LIBEL ACTION

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 122, 13 August 1927, Page 22

LIBEL ACTION

GLADYS COOPER WINS I "GROSSEST BAD TASTE” A libel action brought by Mrs. Gladys Constance Buckmaster (professionally known as Gladys Cooper) against the London Express Newspaper, Ltd., and Mr. James Douglas, editor of the “Sunday Express,” has been settled in London. QIR PATRICK HASTINGS, K.C., for Miss Cooper, explained that the libel was contained in the issue of the “Sunday Express” of November 7. 1920. Miss Cooper had brought her action because she felt it was a growing habit among some people who wrote oh theatrical matters to put in a newspaper paragraphs about members of the theatrical profession which would not be thought proper to put in about other people. At the time of the publication Miss Cooper had been staying with a house party, including ~ Sir Gerald and Lady du Maurier, at the house of a man who was known all over the country. For some reason a very widespread rumour got abroad that the host and Miss Cooper were engaged to be married. There was not a word of truth in that statement, which was extremely annoying to both parties. If any woman or man among the guests had tried to make public capital out of a rumour of that sort it would obviously be the grossest bad taste. RUMOUR AND A TITLE The actual words complained of were: It is just 20 years ago that Gladys Cooper was a chorus girl at the Gaiety Theatre. Now idle rumour has been coupling her name with one of the best-known titles in the land and stating that she has been invited to wear it. When asked about the rumour by a man I know Miss Cooper was ' very humorous. “The next time you want to marry me to somebody,” she said, “I wish you would choose someone respectable.” There was not a shadow of foundation for that at all, said Sir Patrick. The position now was that Miss Cooper did not desire to make any money out of it and a satisfactory arrangement had been made as to the costs of the action. It was not fair that observations in execrable taste should be made just because a woman happened to be a member of the theatrical profession; and it was to be hoped that in future Miss Cooper would not have that sort of paragraph written about her. Sir Ellis Hume-Williams, K.C., for the defendants, said the last thing his clients would have contemplated was to say anything in the least derogatory of a lady who held such a position as Miss Cooper did in the theatrical profession. They regretted very much that they had said anything capable of misinterpretation or misunderstanding. This evening Renee Kelly will say good-bye to Auckland and this side of the world in “Daddy Long Legs,” the play in which she has won success in all parts of the world. On Sunday evening Miss Kelly and Mr. Hylton Allen will leave for Wellington, where they will take the Makura on Tuesday for San Francisco and Home.

George Gee, though featured in “White Birds,” the most expensive revue ever staged in London, is not allowed to play a prominent part and is frankly disappointed with his lot. Within a few weeks of his arrival in London Mr. Gee

was approached by the producers of the revue and offered a big part in company with a galaxy of stars w h i c h included Maurice Chevalier, the brilliant French comedian; Jose Collins, Maisie Gay, Anton Dolin, the famous dancer. The trouble with “White Birds” was

that its limited constellation was overpacked with “starfe.” They got in each other’s way until Lew Wallace, the American producer, and the presiding deity, declared that the only stars of first magnitude, with the exception of Chevalier, must be American. This bias toward Americans, of whom there were a gf-eat many in the show was fatal to Gee’s chances. Fannie Ward, the American actress, wlro arrived in London recently to begin an engagement at the Coliseum, is an astounding and almost unbelievable person. She declares that she is 60. She undeniably is the grandmother of the two small children of her daughter. Lady Plunket, yet she looks about 25. In the United States they call her “the miracle woman,” “Flapper Fannie,” and other juvenile names. She has the slimest of ankles, the shortest of skirts, and such sparkling grey eyes that she looks more like a grand-daughter than a grandmother. It appears that, although Miss Ward went on the stage about 37 years ago, most people have their grave doubts about her age. “Particularly women,” she told me. “Why, some of them actually want to look in my mouth and see if my teeth are my own.” “Two months ago I was examined by three American doctors. They said that, organically, I was like a girl of 18.”