Читать книгу My Hollywood Diary - Edgar Wallace - Страница 4

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Saturday, 28th November, 1931.

WE came through the fog yesterday, past Sandy Hook, and into quarantine, to find Fort Hamilton and all the shores white with snow. There had been a snowstorm in the morning. There was the usual long delay at quarantine, made longer because the C.P.R. people were not used to the American method. There was also the inevitable incursion of reporters and photographers, who lined me up on the deck, but this time they had to shoot in the dark with flash-lamps.

I got through first by favouritism, and at about half-past seven we berthed. Carl Brandt was there to meet me, and when I got to the hotel I found Nigel and Harold Freedman [Brandt and Freedman are Mr. Wallace's agents], and we had a sort of high tea together.

Carl thinks he can sell "The Frightened Lady", but that will mean holding up the English publication. He also thinks I can get a big sale with the Saturday Evening Post.

In addition, there was present the man who produced "The Criminal Code", and who wants to produce "The Frightened Lady". We haven't fixed a date for the latter play; in view of the fact that it may be published as a serial there is good reason for holding our hands.

I told them the story of "The Green Pack", and they were absolutely enthralled. Carl read the play last night, and so did Harold, and they are terribly enthusiastic about it. They agree with Gerald [Sir Gerald du Maurier], or, rather, with the criticisms that have been offered in England, that the woman should be made a little more sympathetic, and that I shall proceed to do. They were here till 11 o'clock.

This morning I set your little French alarm clock to call me at 7.30, as I had put through a Transatlantic telephone call to you. As a matter of fact it was Robert knocking at the door which woke me. Your voice sounded very clear, and it was delightful speaking with you.

While I was at breakfast I got your wire about the Manchester November Handicap. After breakfast came the lawyer from the R.K.O. and the Century Play Company, and we battled out the contract, with Harold holding a watching brief. The consequences are satisfactory: we are leaving on Tuesday at two o'clock for Chicago and the woolly West.

A Famous Photograph of Edgar Wallace.

May I say in passing that that pomade you got for me set up such an irritation on my head that I had to wash it all out and bathe my tortured scalp with witch hazel.

Another domestic item: I developed a sore throat—a catarrhal condition, which I am now battling with the inhalant which Bob succeeded in buying here, to get myself right. I haven't a cold, I hope.

Tookie rang me up and said she would come to tea at six, which means she won't come at all.

Heather Thatcher is in New York. She sent me an ecstatic wire, but I haven't seen her, and when I called her up this morning she was out.

Tell Pat that everybody sends their kind regards to her, and it goes without saying that everybody spoke about you and how wonderful you were. I know this doesn't mean a thing to you, but I'm just telling you.

I had my plans made if the deal had fallen through; I was coming back on the "Empress of Britain" to Madeira, Gibraltar, and Monte Carlo, and going on from Monte Carlo overland to Caux. However, that happy development belongs to the legion of dreams, and when the "Empress of Britain" sails I shall be well on my way to Hollywood.

My address at Hollywood, so far as I know, will be the Ambassadors Hotel for a while, but you will have plenty of advice about this.

It is snowing at the moment, so we are probably a little worse off than you. I have a terrific lot of work to do to keep my articles going. By the way, I am doing three articles for The Daily Mail on Hollywood.

Nigel asked me to send his love, and perhaps one day when I am telephoning to you before I leave, you might have Bunny [Nigel Bruce's wife] handy so that he can speak a few words to her. We will give him that treat. You might organise this. He is coming to breakfast with me to-morrow morning, and bringing Leslie Banks.

Charles Laughton strolled in at lunchtime on his way to his matinée. The play closes down to-night, and he is going on to Chicago at two in the morning. I didn't see Elsa [Lanchester]; she wasn't very well.

I think that's about all the news. Obviously I have got to work pretty hard in the next month or two, but I shan't mind that.

Sunday, 29th November, 1931.

TOOKIE came at five. She looked a little tired. I think she is having a lot of trouble, but she is the same old Tookie. She was here for an hour and a half.

Carol Hill and Carl Brandt came to dinner. It was the first time I had met her, and I like her very much. It is very curious that she has been to Portland Place, in Pat's room and in your room, that she knows you both, and that she has never met me.

We talked of the plays, particularly of "The Green Pack". I am going "on the air" to-night just to say "Hullo, America!" and possibly I may go out this afternoon.

It has stopped snowing, but the skies are still grey. Bob says it's milder, but I'll take his word for it.

Carl is very anxious to put over some serials, but mainly we discussed "The Green Pack", and they take the same view as Gerald.

I think I was a little led astray by the delicacy of my dialogue, and I am going to have another cut at that same dialogue and see what can be done about it.

By the way, Tookie said she would come out and spend Christmas at Hollywood, but I don't for one moment imagine she will.

I have not heard from Heather Thatcher since she sent me a wire.

Nigel says he thinks that Gladys Henson is still here, but he is very vague about it.

Carl and Carol want me to see a play called "Counsel at Law", by Elmer Rice. They say it is the best thing in town. It is one of those plays that require a special actor, a brilliant Jew named Muni.

