Hollywood, January 1940
Shop Talk
Mrs. Carver settled in her usual chair, with her usual cup of coffee, and her usual cigarette. As always, I was working at the next station, combing out the curls of an elderly lady who was beginning to doze off.
“Remember that Spanish movie star?” Mrs. Carver had a copy of Star World on her lap.
“Lupe Vélez? I saw her in The Girl from Mexico. She was so funny, I understand they’re going to make a sequel.”
“Not that one, Miss Marie. The one who swam naked in Bird of Paradise. I used to really like her.”
“Oh, Dolores Del Rio. Gosh, Mrs. Carver,” said Marie, “I haven’t seen her in a couple of years. I don’t know if she’s even making movies anymore.”
“Well, I saw her photo in Star World. She was at a party, all dolled up like Lady Astor’s pet horse. She had on this low-cut chiffon gown and a kind of tiara. She still has those gorgeous, high cheekbones and her makeup is always perfect. Well, you’ll never guess who she was with!”
“Isn’t she married to Cedric Gibbons?”
“She is, but she was with Orson Welles! Carla Myer...you know, the reporter for Star World...she says the marriage is shaky and they’ll probably get a divorce. Listen, don’t cut it too short this time, Miss Marie. Roy likes it long.”
“I understand. A woman has to please her husband. I keep mine shoulder-length because of Rick. I was never such a Dolores Del Rio fan. There’s a new one, now... Rita Hayworth.”
“Yeah, same type as Del Rio, but not so...you know...dark. But I loved some of Del Rio’s movies.”
“Wasn’t she once involved with Edwin Carewe?”
“She was, but didn’t you hear? Carewe committed suicide about a week ago. I saw it in Star World. They said that even though some newspapers reported it as a heart attack, it was really a suicide. They called him the ‘discoverer of Dolores Del Rio.’ According to the article, Del Rio went to the funeral and sobbed all the way through. Gibbons was sitting right behind her.”
“Those movie people, they just go from one lover to another. It’s disgusting.”
I didn’t say anything. I never do. It was better that Mrs. Carver didn’t know I knew Lola. If she did, she might not have talked so freely, and I liked to hear the gossip, especially about Lola. I liked to know what people were saying about her. The truth is, I was still a little miffed about the way she’d treated me the last time I saw her. Maybe that’s why Marie’s comments didn’t bother me. Anyhow, I knew that Gabe felt the same way about movie people.