Evening star., 1933-07-16

" stars rich famous ana
talented-but you don't usually
think of them being the sort OF stun Oh
which high society folk made of. There
have been TOO many stories about how so and
so came up from the ribbon counter or of tire
brake beams.
Nevertheless a whole lot of very blue bleed
goes humping along through some OF move
lands veins.
AS sample consider the fact that Una
Merkel whose Southern draWl has delighted
many a film audience trace a direct re-
lationsh:p with ncne other than George WASH
ington.
Us a bit complicated great-great-
grandmother was second cousin OIL George
Washington's mother-but it's genuine enough,
and Una is entitled to class herself as ritzy
aristocrat if she cares to do so.
And that's only a starter. For Hollywood III
spite of the fact that it is largely self made
community, takes pride in pointing to those
members who have family trees in which they
can glory
John LODGE, for example, is just on the
~ threshold Of movie fame having appeared
in but three pictures to date. But he Is an
important parsonage just the same being the
grandson of the late Senator Henry Cabot Lodge
of Massachusetts,, whose activities in the Unlteo
States Senate made him one OF the leading po-
ltical figures Of the Nation.
My father died when l was quite young,
Lodge explains Cons eouently lived with my
grandfather most of my life. Naturally we were
in Washington most Of the time. but we did
spend some time at grandfather's home in
Massachusetts.
1t was due to him that decided to prac-
tice law So I studied for eight years at Har-
ward and then practiced in New York for three
years
Il might have done all right as lawyer, too,
At least was able to make a living for those
first three years But acting interests me more
That's why am in Hollywood now
y don't know what grandfather would say
if he were alive But I don't think ne would
have offered very strenuous objections, as he
always allowed me pretty free hand at doing
nov own thinking
N. all of filmlands famous ancestors are
noted Americans however. Hollywood has at
least one actress with genuine royal blood In
her ms.
Elisa Landi is the one to enjoy that distinc-
ton being the granddaughter Of Empress Eliza
beth wife of the late Emperor Franz Josef
of Austria In her native land, Miss Landl
would be looked upon as person Of high rank
for that reason alone. But she prefers the dis
tinction gained in America through her own
efforts en- the silver screen.
incidentally there is quite a bit Of history
connected with Elssa's ancestry Although
her mother was the daughter of the empress,
the emperor refused to recognize her While
still young girl she married Richard Kuhnelt,
who was Elissas father. He died short time
later and Mrs Kuhnelt then married Count
Zenardi Landi. who adopted ELISA.
The ntire1family then moved to England
where ELISA was raised, educated and later
married John Lawrence, an English attorney
They still married.
Occasionally We run across people who pre-
fer to remain silent about noted relatives fer
one reason or another Warren William is
one of those men. William, whose real name
is William Krech, is the nephew of the late
Alvin William Krech, former chairman of the
beard of the Equitable Trust Co., and an official
in several railroads.
When he returned from the war, Warren was
met at the boat by his uncle, who told him that
-Warrefl-Would inherit the larger portion
of the uncles vast fortune if he remained single.
But Helen Barbara Nelson also was at the boat
to meet him. and in 1928 despite his lncle's
ultimatum against matrimony, William and
Miss Nelson were married.