Page
COLLAR COMFORT IN MODERN STYLE
Van Heusen
'THE CHINA MAIL, SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 18, 1954.
ON MONDAY, JULY 4, 1898, she was born in a little "street" under "the" we shadow of Waterloo Bridgs... this slight, lonely girl who was to sing, dance and laugh her way into the heart of the world, Har fame was to flash irresistibly across Broadway her charm was to sweep her breathlessly, glamorously, Into the company of Dukes and
into the glittering parties of the royal palaces of England.
THEY WERE HER FRIENDS
FABULOUS LADY
The REAL story, of GERTRUDE LAWRENCE
TAIL OF LATHOM "...she fin't pretty"
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GERTRUDE LAWRENCE
She HAD to succeed.
of KYLINE
Gerlie, who New spread? York on Christmas the light at 6. Both Eve 1928, Towering Newington, under the cathedrals checked of Waterloo Bridge7 with gold. The Aquitania I visited this street, eager to coming softly to her berth, see where the bright star of the saluted by shipping in the theatre was born. By Gertie's Hudson and the East River. door & Iattered notice announced For that The promised land.
the sium dwelling Gertrude Lawrence, aged 25, "condemned." (Too late for a New York was a challenge plaque to be put up to a girl indeed. Behind her lay ધ્ર whose heart had always remain- broken marriage. Ahead out in London.)
If anyone was new hope. could dare to conquer such a city.
WAS
ភាពយ
THIS NEW BATURDAY SERIAL STARTS TODAY
by NANCY SPAIN
Her heart was in dames St could not stand it,
run away from ber mother. good money,
for the Budlence who hud given her an ovation. She celebrated with Frank. proposed and was excepted.
They stole nway to the Register Office
in Wandsworth to get married.
Vale.
A few nights later,
the money
PHILIP ASTLEY
No foved her.
NOLL COWARD
in a folry play.
The Prince
was
IT Philip who
sented Gertle
to
prt.
went back to 14, Lydon Road, ing on a long, blonde curting "catch of the season." The girls first saw Gertie
adored him. was to go on for her, Clapham, where Gertie's mother wis,
The mothers were Terrace, That night Gertie really knew lived, Gortie had already onco
What girl in her 20s, making mad for their daughters shadow love.
with a chance to marry him, He won the Military whirl around ballrooms with the Cross when he was 21. He had Prince of Wales, would sit at stood. unflinching. In the path when frame keeping accounts? Gertie's of a charging African elephant. Frank Frank arrived at the theatre to friends gave wonderful parties. Unttinching he stood by Gerlis
take Gertle home, she had nl- So did she. They gave wonder- for five years. rody left with a a male friend." ful presents, Gertie Kave better Frank rushed to Clapham and With true gambler's insanity waited for her. She arrived at she gave away all two in the morning and (never she made the moment she got Gertie and Frank settled in wasting an opportunity of it...."bo keep on the right side 50, Carlton Mansions, Malda shocking the neighbours)
was of the luck." -£10-a-week ground heard shouting: ก
"I've left me floor flat with a garden and stays in the taxi
Gertle moved
[ A pride.of tennis court. It absorbed their
princes and royal dukes. And combined salaries.
Soon there
That night Gertie and Frank when she encountered
on old Gertle Lawrence inherited
was a baby on the way. Also,
friend like Noel Coward it was parted for ever. conflict. One half of her was alas, Charlot (world renowned
to find that he, too, was living She was for shows Irish Cockney Jow,
about a shoestring) Gerlis suffered terrible egony ground. It is said that at this
three feet above "He of nind before Frank Beside her on
warm-hearted, suddenly sacked Frank. rails quick-willed.
on my salary to
her to have pay allow
time Gertie moved house every shocking temper. saved
her child. were the Charlot Company. She
Then she set about making a
month But she always moved That she got from her mother, Gertie's increase," said Frank.
lving for herself and Pometa.
"up.' Up the social scale. Miss Alico Louise But Gertie went gallantly on.
She never forget that she was Gigantic Andre Charlot, formerly
was a wonderful wife,"
from Clapham Common. French, soft
spoken, Banks. a builder's daughter, of "She
says Frank. She cooked and sensitive, perpetually Clapham.
washed and sewed the clothes. drinking China tea to The rest of her was pure And in the evening she set out
Autthur
the Vaudeville Theatre, Lawrence, for himself, soothe
risking thetre,
was tall, fair, where she was appearing in the biggest gamble of Gertie's father
blue-eyed, could not bear rows. his life. Mrs Charlot, His real name was Klastn. He English, practical; even her came from Schleswig-Holstein, Danish or German, Beat- so he was nerves were in rags.
according to which was Master
the
rice Lillie, with her sweet twisted smile. Jack Buchanan, shy, long-legged. Jack was scared stiff. "At least a boat sails back every Saturday," he said to him- self over and over again.
had
A
Race at the momen
o Hrst-rate per- Arthur WAS former; could make or cry at will,
£10 a
"Tabs."
