The Washington times., 1936-12-16
Cupboards, Drawers
Hold Scores and
Scores of Clothes
BY LYDIA CALVERT
Special to The Times

By LYDIA CALVERT
Special to The Times
HOLLYWOOD, Cal, Dec. IS.
Meet Mr.. Menjou.
1t is six. He's expecting you,
so walk this way, madam. Before
you get to the real thing you pass
him in oils on the stairway, and
in bronze in the hallway.
Rest assured you are in the
house of Menjou. The likenesses
are both life size, both terrifying
real. The oil painting goes the
whole way; the bronze is bust.
Menjou, himself, is a card.
But, attention! Here he is.
Phone in hand, typical somehow,
he gives no sign that he is aware
Of your entrance into his library.
The conversation goes on heat
edly. The actors rapid-fire COLO
guy would try the skill of a short
hand artist. Listen in? Well, what
to do-he asked you. Try staring
at the books and squirting hard at
certain red binding to look pre-
occupied and polite-even corkS
in the ears won't keep it out.
"NO, no; I'm weary to death
with talk Of contracts. No; 1
won't sign one. No, 1 wouldn't
think of being tied down to q
contract. Yes, yes; they're all
after me. No; I'm going to free
lance-dOn't want any contract.
Yes; that's right-nO contract;
wouldn't consider it."
GAY COSTUME
Your eyes are irresistibly drawn
to the actors gay costume. The
sweater and socks, confetti col
ored, are patterned like Joseph's
coat, with gray golf trousers and
brown shoes doing their bit for
conversation. So this is how Hol-
lywood's best dressed man looks
at home. It's a far cry from top
hat, white tie and tails, but it has
an easy charm that is not inef-
fective. You learn later that
this eye-filling sweater and sock
set came from the Island of Faire,
where every bright stitch had been
woven by hand.
The telephone conversation still
goes on. You glance again at
book-lined walls, at lovely loaded
glass paneS Of the window; at
gold-framed documents (four of
them) signed by Napoleon; at the
large collection Of Napoleana on
the bookshelveS, at medieval he'll
met feStooned with rusty coat-of-
mail made into lamp; at all sorts
of interesting observation-disclosures,
wood and ivory: heavy masculine
stuff. You notice with pleasure
that the modern touch has been
completely, deliberately left out.
For five minutes more the tele-
phone talk goes on with the sub
ject the Same-contracts; at least
you gather it is contracts.
Top Of World
Sing, baby sing, for you are on
top of the world again! Praise be
to the studio which pulled a
comedy character out of a high
silk hat. A hat, be it said, which
never became a home for moths.
but which was brushed religiously
through the years. Fame may
have deserted you temporarily,
but fashion never. Now the peak
is not too dizzy for you because
you yourself are dizzy-by request.
You're not?
"Ill never do another come
dy part if I can help it."
The actor has hung the re-
ceiver back on it's hook and now
he strides about the room. His
words tumble one over the other.
No more comedy parts. Sing
Baby Sing" was good. Yes, but
can it be equaled? No!
Milky Way did you see
that? Funniest picture I've
ever seen-it simply withered
them. Yes, I was in it. Com
edy is all right, but 1 won't do
another. No; don't like COM
edy. Not my line. If they
could all be good, yes; but they
can't. They said you wanted
to see my department store?
Yes; have a department store.
Come, I'll show you. Come on
upstairs"
He's disappeared around the
corner by now. Keep calm and
keep cool; you amt seen moth
ing yet" Wink at the bust as
you pass it, tip your hat to the
portrait. You'll find him in the
Red Room, which is really
Adolphe's bedroom err-depart-
ment store, Deep cranberry the