstanding. You couldn't be with him without realizing that his mother was first and last in his mind. This devotion was manifested by him to all members of his family, and is certainly evident now, as he has his mother, NEXT AAONTH: The Home Town Story of RICHARD DIX father and brothers with him at Los Angeles. And he has given an aunt, and other members of his family, trips to Hollywood. Proving his love for his mother, an uncle says that as a lad of five or six years of age, when his mother went down town, William would "come as far as the porch steps and holler his head off." The further she got away from home, "the louder William would holler." THE boy never loafed in the summertime but was always making money in some way. His great urge, it seems, was to be able to help his mother and father. One summer he painted iron bedsteads at Staunton Military Academy, the closest he ever got to this school. His North Coalter Street home was within a few yards of the Academy and, at close range, he watched the cadets in all their activities. Evidently feeling that he had no future in Staunton, Haines, together with several other boys, ran away from home and landed at Hopewell, Virginia, a thriving, bustling city that sprang up during the World War. The worried parents of the runaway boys got together and sent the local chief of police to Hopewell to bring them back. When they were located and William was about to be forcibly returned, his boss asked the chief to get in touch with Haines' parents. He wanted William to remain. So William stayed on at Hopewell, being visited a short time later by his mother. Peace was made and the family later moved to Richmond to be near him. In the spring of 1919 William came back to Hopewell and Staunton on a short visit. Later he went to Richmond with his family. Here he secured a position as floorwalker in a department store. WILLIAM did not like his Richmond job. He went on to New York City, where he secured a position in Wall Street with the Straus Bond Company. He was with this bond company when approached on the street by a movie scout and asked if he woull try his luck in films. This he did, the trial being given by the old Goldwyn Company. About 1926 Haines returned to Staunton for a visit. On this trip, however, William did visit relatives and friends. One of them on North Coalter Street tells the following story of his visit. At the moment the Staunton matron was entertaining the local Catholic priest. "I saw this young man all dressed up, derby, white gloves, spats and cane," she said. "He fooled me for the moment, but I instantly recognized his mother; it flashed across my mind that it was no one but little Billie Haines. He threw his arms around me and kissed me just as he used to do. He was the same old Billie." In the course of conversation with the priest that afternoon, William said to him: "Do you know, sir, I have never forgotten the bread and butter I used to get at this house." Staunton looks upon William Haines as an \inspoiled native son.