оп
Her daughter, Pamela Barbara May, was born in the following year at 139) King's Avenue,
Clapham, a nursing home, after a night of shock-
would
Her beaux
In
the
rever
ever
to the Princo of Wales. Ib. was Phillp who took her bo parties at St. James's Palace, Ho sow her through Her first really serious illness: # hysterectomy that developed into peritonitis; paid the bill for her,
Philip loved Gertie dearly. And no daubt she thought she loved him. But, like all truc professional actresses, Gertle loved her public first, second and for all time.
In 1923 Charlot planned to put
best the
-numbers and sketches from all his revues into
denied it. She always at home £30 a week to mum, £10 a week to her father. But oh, how Gertle hated poverty.
girl who needed BUT it was by no means there was a
a story of poverty and be warm flate, hot baths, all
surroundings-to keep despair, Gertle was always her going. Gertle was that girl, one show in New York. And surrounded by a bevy of "Tho smell of poverty
Gertie (with Beatrice Lille and stifles high-class beaux. If Charlot me she used to say.
Jack Buchanan) was the chosen sacked
her and she had
Through Noel Coward Gertie star. to sing in cabaret
Acid that is why, just before met the Earl of Lathom. An ing Zeppelin raids. Frank and ed. to MUSTRY's to cheer her on, word, he Murray's Club, they swarm- "angel" in
Christmas 1923, in love with all every 'BCTED of the you laugh Gertie sheltered in the
the. WOB then backing the world that goes to ment in Maida Vale; Gertie as swords, musical instruments backed Gertle, paying for her found herself in the Aquitania, They gave her jewellery, Andre Chariot's revues. He also theatre, with a little daughter to support, Certte Lawrence even posses
aswanee whistle first singing lessons "She isn't allegedly presented to her by pretty"
he said. "She dresses sailing for New York. the Duke of Windsor when he abominably. But she is absolut Astley; behind her.
She left her beau, Philip was Prince of Wales.
heaven and she is going to be a great star." He called her Scon Charlot had to make it "Squirrel" then Jimmy Howley, up
because she darted with her. And then her from "Knut to Knut." Frank's brother, arrived to stay. admirers &warmed back to the with Spanish Influenza,
Nod Lathom had a friend Debts
stage door. Acx the piled up. They had to give up Kent, then Prince George, was ly attractive, with eyes as blue Duke of called Philip Astley, Rich, wild- the flat and (when Jimmy had found in her dressing-room try- 23 recovered and moved on) they
Gertie's own, he was the
week
But
base-
As
In
calm as if she were "listening Gertie was born on American to the band in the park." Independence Day, 1898. "Inde soon as she was able she was pendence" blt deep into her back in the theatre, Pam in heart. No loneller soul ever army. genuinely working And the Charlot chorus?
struggled towards the great keep her home together. The most beautiful girls in heights. Her mother and father London, hand-picked from did not get on, She found her. 700 applicants: Marjorie self unable to live with either
of them. Sexton, Peggy Willoughby, Elvira Henderson, Ida Mow- bray, Jessie Matthews, Con- stance Carpenter, blonde Bobby Storey, the York- shire barmaid from Rule's in Maiden Lane. They wondered what would be. compe of them. Marjorie Sexton married a milionaire. Jessie Matthewa found triumph. Bobby Storey found tragedy: a gas-filled room and 2d. lying beside an empty purse.
'Condemned'
It was a 50-50 chance. For Gerlie Lawrence at least it was all or nothing. Gertic must succeed.
7 14 she made a lile for
A herself, without love.
Strangely enough she was filled with love for human- ily. From the beginning she adored her audiences as she never loved any human being.
At 14 Gertie had had plenty
Liverpool and Manchester
to
མ
4
WORLD COPYRİGHT RESERVED'
Next Saturday:
NEW
YORK FALLS TO GERTIE
THE WILES OF WOMEN
M
the
So I a
reveal to ANNE
for the good-looking young THE lawyer.
WILE DETERMINED. Mrs Len Hatton tells of her first with her cricketing
П
Wes
"We were Introduced at dance, and I thought he wonderful although he was so
EN can be very nard Braden, while he was still★ Some brave wives
obtuse, Sometimes steadily ignoring the eager 17- they need a push-year-old Miss Kelly at the radio SHARPLEY the little deceptions which or if that is too obvious to both worked.
Ontario, where they
helped to change mere males into husbands of mixed theatrical experience suit
the circumstances kind of terrible hot,
"I heard he adnired a certain She appeared in pantomime at the age of 12. She travelled to subterfuge, a trick, or
friend and, companion of her ing the search I got my invita- bought one. It locked awful, smallest of white lies to big Roppy brown felt, but I husband from childhood—but tion to lunch!" appear in fairy plays with make them see the light. wore t und he noticed me. there was plenty of competition Master Noel Coward. She had
The first time I got him on his worked the Blackpool summer The "Ught," needless to own I told him I was going to season for the great Mr John
say, is the lovelight shining marry him."
