Success and Its Price

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22444, 13 June 1936, Page 16 (Supplement)

Success and Its Price

Ronald Colman I LOST PRIVACY MORE PRECIOUS THAN MONE'Y To Ronald Colman fame is a thief. While fortune has brought him world-wide renown, wealth, and luxury, it has stolen everything else from him. Here is a sketch of his career which proves the foregoing remarks. At first glance Colman looks typically himself. His English tweeds and his pipe are just what you would expect him to have, and at closer quarters you notice the same half-humorous, half-cynical smile, and the same sadness behind his eyes that are so apparent on the screen.

IT is this sadness that is a key to Colman's character. His life, full of incident and often of disappointment, has left its mark upon him. He was born at Richmond, that lovely Thames-side town outside London, and was educated in London. He was not a particularly brilliant scholar, but showed a great leaning toward history. When he was 16 his father died, and he went to work, first as an office boy and later as a junior accountant in the offices of one of the largest of English steamship companies. Then came the first event which was to place young Colman's stops upon the path that led to screen'stardom. It was the outbreak of war. Eonald Colman, a member of his school s 0.T.C., and ono of the famous London rifle regiments, was among the first to rally to the colours. He is, indeed, one of the "first hundred thousand," those men whose gallantry turned the tide of war in the anxious days of 1915. After 18 months Colman was invalided home with a shattered ankle. The star-to-be spent long, weary months of convalescence before he was discharged as curod. But it was the end of war for him. The Army Medical Board examined him and certified him as unfit for further active service. After the excitement of war commercial life wfls far too tame, and when the offer of a stage role came his way he seized it. For four years he played on the English stage. In 1920, however, this period of prosperity came to an

up immediately between the two men, and although Colman went more rapidly to the top of the tree his success never affected their relationship. They wero reunited in "Beau Geste," the picture which more than any other made Ronald Colman one of tho screen's greatest romantic actors. "Beau Geste" was followed by "The Magic Flame," in which ho was cast opposite a beautiful Hungarian actress, Vilma Banky. Together they made a team whose popularity was only surpassed by that of tho famous GarboGilbert combination. When talking pictures came Ronald Colman went further ahead. "Bulldog Drummond" revealed him as the possessor of a delightful speaking voice. Even in the early days of crude mechanical reproduction its charm was very apparent. Such pictures as "Arrowsjnith," "The Devil to Pay," "The Masquerader," "Bulldog Drummond Strikes Back," and "Clive of India," in which for the first time ho sacrificed his famous moustache, only served to increase his popularity. He has just completed for Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, the studio which gave him his start in pictures, the role of Sydney Carton in "A Tale of Two Cities." He is, it would seem, sitting on top of the world. Yet he is not really happy_. Why? Fame has brought him much, yet it has taken much away from him. In a recent interview lie spoke bitterly of the lack of privacy to which he is subject. "Fame has taken away my privacy, which happens to be more precious to me than money or any amount of publicity. It has robbed me of many of my friends and prevented me from making new ones. It has robbed nie of my freedom and of my right to harmless adventures and experiences which are tho right of every man. At the moment I am like a performing monkey, expected by tho public to appear

end, and, heeding the old advice to "go west, young man, go west," he sailed for New York. Ronald Colman's first Broadway role was in a play which starred Robert Warick. It was a "flop," but it gave him a start that led to other roles. It was theu that he married an actress well known to Australians, Thclina Rave, and for a time it seemed as if lie had reached the height of his ambition. One night, two years after he landed in America, a visitor was ushered into his theatre dressing-room. His name was Henry King, and he was a film director. He ofiered Colman the leading role opposite Lillian Gish in Metro's production of "The White Sister." At first Colman was disinclined to accept, but his friends urged him to do so. They pointed out thai Lillian Gish was one of the screen's greatest actresses, and that the picture was likely to be one of the season's outstanding attractions. He accepted. From that point he has never looked back. "The White Sister" was a great success. Then followed "Romola," once more with Lillian Gish. It was during the production of this film that Colman formed a friendship that has existed until the present day—a friendship which means much to him. In tho cast, playing tho role of a very villainous villain, was a young actor named William Powell. Strong friendship sprang

with a bag of tricks every time I venture out of seclusion. "1 was dancing one night at a club when a man poked me in the ribs and said, 'Say, 1 just heard you talking to your partner. You talked like that to Loretta Young in " Bulldog Drummond Strikes Back." Do you always talk to your partners like that?' "It is tho result of incidents of that nature that people refer to me as a hermit. Other actors don't mind it, but to me the notoriety, the violation of my privacy, and the recognition in public places is abhorrent. Call it a complex if j'ou like, but there it is."