AS A SPECTATOR.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVI, Issue 244, 15 October 1935, Page 5

AS A SPECTATOR.

PERRY'S NEW ROLE. TENNIS STAR ON HONEYMOON. WITH HIS BRIDE AT HOLLYWOOD. LOS ANGELES, September 2.'). The meteoric Frederick -T. Perry, world champion tennis ace, of England, underwent an unusual experience when he arrived in Los Angeles and attended the annual Pacific south-west tennis championships. Perry holds the title in the annual tournament and had expected to endeavour to defend his title, but his unfortunate accident in the American national tennis final with Wilmer Allison caused the British flash to take his position on the sidelines in Los Angeles and permit Ills title to go by default. The management had countcd 011 a record gate with Perry in the fray, but he very generously consented to grace the tournament by his presence, bobbing up with liis beautiful wife, Helen Vinson, tlie cinema star, and he thereby helped to save the day for the promoters of the annual tourney. Inquisitive newspapermen swarmed around Perry, querying him about his pliyiscal condition. He frankly replied: "I don't know." A year ago, right after he had taken the American title unto his bosom and come West to add another South-west title to his collection, Mr. Perry was offered £5000 to make a series of tennis shorts a la Bobby Jones for a palpitating public, and although California's Ellsworth Vines advised him to take the offer and then join Bill Tildcn Tours, Inc., Perry refused the offer. It was said he wanted, something like £15,000.

No Offers Now. This year there are no offers floating around for Mr. Perry to make tennis pictures, and it is reported on the best of authority that he will go to Australia to accept a lucrative offer with a sporting goods company there. At any rate, Mr. Perry, wearing a pair of Hollywood's finest dark goggles and smoking matches rapidly in a nifty English briar, was in and about the premises of the Los Angeles Tennis Club shaking hands and exchanging greetings in true palsy-walsy fashion with his scores of acquaintances. Taking cognisance of the British star's presence, the management trotted Perry out upon the centre court to introduce the players in one of the mixed doubles matches —Mr., and Mrs. Jo Bixler, Jin-, rique Maier, of Spain, and Miss K. Stammers, of St. Alban's, jiiigland. Hie latter combination won in»spite of everything, (i —2, G —4, Miss Stammers evi- j dently being inspired by the presence of | Fred Perry and his vivacious wife. The loss of Perry, still the world's tennis champion through, his Wimbledon and Davis Cup exploits, was keenly regretted by those in charge of the Pacific south-west championships and as one expert wrote: "Dynamic, personable, a mighty hitter and a clever tactician, Perry has 'it' on a tenuis court as few players possess that rather indefinite quality." Perry Feted. Perry and his wife arrived aboard the Sante Fe Chief train on their honeymoon trip and the couple were immediately taken to the Chateau Kl.vsee. Friends from the motion picture colony and the tennis set welcomed them with a surprise party held to celebrate Miss Vinson's birthday, which coincided with the date of her return to Hollywood from London. Perry refused to comment on his chances for further t*nnis" competition this season, but insisted that lie will return to attempt to regain the American championship next season. His

only comment on his defeat by Wilmer Allison was, "I had it coming. And Allison has had bad luck for years. It couldn't keep up." > an interest in possible motion picture offers, Perry denied that any contract has as yet been signed by him. Tennis engagements in Australia will demand his attention during the winter, he announced. Following his honeynnon in Southern California, Perry and Miss Vinson will leave to fill previous engagements in the way of contracts. While Perry is en route to Australia, Miss Vinson will leave for England to play the feminine lead in a Capitol Films production and Perry will join her there next spring.