The Washington times., 1937-12-08
Miss Rainer Difficult
But Not Impossible
To InterUieU
By
&~ I@z
Editorial Art Director and
Special Writer of The
Washington Times
CHAPTER I

~ out sometimes. Take my
interview with Luise Rainer.
The M-G-M studio said it was
absolutely impossible to ar
range an appointment with
her. She hadn't given inter-
views for months-and as for
making pictures They
threw up their hands at that.
Simply out of the question.
1t seemed that Rainer was
nearly as difficult to see as
Garbo.
But before I left Holly
wood l had seen the petite,
intense Viennese star, had
made pictures of her-and
one lovely California night
found US see-sawing on the
beach of Santa Monica!
| have Natalie Anissimoff,
and the fact that all for
eigners in a town know each
other, to thank. Until she
called me I had forgotten
that Natalie, a Russian pho
tographer, had gone to Holly
wood to take a special course
in photography.
"Have you succeeded yet
in getting Luise Rainer"
she asked.
"Nope. Been trying ever
since I arrived. Seems i'm
possible"
'T know a woman, she's
German, who lives right
down the terrace from
Rainer. They are very good
friends. I think perhaps
Rainer would see you if Irene
told her about you"
Of course, I was delighted
and very happy at the oppor-
tunity of seeing the star.
After we had met at tea,
Irene talked to Miss Rainer
and made an appointment for
me at O:30 of a Thursday
morning. Excitement ran
high at the Martin residence
in Beverly Hills, Cal. (Room
sos. the Beverly -Wilshire).
I polished my lenses and
sharpened my pencil. |
checked my cameras and
bought a new tablet.
Came Thursday morning. I
tust had a nine o'clock date first
with that cute little rascal.
Shirley Temple. At 1920 I left
Shirley's studio accompanied by
Lou Hecklinger, of the goth
Century.Fox publicity depart.
ment. who had assured me that
1t would only take 10 minutes
to get over to Rainer's address.
Finding Street easy"
Well. we started out in Louis
chariot. 1t took us five minutes
to find the street. But what
neither of us knew was that the
street was in sections. In fiji
teen minutes we had found the
second section. was biting my
fingernails. Thirty minutes and
we still hadn't found the third
and obviously vital section OF
the street. The. accusing eyes
of Eleanor Patterson and Ray
= Erhard were upon me.
Beads of perspiration stood
out on my forehead. as Lou
drove wildly up one hill and
down another in an effort to
find the place for me. Back to
the boulevard to gas station
for help.
"Oh yes" said the attendant
"that section is on the other
side of the University campus!'
Back we went. A new set o.
grey hairs had settled right
down beside the set I got ir
that oh, so close to a plane
crash a couple of years ago.
clutched my camera, and Lol
carried the bag as we ran up the
long flight of steps that led tt
Rainer's apartment-the top
most of a cluster of ultra mod
ern apartments.
The fact that for the last q
minutes I had known in m!
bones what was going to hap
pen didn't ease the pain an!
when it did happen.
The door was opened by Mis-
Rainer'S secretary. Her ligh
German blue eyes barked a
me:
"Miss Rainer Has Left"
I'm sorry, but you are YER
Iate-Miss Rainer has left"
I tried to explain. But TO
what2 was late. Rainer ha
gone. The secretary's indignt
ton and my despair stoo
tongue-tied facing each othel
She managed a slight bit Of
sympathetic smile, then close
the door. Lou and I went pal