GET FIT—AND KEEP FIT

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVI, Issue 23275, 18 February 1939, Page 11 (Supplement)

GET FIT—AND KEEP FIT

DOROTHY LAMOUR

TF the phrase "It's a short life •- and a gay one" can be applied •*"' to any one profession in particular, then that particular profession is acting for the cinema. If anybody needs to get fit quickly and keep fit, it is a film star. On the set and'off, stars must be "pictures of health," a fact which perhaps explains the extraordinary lengths to which they go in order to keep fit—from spending a weekend on • the desert to spending a whole year' on a diet of fruit and vegetables! Errol Flynn While there are some stars whose search for fitness leads them to do unusual things, the majority act very much as any ordinary person would to keep fit. . ' " , , What are the things that film stars do to keep fit, then? Certainly exer-

cise. Errol' Flynn, for example, is always exercising. He fences, swims, skis, sails his own yacht and is always ready a strenuous game of tennis. As if these were not enough, he has now taken up archery! Dick Powell is another swimmer—a relexation which is shared by his wife, Joan Blondell. Dick also enjoys rowing—on his own rowing machine. Pat O'Brien's favourite game is handball. Georgo Brent and Leslie Howard are both lovers of horse-riding and both are expert horsemen. George also likes to spar with the boxing gloves on. George O'Brien is also fond of swimming. In fact, George is often to be found swimming in the Pacific. He holds more athletic awards than any other star in Hollywood, and has his dip almost every day. George does, not claim any originality for his form of relaxation, but there is at least one star who does. His name is Edward G. Robinson. He relaxes at week-ends in the desert 1 Back to Nature Probably this is another indication of Hollywood's present "Back to Nature" trend —a trend which Dorothy Lamour helped to begin. Nature has given Dorothy long dark tresses of hair that powerfully emphasise her . charm. Natural foods —particularly raw and grated carrot, which feeds the hair follicles —and constant brushing of the hair with a dry brush, are her two secrets for healthy hair. Joan Crawford is another of Hollywood's out-door girls. Joan enjoys the distinction of being one of the film colony's few cyclists, and if you were up early enough on a fine morning you would see Joan "pedalling her way to fitness," as she calls it. Joan is alSo a powerful swimmer. , . And what do the stars eat and drink ? Buttermilk and fresh pressed apple juice are the two favourite drinks just now. If you visited a certain fashionable Beverly Hills restaurant round about lunch time —among others you

would see with glasses of fresh apple juice before them would be Fay Wray, Madeleine Carroll and George O'Brien. Mischa Auer —the popular new coraodian, and beautiful Alice Faye both favour buttermilk. Alice Faye, in addition to plenty of exercise, has been paying special attention to her diet just lately. ' Alice Faye's. Diet Here is her menu. Fruit juice for breakfast. Buttermilk mid-morning. Luncheon —salad and a lemon. Dinner — vegetable soup, salad, sometinies a little chicken, and as a dessert, fruit and cream. Marlene Dietrich loves her fruit and vegetables—in fact, she is a vegetarian.

""Sir Seymour Hicks, the English star, is also an ardent advocate of fruit and vegetables. He once even spent a whole year on nothing but fruit and vegetables. He also believes in the orange juice diet and has spent several periods on a regime of oranges only. Diana Napier, Diana Wynyard and Tom Walls are others who favour raw foods for health. Lovers of Open Air Merle Oberon believes that not more than two foods should be eaten at lunch; whenever Merle is on the "set," a jug of pineapple or grapefruit juice is always available. Merle has a T.T. breakfast on "tea and toast," and her evening meal is her largest. She is also a great believer in seaweed baths! The Gaumont British star Jessie Matthews and her husband, Sonnie Hale, are both lovers of the open air. Jessie's favourite relaxation —if re-

MERLE OBERON AND BRIAN AHEARNE

Diet and Exercise By Famou THEY MUST BE "PICTURES OF HEALTH'

By STANLEY COSTlN—(Copyright Reserved)

laxation it can bo called —is dancing, which, she says, keeps her fit. Sho also has her own keep-slim diet. Here it is: Grapefruit, brown toast and weak tea for breakfast. Lean chop or steak and grilled tomatoes and fresh

fruit for lunch. Steamed fish and onion for evening meal. No sugar in tea, no alcohol, coffee or liquids with meals. Drinks only when thirsty, between meals.—K.P.F.

AS THEY APPEARED IN " BELOVED ENEMY"