Photoplay (Jan-Jun 1948)

( Continued from page 36) all her business associates from her attorney to her dramatic coach and secretary and that her groom was “taking over” in all departments. Still another “inside” paper ran an item: “Olivia de Havilland and Marc Goodrich (what’s he trying to prove?) dining at La Rue last night.” Obviously, the innuendos were flying that Goodrich was stepping feet first into the management of his wife’s career with a heavy inference that she was being much too docile where the older man, who is her husband, is concerned. I called Livvy immediately and found her upset. In fact, she had her fightin’ bloomers on. “I am completely puzzled how facts can be distorted in this way,” she told me. “Louella, the truth is very simple and here it is: I discharged my agents because I felt I could improve my representation elsewhere. Certainly an actress has this privilege. And at the same time I relinquished the services of my attorneys because they also represent that agency and I felt they could not sincerely continue to act in my interests under these circumstances. “As to having fired my dramatic coach and secretary — that is a lot of nonsense because I never had a coach and I still have the secretary who has been with me for years. Marc has not, and does not want to take over ‘on all counts.’ ” And she added like the proud frau she is, “He’s much too busy writing a new novel to be bothered!” Well, there are both sides of the stories that had all Hollywood buzzing — and as usual, I’m a gal with her own opinion. In Enter Marcus a way, I think I can understand how all this fuss, muss and bother got started. I sincerely believe that Olivia has gone into her marriage with Marcus Aurelius Goodrich just the way she does everything else — with all her heart and soul. Every sentence she utters, every thought she has, begins and ends with her bridegroom and the best debater in the world couldn’t argue with me that he does not now completely dominate her life. She is utterly, completely devoted to him and moreover she doesn’t give a Tinkers-you-know-what who knows of her all-absorbing love. I won’t say this is the only time the beautiful Livvy has been in love. I have known her for many years and I have seen her “head over heels” first about Jimmy Stewart, then John Huston, and then over Major Joe McKeon. But the important difference is — this is her first marriage. In Hollywood, where glamour and romance make frequent trips to the altar, it’s unusual for a girl to reach thirty years and never have been married once. OW that it has happened — Livvy is up to her heart in being a wife! “Why did you wait so long to marry?” I asked her the day they came to my home. Marc was with her — but at the time I put out this pertinent question, he was out of the room inspecting the remodeling work I’m having done on the house. Livvy’s beautiful, dark eyes glowed with pleasure at getting on this subject. Heavens above, how she loves to talk about her man! The light from the fireplace played on her face as she sat opposite me, but the real glow came from her heart. “I never really wanted to marry until I met Marcus,” she answered. “I expected to be an old maid like Eleanora Duse, Ellen Terry, Maude Adams, my actress idols. “Oh, I know what you’re thinking — so I’ll beat you to it. It’s true I was in love with Jimmy Stewart — crazy about him. But, believe me, we were more like a matured high school romance. We had fun. We had dates. We went to parties, to the movies and held hands and we loved to dance. But, never at any time was there any thought or any talk of marriage between us. “With John Huston — well, I probably would have married him if he had been free when we first fell in love. John was separated from his wife but not divorced. But the years dragged on and we changed as everyone does and finally when he was free to marry, I no longer wanted to be his wife. We had grown apart. “Joe McKeon was too young. He needed mothering and was so like a little boy I would have to have been the head of the family. I don’t like being the boss — it’s much more wonderful being bossed.” “Enter Marc!” I laughed. “Enter Marcus,” she echoed with a chuckle. “Remember, he is eighteen years older than I am. He has had a tremendously successful career of his own as a writer. He has ideas and opinions not formed in Hollywood and he will never let me rule the roost. “After all, a man should be the boss. I am old-fashioned enough to believe that. However, it wasn’t I who wanted the word ‘obey’ in our marriage ceremony. It was Marcus who insisted that we include the time honored promise to love, honor and obey. What I insisted on was that he wear his wedding ring so that all the women ^ <\n&here accos “ That’s Zs smoke bet long ! fn’ky • * * mportant rw auiactute uU Fbw°r 5 finest -.to* ALWAYS BETTER BETTER ALL WAYS