Haunt World’s Great Ones

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 951, 19 April 1930, Page 18

Haunt World’s Great Ones

J I Scientific marvels of our present age have crowded many ancient beliefs and superstitions into the background but as yet have not entirely obliterated them. Nor is 'the often-repeated phrase, “only the ignorant arc superstitious,” entirely Substantiating the idea that many highly intelligent persons still make use of charms, fetishes and mascots to woo the Goddess of LMck are stories here told, relating to world-famous men and women who have achieved the pinnacle of success in their particular line of endeavour—in music, art, literature, the stage and sports. The majority of these personages admit to some inexpressible belief in the power of certain objects or rituals to aid them. ■ OLA NEGRI, the famous Polish film star, who started the invasion of Continental movie actresses to America and achieved the dizzy heights of stardom in Hollywood, declares that she believes in the mysterious influence of certain objects, astrology and numerology: “I am no-t capricious, but I do admit lam superstitious- I believe in the stars, in the mystical meaning of figures and objects and in horoscopes which I draw for myself. “Another superstition of mine is the fear of a cat crossing my path. At Hollywood you do not count cats singly, but in hordes. All the studios are full of cats. What was I to do? I had enclosures made at my own expense and had the cats put into them. It did not make any difference to the cats. They were just as happy in one corner of the studio as in another, but it was an immense relief to me to feel that on my way backward and forward between my dress-ing-room and the set I should not run the risk of encountering a cat; and I did not have to keep all the great actors waiting because I knew that a cat was on the lookout for me. “Many great artists are superstitious. D’Annunzio is one of them. He constantly wears a bracelet made of monkey hair and he has other charms in which he believes. Anatole France had a collection of dragon signs and amulets from Oriental countries ancl thought them his greatest treasures. Paderewski also is superstitious. He thinks some da*ys unlucky and -would not begin an undertaking on one of them. Then there is Charlie Chaplin. He is frightfully superstitious about his old shoes, his black coat, his round hat and his stick, all of which he brought over to America from England and which have helped him on the road to fame. They are all falling to pieces, but he still preserves them, together with his first false moustache. He would no-t have duplicated made of them for anything.” Captain Malcolm Campbell, famous English auto race driver, who piloted his machine to a world speed record in 1928 at Daj'tona Beach, denies any belief in omens of good or ill fortune, but admits that he is a fatalist.

“If by superstition is meant a belief in the potency of particular charms to ward off evils or to bring the possessor good luck, then I am not superstitious. Many racing motorists, and many people in other branches of sport, and many stage favourites do I believe place a great deal of faith in such things; but though I generally have a mascot of some kind on my car, I am afraid it is there for an ornament and not for use. Bo far as I am concerned, it does not inspire me to success, nor would its absence make me pessimistic of winning any particular race. It is simply a mascot, and no more. "On the other hand, I am definitelv a fatalist. Experience has convinced me that if a man is fated to have a run of bad luck, no charm or mascot or anything of that nature will prevent it. Similarly, if he is born under a lucky star —aud there is a great deal of truth in that old ‘tag’—then he will be fortunate, whatever superstitious beliefs he may observe or deride.” Feodor Chaliapin, famous Russian concert and opera singer, who is known to millions for his singing of the “Song of the Volga Boatmen,” admits having a very few pet aversions which he is careful not to violate: “Although I an% not particularly superstitious, I take great care, when I get out of bed in the morning, not to put on my left shoe fi*st. Why? Probably because this practice dates from my boyhood, in which I was often told that putting on the left shoe first brought bad luck. I have always been afraid of the number 13. Of course, I know it is absurd, but the idea has become part of my being, and whenever I encounter this number I feel uncomfortable. Some artists refuse to sing on the day on which they have encountered this number. I do not go so far as this, but I certainly feel uneasy. “Lack of education, which is the cause of nearly all superstition, is disappearing little by little before the advance of civilisation. The credulity of grandparents will soon he a source of amusement for their grandchildren and perhaps / youngsters will no longer be afraid of ghosts, black cats, unlucky numbers and witches. That is the right way to progress, but, until that day comes, we shall continue to love our stories and to pass them on to our children.” A well-known prima donna of the Metropolitan Opera Company, Maria Jeritza, disclaims haying any superstitious beliefs and relates how many persons bring misfortunes unon themselves by putting credence in ill-luck omens: “I have no superstitions. I see no mysterious meanings in £ays, figures or signs. Not only do I decline to take any notice of such things in my own lite, but I always feel annoyed when others give way to such ideas. To attach importance to signs and omens is simply to make trouble for oneself.” The tennis ace, William T. Tilden,

Superstitions That Persist . . . Black Cats, Horseshoes, Four-Leaf Clovers and Other Symbols of Luck Good and Bad, Figure in Lives of Leaders in Art, Music, and Sport . . .

II. —“Big Bill" —tells of a four-leaf clover that once belonged to Lincoln, which was given him on the eve of his first big victory; “Most people have an idea that the terms ‘superstition’ and ‘luck’ are synonymous, it is a great mistake. They are nothing of the sort. Superb stition is belief in myths, in lucky charms, in some occult cause for desired effect. Luck is fate, chance the ‘breaks’ of the game. "Superstition is au element that strikes at the root of successful competition in athletics, at the confidence of the athlete. I know many athletes, and almost all are superstitious in some way. They all have their favourite racket or club or bat, according to the game they play. “I personally am an exceedingly superstitious person. The day before I defeated Gerald Patterson at Wimbledon in the challenge round of 1920 and won my first major tournament, I was presented with a four-leaf clover that had once belonged' to Abraham Lincoln. From that day to August, 1926. I carried that four-leaf clover in every national championship match anil Davis Cup match that I played, and over that period I never met defeat. One week before I was defeated by Lacoste in the Davis Cup round of 1926 and a week later lost niv American title to Cochet, my four-leaf clover disappeared and did not show up until last year, when I won back my American championship.” Stagefolk are generally superstitious, according to their own admission, but Sybil Thorndike, one of England's greatest actresses, who achieved world fame in plays of Shakespeare and G. B. Shaw's "St. Joan.” states that she daily breaks many of the pet superstitions of her craft with impunity. Jan Kubelik, whose mastery of tli« violin has won him honours and popular acclaim throughout the world, believes that even numbers are an indication of good fortune for him; "Fate plays a great role in life, and, although it may sound superstitions. I believe that even numbers have a peculiar significance. At 6 I first, started playing. At 12 I began studying at the Conservatorie under Professor Sevcik at Prague. At IS 1 left the Conservatoire and started my professional career. At 24 I became a father for the first time. At 36 I started as a composer, and at 42 I made an important change in my domicile and bought a house at Abbazia, in Italy, where I live in the eun>mer—a step which undoubtedly has had a great influence on my life ” A famous French writer of detective stories, Pierre Quirole, is actively opposed to superstition, and to show his disbelief would rather walk under a ladder than around it: “I make a point of walking under every ladder that happens to get in my path, but always with a wary eye for the paint pot that may fall from above. I always take a chance, on number 13 in a gamble, but alas! I have never yet picked the winner. Probably the superstitious-minded will argue that my reaction to their beliefs is only another form of superstition but it is almost impossible not to react in some way when, having spilled salt at a dinner party, one's fair neighbour earnestly entreats one to fling a pinch of the stuff over one's left—or is it the right—shoulder.”