Looking For a Guardian: Film Stars Problem

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 708, 6 July 1929, Page 2

Looking For a Guardian: Film Stars Problem

CALLY PHIPPS, one of Hollywood’s youngest stars —she is only 17 —is looking for a guardian to take care of the dollars that are rolling in. Poor Sally has a sad story to tell. She recently asked the Los Angeles courts to appoint her a guardian because her mother, Mrs. Edith Beautler, and stepfather have misused the money that she earned as a star. Sally further asserted her stepfather mistreated and slandered her, injuring her position at the studios where she is employed.

Her case recalls to mind that of Mary Miles Mlnter and her mother which happened a tew years ago. Everybody remembers sweet little Mary Miles Minter. Five years ago (writes Reg Mortimer, in an English newspaper) she was very near becoming Mary Pickford's successor. Due to her unaffected and sincere work on the screen, the future seemed very bright for her, for Mary was then just a few months over 17.

Being under age. her mother took full charge of her financial affairs. Screen mothers have a habit of doing that. In Mary’s case, mother grabbed the pay envelope every week and gave her gifted daughter a small amount as pocket money. The time came, however, when Mary rebelled against her mother. She decided to take some interest in her own earnings. But mother had prepared for that. Every penny of Mary's salary had been invested, and most of it without her knowledge. So the daughter started to collect her own salary each week. This led

Many of the Well - known Cinema Stars Keep Their Happy Parents in Luxury .... Others i£, Have Meddlesome Mothers Who Hamper Their Success at the Studios. to frequent quarrels between mother and daughter, for the mother still claimed her daughter was under age and was not competent to have control of her own money. Ruined by Interference Mary took her case to court and the unwelcome publicity which arose from the case caused her screen popularity to suffer. Eventually she got full control of her own affairs —but to little advantage. The publicity had been so world-wide that she found her status as a star had dropped. She made several attempts to regain the popularity she ouce had, but gradually her appearances on the screen grew less and less until she practically vanished. Few of the present-day fans know of her existence, though she is still a very attractive girl and is living a life of quiet retirement in Hollywood. The tragedy of lost stardom due to mother's interference. Time over again studio officials have told me of the troubles they have over mothers who want to manage their offsprings' careers. They follow their "children’' —though they are often quite able to take care of themselvesto the studio, where they remain close at hand until the day's work is done. "It would not be so bad.” one director told me. "if these mothers would keep quietly in the background. We do not mind them coming in the studio occasionally, but we certainly do resent their interference.

"Only the other day we had to stop work early in the morning because Miss (mentioning a well-known star's name) was upset by her mother who was near the camera. We were putting the girl through a highly dramatic scene. Her mother was standing close by the camera, and while I was coaching the girl in the action the mother was pointing to a certain ruffle on her daughter’s dress. The girl, not getting her mother's idea,

thought she was criticising her acting, and broke down and cried. She was unable to compose herself again for the scene and, consequently, the day was wasted, not to mention quite a large amount of money representing time.” On another occasion I recall a world-famous director having his face slapped by an excited mother who thought she was in a better position to direct her daughter in her film work than tiie director. A Slap in the Face It happened while water scenes were being taken. The daughter was require .to fall into a lake. It was not very pleasant, but it had to be done. The daughter expressed her willingness. but mother strongly resented her daughter getting wet. “Why can't a double be used for this scene,” argued the strong-minded mother, “I don’t see why my daughter should risk her health.” The director did not reply. He had the scene cut out. But after the picture was completed the daughter was not given another contract. And since then she has not worked in another picture. She would have been a highly paid star by now—lf mother hadn’t interefred. More screen careers have been ruined by over-ambitious movie mothers than would be realised. Olive Borden was a recent case. Olive, an extremely pretty and talented young girl, obtained a good contract with the Fox Company At the end of two years she was in receipt of something like £3OO a week from this company. Then the time came for her contract