The Hal Roach publicity department keeps a clippings file on each of its stars. The files devoted to Babe and him are larger than the rest, and the secretaries sometimes fall behind in removing the stories from the newspapers.
The studio is closing for the holiday season, but he has some notes he needs to collect, and in passing he goes to the publicity departments to catch up on the reviews for Busy Bodies, which was released in the week of his divorce. He is proud of the picture. Left to his own devices, he would happily make such two-reelers for the rest of his career, although he knows that Babe’s memories of Busy Bodies are less fond. It is a physically arduous shoot for all, but particularly for Babe, who tears the ligaments in his left shoulder so badly that his golfing routine is profoundly disrupted, which leaves Babe in a foul mood.
He takes a seat, and opens the most recent file. Its contents relate not only to his pictures: his divorce also features prominently. The publicity department maintains a record of all stories, good and bad, and entire pages in even the most obscure of journals are devoted to Hollywood gossip. When there are no divorces to fill the columns, or no new pictures to review, the newspapers will accept whatever is fed to them. From the Meramec Valley Transcript of Pacific, Missouri, he learns that Dolores Del Rio has built an ultra-modern kennel for her dog, Mitchell, which includes a bathtub, an electric dryer, and a dressing room. Miriam Hopkins always orders chop suey if she finds it on a menu. James Cagney does not drink or smoke or permit gatecrashers at his home. All or none of these statements may be true. It is enough that someone in a publicity department not unlike this one has claimed they are true, and even this may be open to dispute. He has not forgotten that Hal Roach signed off on a statement announcing his reconciliation with Lois, even though Hal Roach has consistently denied any involvement.
Of more concern to many in Hollywood is the decision by President Roosevelt to order an investigation into the salaries of actors and actresses, given that so many citizens in the country are out of work and struggling to survive. Beside the description of his divorce proceedings contained in the Daily Republican of Monongahela, Pennsylvania, he finds a UP report listing stars’ estimated earnings. This one is longer than some of the others he has seen, and continues on a second page.
Janet Gaynor is making $100,000 a picture, for three pictures a year.
Will Rogers is making $125,000 a picture, for three pictures a year.
Maurice Chevalier is making $150,000 a picture, for two pictures a year.
Mae West stands to make $500,000 for I’m No Angel alone.
Even Baby LeRoy, who is one year old, makes $2,500 for a week’s work on A Bedtime Story. He is no mathematician, but on a week-by-week basis Baby LeRoy is being paid more than he is.
The alimony settlement negotiated by Ben Shipman makes the comparative paucity of his income harder to bear. He was warned not to anticipate good news from the court, but even so the award still comes as a shock: in addition to losing his home, he also has to hand over half his salary to Lois for the first year, after which the payments will be reduced. Half his salary is a lot of money. Maybe, he thinks, he should just marry Baby LeRoy’s mother and live off the kid.
He is still in a rage when he is told that Hal Roach wants to see him. He has not even realized that Hal Roach is on the lot. Lately Hal Roach seems to spend most of his time flying his plane and killing animals that cannot run fast enough to escape Hal Roach’s gun.
This, and—it seems—trying to sabotage his star’s career.