You Must Remember This: Life and Style in Hollywood's Golden Age

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You Must Remember This: Life and Style in Hollywood's Golden Age Page 20

by Wagner, Robert J


  I’ve spent a lot of time here talking about place, about ambience, but I have to be honest—when I think of those days, I think mostly of people.

  Bob and Sally Cobb. Mike and Gloria Romanoff. Dave and Maude Chasen. J. Stanley Anderson. Jim Cagney. Jimmy Stewart. Spencer Tracy. Clifton Webb. Laurence Olivier. Billy Wilder. Barbara Stanwyck.

  Some of these people were actors, some restaurateurs, some entrepreneurs. But they were all men and women who could warm your hands just by being around them.

  There are very few places left in town that have the wonderful charm that attracts a traditionalist like myself. Even the Bel Air Hotel has changed. Today, there are a few places that still maintain the old vibe: L’Ami Louis in Paris, La Grenouille in New York, and the wonderful Charles Masson and his family, whom I love.

  But things change. It’s the way of the world. I guess that’s why nobody writes letters anymore.

  Ethics have deteriorated in business in general. Start with the government and go down . . . It’s so hard to teach values: looking someone in the eye, shaking hands, not being litigious, being grateful for the bounty that life so often gives us. Lawyers have taken over the country, as have the insurance companies and lobbyists in general. When I was brought up, a man’s word was his bond. Pensions are disappearing, with a resultant loss of security. An interconnected social system that lasted for close to a hundred years is breaking down.

  I grew up in a different time. I don’t mean to imply that it was necessarily perfect. But I think we can all agree that it’s become far more difficult to move through life with some sense of balance, not to mention integrity. Technology has altered values in a way that makes it hard to have any intimacy. And most damaging is the fact that the level of vitriol is off the charts.

  Many people my age believe that the films have grown old, lost their power to enchant. Sometimes that happens to people. If you fall in love with the movies when you are young—I think the critical ages are around eight to fifteen or so—by the time a half century has gone by, the movies are bound to have changed a great deal, because it’s their nature to appeal to the young, who attend more frequently than the old.

  For example: 1965 is generally thought of as a good year for Hollywood, on the cusp of the great changeover from old to new. Old masters like Ford, Wilder, and Wyler were still in the game, and exciting young talents like Arthur Penn, Sidney Lumet, Blake Edwards, and John Frankenheimer were beginning to make waves.

  That year, the wonderful old director Raoul Walsh talked to Hedda Hopper about how Hollywood had changed. According to Walsh, it was all for the worse: “Cooper, Gable, Flynn—all gone at once—it’s left a big hole. The Academy Awards are now a joke—a songwriter’s holiday. It’s ‘What song can we get him or her to sing?’ This used to be a place out of the Arabian nights in earlier times—now the so-called stars go around dressed like bums—in old jeans. It’s unbelievable.”

  Change the names of the recently deceased, and you could imagine the same speech being given by any number of the unwilling retired actors, directors, or reporters of today pining for the golden age of 1965.

  But even amid an occasional complaint, I remain optimistic. The movies have always been about passion, enthusiasm. Those qualities were reflected in all aspects of our lives, both in the movies we made and the lives we led. In most meaningful ways, they still are, and the best films continue to reflect them. The Artist was a movie that transcended period and caught the joyous essence of the movies, as well as the emotionally volatile temperament of the people who make them.

  It won Oscars for Best Picture, Best Actor, and Best Director, and it did my heart good.

  Films are often compared to dreams—I call them eyelid movies—and watching a movie is a lot like being in a dream state, but, surprisingly, I’ve never dreamed about them. For decades I’ve had one recurring dream that never varies. It’s about Sonny, the good-natured horse with splashes of paint on his shoulder that I worked with when I was a boy.

  In the dream I’m with my father. Sonny is old, and we’re taking him back to his breeder, to return him to the pasture where he was bred and to say good-bye. When we get to the pasture, Sonny is already there, but he’s someplace where I can’t see him. I’m upset because I haven’t actually said good-bye to him, and I need to do that.

