Screenland (Nov 1935-Apr 1936)

for February 1936 23 I must say. Never have I seen such dressing-rooms ! They are in a large apartment building, just like Park Avenue, with an elevator and little white door-bells and everything. And each dressing-room is a complete apartment within itself. Miriam Hopkins has brought in her cook and butler from her beach house and lives there at the studio while she is working rather than take that long drive to Santa Monica every night. The apartments consist of foyer, living room, dining room, kitchen, bedroom, dressing-room and bath, and are exquisitely decorated with lush drapes, the traditional white carpets, and flowers all over the place. Merle's apartment looked like the Normandie departing on its maiden voyage. It was quite obvious to me as I settled myself in the most comfortable chair that it was the Lombard's cowboy party. David is a good-looking young Englishman who can tell perfectly marvelous stories with a cockney accent and whom everybody likes except Irving Thalberg, Junior. He played a villainous role in "Splendor" and was so good that the audience applauded when he was knocked down. So thanks to David and his nonsensical prattling over a bowl of dates (both Merle and David are still new enough to California to get excited over fresh dates), I was spared those awfully embarrassing first few moments of an interview, when it is a toss. up as to who is more frightened, me or the star. I usually win. It was no effort to get Merle talking about Miriam, in fact she started on the subject herself between the first and second dates. "I was delighted when Miriam said she wanted to play Martha/' Merle began. "I don't know anyone it would be mpre fun making a picture with than Miriam. Do you know that she has one of the grandest senses of humor I have ever found, and if you have to spend day after day on a hot set with nerve-wracking lights glaring at you there's nothing so pleasant as having a sense of humor around. Miriam keeps saying, 'We must be glamorous, Merle, we must act like great stars'— and she will sweep around the set with magnificent hauteur, and then with her famous satirical smile she'll assure me it's all a joke but isn't it fun ! Miriam loves to be glamorous with her tongue in her cheek. "I met Miriam about a year ago at a dinner party at Mr. and Mrs. Goldwyn's home, and I liked her from the start. She is so different from most people you meet. She has a way of immediately putting you at your ease. Then she and I had adjoining beach houses at Santa Monica and that helped our friendship along quite a bit. I was awfully lonely and homesick in Hollywood last year — it was all so new and (Continued on page 74) First exclusive portraits of Miss Oberon and Miss . Hopkins by Hurrell. |r 1 -.m Turn to Page 74 for Spotlight Cover Contest offering reprints of our Miriam Hopkins cover season for chrysanthemums. Vases of them everywhere, with a huge basket of white ones from Mr. Goldwyn. Yes indeed, Sam Goldwyn does all right by his girls ! When I think of those cramped dressingrooms at Paramount and Metro — and Columbia, phooey! Dumps, just dumps. The next time I call on Myrna Loy or Carole Lombard or Claudette Colbert at the studio I shall do so definitely with the air of one going slumming. Mr. Goldwyn has spoiled me for dressing-rooms. I was introduced to Merle by David Niven, the boy friend, whom I had met under a keg of beer at