HOLLYWOOD’S “CASTOFFS.”

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXIII, 21 June 1926, Page 2

HOLLYWOOD’S “CASTOFFS.”

OLD CLOTHES EAGERLY BOUGHT

I have often been asked what a. “star’' does with her old clothes (writes Mac Murray in Pearson’s Weeklv). .•‘1 suppose,” said one pretty young Englishwoman to me quite recently, “that with all you rich people always .changing your clothes, Hollywood must .be tho Mecca or ,tlie old clothes man.” “This, however, is not tho case, for there aro no old clothes men in California, as a matter of fact, when a dress is worn in a film, you are extremely lucky if there is anything left of it at‘ tho end of the production.

Famous film companies in America hold jumble sales of frocks and gowns that have, been worn in films, twice a year in their studios,. Women from all parts of tho country hasten to these sales with a determination to buy a gown or die in the ,‘Lrugglc. Several thousands strong, they “lino up in queues stretching in all directions, long before the doors of the studios open. It is amusing to see women of immense stature and weight buying dresses belonging originaly to Gloria Swanson or Betty Conipson. They are convinced that they can slide into them —and they generally do so, with dire results to the dress! The Salvation Army carries away the discarded wardrobes of many film studios.

I once received a, ' heartbreaking letter from a woman saying that she was starving and had nothing to wear. J sent her some warm coats and cloaks. Imagine my consternation when I saw them in a secondhand shop a week Liter for sale at a good price. During a production in Florida once I had to have my dress torn in one of. the scenes. Each time the “villan” tore my dress the director thought the effect wasn’t good enough. So this particular scene had to bo retaken twelve times, and five different dresses were used. At the end of the picture they weren’t fit to wear.

It may surprise you to know that some of the male film 6tars have larger wardrobes than the women stars. Rudolph Valentino, for instance, a’wnys has a stock of forty suits. Carl Miller, Richard Bnrthelmess and John Gilbert have large wardrobes and their owners arc very generous too—which aro continually changing in their gifts to the poor.