  I set out for the pasture to find Sonny, but before I start walking, I turn around and look back at the place I came from. There I see my family—my daughters, my grandchildren, all the people I’ve loved, some of whom I’ve loved and lost—people I hope and believe I will see again someday. At this point in my dream, I always feel a comforting rush of gratitude for everything I’m leaving behind. And then I set off to find Sonny.

  It’s at this point that I wake up. In the dream I never find Sonny, but that doesn’t bother me. One day my dream will eventually have the perfect happy ending that so seldom happens in life. An ending . . . just like in the movies.

  Diana Cammarano

  Acknowledgments

  My memory for my own life is thankfully excellent, but there was a lot of history going on in Hollywood before I got here nearly eighty years ago. Besides all the wonderful stories told to me by older friends who were there at the time, I consulted a number of books on the subject. Among the most valuable were Hollywood: The First Hundred Years by Bruce Torrence, Out with the Stars by Jim Heimann, and Gone Hollywood by Christopher Finch and Linda Rosenkrantz.

  I’d like to thank Mort Janklow—a legend in the literary world, and for good reasons—he’s incredibly smart, enthusiastic, and most important, wise—the consummate agent. He immediately saw the potential of You Must Remember This. Rick Kot at Viking edited the book with creative style and grace, and Nick Bromley and all the people at Viking have put the pieces together in a beautiful package. Elizabeth Applegate has been with me for thirty-seven years, through good times and bad, and never faltered. She found pictures of my childhood that I wasn’t even sure I had.

  Finally, I want to thank Scott Eyman, my esteemed literary collaborator. Scott’s knowledge of and love for the movies and the industry that produces them is unparalleled, but that’s probably not as important as the fact that writing two books together has bonded us in a deep and valued friendship.

  And to all of you who have watched me over the years—my life would not have been possible without you. Thank you.

  Index

  The page numbers in this index refer to the printed version of this book. The link provided will take you to the beginning of that print page. You may need to scroll forward from that location to find the corresponding reference on your e-reader.

  Page numbers in italics refer to photos.