Carl thinks that "The Green Pack" is the biggest certainty he has ever read. We sat over dinner till half-past ten. It was quite an amusing evening.

The great thing when I get to Hollywood is to get a place where I can work. I am told that the Garden of Allah is full of odd English people, so I shall probably stay at the Ambassadors for a little while until I can get myself fixed up in the ideal apartment.

Carl brought me an electric shaver, with which you require no soap or lather. You just put the apparatus to your face and it takes off your whiskers. I tried it last night; it wasn't at all bad. I am giving it a thorough try-out this morning. I am not so sure it will give me a close enough shave.

Sunday Evening.

AT ten o'clock came Nigel Bruce and Leslie Banks to breakfast. They were here till past one, and we had quite a pleasant morning. Leslie is terribly nice. He is looking after Nigel like a father, and I must say Nigel is devoted to him.

We talked about the theatre and about the plays, and the possibility of Leslie playing in "The Green Pack". They are very keen on putting "The Green Pack" on quickly. They think there is a smash hit in it. But I told them that whatever happened they couldn't have Nigel, because I wanted him for England.

They don't know how their play is going to turn out; they are still rehearsing it. They will wire me at Hollywood and tell me all about it.

I arranged to have Nigel on the phone to his wife, although he says he is certain to cry. In fact, he cried from Waterloo to Southampton; on the ship he had a pretty bad accident and nearly broke his neck. He is terribly homesick, and here he has my sincerest sympathy.

I am most anxious to get to Hollywood and just find out how bad or good it is, and what recreation the work offers.

Celia Johnson, who is terribly homesick, is the best Ophelia that has ever been seen, and people are raving about her.

I am not going "on the air" to-night. There is a tremendous drive to get money for the unemployed, and they want the hour for that purpose.

I had a phone message from Heather, who will see me at 9.30 to-night. It was very good to hear her old chuckle coming over the wire. She will be here for two weeks, and then I presume she is going back to England, but I'll be able to tell you about that to-morrow.

Carl and Carol came to tea and we discussed "The Case of the Frightened Lady"—the serial. I like Carol very much. She talks about you and Pat all the time.

Monday, 30th November, 1931.

HEATHER came at 10 o'clock, looking very brown and well. She plans to go to England after Christmas. She is full of Hollywood, its charm and its beauty, and wants to go back. I told her that if I could think of a good story in which she could play a part, I would put it up to R.K.O. She jumped at this.

The Wodehouses have, as you know, gone back.

Heather strongly advises me to go to the Beverly-Wilshire to stay, and probably this will be my address.

Apparently I do not arrive until Saturday morning. I will wire you where you can pick me up en route if there is anything urgent.

I am going to tackle the play to-day, and I will send you back the revised version, copies of which I will have made here. (I put down thoughts as they occur to me, so don't worry about their inconsequence.)

Heather says that Hollywood is full of scandal. The directors' wives have nothing to do but to sit around and tell stories.

I am going to take her to the theatre to-night to see a play called "Counsel at Law", a success by Elmer Rice, the author of "Street Scene".

I hope you didn't mind my suggestion that Nigel should "talk in" to-night. The only thing I'm dreading is whether he bursts into tears.

It is a dreadful morning—darker than it can possibly be in London, and raining like hell.

Tuesday, 1st December, 1931.

I SAW Nelson Doubleday; he came at half-past twelve. He had been shooting ducks in South Carolina. Previous to his arrival two of his executives had come and we talked books.

In the afternoon I went on to Broadway and saw the chief of the R.K.O., Marcus, a very amusing man whom I liked. I had an amazing view of New York from the sixteenth floor of the Bond building. One saw the clouds coming over and absolutely engulfing the tops of all the high buildings. Some of the effects were beautiful.

When I got back I found the Literary Editress of the Chicago Tribune waiting, and soon after she had gone Nigel came with a terrific headache. He had a very bad accident on the boat, dislocating two of his neck bones. I made him take off his collar, which was too tight, and change his shirt for one of mine, and he looked rather good in it.

Then your call came through. He got a bit emotional, but he is terribly grateful, and rang me up this morning to thank me again.

It was grand hearing you because your voice was more distinct and more real than any other call I have had.

At half-past seven Heather came. She dined here with Nigel and me, and she and I saw "Counsel at Law". There is in it a brilliant actor called Paul Muni, who has come up from the Jewish Theatre. He gives an amazing performance, the most natural thing I have ever seen. Gerald is one of the few men in the world who would really appreciate his value. He has so much restraint and charm.

I brought Heather back to the hotel to my room, and we had coffee together, and she left about midnight. She is a grand person.

I have all my tickets and reservations and heaven knows what.

There is not very much other news to give you, except that Tookie came to breakfast this morning. Apparently I had agreed to dine with her last night and forgot all about it, and so I compromised by getting her to come to breakfast. She loathed getting up so early, but she came. She was here for about an hour.

I will keep the diary up on the train and post it to you the moment I arrive at Los Angeles.