The Waterbury Democrat., 1932-03-24
IDEAL ROMANCE OF HOLLYWOOD
 IS BROKEN UP
Ann Harding and Harry Bannister Are to Be Di. v0rced-All Because of Calling Him "Mr Ann Harding'
By GEORGE BEALE
tied Press Stan Correspondent)

United Press Stan Correspondent)
 Hollywood, March 24-(UP)- Ann Harding, blonde screen star, and her less successful husband, Harry Bannister, have decided to break up one of the screens ideal romances" because of an old Hol- lywood custom-persistent label ling of Bannister as "Mr Ann Harding"
 Other film marriages have been ended by this custom of playfully or caustically pointing out the hus- bands lesser importance but never have two players been so candid In admitting it.
 A note signed by Miss Harding read in part:
 we are getting divorce be- cause, during our three years in the motion picture industry, we have been placed in a position which is untenable. Harry is gradually losing his identity, be- coming a background for my ac. tivities and looked upon as Ann Harding's husband"
 The note said they had decided their only course was to separate so Bannister could win back his position in the theater before this unfortunate situation in pic- lures has a chance to reach us and destroy the love and respect we have for each other"
 A note from Bannister con- firmed Miss Harding's. The Bannisters, who have a | four-year- daughter, Jane. were married in New York almost ak years ago. They were equally famed on the stage there. Three and half years ago they came to Hollywood. Miss Hard- ing's blonde, Patrician beauty car- ried her to almost instant stardom. Bannister got a few good parts at first, then found only bits. Gradually he slipped into Holly woods scheme as MT Ann Hard- ing"
 Similar in many respects was the collapse of the first marriage of Dolores Del Rio, Mexican l beauty.
 {, When she first came here she was merely the personable wife of Jaime Del Rio, member of an in- portant Mexican family and some- thing of a playwright.
 But she blossomed as one of the most popular stars. While she was climbing to fame, Jaime was tink- ering with his plays.
 Soon he became known as "the husband of Dolores Del Rio." Their divorce followed not long after.
 Since Jaime Del Rios death in Berlin, Miss Del Rio has married again.
 The Bannisters temporarily dropped from sight after sending their notes so that details of their divorce procedure could not be learned.
 The last men of the Harding Bannister roma ce in the newspa- pers came with the threatened Kidnapping of their four year old daughter, Jane Bannister. in Feb ruary. At that time, guards were posted around the home in Holly wood.
 Ann Harding and Harry Bannis- ter were married at the Little Church Around the Corner, in New York. in 1926. Ann Harding's en- trance into the moving picture taikies. At first, her husband took a part in the active filming Of pie lures.
 Tn 1880. he appeared with his wife as her leading man in her sec- ond dialogue picture. "Her Private Affair" in which they played hus- band and wife. Her rapid rise to prominence. however. eontrasted his record. Her last contract was for e6,000 a week. The Harding Bannister romance. the leading example of perfect marital bllam in mich ulaFFfad hollywcod, U was n e:ntsrsd to e., 2 eioo,0o0 home. On her last blrths