Screenland (Apr–Sept 1923)

from EBffiMSfSiRgxg® Why Some Film Stars Can t Keep Servants T J_L HIS working a? a maid in the home of a film star isn't what it is cracked np to be. I know. I've done it. I'm still doing it, in fact. I am second maid in a big home out in Beverly Hills, where movie magnates are as thick as Scotchmen in Edinburgh. My mistress is mighty nice to me, sends me into town in the car on my day off and give:me clothes that she has scarcely worn. About all the work I have to do is to run a carpet sweeper over the rugs upstairs and keep the baby clean. But it isn't as easy as that, working for some movie stars ! References Required In order to land a job with a screen celebrity, you first have to manage to quit some place where you've hated the mistress for a year or two without having any argument, so as to get references. And your references have got to be firstclass. If you've ever been drunk or have been mixed up in any scandal, "Back Stairs Gossip" about the film elite, by a maid who has worked for them household. In case any trouble arises, it is the thing to pass the buck to him — because the star must never be blamed for anything. You really work for the steward, and if you think a film star's steward is an amiable person, just try asking for a Sunday off ! It's natural, too. The stars work all week long, while the servants have it easy with the family gone. AVhen Sunday comes, that's their play-time. They keep open house all day and night on Sundays. That means work for the help, of course; everything has to be in first-class order about the house and grounds, and every employee is on the job early and late on that day. But it is this Sunday work that makes most of the servant problem in Hollywood. The screen people pay the best wages and are mostly good to the help, but all the entertaining on Sunday counteracts the other good points, in the estimations of the servants. For instance, the little, darkhaired wife of one of our most prominent directors seldom keep; your chances of getting a job in a the same cook for two consecutive film home is nix. These high-up stars only want nice, refined people to work for them ! The agency collects ten per cent of your first month's wages before you even go out to see if you are hired. On your way out to Beverly, you probably thrill at the prospect of an interview with a real star. But you soon discover that few stars ever hire any help, except possibly a steward or housekeeper. The Steward Is Boss _ The steward takes all the responrunning of the sibilitv for the months. Why? Well, sometimes the directorhusband forgets he is not talking to an extra on the lot when he bawls out the new cook. One cook who quit said she had eaten so much liver at this house that she couldn't stand the sight of it. She cooked lots of choice food on Sunday when the house was full of guests, she said. But the rest of the week the three servants had to live on liver and left-overs. And generally their meals were pretty scanty, at that. Pastry was a delicacy for company only, and none of them felt free to eat all they wanted of anything that cost much. Monday morning, the servants at this house say. the place is all littered up with tobacco ashes and dirty dishes. And when the place is finally cleaned up, it doesn't look like a home ; it has the appearance of a once fine place not kept up in first-class shape. "Pickfair" Is Fine Place To Work 'Tickfair," the home of Mary Pickf'ord and Douglas Fairbanks, is a splendid place to work. Albert, the French steward-butler, sees to it that every one of the nine servants are up at six o'clock on Sunday mornings. He runs that place like clockwork. Albert knoAvs the likes and dislikes of his famous employers, and a "tip" from him has saved many a maid her job. Douglas is harder to please than Mary, though they are both very particular about everything beingkept just so. Mary 'seldom calls anyone down, but when she does it hurts. Here is a house where everv employee lives well and has little to complain about. Sunday is their hardest day, as in other film homes, but they are paid top wages. That makes up for a lot, when one is trying to buy a home. Mary pays her cook $150 a month, with room, board and laundry. Her own laundry bill used to average about $32 a week. Recently, however, she installed her own modern laundry, with an electric mangle that cost $225. She keeps a man and wife to do the laundry worK. Moving pictures are shown in the house once a week for all the em 35