  actors. See also specific individuals

  earnings, 83

  exclusive studio contracts, 171, 182

  glamorous image, 169

  housing discrimination against, 20, 22, 64, 69

  independent productions, 181, 235, 251

  influence over public, 140

  investments and business ventures, 38, 59, 70, 93–94, 192, 201, 217

  ownership of own films, 70, 89

  privacy, 14–15, 182–86

  reputations, 14, 171, 176–77, 180–82

  television work, 250

  during wartime, 207–9

  work schedule, 9, 169–70

  Agua Caliente, 57–59

  Ambassador Hotel, 229–31, 231

  Anderson, J. Stanley, 27–28

  Anderson, Stanley, 27, 44, 66–69, 97

  Anderson, Margaret, 27, 66–67

  Anderson & Sheppard, 159–62

  Arbuckle, Fatty, 26

  architecture

  Art Deco, 81–82

  California ranch house, 122–25

  conglomeration of styles, 30, 63, 78, 81, 107–8

  drama and excess, 80–82
<
br />   formality with approachability, 73

  form-imitates-function designs, 80

  modern, 48–49, 78–79, 84

  movie theaters, 79

  novelty, 96

  playfulness, 82

  rich detail, 77

  romantic styles, 27

  Spanish Mediterranean, 63

  streamlined designs, 84, 250–51

  studio buildings, 80–81

  transitional style, 84

  Arrowhead Springs Hotel, 38–39, 39, 243

  Astaire, Fred, 121, 150, 160–62, 161, 214, 215

  Baiano, Solly, 44

  Barnett, Vince, 143

  Barnsdall, Aline, 108

  Barrymore, John, 84–85

  Bautzer, Greg “Tex,” 49

  Beaumont-Gantt, Ernest Raymond “Don the Beachcomber,” 237–39

  Beebe, Lucius, 193

  Bel Air, 29–32, 110, 231

  Bel Air Country Club, 31, 145, 147–48

  Bel Air Hotel, 31–32, 98

  Bell, Alphonzo, 30–31

  Bellamy, Ralph, 45

  Bennett, Constance, 38, 54

  Berlin, Irving, 59, 121

  Bernheimer family, 22

  Beverly Hills

  architectural styles, 78–79

  barrenness and desolation, 66, 70, 72, 82

  construction boom, 75

  economic base, 28

  intolerance and restrictions, 64, 69

  mass transit system, 34–36, 68

  movie stars and movie business in, 73–74, 83–84

  planning and development, 27–28, 64–66, 65

  population growth, 109

  tourists, 109

  Beverly Hills Hotel, 67–69, 73, 90–99, 91, 94

  Birdwell, Russell, 179–80

  blacks, 64, 95–96, 214, 231

  Blackton, J. Stuart, 64

  Bogart, Humphrey, 148, 219, 229, 241

  Bond, Ward, 43

  boxing, 202–3

  Brand, Harry, 175–78, 178

  Brandstatter, Eddie, 194–95

  brothels, 216

  Brown, Clarence, 155, 231

  Brown Derby, 195–204, 197, 198

  Burton, Richard, 93, 182

  Café Montmartre, 194

  Cagney, James, 119–20, 226

  Carroll, Harrison, 170–71

  Case, Frank, 71–72

  Catalina, 40–45

  Chaplin, Charlie

  home, 70, 73

  leisure activities, 148–49

  Oscar award, 97

  ownership of own films, 89

  parties, 101, 141, 141–42, 144

  public criticism of, 181

  restaurant investment, 192

  studio, 70, 81

  Chasen’s/Dave and Maude Chasen, 224–28, 227, 229, 232

  Chateau Marmont, 231–32, 234

  Ciro’s, 209–11, 213

  Clarebut, Helena and Noel, 32

  clothing and style, 159–65

  clubs. See gambling clubs; nightclubs

  Cobb, Bob, 199–202

  Cocoanut Grove, 215, 230–31, 231

  Coffee Dan’s, 189

  Cohn, Harry, 10–11, 53, 207

  Columbia Pictures, 10, 53

  Conger, Cornelia, 116

  Cook, Wilbur, Jr., 64–65

  Cooper, Gary, 58, 150, 160, 201, 227, 250

  Cornero, Tony, 55, 191

  Courtright, Hernando, 93–95, 97–98

  Crawford, Joan, 79, 81, 103, 107, 198, 230

  croquet, 151, 151–54, 154

  Crosby, Bing, 58, 144, 149, 163, 230

  Cruze, James, 144

  Daniels, Bebe, 99, 106, 154, 191

  Davies, Marion, 101–4, 103, 105–6, 135

  Davis, Bette, 109, 207, 210

  de Longpré, Paul, 21–22

  de Mille, Agnes, 26

  DeMille, Cecil B., 23–25, 24, 81, 148

  Dennis, Oliver Perry, 66

  Depression years, 28, 31, 82

  Dietrich, Marlene, 93, 160, 222

  Don the Beachcomber’s, 48, 237–40

  Draper, Dorothy, 38–39

  Duke of Windsor, 159

  Dunne, Irene, 94, 222

  Edmunds, Larry, 190–91

  Embassy Club, 194–95

  Fairbanks, Douglas, Sr.

