THE CITY OF BROKEN HEARTS.

Auckland Star, Volume LXI, Issue 33, 8 February 1930, Page 14

THE CITY OF BROKEN HEARTS.

SCREEN STARS AND SCREEN

STORIES

' "You see them everywhere, the people that have failed. I call it the city, of broken hearts, the saddest town, Holly- : wood, where I make my living punching a typewriter," said Miss Kerr Crawford, entertaining the members of the League of? Pen women yesterday afternoon. In the restaurants you will bo waited on by the loveliest girls. Behind the counter of the six cent store some wonderful face will shine at you. These are the girls who have failed. They are trying to earn a crust to live. They flood in by hundreds. Some break through. One here and there succeeds. These counter hands arc the rest who are fighting the wolf from the door till they can return to the outer world and home. It is often a sad town, continued Miss Crawford. There are so many hard luck stories. Just before she left for New Zealand for a rest from her work of adapting "books and plays for screen production one came before her. Two of her friends who knew slightly a young couple in the same building composed of flats asked them if they would care to go for an automobile drive. They were a pair of screen players. Both were young," and they thought that it would liven them up.. They drove to the seaside and on the pier Miss Crawford's friends asked the young couple if they would like a hot dog, chiefly as a joke. The offer was taken and tljey noticed that they ate hungrily. Another hot dog was offered and eagerly eaten. Then the lady took the young wife and soon to be a mother aside, and said, "My dear, what is it. Tell mc. Are you up against it'/" She burst into tears and told her friend that it was the first food they had had for live days. A subscription was taken up. The little mother was put in a home and some form of work was found for tho man. Both had been stars. But change follows change. Yet only some sec that they cannot go on always reaping a golden harvest; money is wasted. Screen stars work very hard. Miss Crawford explained that they have to be in their room at 7.30 in the morning and be dressed and made up by eight, when work for the picture begins. It may go on for 18 hours at a stretch, with bolts to'catch a meal between Ihe sets. They are too tired at tho end to do much else ( but fall into bed and stay there to rest when they can. Hollywood at night is tho quietest place. When Miss Crawford walks down the streets at ten o'clock there is hardly a person to be seen. Of course there are parties, and very jolly parties too, but these take place on Saturday evening and no outsider is hardly ever allowed to join them. The stage people do not want to be on show when they are away from the silver sheet. Many of the most famous are not known outsido the studios. Of John Bar-ry-more Miss Crawford told an amusing story. To put it mildly he at least appreciate his place! in the world of the moving reel and, buying a shirt, he found he had no money. He said to the girl, "Oh, put it down, will you." She looked at him rather dubiously, and asked, "Who shall I book it to?"

Ho retorted, "Barrymore." "Barrymore?" she questioned, "which Barry-

more?" "Alhol Barrvmorc." Here that particular bit of comedy ended as he stalked out. But stories always leak out —and travel.

They have wonderful homes, these

highly paid stars. Marian Davies has a big place with 30 bedrooms, arid 30 bathrooms, as well as rooms for a dozen servants. Some families have five or six cars, and luxury on the same scale. The

houses in the different centres, which arc gathered round the great studios, are very beautiful, some of them. One clever, but unkind man, said Hollywood itself was an architect's nightmare frozen solid. That was because some of the homes are so ornate. Others are in just as good taste.

Of the stars who jumped into fame in a night, as it were, their houses speak eloquently. Fatty Arbuckle was one. He was busy cleaning out cuspidors in a low saloon when a director saw him as exactly the type he wanted. He was engaged and rose into fame at once, from which ho descended just as sudden, although Miss Crawford said all that was claimed against him was not quite true. That was the tragedy of the place. The sudden veering of public interest to another favourite. Many of the best 6ereen stars are quiet cultured people, who either come from the stage in New York, England, Franco and Italy, or are lawyers, doctors and from the educated classes. On the next corner to that on which Miss Crawford lives there is a beautiful little Catholic church, which has been built by the screen Btars. Her own church, the Episcopalian church, Sit. Thomas', is almost entirely supported by the well-known people who delight the world on the flashing screen.

Hollywood is a very polyglot place, said the speaker. More especially since the talkies have replaced the silent film and actors have been brought there from France, England, Italy, and especially Spain and Russia. The Spaniards are very plentiful, and many of the directors have four or five assistant directors, who can pass on their command in the language of the actor. The Russians, said Miss Crawford, have affected the screen world most of all, because since they were driven out of Russia, the painters, as well as the players and the writers have flocked there with all their talent to sell. The Germans have a little set of their own, but do not mix very much with other people. Emil Jannings has gone home again, either because he woul# not learn to speak English or because he could not.

Lon Chaney, off the screen, -was a verypleasant mannered gentleman, who was remarkable in that he was the son of two people who were both, deaf and dumb. He bad never heard either his mother or his father speak a word. Yet both he and his brother were quite normal and delightful people.