The Washington times., 1929-07-16
THE ROMANTIC
CAREER OF
ALICE
BY IDOROTHY HERZOG

HOLLYWOOD, July 16.--Mary
Eaton weighs none too much, but
she manages TO tote 4 blazer stone
on the fourth finger Of her LETT
hand.
slipped It on. He purchased Mary
q newer and bigger 'un once they
landed In Hollywood. Small stones
are good enough for Manhattan,
but out here we so in for guam
tity as well as quality.
Sold
Two adopted natives Of Whit
tier, q III town some 30 miles
east OF hollywood, have sold their
lovely homes and are moving
back to the colony after an abb
sence of several social years. To
wit: Frank Lloyd and his family;
Adele Rogers Hyland and hers.
Franks wife has been none too
well OF late, and he feels the re-
sponsibiIity OF 4 large house rests
too heavy on her domestic shoul.
ders. As for Adele, she, too. re-
turns to Beverly Hills to live in
one of the two houses involved in
the uSH1 AOE dtcE w ulLller IuduSlOu.
t3as F sls.f
One of the really fascinating
stories in Hollywood is Alice
White. Much has been written
about Alice, Much Of the copy
has carried . sting. The White
girl has stood out as the Gin
derella Of the screen even In her
stellar glory.
They've called her dumb. And
haywire. They've even shifted at
her picture success. How does
she get away with it?" The an
swers were not always pretty.
Alice knew what they said. She
!. didn't care--much. One saw this
by her dress, her conversation, the
vague stories banded around
about her.
It was approximately year ago
that Alice's contract with First
National Iieared completion. There
was no talk OF renewal. Her chief
service to the studio had been
playing Atmosphere" in the tests
taken Of newcomers.
And then Famous Players pur-
chased Gentlemen Prefer Blondes. I"
They needed a Dorothy. Alice was
tested. She got the part. 1t was
a lucrative way for her to conclude
her F. n. contract. Shortly after,
her contract expired without being
renewed.
Alice was worried. She believed
what people said. They couldn't
all be wrong. How did she get by?
"GentIemen Prefer Blondes"
reached the public. The White girl
profited. Congratulatory letters
poured in. First National perked
up, startled. Alice had actually
clicked. She actually had a fol.
lowing and q large following. I'm
accustomed studio speed. She was
offered q new contract at the same.
salary stipulated in the option that
had been dropped-$600 a week.
Alice grabbed it, thankful for the
opportunity. '''sss & 81
She was showed into stardom.
Frankly, she didn't know what it
was all about. She just saw, sud.
denly. that she was the cinematic
center of five cu1luloid reels. She
learned slowly. They. still talked
about her. Alice's personality WIN
always be- the target for com.
ment. Until she graduates from
mental flapperism.
But she did her hest. She worked
like buck private in her last
picture. wherein she was called
upon to be a versatile comedy
trouper as well as talky actress.
About this time she met Sid
Bartlett. Sid is tall and clean cut.
He looks others straight In the
eye. He knows what it's all about.
He is known on the New York
stage. Sid Is a singer with grand
voice.
He met q lot Of girls in Holly.
wood. He met Alice White. They
liked each other. The like grew to
friendship. 1t may have grown
into love. One can't say for sure.
Alice Intrigued sid. So did the
gossipy stories about her. He has
discovered the stories to be founded
on verbal froth for the most part.
He has found, too, that there are
glimmering depths to the girl.
depths befogged by uncertainty.
fIuttery humor. fear. They've been
going together several months
now. Alice has changed. She's get.
ting acquainted with herself.
which is always shock, II one
waits too long. She's passed that
stage. She has quieted. One doesn't
hear her nervous giggle in public
any more. She's stopped playing
UP to cold audience.
Last week, First National de.
stroyed her old contract. DESTROYED
It before 1t expired. She has q
new one and her salary has shot
to four plump figures a week.
A man who really knows motion
pictures said to me recetnly that
II Alice White keeps her feet on
the ground and her head out Of
the clouds, within two years. time
she win be among the biggest box
office attractions the screen has
ever known.
It's fascinating drama to see q
youngster survive extravagant per.
siflage and character stripping OF
controversial Hollywood. It's fas.
cinating, too. to realize that mil