When Hollywood’s Stars Stop Shining

Dominion, Volume 31, Issue 72, 18 December 1937, Page 26

When Hollywood’s Stars Stop Shining

What Do They Do While The Sets Are Silent ? ()F course, it is obviously true that all the stars seize every opportunity for relaxation and recreation. The very nature of their work requires, primarily, that they keep themselves in excellent physical, and mental condition. Accordingly, the majority of them are hard riding, fast playing individuals, as colourful and interesting in their private lives as they are in their screen roles. The following article tells us how the stars spend their spare time. Whether it is a day off or a summer vacation they relax as whole-heartedly as they work when they are on the set.

Summer is the time of the year when stars come out to bask in the suu —the season when Hollywood turns to itself for social activities. Days when summer was the signal for a general migration from 1 the film city are past. Now it’s just the opposite. In winter, screen favourites hie to Palm Springs, to Arrowhead, to Sun Valley. But as soon as Old Sol decides to stop playing around and bring summer in with a 'Vengeance, actors and actresses seat themselves in their respective homes, send out invitations vi i telephone, and proceed to enjoy themselves iu their natural surroundings. . . Probably, the pioneer in this summer “backyard” festivity movement is Joan Crawford Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer star. Every Sunday, during the Simmer months, Miss Crawford and husband Franchot Tone hold ojien house from noon until midnight. Guests drop in early, and amuse themselves by taking dips in the pool, playing tennis, badminton or ping-pong. When the day begins to cool, buffet supper is served from the large patio porch. The evening includes a programme of current pictures shown in the little theatre at the rear of the house. Una Merkel’s Saturday night barbecues are as inevitable to summer as a sun-tan. It was several years ago that Una completed her long-planned barbecue pit and out-of-door* diningroom, and since that time Hollywood has made a red-letter event out of its Saturday evenings. Informality, of course, rules. Guests may appear iu anything from slacks to sports dresses and feel perfectly at home. Dinner is served on long rustic tables stretching unbelievable lengths under a pergola. The service, including plates, knives and forks, are wooden. After dinner, guests are invited to amuse themselves with any one of more than three hundred games, in addition to night tennis and badminton on lighted courts.

Joining this year’s band of summer stay-at-homes is Robert Taylor, who has already planned some interesting entertainment for guests at his recent-ly-purchased ranch in the valley. Bob also prefers the barbecue type of dinner, and, after the meal, his guests are invited to take moonlight horseback rides along nearby mountain trails. Sunday is guest day for Elissa Landi. The actress ’ issues her invitation for six o’clock Sunday morning. All of the guests meet at her home, where horses are provided. A ride along the bridle trails' follows, and, after approximately two hours, the party arrives at some wooded, out-of-the-way spot where tables are spread and bacon and eggs are soon sizzling. Following breakfast the guests are invited back to the Landi home, where the remainder of the day is spent in out-of-door sports, or, for those who enjoy music, rare programmes of symphonic recordings.

Cecilia Parker, who leads Hollywood’s younger set, has already started a “stay at home this summer” movement by spending her vacation money on a red-and-white trailer, to match her red-and-white car. In this she gives trailer parties. The youngsters get together early in the evening and travel to the beach, where arrangements have been made for a party. Both'radio and gramophone may be found in the trailer; also, an extra platform that folds and tucks away, proves ideal as a small but efficient dance floor.

Clark Gable is one of the few who enjoys an occasional jaunt outside of Hollywood for summer. Hunting trips to the Santa Cruz Islands, where wild boar fire plentiful, is a short but enjoyable diversion.

A holidav in Hollywood is one thing to some people, but it’s something quite different to the screen star. In other walks of life Sunday and other holidays may reasonably be expected to offer freedom. But for a star it all depends. Although no actual shooting of film is done, actors and actresses have Monday’s lines to learn. On the other hand, when a star is not engaged in a picture, a whole series of days may be regarded as holidays—with reservations. For then when they stay at home, or travel to the various resorts of California, the players have always to consider the cameramen aud the interviewers, who seek them in these moments of socalled leisure. Accordingly, it may be said that a day off for a screen star is comparable to that of a newspaper reporter, or a policeman. If nothing occurs to interfere, there will be 24 hours of uninterrupted freedom. Nearly every well-known placer in Hollywood to-day has a beach home somewhere nearby, or a ranch in one of the luxuriant valleys. But they 7 also have direct telephone connections with their respective studios. Those with yachts have two-way radios, and so do the air-minded. Clark Gable belongs to a club that maintains a lodge somewhere in the mountains, known only to its members and the studio. Recently, Robert Taylor was admitted to membership. Gable, who is very busy working in pictures, is never beyond reach of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer.

Spencer Tracy sails a ketch, the Carrie B, aboard which he was required to install radio equipment. Wallace Beery has acquired a new aeroplane with two-way radio. So even though Hollywood may be out of sight, and even out of mind, it is seldom if ever out of touch with its stars.

Greta Garbo is available to Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer invariably at her home, where she is available to no one else, except on invitation. Characteristically, while she is working in a picture, Miss Garbo’s whole existence Is concentrated on her role.

Powell, the cosmopolitan, lives in bachelor simplicity in a Hollywood apartment. He abandoned a pretentious town house. Sundays and holidays find him in lounging pyjamas and dressing gown, with newspapers, magazines, and books surrounding him. He likes to dine out, observing an amusing world with an amused tolerance.

Nelson Eddy, at the moment on concert tour, is spending his holidays—if they may be called that —on trains and in hotels. Wheri he is in town, he enjoys the characteristic home life of a singing star in a home that is full of music. Joan Crawford, in private life Mrs. Franchot Tone, devotes her holidays to rigorous training. She. not only carries on with her vocal coaching, but goes in for strenuous physical exercise with tennis, swimming, riding, and walking. But even during the times when Hollywood is out of sight, it is never wholly out of touch with its stars.