TRAGEDY SOMETIMES STALKS IN HOLLYWOOD

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 55, 20 March 1937, Page 16

TRAGEDY SOMETIMES STALKS IN HOLLYWOOD

- fCJontributedN

Hollywood — the birthplace of one of Ameriea's greatest industries, the motion pieture— has probably seen more disappointments and heart-breaks than any other place in the world. Life there is a reckless, dashing succession of dramatic days and nights. Sensational divorces flare up and die away. Being called upon to display excitement, apathy, happiness and grief, to sing, scream or shout all within one day — to be haunted day and night by newspaper men incessantly wanting interviews, photographers, souvenirhunters and autograph-fiends promotes quick tempers and nervousness. Undoubtedly the queerest place on earth, Hollywood seemingly revels in an aura of glamour and intrigue, but we are brought to earth sharply by sueh tragedies as these. With his life before him, Ross Alexander, rising young player attached to Warner Bros.' studio, shot himself in the closing weeks of 1936. Russ Columbo, at one time proclaimed the handsomest man on the screen and for whom was predicted a successful musical career, was mysteriously shot. Thelma Todd, beautiful, wealthy comedienne, with everything in the world to live for, was f ound dead in her car on the outskirts of Hollywood. Murder was suspected but never proved. Those picture-goers who recall the "silents" about 1924 to 1928, will oertainly remember Marie Prevost, the f ormer Mack Sennett bathing beauty who reached the top of filindom's ladder in that period. She was found dead in a small Hollywood apartment recently, the sink full of empty whisky bottles. A dog, a daschund, was found beside the bed. Miss Prevost had been dead two or three days when found. So ended her futile fight to regain her foTmer glory. ' What. is the reason behind these tragedies? It may be never known — Hollywood keeps her mysteries a close secret.