Evening star., 1934-08-26
Strange Gifts Adorn
Hollywood Birthdays
Talents of Stars and Directors Devoted to
Development of Their Own
Amusements.
BY MoLLIE MERRICK.

last birthday. He was directing q
picture which had so or more dancing
girls in it. At given signal all so
of them rushed at the unsuspecting
director (after literally applying
very bright and sticky lip rouge) and
kissed him until his face looked like
design in batik. Then he was
Solemnly led into another room where
a birthday feast was spread.
DURING the making Of 'The
Painted Veil" Greta Garbo par.
ticipated in a funny birthday party
for Assistant Director Red Golden,
which was given on the set. Herbert
Marshall called Golden to the center
of the set and made an elaborate
speech. lauding the red-headed young
man, then presented him with beau
tifully wrapped package. Beneath
layers and layers of tissue paper he
found carrots, onions, turnips and
so on. But at the bottom of the veg
etables was a handsome cigarette case
with all the players names in
scribed on it.
"OOAy NAA OyhC 10 OIL AAANOAAA i
gible kidder, so he comes in legiti-
mately for some returns on his birth
day. He once found his birthday cake
full Of soap. Another time he had a
singularly handsome cake, but when
he sat down to cut it, the chair fell
to pieces beneath him. He got an
other chair, amid laughs, but this
time the knife fell apart. The cake
was good that time. though.
Marie DreSsler was famous for stag
ing birthday parties on the lot. She
arranged all sorts of celebrations
funny and otherwise. But Marie was
q sentimentalist at heart. Under
meath all the laughter there always
was to be found a touch Of deep
thought, which time and again brought
tears to the company's eyes.
u X **
WHEN Director Edward Sedgwick
was making a picture with Bus
ter Keaton for star, one time, he
didn't dream that any of his company
knew he was celebrating his birthday
At the close Of the day he ordered
playbackS on the takes. This means
that the sound track is run for the
director and company and checks on
the dialogue and sound effects made.
Instead of the playbackS, when the
current was turned on, came Buster
Keaton'S voice baWling the director
out for daring to have a birthday
and waste the company's time. Then
messenger rushed in with a huge
box. The director, Uttered by this
time, was afraid to open it, fearing q
second practical joke. But 1t con-
tained q doughboy'S beautiful helmet,
silver plated and engraved with the
company's names, for souvenir OF the
occasion.
In the long ago, before talk was
heard Of in pictures. the Hollywood
joke was just as popular. At that
time Bebe Daniels once gave Jack
MacDermott a baby pig for birthday
present. Then she forgot about It
completely. Six months later Bebe
had birthday. She tried to come
out of her dressing room door on the
studio lot, but something was press
ing against 1t and she couldn't force
it open. The something proved to be
a 300-pound pig with a note tied
round its neck by huge blue ribbon
birthday bow. The note read:
Dear Bebe: Today being your,
birthday, I am returning your gift.
You keep 1t for q while. I've done my
bit. Jack"
Copyright. 1884. by the North American
Newspaper Alliance. Inc.)