Picture Play Magazine (Mar-Aug 1921)

The Revelations of a Star s Wife Her own story, in which she reveals, as no one else could possibly do, the lights and shadows, the intimacies, and many of the secrets of the lives of those whom you know only as they appear on the screen. ILLUSTRATED BY EDGAR FRANKLIN \V I T T MACK :Weil, if my husband was a young chap with half the women in the country in love with him. I'd be jealous." CHAPTER I. PERHAPS I am too daring in drawing aside the curtain and letting you see life behind the motion-picture screen as it really is. Yet I know that rumors of the truth have reached you. I know that you have wondered why this beautiful star married the man she did, why that handsome, clever young leading man suddenly left motion pictures and has never been heard of since. And I know that frequently the public, ignorant of the facts in such cases, resorts to fiction. Some of the stories which I have overheard concerning not only my friends in the film world, but even my husband, have made me feel that I must leap to my feet and cry out to gossiping strangers in train or theater or restaurant, "That isn't so ! This is what really happened." I've never clone it ; I couldn't. But now, protected by a promise that my identity will not be revealed, I am going to tell you some of the things which the public never has known about motion-picture folk. I cannot mention names, of course, but doubtless you will recognize the persons most concerned, in some instances, at least. And even if you do not, you will gain a real insight into the lives of those who entertain you on the screen. "Well, if my husband was a handsome young chap with half the women in the country in love with him, I'd be jealous." I settled back in my beach chair and smiled a little ; I had been forced to listen to that sort of remark at least a dozen times in the three days that had elapsed since the company had come to that little Florida town, and each person who had tried, as this woman had, to see if I was jealous, had seemed disappointed when I answered, "Well, I'm not." "You see," I went on that afternoon, trying to explain, "Hugh has been in motion pictures three vears now, and I've grown accustomed to the thousands of letters and " "And the love scenes with pretty girls," she interrupted, with a little laugh. She lived next door to the cottage we'd taken, and I'd thought she was going to be the nicest sort of neighbor, but I began to dislike her. "He and that Miss Burnet seem to like acting together awfully well." she went on. a minute or two later. "Yes ; this is Carol's first picture with Hugh, and she's doing wonderfully," I answered, gazing out across the water at the yacht where the company was shooting scenes that afternoon. "She's been in comedies till recently— just a pretty bathing girl, you know — and I think she's going to do some good work in this picture." "Well, she certainly got in some good work yesterday when they were doing that love stuff down on the beach," she replied, with a significant smile. I wanted to explain to her that to Hugh and Carol Burnet a kiss was just one of the tools of their trade, like a tape measure is to a tailor. Why, often when Hugh's going to play a big love scene he makes me come to the studio and make suggestions. At first it hurt me a little when I had to offer up to the great god Success all the beloved little characteristics that had so endeared Hugh to me in the days when we were engaged. The way he would lift one of my hands and brush my fingers across his cheek, the way his arms would draw me up closer and closer to him. till all the world seemed shut out, the way his eyes half closed when he kissed me — all these I have given to you, the public. And yet, when I realize that Hugh's wonderful love-making on the screen is all the romance that many starved hearts know, I feel that the sacrifice has been justified. I couldn't explain that to my neighbor, Mrs. Deane,