FILM STARS

Evening Post, Volume CXIX, Issue 134, 8 June 1935, Page 19

FILM STARS

THE WORLD SHOULD KNOW

SANE AND UNFRIVOLOUS

"I only wish the world know how sane, home-loving, and unfrivolous film stars really are," Mrs. Perry • Swart, who is visiting Australia for the first time, said when she arrived in Sydney on the Aorangi, states the "Sydney Morning Herald."-

Mrs. Swart lives.with her husband, Dr. Perry Swart, at Beverly Hiils, a few., miles, out of Los Angeles, and knows many film stars personally. Thefr homes "in Beverly HUls are all very beautiful, she said, for they employ the best interior decorators to fur,nish them,' and spare no expense. A number' of them, like Warner Baxter and Mary Pickford, also take a great interest in civic affairs, and help in numerous ways in the "village," apd are much better citizens than people imagine. Their presence in Beverly Hills, however, has an unfortunate effect on the price of commodities and on the wages for domestic servants. Whereas Mrs.. Swart pays her cook 100 dollars, John Barrymore's cook receives 125 dollars, while Mr. Lew Cody's chauffeur receives twice the salary of the Swart chauffeur. Mrs. Swart says that, were it not for the fact that some servants' are content to remain in the service which has given them employment for 20 years, it would be a difficult problem keeping help, for the temptations of high salaries are many. Contrary to general- opinion, said Mrs. Swart, Christmas and New Year festivities are spent in the homes of the film folk, who annually take part- in a competition for the best, decorated Christmas tree. For two weeks before and after Christmas one of the main roads is a picture of beauty, nearly every home having a decorated and illuminated Christmas-tree standing in its grounds. The trees stand well back in the grounds, and covered-with lights, silver bells, toys, and reindeer, are much admired, the film folk visiting each other's trees, and many people from the, east ;go to Hollywood just to see "Christmas Tree Lane," which is a dazzling sight This custom has been followed, each season for the. last nine, years, and Mary Pickford has.entered, into1 tKe competition1 each time, and I herself judged, and given the,prizes for the, best decorated tree- several times. '