Pauline Frederick : on and off the stage (1940)

Chapter Four lirst JViarnage T ±H HE PRIVATE life of a famous person is usually the part which is most public. Therefore the fact that Pauline Frederick pledged marriage vows with five different men has always caused more comment than anything else she ever did. No press notice regarding her was ever complete unless this quintette was mentioned, and most frequently with quite incorrect details. What marvelous imaginations writers of articles have when it comes to the love life of theatrical folk! Because she married five times, the character of Pauline has been largely misunderstood. This, of course, was quite natural, for the world in general can only judge of what it knows or sees on the surface. To those who knew her intimately, these marriage ventures were the thing least reconcilable with the rest of her character. No one would deny that it is an achievement in itself to secure five husbands. In this age when women appear generally in the majority, thousands cannot find even one man to propose to them! To explain Pauline's matrimonial ventures, no one needs to do any whitewashing or excusing. She needed none of these and would have scorned any such attempt. Women who marry several husbands are usually of the type that is ultra-sophisticated, over-sexed, madly passionate 43