Evening star., 1928-12-10

HOLLYWOOD, Calf, December TO-
Jaime Del Rio is dead!" cries Holly
wood, looking up for a moment from
its feverish thumbing of gallery prints
as 1t hunts for a new and unusual
story-a story with genuine drama.
The drama. the pathos, the romance
of the world lies behind those four
words. But the story is old to Holly
wood 1t is tale of career achieved, OF
beauty crowned; a story Of man who
could not say mo" to the woman he
loved; the last chapter in the biography
of broken-hearted gentleman.
1t Is a tale with rapid tempo, and
the rhythm has not changed from the
first gay sentence to the last dread
period. The romance which ended
tragically for Spanish aristocrat in
Berlin began in Mexico City when
jaime Del Rio, second wealthiest man
ford and Paris and Berlin to visit his
people.
At ball he saw vision-a jet-eyed
beauty danced the malaguena. Dolores
ASunSulo was just out of the convent,
II, and reared in the old Mexican ira
dition. What put the wildness of aban-
don in that malaguena? Dolores
AsunSulo was not of the same tradition
as Jaime Del Rio.
She was part Mexican and part In
dian blood. The man with a great for
tune and centuries OF race behind him
this scion of an old and jaded blood
went mad at the freshness and the
wildness and the beauty Of her.
Five months later they were married
Dolores husband showed her the Eu-
rope he had known. Then they re-
turned to the life Of a Mxican husband
and his wife. Part of that life was
receiving visitors from America. And
of these was Edwin Carewe of Holly
wood, distinguished producer, and his
retinue. Carewe offered Dolores con-
tract in the movies.
Del Rio, the worldling. laughed. A
Pickering face on the screen, to
be viewed by every conner who had a
few dimes TO spend, was not his idea
of honor for the woman he loved.
But Dolores wanted fame. Carewe
had planted the seed Of ambition and
the dream of a career. Some time later
they came to Hollywood, and Jaime,
the man who couldn't say mo- to the
screen tests and interviews. Dolores
got a contract. A new star loomed in
| the celluloid Sky-Dolores Del Rio, sad
| lady of the river. The die was cast.
| Rehearsals began, and the beauty for
which life had been triumphal march
began to taste the bitterness of fear.
She trembled and was afraid. Jaime
consoled her when she quivered before
the curtness of the hard-boiled type
of male who was not like her indulgent
husband.
Everywhere Dolores was accompanied
| by her mother and her husband.
jaime Del Rio put his knowledge of
life at her disposal. His culture fed
her green imagination, his love gave
her courage, hts background made
standing for her in a village where
nothing succeeds but success.
| Dolores was cast for an important
part. The fourth day she worked on
the lot word was sent to Mrs. Asunsulo
wanted within the studio incloSure.
Jaime Del Rio complied, coaching
Dolores at home in the role, studying
the script and trying to help in his
way. But Hollywood, the braZen, had
put her shameless shoulder between
the husband and wife. They saw each
other infrequently. One role followed
another. When there was no work
there were public appearances to be
made.
The Mexican wife became a Holly
wood star; built Spanish hacienda
beneath the SycamoreS of Movieland.
Jaime Del Rio, who felt that her first
thirst for glory must be quenched,
suggested they travel once more, re-
turn to their old ways.
| But fame is fatal taste In beauty's
mouth. Dolores Del Rio refused to
yield the scepter, and Movieland IRON
ically called Jaime ''Mr. Dolores Del
Rio"
A quarrel between the two, and dur
ing the coldness Edwin CareWe began
filming Ramona" an Indian story,
for girl who is part Indian, produced
by Carewe, himself mostly of Indian
blood
Six months of estrangenent changed
into two trips to Mexico. Carewe di-
vorced Mary Akin. Dolores Asunsulo
Del Rio rid herself Of the Jaime who
couldn't say no"
On Holy Thursday I saw a sad-eyed
woman lighting candle before the
Madonna in the Catholic church on
Sunset boulevard. People knelt all
about her without glancing to right or
left. The brightness Of her star was
lost in the light Of many fiickering
candle flames.
-yJsins Del Rio wrote a play. Prom