Evening star., 1937-03-07
By Gretchen Smith.
\ My Hollywood, city of make
\ believe and reality, Of dreams
npl ;nd,,e+rr, oo,,1d vHrod,rna

~ NL4 HOLLYWOOD, city OF rQake-
believe and reality, Of dreams
and industry, could produce
~ such a place. From the out
side, it looks like any other business
house, casting its shadows over a
busting thoroughfare Of cinemaland.
True, the two great windows facing
the street do arrest ones attention
by an unusual display. A collection
of saddles and brides of King Rich
ards time is to be seen in one window,
while in the other waxen brides
maids are arrayed in ruf1led organdie
gowns and picture hats such as a
debutante dreams of. Saddles and
organdies! Strange window compan-
ions, but not half strange enough to
tell the story Of what lies behind the
doors of the six-storied building.
Only Hollywood could produce such
a place, but only Hollywood could
nee such a place. Rolled into one
big concern, sheltered by the same
roof, are to be found museum, an
art studio, q library. dress-making
establishment, millinery shop, tailor
shop. jewelry factory, shoe factory.
harness and leather goods factory,
cleaning and dyeing plant, q wig and
cosmetic shop, offering beauty secrets
which every woman covets, an armory
with rifles and swords sufficient to
equip small army, and stock rooms
containing enough ready-made cos
tunes to clothe . half-million
people.
Out Of this conglomeration, the
great motion picture companies
draw the props, costumes and acces-
sories needed in the production Of
their screen stories, yearly becoming
more extravagant, more breath-taking
in magnifcence, more perfect in scos-
tune details. The building within
whose walls over half the costumes
seen in world-famous pictures are
made Is the home Of an industry
which started 26 years ago. The
cinema was q mere babe in those
days, but it was an ambitious babe,
whose precocious intelligence realized
the necessity Of correct and perfect
costuming If its growing public was
to be entertained and amused.
II q period picture were to be made,
who was there in Hollywood to design
correctly q gown for Marie Antoi-
nette's court? Who could tell the
proper style for the Empress Jose
phine to dress her hair or for Queen
Elizabeth to wear her ruff?
Twenty-six years ago, budding
movie magnates realized that If the
cinema was to become world popular,
It must be sent forth correctly ac-
coutred. To do this meant study, re-
search and skillful Interpretation Of
the pages Of history. If the puL'ic
was to be illusioned, its illusions must
be perfect. One ambitious young
man, now a power in the motion
picture world, conceived the idea Of
q research library, where data on
clothes, customs and styles could be
obtained ON every period from ancient
Greece to the present time. The
library was the nucleus from which
has developed a perfection Of pro-
duction which has given to the world
almost faultless screen presentations
Of by-gone days.
After the library was started there
arose the necessity for artists who
could reproduce the pictures of cos
tunes described in the books - Of
dressmakers and tailors who could car.
ry out the designs Of the pictures, Of
jewelers. who could reproduce the
trinkets Of once-famous beauties. OF
cobblers who could create the boots
and slippers and footwear of long
forgotten period and Of artists and
artisans to reproduce costumes, props
and accessories Of every type and de-
scription.
IN THE early days the motion pic
4 ture companies produced their own
costumes and properties. Today they
still continue to design and create
many Of them, but as pictures i'm
proved and became more ambitious IN
subject, increasing by hundreds the
numbers employed In casts and lend.
ing Q study to detail never before con-
ceived, the costuming Of the extras and
principals became too big . problem
TO be handled entirely by the studios.
With Q growing demand for such
things, the conglomerate business
which has grown into one Of the most
Important in Hollywood, the coStum-
ing Of the people Of the screen world,
came into being.
There are several such houses IN
the capital Of the movie industry, but
one of the most interesting. that which
has costumed the casts and many Of
the principals Of such productions a.
"Mutiny on the Bounty" 'The Tale
of Two Cities" Becky SHARP" Peter
Ibbetson," Anthony Adverse" and the
two big plays released this season.
'Romeo and Juliet" and "Hearts Di.
vided," Is the gigantic costume or.