The Washington times., 1920-07-20
MARY YANDD0UGGET
PREFERRED SPACE
Grab Front Pages in London Pa
pers-Crowd Off Theda.
SCOfferS Converted.

LONDON, July 2O.-Mary and Doug
anybody expected
That seems to be England's verdict.
During their whirlwind visit to
England lot OF people ranked with
the gentleman OF poetic fame who
went to scoff and remained to pray.
Except when they escaped to the
country, "Mr. and Mrs. Fairbanks"
fairly stumbled over reporters and
photographers at every turn, and
they were forced finally to move
quickly and secretly If they were to
see any Of the England they had
come to see.
During their visit, Theda Bara. the
best known vamp. was among the
distinguished visitors. Her sister en-
gagged herself to an American cor
respondent following whrlwind
courtship. Even then. Theda man
aged to hit the Sunday papers only
that is, with any real display of
type.
Colonel House Eumshoed into town
and despite the fact that some nation
al conventions back home made his
visit a deep and silent mystery. the
colonel managed only to land in the
newspapers to the extent of a few
briefs on inside pages.
There were few more or less no
table sportsmen from across the At
lantic. surh men as Tildcn. John
stone. Hagen and the like. or course.
they landed page one now and then.
but for the most part the sport pages
held them.
But the "world's sweetheart" to
quote the London press, and the man
who married her. and who has other
claims to fame as well--thcy stun
bled over reporters at every turn. 1t
was that kind of reception. They
didn't exactly go out of their way TO
prevent folks being enthusiastic. to
be sure, but the tremendous interest
displayed in them wasn't the result OF
press agenting.
Several more or less prominent-in-
England journalists went into the
presence" without the proper spirit
of awe due to the royalty of movie
land. They admitted as much when
they came away. They wrote as much
when they told the stories of their
interviews. They didn't expect to
find Mary as pretty and sweet as
they'd seen her on tho film, they ad.
.nitted. And they didn't expect to
lind Doug such an irrepressiblc reg
ular fellow as he's painted by the
camera men.
Then they saw and listened and
told the British public that the pair
were more like themselves than any
one could believe possible.
MARY had little jam" was one
playful headline over the story of the
mobbing of the famous visitor of
the theatrical garden party.
Another English journalist told
how Doug sought quiet and seclusion
by straddling the balustrade on a bal
cony at the Ritz. And how the pair
of them sought to escape recognition
at the horse show by wearing the
clothes they'd been photographed in.
he day before.
There was an ironic note now and
then in the accounts of the Pickford
and Fairbanks visit. But these notes
were wasted. The great General
Public was interested to the point of
hghting its way forward to see them
in real instead Of reel life.
The women who fought for auto
graphs didn't care whether the Fair
banks family were seeking n quiet
honeymoon by walking out into the
glare of the spotlight. They only
hoped that the film idols would keep
it up.
They kept II up. apparently. as long
as they could. Then they escaped to
the quiet of the country. Lord North
cliTe. publisher and cabinet maker.
first gave them safe haven. Then the
Duke and Duchess of Sutherland.
Dozens OF columns of quotes from
Mary pickford and Douglas Fair
banks were printed during their short
visit, but the one that seemed to hit
off their situation the best was
voiced by Fairbanks:
II knew I'd married the worlds
sweetheart" he said, but didn't
know | was going on honeymoon
,,itb tho whole world.n