Screenland (Sept 1922–Feb 1923)

Monkeys IVh i c h f Is motherhood becoming passe in Hollywood? Are marmosets in their pink-lined, luxuriant bassinets taking the place of babies in the nurseries of ftlmdonCs homes? This startling trend of affairs is discussed frankly in this article. 'ABIES or monkeys? Whicli shall it be? That is the question that is agitating our beautiful film matrons. A number of the most prominent screen stars state openly that they consider motherhood incompatible with a career. Childless homes abound in Hollywood. No little feet patter about through the spacious grounds of many a broad estate in Beverly Hills and the exclusive "West Adams district. Why? Do the pert little marmosets that nestle in Milady Film Star's arms have anything to do with this condition? Plenty of pets there are in Hollywood; monkeys, Pomeranians, Chows. But babies? In some homes. In others where you might well expect to hear baby voices, you.are disappointed. A pathetic sight in many stars' homes is the infinite care given monkeys, the pet that has replaced the poodle of another day in the life of childless matrons. Little Marmo or His Lordship Ringtail is given his daily bath with scented soap and is fed with his bit of creamed carrot, from a silver spoon in the hand of his famous mistress. Recently, so a local jeweler tells me, a star, whose name he refuses to betray, ordered a charming diamond collar for her simian pet. And the other day I overheard a heated argument between a lovely actress and her colored maid, in which the latter declared, "Ah's downright tired o' coddlin' your durn monkey, so Ah quits." Nowadays, it isn't enough that an attendant be able to hook milady up the back and artfully apply her complexion— she must be qualified in the care of monkeys. Ringtails are great favorites as they are the most tractable of monkeys and seldom show jealousy except when they perceive a too ardent love-scene between the handsome leading-men and their mistresses, whom they adore with the famished hearts of orphans suddenly elevated to the glory of a home. Irene Castle really started the monkey-fad — which out of justice, I must add, has been taken up not alone by actresses but by society women all over the country — and has had no less than seven simian pets for whom, I am told, her dear mother makes the darlingest little clothes, silk ones for Sundays, when Irene takes His Monkeyship out to give the Johns a treat, and gingham frocks for every-day play in his own nursery. Like the bobbed-hair craze, Irene instigated a fad which threatens to envelope the entire sisterhood, and doubtless Barbara la Marr's playful antics with Joe Martin in Trifling Women will further spread the fad. ^Corinne Griffith's "Mike," a simian of most doubtful character, has become almost as famous as his mistress and indeed looks with chagrin upon photographs of her in which his fuzzy little head does not appear. When she came West Corinne left "Mike" in cold, wintry New York, because a mean old conductor said he would have to travel in a baggage-car and whoever heard of such indignity being thrust upon a gentleman of his antecedents? Now I claim it is perfectly all right for May McAvoy to take "Ford" with her everywhere she goes, for "Ford" is a darling little white poodle, so called because he has a short wheelbase and runs close to the ground ; for May isn't married and is only a kid herself. But T really think Corinne is neglecting Roosevelt's oft-repeated commandments about the duty one owes one's country, don't you? For Corinne, you see, is happily married to Webster Campbell. But perhaps Corinne, like other stars, feels that children would handicap her art. Gladys Walton found that her monkey's chatter interfered with her muse or something and gave it away. But Edith Roberts has a aO