Screenland (Apr–Sept 1923)

30 gil Joseph Mays, says hubby worked only one week after she slipped her finger through the fatal ring, bought himself some swell togs and charged them to her account, worked up a yen for a black onyx ring — and took $20 from her purse to satisfy said yen. If that weren't enough, Vergil — don't you love that name? — took his mamma to Tijuana ! We don't know whether mamma had some good hunches or not, or whether she played them. But it hurt Charlotte. She wasn't invited, it seems. What Happened to Mr. Agnes Ayres? onder what happened to that army officer husband of Agnes Ayres ? When Agnes was a player of bits, no one cared especially whether there was a Mr. Agnes or not. But when "Forbidden Fruit," a DeMille dissipation, pushed her to stardom, Aggie told the world she would cut the matrimonial cord. Exit the spouse, before he had the chance to shine, even dimly, as the other half of the house of Ayres. Exit Miss Dupont's Spouse M arguerite Armstrong's little dip into matrimony interests us too. When Marguerite was made into a star, someone thought he'd add a spice of mystery by calling her something else. "Here there you"-/-he said-/^putting down his megaphone -y-"you-7<-your name's Miss Dupont from now on." "Miss What, Dupont?" "Just Miss Dupont." Alas there is no mystery about Miss Dupont. She was Mrs. Paddy Hannigan of San Francisco, and everybody called her Paddy. But when she went into the celluloid convent her hubby went^to Chicago. It was too much to expect of a great actress to remain tied to a shoe salesman. He might give her fits. He smiled a sad Pierrot goodby. And history records him not. Barbara La Marr, Matrimonial Addict B arbara La Marr has had a regular poker hand of husbands. Her spouses, however, never reached the limelight until Barbara discarded them. She was careful, indeed, to see that they formed a sort of Barbara-background. Even her last little flyer in "till death do us part," will not bear flowers of publicity for her husband, Jack Dougherty. He is, after all, a lesser luminary, and probably never will outshine his wife. Barbara, somebody said, drove one husband into a prison cell ; and another into selling real estate. Ben Deely is the realtor, and Phil Ainsworth the convict. Ben is making money in lands. Phil landed in jail trying to make money out of bum checks. Donald Crisp, the director, doesn't belong in the "I-workmy-wife" class; but he broke every marriage vow with speed and accuracy, according to his wife, Marie, when she asked for a divorce. Marie told the judge that after Donald had completed his nefarious career in fidelity-wrecking, he deserted her — couldn't stand the choking bonds of married life. Never, since viewing "Hazel Kirke," have we been so moved by "the treachery of man." Audrey M. Kennedy, playwright and moving picture director, left his wife, Agnes Camille Kennedy, in Winnepeg. She sued for divorce and the custody of their three children. She said he had provided for them only spasmodically— and she wanted money, not in spasms, when Audrey felt inclined, but in regular installments. Screen land Audrey is paying — and finds it isn't so hard. Anyway he isn't smothered. He has the right to breathe freely again, now that the Hymen-fashioned gas mask has been taken off — and the price of freedom is never too dear. Genius must not be bound. You must not imagine that all movie husbands cause ruction in the home by bringing back a rubescent nose and empty pockets. There are as many movie partners as there are Sennett cuties. The Masterful Movie Mate T ake the masterful movie mate. Catalogued in this column are Charles Brabin and Harold Lloyd. Twentyfive years ago, this type used to twirl black mustachios and forbid Fanny to go to a matinee where that naughty Lottie Collins was singing her "Ta-ra-ra Boom de-ay." Fanny sighed meekly and was glad to be protected so knowingly, glad to be one of "us ladies." Is the modern master getting away with his stuff? He is not. Theda Bara is acting with super-calm her little domestic drama. Nothing wrong in the Bara household. Mr. Charles Brabin desires a hearth-side companion. He said so. Theda will go back to her first love, the films. She said so. Theda will leave the canning of the gooseberries to less gifted women, and we hardly blame her when the juicy contracts are lying idle at Metro. How will they adjust their home life? Time, she said with originality, will tell. And then there's little Mildred Davis, as rosy and cheery a little bride as you'll meet in a day's hike through Hollywood. Harold is adorable, but Mildred won't stay put under the bushel basket for long. Taffeta boudoirs, sapphire bracelets, a Beverly Hills estate, and baked Alaskas are not enough to still the itch in her actress' veins, we surmise. Mildred carries a press clipping that praises her work in an anti-divorce film, Mildred's mama on the nuptial eve snapped her disbelief that Mildred would give up her career. Things are beginning to look interesting for Harold Lloyd, who says he wants Mildred all to himself. Bull Montana would be a dominant husband, if he were a husband. Catch his wife flickering before the camera? Not a flicker. Bull announced his dis-engagement to one Bessie, a nurse, recently. And he gave as his reason the fact that she wanted to hang around under the Kliegs. "I wanta the beeg fine girl," Bull said, "but she musta stay home. You understan' ?" We getcha, Bull. What we don't understand is how any pretty creature could prefer fame to Bull. Consider the Romantic Husband .A. most inviting specimen to dissect is the romantic husband of the films. Douglas Fairbanks, Rex Ingram, Francis X. Bushman, Rodolph Valentino, and James Rennie, are, perhaps, our most gallant examples of connubial companionship. Their love lives are so replete with the red rose of existence that we all worship them, with even more fervor than we do their single brethren. , That dark-eyed conquistador, Tony Moreno, is now married to Mrs. Daisy Danziger. Mrs. Moreno, who is very much "in society," is the mother of a grown daughter. But that is only another pearl to add to their white band of happiness, Antonio announces. A great lady, and a Spanish cavalier ! Here's to you ! That Rodolph Natacha hejira! The pain in spinsters' hearts has lessened, but their {Continued on page H6) W