ASKED FOR FIVEPENCE

Hawera Star, Volume L, 14 February 1931, Page 9

ASKED FOR FIVEPENCE

r J'IIERB is a barometer peculiar to Hollywood, in which letters, not mercury, guage the popularity of a screen player, says a writer in the ‘•Daily Mail.” They are known as £; fan” letters the word “fan”’ being: the American abbreviation for fanatic. There are varieties of “fans”; baseball tan:s, boxing fans, Lindbergh fans, but the greatest army of them all is the one that idolises the movie stars. From every land and in every language axe the tetters that come at the rate or more than 500,000 a month to- the Hollywood studios.

Proposals of marriage, requests for money, poems, criticism, and praise, advice on how to become a star (.lrom old and young), broad hints that second-hand clothing would he appreciated —letters on every subject imaginable. Also a writer never fails to ask for a signed autograph. So huge is this demand for pictures that the studios have been forced to ask that 5d be sent with requests. Producers do not want to discourage the practice as it is a. very definitetest- of a player’s popularity, and guides the officials in the matter of easting and salaries.

An unfortunate mistake occurred recently when a letter of praise was written by the British author, A. E. W. Mason, to Richard Arlen for his performance, as the hero, Harry Feversham, in the picture of Mason’s, ‘ The Four Feathers.” Naturally., the stars rarely ever see the letters addressed to them at the studios. A department takes care or them, answering by form letters, and

Mason’s Hollywood Insult

whenever th© 5d is enclosed a photograph is immediately dispatched to the sender. £ ~ Mason’s letter went the way ot n l others. How could a little girl clerk be expected to know A. E. W. Mason from the Begum of Bhopal? Conse-ouent-lv one May morning m England, Mason received a letter from the Paramount studios at Hollywood thanKUig him for displaying such an interest m Mr. Richard Aden's work and adding chat if lie would send 5d they would be ,-ry glad to send him an autographed oicture of that actor. The letter was -printed, of course, and signed with a rubber stamp, as are all the photographs. Mason aparently ignored what must have looked like an insult, but the storv crept into the papers. Immediately upon his return from the Rockies, Arlen was informed, and wrote the following letter to Mason: Dear Air. Mason,—On my return from an extended location, I found that you had been greatly slighted, due to an oversight on our fan mail department. I hope you will forgive this negligence and accept my humble apology. I assure you I deem it an honour and a pleasure" to know that you felt kindly to my, characterisation of vour hero.' “Harry Feversham,” and if it is not asking too great a favour would greatly cherish an autographed edition of your glorious book. Having served with the Royal Flyino- Corps during the war, I feel a great friendliness to my British friends and 1 assure you it has distressed me great•iv that you have been grossly slighted and again I ask vour indulgence.