  after divorce, 99, 101

  death, 73

  home, 69–71, 72, 73, 135

  involvement in gambling resort, 59

  ownership of own films, 70, 89

  parties and guests, 71, 73, 140, 141

  tastes and fashion sense, 71, 160, 161

  fan magazines. See press and publicity

  Farmer, Frances, 177

  Farrell, Charlie, 45

  Farwell, Lyman, 66

  fashion, 159–65

  Feldman, Charles, 219–22, 221

  Fidler, Jimmy, 170, 172

  Flynn, Errol, 148, 149, 150, 172

  Ford, John, 43, 148

  Fox, Virginia, 116–17

  Fox, William, 73–74

  Fox/20th Century Fox

  decline in profits, 249

  founding of, 58, 74

  new leadership, 118

  publicity department, 171, 175, 177

  Gable, Clark

  death, 250

  departure from MGM, 250

  home, 110

  leisure activities, 58, 147, 154, 227

  marriage proposal, 203

  military service, 207

  parties, 103, 105

  tailors, 162

  trysts, 90–91

  gambling clubs

  Agua Caliente, 57–59

  Clover Club, 54–55

  gamblers, 52–54, 242

  gambling ships, 55–57, 56

  La Boheme, 204

  media coverage and advertising, 55

  Sunset Strip location, 204–5

  Wilkerson ventures, 204–5, 243

  Garland, Judy, 3, 7, 13–14, 31

  Gest, David, 3–8

  Gibbons, Cedric, 81, 82, 144

  Gillette, King, 74

  Goetz, William and Edie, 127–31, 128, 150, 206

  Goldwyn, Samuel, 11, 23, 24, 152–53, 154, 242

  golf courses, 51, 86, 110–11, 144–48, 146

  Graham, Sheilah, 170

  Grant, Cary, 99, 160, 182, 207

  Grauman, Sid, 53, 80, 195

  Green, Burton, 66, 67–68

  Grieve, Harold, 82, 214

  Griffith, D. W., 21, 70

  Gully, Richard, 179

  Haines, William

  career as decorator, 12–13, 79, 81–82, 106–7, 111–13, 127

  homosexuality, 12, 176–77

  Hansen, Kenneth, 236–37

  Harlow, Jean, 58, 110

  Hawks, Howard, 153, 222

  Hearst, William Randolph, 101–2, 105

  Hepburn, Kate, 99, 198

  Hollywood. See also studios and movie business

  during Depression, 28

  founding of, 19–20, 189

  historic highlights, 21

  intolerance and restrictions, 20, 22–23

  mass transit system, 34–36, 35, 36

  population growth, 25, 84

  Hollywood Canteen, 207–8, 208

  Hollywood Hotel, 20–21, 66–67, 67

  Holmby Hills, 110, 127

  homes. See houses and homes

  homosexuality, 12, 176–77, 181

  Hopper, Hedda, 104, 170, 172–75, 174, 176, 181

  hotels

  Agua Caliente, 57–59

  A
mbassador Hotel, 229–31, 231

  Arrowhead Springs Hotel, 38–39, 39, 243

  Bel Air Hotel, 31–32, 98

  Beverly Hills Hotel, 67–69, 73, 90–99, 91, 94

  Chateau Marmont, 231–32, 234

  Hollywood Hotel, 20–21, 66–67, 67

  Oceanhouse, 103, 105

  houses and homes. See also architecture; specific individuals for descriptions of their homes

  construction boom and decline, 75, 82–83

  design by set designers, 82

  early-twentieth-century survivors, 22

  exclusion of actors from neighborhoods, 20, 22, 64, 69

  fashionable addresses outside Hollywood, 26

  modest Santa Monica and Malibu homes, 99–100

  in remote and rural areas, 109–10

  Frank Lloyd Wright designs, 108–9

  Hudson, Rock, 181

  Hug, Fred and Laura, 244–45

  Hughes, Howard, 58, 92–93, 99, 204, 232

  Jackson, Michael, 3, 4, 5–7

  Jesse L. Lasky Feature Play Company, 23–24, 24

  Jolson, Al, 38, 59

  Koverman, Ida, 174

  La Rue, 240–42

  Lasky, Jesse L., 23, 24, 25, 59, 99

  Leon, Jean, 228–29

  Lloyd, Harold

  death, 90

  family, 87, 88, 89

  home, 84, 85–90, 86, 88, 110–11

  ownership of own films, 89

  retirement and pastimes, 89

  Lombard, Carole

  homes, 107, 110

  marriage proposal, 203

  parties, 104–5, 139–40

  tax bill, 180

  trysts, 90

  Long, Baron, 57, 189–91

  Loper, Don, 96

  Los Angeles, 19–20, 29, 34, 108. See also Beverly Hills; Hollywood

  Lubitsch, Ernst, 117, 143

  Lyon, Ben, 99, 106, 154

  Malibu, 40, 100

  Marino, Joe, 244–45

  Martin, Dean, 51, 163, 220

  May, Cliff, 48, 122–26, 124, 140

  Mayer, Louis B.

  beach house, 99, 144

  daughters and wives, 128–29, 130, 214

  horses and stable, 150

  during Prohibition, 190

 

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