Screenland (Nov 1938-Apr 1939)

Visit to the Paramount studio. Above, we find Gladys Swarthout busy with make-up. Wally Westmore, Paramount make-up chief, gives Dorothy Lamour a facial — an ice-pack. Martha Raye is having special make-up put on for a close-up scene in "Never Say Die." Hollywood Wives Play Second Fiddle Continued from page 30 stars— and to the married ones as well. A moment later the Eastern Debutante's eyes widened as a lull in the conversation at our table brought us remarks from the next. "She's afraid to let him loose," a girl in white chiffon with gardenias in her hair was saying. "Afraid of giving some of the rest of us a chance at him !" "Now you're not talking about Joan Blondell! Surely you don't think she is afraid of losing Dick Powell," her male partner exclaimed. "Just look at them. Dick should be the one to be afraid of losing her." "Well, why doesn't she let him dance with some of us, turn him loose for a change?" insisted the girl. The Debutante looked disturbed. She edged her chair closer to the next table to catch the man's next remark. "Perhaps he's just as anxious to keep Joan to himself— after all, she's a famous star too, and perfectly beautiful, you know. Any man of us would be only too glad to get a chance to dance with her." But the girl smirked — and said something about its being too bad that movie stars' wives had to always tag along with them socially — the married male stars never had any chance for fun. The Debutante turned back to our table with a "Well, I never!" She was shocked. She couldn't believe her ears. I felt that the girl in white had a lop-sided point of view. Surely anyone would know that Dick would prefer Joan above any bit-player in ■ a white dress — and besides Joan was easily the belle of the ball, with the possible exception of Marlene, who was wearing her most startling imported gown and exercising her most potent glamor. Another lady sitting at our table, attractive, charming, and so well-groomed, remarked to the eastern Deb — "My dear, if you lived in Hollywood, you'd know that it isn't a glamorous job being the wife of a film star. Most of us are just second fiddles to our famous husbands. That's the price we pay for basking in fame. Of course we married our husbands for love, and we don't mind our positions too much — though at times it takes more patience and endurance than seems humanly possible." The lady speaking was Helen William, wife of Warren. Later in the conversation she invited us out to the William estate at Encino to continue what was developing into a most interesting discussion. And meanwhile the party carried on. But there was a more understanding look in the eyes of the Debutante as she glanced over at the other guests, including Mrs. Bob Young and Mrs. Pat O'Brien. It is reasonably safe to say that a large percent of the eligible girls who write fan letters to the stars, which run to five thousand a week for Gable or Taylor, would scarcely hesitate a split second to say "Yes !" and breathlessly, if their screen hero were to propose marriage. And there was a time when we girls who write about Hollywood felt just the same, but that_ was the time before we became well acquainted with the wives of the stars, and saw for ourselves the problems they encounter. And now consider the average girl, if she were asked to spend her life playing a background personality, being resented by other women, ignored, pushed around, pitied and being forced to compete with the attractive and star-worshiping women of the universe — she'd probably flee to escape any possibility of such a future. But the glamor of being Mrs. Cary Grant or Mrs. Nelson Eddy would perhaps outweigh any_ presented theories of stepping into the role of "Second Fiddle." She'd probably answer "Yes !" But would she find the glamor and fame she hoped to share in being the mate of a celebrity of the cinema world? Any star's wife will tell you that if she didn't love her husband devotedly, she'd hardly have the fortitude to stick not with him—but with his public. Of course there's the Bel-Air mansion, the Schiaparelli gown the mink coat and jewels so dear to femininity; the custom-built cars, the yachts, and the home circle inside those high iron gates. But on the outside is the public— and it becomes her mistress. She must act and do according to its bidding. Mrs. Leslie Howard is one wife of a famous star who says that marriage in Hollywood is quite different and very difficult. The Howards spend a majority of their leisure between pictures in England, where they live a quiet life in the country away from the world of the theater. When the Howards first came over from England to make American pictures and settle in Hollywood, it is said that the screen's glamor girls, including some of our most beautiful and well-known stars, sent invitations for Leslie to attend their dinner parties and balls. And because it was good business for Leslie to attend the more important functions to become acquainted with the important producers and executives, Ruth Howard put on a brave front, and accompanied her husband to several of the swanky affairs. In one instance, according to report, the Howards arrived to find a dinner table carefully place-carded and marked with corsages and favors for named guests. There was no cover marked for her. An extra one had to be embarrassingly placed. Later her hostess was overheard to remark to one of the guests, and within earshot of Mrs. Howard: "But I didn't expect Mrs. Howard, really, you see I didn't invite her, just Leslie." And so the English, well-bred Mrs. Howard, a woman of noble family background, had to force herself on the glamor-girl hostess. Because Ruth Howard is not streamlined like Bette Davis or Norma Shearer, with whom Leslie has so successfully co-starred, fans often voice their disappointment when they see her. They apparently fail to notice her lovely pink and white English complexion, her golden brown hair, and her really lovely eyes and queenly carriage. Today Leslie calls her "My Indispensable." "We movie stars' wives should be perfect angels," Helen William laughed on a recent day after the party, as she basked comfortably on a canvas lounge in the sunshine on the patio by the tiled swimming pool. Helen is in no sense a glamor girl. She would not rate in beauty with a Lamour or a MacDonald, but she has an amiable charm, a sense of humor showing in her blue eyes, and an almost child-like 74