Picture-Play Magazine (1933)

All Storms Past 59 That, of course, was a trifle. One local actress bride removed her shoes and stockings following her wedding and walked barefooted among her guests, though I doubt if this practice is approved by Emily Post. A week after her second marriage Dolores was stricken with an illness that kept her in bed for six months and very nearly cost her her life. Another six months was required for her convalescence. During the past three years she has made but one picture, "The Bird of Paradise." When we met in her dressing room I found her radiantly health} and enthusiastic. Sun baths have coppered her skin, even to the part in her dark silky hair which fell in waves to her shoulders. Black penciling outlined her odd, aboriginal eyes, and her lips were carmined slightly beyond their natural boundaries. Despite her insistence, to others as well as to me. that she is of pure Spanish origin her features betray a strong blend of Aztec blood. "The studio has two stories ready for me," she told me in very good English, " 'Flying Down to Rio' and 'Dance of Desire.' ' Her slim, brown hands, with their unvarnished nails, are used to point off her remarks. "I objected to the former because it lacked romance, so they have written in a sweet love story. " 'Dance of Desire' was written specially for me and I am delighted with the story. It is about a woman who gives up the man she loves to pursue her career as a dancer. She does anything, jnst anything, to advance her career, and when she reaches the top and has wealth and jewels and luxury she realizes the loneliness and emptiness of fame." Now there is a good, substantial story. At least it has always been so considered. Frankly, I found Miss del Rio's enthusiasm over this ancient plot a little surprising. "I never thought of becoming an actress," said she, with naive wonder at her unexpected accomplishment, "I studied for years to become a dancer. My life has been very odd, full of excitement and change. Everything has happened to me. I've been married twice and divorced once. I think it is good for girls to marry young as I did. By marrying young one can go out into the world three or four years before one can otherwise. "I don't regret anything that has happened to me. I would not change the past, if I could. All those things that are past, all that excitement and worry, merely emphasize my present happiness." The conversation of the beauteous Dolores is, in the main, not memorable. One detects little inconsistencies between her opinions and her actions, though doubtless one should not expect dull logic from one so ro mantic and picturesque. We talked of the revolutions which flourished in Mexico during her childhood, of our mutual admiration for her second cousin, Novarro, of the solid crystal altar which husband Cedric installed in her bedroom in their beautiful Santa Monica home, and of the one and only Velez. "Tt is not true that Lupe and I are antagonistic toward each other," said Dolores. "She visits me and I visit her. Christmas before last she had dinner with me and we exchanged gifts. But we aren't alike in temperament, and don't do the same type of acting." Perhaps they are not alike in temperament, but I insist that they resemble strongly in appearance and histrionic methods. Each could play the other's roles nicely. Indeed, three years after Dolores made "Resurrection," Lupe played the same role, under the same director, in the talking version. And then Dolores had to fly away to keep an engagement. She left me with vivid memories of herself, but not very inspired copy for my story. Ah, me! Yes, everything has happened to her. that is, everything except motherhood, which, I am told, is an experience not to be scorned. So if the present happy tranquillity of her life becomes monotonous I suggest that she notify the stork. Continued from page 45 owing to the illness and walk-out of Sylvia Sidney, who was finally replaced by Ann Dvorak. Sylvia has been stormed at a great deal because of her action, but this has struck us as a bit unfair. Admittedly she did not choose just the right way to take flight from the film, but everything indicates the seriousness of her illness. Well, give the girl a break anyway. Stars must be stars. Mae West's Monkeyshines. — Mae West's monkey. Boogie, gets a break in "I'm No Angel." He is one of the saddest-eyed actors we ever saw. Mae had a magnificent cage designed for his appearance, but even this didn't make him happy. Mae was busy trying on some prop jewels the day we saw her, when Director Wesley Ruggles came along. "I wouldn't wear any jewels now," he said. "No," replied Mae, always quick on the trigger. "We'll wait until I get them," she remarked significantly. Fighting Joan Blondell.— It can never be said that Joan Blondell isn't Hollywood High Lights a brave girl. She's not only brave ; she's also a pugilist, and a great husband defender. Hers was one of several battles of the month. As the story goes, Blondell came to the rescue of her husband, who was having an altercation with a stranger because of an auto collision. Joan is reputed to have packed one good solid punch, and to have done even more valiant duty by throwing her coat over the gentleman's head and thus spoiling the precision of the blows he aimed. It appears that he was damaging George Barnes, Joan's husband, considerably before she arrived. Quite a girl — our Joan ! The Menjou Roll. — Some idea of the wealth accumulated by a Beau Brummel of the screen may be gleaned from facts divulged during the Adolphe Menjou divorce case. Among other things, Mrs. Menjou estimated the riches of her husband at $600,000, and his income annually at $180,000. She got $150,000 settlement. Menjou is known to be one of the luckiest men in Hollywood in his investments and speculations. He puts a lot of time and research into the business of building up his fortune. The Menjou case became argumentative for a time, especially when Kathryn Carver Menjou accused the actor of intimacy with another woman. The New Wifely Freedom. — Lonely wives have a right to their freedom ! None other than the Marquis de la Falaise has given authority to this statement. He pronounced it upon his return from Bali, answering the whirlwind of gossip over the appearance of Gilbert Roland in public with Constance Bennett while the marquis was away. He declared that any one as much in the public eye as Connie cannot be expected to live like a hermit, so why all the reports of an estrangement ? Nevertheless, the marquis isn't going traveling alone for some time. He dislikes the gossip that attended Roland's escorting of his wife, and the interpretations put upon the whole