Picture Play Magazine (Mar-Aug 1926)

48 Over the Teacups Photo by Albin Fanny is furious because Lois Moran wasn't chosen as one of the Wampas Stars of 1926. "Belle Bennett came to New York quite unknown to most people and she went away the talk of the town. I've never been so tremendously moved by any one. On the screen or off, she makes me weep whenever I think of all the tragedy in her life." "And so 3'ou dearly love her," Helen and I chanted in chorus. "Oh, well, you'd love her, too," Fanny defended herself. "My newest enthusiasm," Helen announced brightly before Fanny could get launched on a new subject, "is Pauline Garon. I think she is the cutest girl in pictures. We never used to like 'each other when we were both out on the Coast. Somebody told her that I had said catty things about her, and true enough I had, but not the things that were quoted. We got together the other day at luncheon and cleared up the situation, and now we're great friends. I told her that I had said she had vamped my Billy before he was my husband. That was before I had my nose made though, him now." over, Photo by Russell Ball I'm not so afraid of losing Barbara La Marr, who has been quite ill, at last seems to be really getting better. "Oh, you won by a nose, did you?" Fanny vol-: unteered. It is hardly surprising that, after that, Helen remembered another engagement and hurried away. Any one but a long-suffering audience like me, would. "What do you suppose has become of the Valentino medal that was to be awarded annually ?" Fanny inquired idly, as she waved at two or three friends out at the door. "Haven't heard a thing about it this year. They won't have to take a vote to see who gets it, though. It would go to Belle Bennett positively." "John Gilbert," I insisted. "But I am talking about the art of acting, not the most fascinating human being on the screen," Fannv insisted. "So am I." But you can't start an argument with any one as obstinate as Fanny. She just changes the subject. "I do hope you fell in with the idea of makingJanuary the laugh month," Fanny rambled on. "It wasn't an entire success so far as I was concerned, as I couldn't locate an Ivan Abramson production, and they always give me more good laughs than intentional comedies do." I try not to encourage Fanny when she gets catty, so abruptly I asked her who was in town and what she had been doing. "You'll simply have to think up some new style for me," she wailed. "Dorothy Mackaill is wearing fur garters, and I refuse to see her until I can think of something equally startling. "Loads of picture people are in town," she went on. "Haven't you seen any of them? Irene Rich is back from abroad. AVarner Brothers gave a big party for her at Vincent Lopez's night club. They showed 'Lady Windermere's Fan' there, and every one was so delighted at seeing Irene liberated from weeping-wife roles that they demanded that Harry Warner never let her play a good woman on the screen again. She gives a glorious performance, and you've no idea how stunning she looks in a dark wig. Irene in 'Lady Windermere's Fan' and Florence Vidor in 'The Grand Duchess and the Waiter,' are my nominations for the grand beauty prize of the season. "Betty Compson was here for a few days before going to Morocco or Hindustan or Tripoli — one of those poeticsounding places — to make 'Old Ironsides.' " "Didn't know that was a travelogue — thought . it was a drama of the corset-bound era," I remarked. Fanny frowned as though she found my remarks indelicate. "Matt Moore is also in town. He came on with his director to make the final scenes of 'The Cave Man.' But before they had time to take them. Thomas Meighan borrowed the director — Lewis Milestone — so Matt had the fun of directing his scenes himself. "Tom and Lila Lee and Mr.