Picturegoer (1922)

36 THE PICTUR&GOtl? JUiNE 1922 oviefm ike J Waking SZTe O C GERTRU-tfEM. ATX&N A famous stage actress once denned f her dresser as " the keeper of I my wardrobe keys — and my ^S soul's secrets." I The definition was an apt I one, for, to her dresser, the % A scintillating star of stage or \ screen is " just a woman " — with whims and foibles and other like human and humane qualities. The energy and faithful service of her dresser is not the least thing in the category of essentials to success of a screen star. She learns to regard her as a sort of mother-nurse-servant-andfriend compound, without which she would be as helpless as a fish on dry land. A glimpse into the secret chamber (more prosaically called the " dressingroom ") of a film star, and a knowledge of the manifold duties of her dresser, can be best pictured, perhaps, in the words' of one who can claim to be a veteran " in film environs, for she has been serving one famous leading lady for nearly eight years. Because she is not a publicity agent, and for other reasons so obvious that they need no definition, our dresser describes her mistress as " Miss Star." " I have been serving Miss Star for so many years, and know her so intimately, that I would be justified in calling her my ' friend ' #* first — and myself her ' dresser ' as an after-thought. Except on those very rare occasions when Miss Star sheds her screen personality and indulges in a little harmless pleasure-hunting, I am in constant attendance upon her. In the dressing-room, on the floor (which, perhaps, you know, is a term used to describe anyone's presence in the studios whilst a production is in progress), on location, and, quite often, at her own home. "It would be an impossible task I should set myself if I attempted to describe in black and white the actual duties of a dresser. They are so numerous, and some of them so small (though important enough, withal) that it would probably take me a whole week to think of them all— and another week to define them. " But, primarily, I am there by her side to help her with her ' make-up,' to ' find ' the particular dress she may be requiring, to j>ut her into it, and to generally supervise details ; for details are quite the most important item of her toilette where a film actress is concerned. I have to remember just how a certain bow was tied (when she wore it for a scene the other day), what set of collar and cuffs was used, the pieces of jewellery she wore with the frock, the shoes and stockings, and every other minor detail. If I did not remember all these things (and I confess that I keep a note-book for this purpose alone), the chances are that my mistress would be the creator of some of those ridiculous and utterly incongruous ' mistakes ' which the keen eyes of picturegoers are constantly detecting in films. " On my last visit to ' the pictures ' (I take frequent 'busmen's holidays !) I noticed that the heroine, who was wearing white shoes and stockings when she left a certain ' set ' (ostensibly to greet the hero at the hall door) returned to that same ' set ' (with hero) in black shoes and stockings. And 1 passed judgment on the dresser — not the heroine. It is possible that many days' work intervened between the taking of the two scenes in question, and, without the guidance of a trustworthy ' someone,' these errors are easily made — but not so easily rectified. " When our company goes away on location, I go with it, for Miss Star would be unhappy without me; and the most priceless of all her workaday possessions, her ' make-up ' box, would have to be entrusted to strange hands ! " Consequently, I share all her exciting and interesting (and sometimes thrilling) experiences. ' The latest incident worth recording happened whilst we were staying at a prominent hotel in a favourite seaside [Continued on page 64. Bebe Daniels selects a dress. Stars and their dressers Top left : Ann Forrest Centre : Wanda Hawley