Evening star., 1941-11-16
Over the Toast Legend Is Debunked
Cecil B. De Mile Explains How That Yes Man Story
Started and Points Out That It's Rather Silly

gold and in white gold and in plastic
cases. All gifts.
Three wrist watches hung from
nails driven into the wood above
the mirror. De Mile chose one
which had stop watch attachment
Then he picked up a railroad watch
-garnered when he made Union
Pacific" (Which has oversize nu-
merals. adjusted it to the second
and put 1t in a vest pocket. But he
forgot to wind it.
There was a procession then. led
by Mrs. De Mile, who seemed to
know when to expect us, to the first
floor. The rooms in the house are
large and cold because the De
Miles will have no heat except from
flreplaceS in their bedrooms and
the furnishings are rococo, bat
with an enduring comfort.
We passed through the corridor,
where an orchid was growing with
out sun or heat, into an ante room
of the Office
iAS oAAANC oiItC " 40 VIC
moon home of Charles Chaplin and
Mildred Harris. In the ante room,
formerly the Chaplin library. is
Chinese palanquin in which an
emperor once rode. Secretary Ros-
son whispered that it is worth
fantastic sum.
The Office contrasts sharply with
tho bpnCe in S1jrit and thpne The
Office brings out the Snowman, the
on-the -set-De Mile. the man the
press and the actors know.
Library is Religious.
When he is directing a film, he
often is a tyrant, admittedly mot
always nice. but only not nice be-
cause nothing annoys me more than
stupidity" In his home, he is a
polished, unassuming gentleman,
and a superb host.
The Chaplin drawing room has be-
come c. BIS study. The bookcases
contain mostly Bibles and volumes
of religious history. In an open
wall closet is a collection of antique
guns, dueling pistols and derringers.
There is a Chinese rifle with the
story Of the Crucifixion inlaid in
silver on the barrel. In every corner
are ancient flintlocks and blunder-
busseS.
On a large table is a weird as
sortment of instruments of mayhem
and murder-blow guns, swords,
boomerangs. stilettoS. spears, clay
mores Among them for no appar-
ent reason, is an exact duplicate of
the Chalice of Antioch from which
Christ drank at the Last Supper,
Sometimes he works here all night.
If he wishes to turn and look over
his shoulder through the mullioned
bay window he can behold the wink
ing lights of his domain-Hollywood.
the boom town of yesterday which
he found as citrus orchard 20 years
ago.
HOLLYWOOD has become what it is
because people believe what they
see on the screen. They believe while
they are seeing it-nOt afterwards,
when they have had time for analy-
sis. De Mile came to Hollywood
because he did not believe painted
backdrops we're convincing. They
were all right in the theater He
came West looking for scenery and
sun.
Had TO Be Real.
This came up when De Mile told
what a problem it was to build A
giant squid for Reap the Wild
Wind" which he has only completed.
A squid, he said, lives mainly below
the surface Of the sea, but it has two
giant tenacles-his are 80 feet each
which glide and dip through the
water. The tenacles look like a
great snake or monster. Like the
Loeb Ness monster.
when I told my staff what I
wanted-a squid that would work
tographed under water-they may
have thought the old man at last
was getting soft in the head
seriously, though, they're used to
strange orders.
But the point is. this squid had
to be so real that those viewing it
on the screen must believe. as do
the sailors. that it is monster"
You have built yourself mon
ster." I ventured. mot Franken-
stein, but a much greater monster.
You and every other movie maker
must make your movies real You
came here for reality. You've got
it and now you've got to live with it
and feed it and develop it."
De Mile found another simile.
Yes, We always used gold instead
of tin cans painted gold"
He obviously was very pleased
that he had been able to afford gold
We never did get back to the
toast. I suppose it is cut with
gold razor of De MILAN proportions