- Nilda Naldi, A Sainted Devil, 1924. “I simply do not want her around,” stormed Valentino’s interfering wife, Natacha Rambova. More friendly with Rambova, “Nitzie” replaced Valentino’s leading lady for second consecutive time in his 29th film. (He made 32). “I felt more sorry for Rudy,” she said. “He acted so foolish, like a high schoolboy trying to prove himself in front of the girls. Newspapers were starting to pick on him… a lot of talk about him being a fairy.”
- Elinor Fair, The Volga Boatman, l925. Producer-director Cecil B DeMille wanted the tall, Dutch-born brunette star of The Road To Yesterday, first of his company’s films, to be Princess Vera of the Russian revolution. “No,” said Jetta, “too slapstick!” CB made do with a Fair-look-alike opposite William (Hopalong Cassidy) Boyd as her boatman lover. Good casting – they married (for three years). Just as the film won good reviews – especially for the scene worrying Will Hays’ censors where CB’s camera focussed on the lust on Imperial officers’ faces after they stripped Elinor. Public did not fancy her or it. “The American public,” sighed CB, “just isn’t very interested in Russia, is it?”
- Ona Munson, The Shanghai Gesture, 1941. A decade earlier, CB DMille tried to film John Colton’s play about drugs, nymphomania and prostitution but the chief censor Will Hays would not permit it. CB wanted Goudal as brothel owner Mother Goddam… watered down to Madame Gin Sing running a casino in ’41.
Birth year: 1891Death year: 1985Other name: Casting Calls: 3