Tuesday, January 27, 2009

FILM STARS FIGHTS ARE GOSSIP



By Luella O. Parsons

Hollywood, March 12 – The deep-seated, bitter enemies that are so often mentioned in the movies are frequently only publicity stories. Often, it is true, an open feud does exist between two actresses as it probably did between Jetta Goudal and Lupe Velez when these two exotic young women were making a picture for D. W. Griffith.



Lupe, who is a primitive child of nature, couldn’t resist the temptation to tease La Goudal. This led to the expected consequences – in other words, Miss Goudal resented Lupe’s attempted playfulness.

There is a difference of opinion as to whether there really is a coolness between Lupe and Dolores Del Rio or whether it is only gossip. Lupe is not apt to curb either her tongue or her disposition if a person does not meet with her approval. She is so frank that it never occurs to her to show even a polite restraint.

DIFFICULT SITUATION



Dolores Del Rio, who was the first Mexican star and who is as calm as Lupe is tempestuous, was surprised, there is no doubt, at the manner in which Lupe overnight became famous. I suppose it is only human nature that Dolores should feel a little resentful that Lupe was taken into the same film company with her and should be given the same type of roles.

Magazine writers, quick to see that there was no close friendship between the aristocratic Dolores and the more down-to-earth Lupe, circulated stories that the two girls disliked each other.

I doubt if there was ever a real battle, although there was never any affection between them. In spite of their resemblance they are as different as day and night.




One of the earliest published feuds was that existing between Gloria Swanson and Pola Negri. Both were rumored as fighting bitterly for supremacy on the Paramount lot. If Paramount gave one a special dressing room the other, it was reported, demanded a better one.

When Gloria was questioned about the truth of the story that she filled Pola’s dressing room with cats because the Polish actress had an aversion to cats, she haughtily denied the story.
“I do not even know Miss Negri,” she said.

Gloria, who is a bit of a mimic, is reported as having done an imitation of Pola that had her friends in hysterics. Then gossip said that Pola came back with an imitation of the marquise when she was wheeled on the set in a Palm Beach chair, manned by a colored servant in uniform, that was equally amusing.

GARBO-DIETRICH



Certain writers have tried in vain to build up a jealousy drama between Greta Garbo and Marlene Dietrich, Marlene always disarms those who seek to question her about Garbo by launching into her extravagant praise of the Swedish actress. Garbo, on the other hand – but when did Garbo ever answer anything or anybody?




So much was written about the bad feeling between Clara Bow and Alice White, Clara wondered if Alice really did dislike her. On the other hand, Alice began to believe Clara was, perhaps, talking against her. It all started when the resemblance between the two was discussed. Someone figured Clara must resent having another star of the same type on the screen.



I happen to know neither girl had a quarrel and that Alice was one of the first to go to the defense of the red-headed Brooklyn madcap when there was so much undesirable publicity being printed against her. Alice made a fine speech at a woman’s club in behalf of Clara.

4 comments:

Unknown said...

I love this! It's so interesting!

GAH1965 said...

Thanks - Gossip items like this one are the fun ones that I always hope to come across - Especially when they show which stars did or didn't travel in the same circles.

Classic Maiden said...

Parsons was so good at this sort of thing.

What an interesting article. A rarity, really :)

I love your blog!

GAH1965 said...

I love the Parsons stuff, but I always take what she says with a grain of salt. Often I think she's just passing along some studio-generated hooey. Still, it's always interesting readin.

Thanks for the kind words.