Screenland (May-Oct 1937)

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She has a long-term acting contract with RKO-Radio where she'll shortly begin "Serenade On the Seine." He has a night-club contract as master of ceremonies and orchestra leader at the College Inn in Chicago. "Roger is expecting to be out here soon, broadcasting on a national hook-up," she explains. Meanwhile, they spend a lot of their money long-distancing one another and every night Ann tunes in for a melody played especially for her benefit. But would a thousand love songs, sung two thousand miles away, satisfy you? They were deluged with handsome wedding presents ; now Ann has her beautiful silver and linen and china and she has all sorts of notions about fixing up a perfect house. But she can't settle down when there's no husband on hand ! A nice pickle? What she gets for whirling into such a fine, gay romance? Yes. But there's more to all this than just that abrupt conclusion. While her marriage isn't exactly what she dreamed it could be, in the long run it'll be a model to shoot at or I don't know Ann at all. "Certainly I'm not as happy as I might be," she confesses. "I'm lonely — often. But I'm not feeling sorry for myself; I realized what Roger and I were letting ourselves in for, and believe me when you are in love as wholeheartedly as we are it's terrible to have to be separated by half a continent. Of course I'm eager to begin real housekeeping, to begin using our lovely wedding gifts. But I learned — before this — that I can't have everything I want precisely as I want it; I've already learned that half a loaf is better than none, and that's why I am sure that eventually_ I shall be quite happy. If Roger and I strive we can have a home and family like other lovers. "I was recklessly romantic all right, but I insist that I wasn't simply silly. What does a girl get by over-valueing her freedom? When you know you've found the one man you know he is worth any price. You no longer want to scheme selfishly. You'd rather have him than a flock of yachts with anyone else. Perhaps I'd climb faster in Hollywood if I married with an eye for material gain, or if I remained unattached. But that never dawned on me. "Maybe it is childishly romantic to some people to marry when you are faced with obstacles, up against odds ; but I don't see it as immature. For me, love is the greatest of inspirations. I am more determined than ever to be a better person, a better actress. I want Roger to be proud of me ! "I go out occasionally with mutual friends ; I haven't become a recluse. We're combining common sense with our romanticism, honestly ! And this is" another thought I've had lately : in looking about me here in Hollywood it occurs to me that we may be avoiding that business of two tired actors coining home and only being together when fatigued and cross. Many split-ups seem to come when temperaments are frayed." By nature Ann becomes nervous within herself, but she is habitually calm on the outside. Roger, on the contrary, is moody. But they share strong interests in acting and music, in plain fun. Both are sincere about desiring a genuine home. They whisper about purchasing a few acres over the hills from Hollywood, for a small ranch with city conveniences, but they can't do more than plan towards this until he is located more permanently. He SCREENLAND switched from acting to the musical field right after their marriage (he is the son of Arthur Pryor, the illustrious bandmaster), and his success is bound to keep him on this new track. Amazingly, Ann met Roger in Qiicago in the very same night club in Chicago where he is currently featured. Both were enacting leads in plays in adjoining theatres, and Ernie Byfield, who owns the hotel where the College Inn is, chanced to give a party and introduce them. Isn't life always more fantastic than fiction? Neither Ann nor Roger fell in love at first sight, nor even anticipated picture prominence. Two major studios had had Ann under contract, but she hadn't been awarded breaks and she fancied the stage was her metier. Roger had a wife from whom he was separated and if Ann's triumphant return to California when a third studio demanded her services was a jolt, so was his whisking into pictures ! Universal signed him for a lead and rushed him to New York where the film was to be made ; to his wonder they handed him a flock of songs to croon. His protestations that he'd never sung a note were received as false modesty; so Roger just sang and so well that Hollywood grabbed him. He had to hero Mae West to escape from musicals ! They didn't experience love at first sight, Ann and Roger, but when they met later in the West they remembered one another. Ann's footlight record so impressed studio executives that she was set. Then love did happen to these two — and then was when Ann's romantic nature went on display. Hollywood stars frequently announce an engagement before one fiance is free. Ann steadfastly refused to discuss marriage with Roger. After he got his divorce they might become engaged. She had dreamt of a long engagement and a big church wedding, and, anyway she just wasn't sophisticated enough to be engaged to a man who had a wife, no matter how finished the former marriage was. For three years Ann was unhappy, balked by fate. She didn't care to go out with anyone else but Roger, but she did. She was in a pickle ; quite innocently she had fallen for a man she couldn't have. But finally Roger was given his freedom. Ann could go ahead, but Roger had determined to change over into the musical field. He had gone away from Hollywood, while she was tied down here. Their agents arranged for them to star in the radio broadcast of the play "There's Always Juliet." Roger, his deal for the College Inn on paper, flew West for three days of frantic rehearsals before going on the air with Ann. She met him at the airport. He kissed her enthusiastically and cried, "Honey, let's get married!" Ann had yearned for this moment so long that all she could reply was, "Let's have dinner !" That was Wednesday night ; the broadcast was" Saturday evening and they vowed they'd be married right after it. Thursday morning the commotion started. There is a three-day waiting law in California between getting your marriage license and the ceremony — so they had to schedule the event for one minute after midnight Saturday night. Having settled this essential matter, the two of them and a retinue of agents hastened to the NBC studio to pick up their scripts, and on to the Brown Derby. "My wedding dress !" gasped Ann, "I've got to have a gorgeous one." Her business manager spoke up, "You just bought a new dress; wear that." To which Ann retorted romantically, "J should think not! I'm going to have a