A Christmas walking tour meeting Tiller and in Blackpool
unrecognised and unrequited
was proposed in Dorset through husband. had become friendly with
THE WILE UNTRUTHFUL worth Cove. It was snowing.
the Purbeck Hills and along Lul- Tiller's dance in a girl's eyes, Frank Howley, director.
So Man the Hunter gets a Novelist Denise Robins (Mra
"Most of the O'Neill Pearson) made adroit backed out because little help, because every use of the "white lio"
other walkers These
of What a voyage! The roughest
the woven into wise girl knows that if it arst meeting with her RAF to show him that I could do it.
at her
weather, but I was determined shy I didn't get the invitation to crossing for years. The Charlot and Howley-re
see him again that I was hoping Company had rehearsed and Gertie's early life. She gave were lent to him events husband.
for. Next summer he came to rehearsed. For the first time in Noel Coward an orange and he would
"It was during that thres-day my home-town Scarborough to move at
"We met at a party in Cairo tour, made in the most awful play. in- an history they had staged a full loved her ever after,
and the tolerably slow pace,
and he suggested a drive. There, weather, that my husband and dress revue in mid-Atlantic, it first maa she mot in the
or, horrors, was an open sports car. I really got to know each other." Vaudeville Theatre
"I was appalled "when. It so rough that on entre
when she worse, would move in the I cannot endure open sports
started to rain heavily and the row of chorus girls had crashed came to work for Charlot was wrong direction.
cars. I looked at his face, full
match was put off. But I went sideways like champagne glasses Frank Howley, from
But it takes a brave woman of that fatuous adoration men
THE WILE DECEPTIVE, to the cricket ground just the on the table. The voyage was a pool.
to admit she "trapped" her man, have for their cars.
and Actress Brenda Bruce met her same
dashed into the falny story. There were at least
"It was freezing cold and Frank was 30.
-even if he was glad about it Ho was now later.
and we and Roy Rich at the first pavillon as though for sheller. cight millionaires on board. To
drove at 80 mph across the director in feed them
although it was actually Len rehearsal of her first show. (and the strolling dance
(wo of
was looking for. He was there Charlot theatres. Gertic
desert. He said 'Isn't, this a
"I had was
a jolly good look at and I introduced myself." wonderful drive.
"By then 1 I was so sure he him, and when the lunch break man for mo, even if of the company leaving him be- Come went out with the rest his
wasn't, that I said, "Yes, hind in the theatre. absolutely marvellous." Liari""
was
players) 250 turkeys, 140
two
names-Coward
Black-
Here are a few of that brave 400 brace of patridges, 400 18, graceful a deer, tadinat minority of women who admit pheasants 100 brace of grouse, in 1101 forlorn attraction. to using that old-fashioned but was 5,000 hoad of poultry
swift and allent male-shaker- Frank Howley instantly adored the Womanly Wile. royal baron of beef had been her. loaded on board.
and
THE WILE PERSISTENT. The wife of the American m
Ricki (formerly
THE WILE STOICAL Mew "At the stage door, I had on director, John Huston, lovely Gertie's first chance came THE WILE REGARDLESS, "- Amber Blauso While, writer and idea. I dashed back saying I'd dark-haired And what did Gertie Law- when Bea Lilllo fell in the Miss Barbara Kelly saw and lecturer, wife of Me Commis left something behind (quito Enrica Soma, a ballot dancer of
think of this imperial park and broke, a collarbone. "decided on" her husband, Ber- sioner. Blanco White, was a imaginary, of course), and dur-
rence
MANDRAKE THE MAGICIAN
By Lee Falk and Phil Davis
THAT'S MANDRAKE FOR SURE!
I CAN SEE HIS YES!
THERE SHE GUESS” CAN'T MISS WITH THIS
BOMBSIGHT?
~GET ALTITUDE” AWE'LL DROP.
OROSAS WERE DESTROY ON * SIGHTA THIS'ALI
ENDOUT
TALK
ABOUT
MAGIC!
Have you
Admir
Italian parentage), now living in Ireland... first met her husband at her father's restaurant in New York when she was 13.
"I used to write notices'. cll the shows I saw and my showed them to John. He bald father he would take me to the ballet and I could write himi 'n special notice on it. But he never did. I could't wait to grow up and was lucky in getting a Holly wood contract with David
Selznick; 74
"heard John was going to a reception and went along, too. Luckily, he came in, lalo and was seated at my table and I saki, "You don't remember ub you promised to take me to tha ballet. He never did take me to the ballet, eithe
How often) ay husba
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