FILM FAME.

Waikato Times, Volume 113, Issue 18874, 18 February 1933, Page 16 (Supplement)

FILM FAME.

OFTEN LEADS TO TRAGEDY. The detbth of Jaok Piokford, at the early age of 36, adds yet another lamentable chapter to the tragic history ■of Hollywood. Another poor human has been broken by success, says a correspondent. In recalling the names of those film stars who Wave met untimely death, it is fashionable to heap calumny on Hollywood, but it is not quite fair. How many people, born in humble ciroumstasces, can endure success? In the ordinary way success can be endured only when it Is earned. In the Hollywood way success Is not earned. By some trick of fate, a mere youth, by no merit of his own, finds himself fabulously wealthy overnight and is destroyed in the moment he believes he is made. The film star is the victim of stardom. He is flattered and feted wherever he goes. Hysterical men and women mob the film star and fawn upon him. A simple, untutored youth finds iilmself in an instant lifted to the level of the gods. I have the utmost sympahy for anyone thrust into this unhappy eminence. Take the case or Mabel Normand, the most tragic figure in the whole history of the film world. Sudden wealth brought temptations to experiment in sensations which it was not in her to resist. *

The ' artificial life of Hollywood made experiment easy. Ten years ago there were 200 dens in and around Hollywood where film stars were persuaded and cajoled to enjoy gambling and dring and drugs. The peddler of vice has always sought to make his victim an addict to dirugs. Then he is sure of his prey. Mabel Normand, when she visited London, was a pathetlo drug-racked figure, eoaroely able to walk. The destruction of the genius who was Mabel Normand is the most deplorable episode in film history. Wallaoe Reid Gase. Wallace Reid never visited London, but those who were fllmgoers ten 7ears ago may never forget his tragio appearance in his list picture when he was already, by drugs, visibly condemned to death. In a few brief years the star who 'had been the logical representative of young American manhood became a physical wreck. Wallaoe Reid made an heroio effort to cure himself but in vain.

Just before the death of Wallaoe Reid, the English direotor, William Desmond Taylor, made a courageous effort to break 'the drug ring which had Hollywood securely In its olaws. He began collecting evidence against the purveyors of drugs, and suooeeded beyond his dreams. He traoked down the main supplier of cooalne. That sealed his fate. He was murdered and, as in. many of the gangster orimes, the identity of the murderer has never been revealed. It has remained the black secret of Hollywood.

There are many other victims of cinema success. Drink and drugs drove one of the finest romantic aotors of films in Robert Harm to his death. Max Linder, the only comedian who-se genius rivalled that of Charles Chaplin, died a suicide. Alma Rubens died of drugs.

Cause of Tragedies.

There are many lesser people, of whom you never hear, who die In the fierce flame of film life. Fame and wealth, coming to them overnight, make them lose all sense of moral values. Stupid adulation makes them self-centred and conceited to incredible degrees. They will not realise that they are the victims of spurious flame. Harold Lloyd, who be'ars his fame more becomingly than almost ■any other star I have met, said to me recently, “Why should I have lost my head? I am merely an illusion created in the minds of the public.” That Is one of the few really true things a star ever said.

Nowadays most of the Hollywood stars lead the lives of normal, hardworking people, but there are weaklings who magnify their own importance and seek to escape from the rules that govern the lives of ordinary men and women.

Many of them are worthy only of contempt, but others deserve pity because temptation, which they are jmfltted to resist, is thrust so persistently in their way.

The flame of Aim life bairns furiously. Those who are its victims live on their nerves. They seek every form of unlawful excitement as their prerogative. They pay with their lives.