Bored of life in lockdown? Then allow yourself to be transported into the magical world of Hollywood’s golden age through the pages of British film star David Niven’s hilarious memoirs.
In yesterday’s extract, he described how he fell for his second wife Hjordis and fell out with the movie mogul Sam Goldwyn. Today he lifts the lid on the his relations with the Hollywood press pack.
Hollywood was awash with stars jumping into bed. But as David Niven reveals in the latest extract from his glorious memoirs, the suavest British actor of all chased women with abandon — and proved to be a master in the art of seduction…
Two influential Hollywood gossip columnists, Hedda Hopper and Louella Parsons, wielded immense power over careers and personal lives. Hedda, writing for the Los Angeles Times, was tall, thin, elegant, and demanding, with large blue eyes. Of Quaker stock, she divorced her much older husband after catching him cheating. Louella, of the Los Angeles Examiner, was short, dumpy, and dowdy, with large brown eyes and a vague demeanor. A Catholic, she married three times: to a real estate man, a riverboat captain, and a venereal disease specialist. Despite their differences, they shared a mutual loathing, and Hollywood folklore suggested Louella’s job security came from knowing Hearst’s secrets.
In 1924, a legendary but false story emerged about media mogul W.R. Hearst. The tale claimed Hearst found producer Thomas Ince with his mistress, Marion Davies, on his yacht, Oneida, shot Ince, and disposed of his body overboard. Supposedly, Louella Parsons witnessed this and was promised a lifetime job to keep silent. In reality, Ince left the yacht in San Diego, later dying of a heart attack in Los Angeles, and Louella wasn’t even on the yacht.
Hedda Hopper, a striking and well-dressed woman, was known for her sharp and juicy Hollywood gossip, earning her a syndicated column. Hollywood stars constantly strategized how to share their news with either Hopper or Parsons without angering the other. Every morning, the industry eagerly read their columns, often filled with planted lies and exaggerations, enjoying the spectacle despite knowing it wasn’t all true.
Hedda Hopper, known for her power-mad tendencies, risked lawsuits with her book The Whole Truth And Nothing But. In it, she claimed she had warned Elizabeth Taylor against marrying Michael Wilding, alleging his homosexuality and relationship with Stewart Granger.
One Sunday, Hedda, living in her charming Beverly Hills house, “The House That Fear Built,” summoned a friend urgently. Over drinks, she asked if it was true that Wilding had been kicked out of the British Navy for being homosexual. After hearing the absurdity, the friend corrected her, explaining Wilding’s honorable discharge. Despite this, Hedda insisted on her version, citing Wilding and Granger’s shared yacht in the South of France.
The friend quipped about the yacht’s activities, making Hedda laugh before she read the controversial passage she had written.
I told Hedda she was mad to print it and bound to get sued, but she insisted the publishers wanted more controversy to spice up the book. “They won’t sue me,” she said airily. “Dragging it into court would only make it worse for them. They’ll be sore for a while and then forget it.”
In reality, Hedda and her publisher were sued for $3 million, resulting in a hefty settlement and an abject apology.
While our heroines had high self-importance, they were quick to anger when teased. Ida Lupino and Howard Duff, and my wife Hjordis and I, had been subjected to numerous rumors despite our happy marriages. We decided to have some fun with Hedda and Louella.
We chose Ciros, the “hot” restaurant of the moment, known for being frequented by spies for both gossip columns. After dinner at Ida’s home, I called the head waiter to reserve a table around midnight. “Please don’t seat us near the dancefloor,” I added. “In a dark corner… just for two—you understand.”
Around midnight, I arrived at Ciros with Ida Lupino on my arm, thrilling the head waiter. Seated in a dark corner, Ida began nibbling my ear, and soon photographers gathered. Howard Duff and Hjordis arrived next, seated far from us. Howard, known as a brawler, theatrically shoved his table over and pointed at me. As we pretended to be drunk and angry, Ida dramatically screamed, “No, no! David, you must flee! He’ll kill you!”
Howard and I advanced on each other, removing jackets and rolling up sleeves. The restaurant watched in silence. As we reached the dance floor, we suddenly embraced, kissed, and waltzed.
The next day, Hedda and Louella, who had been woken by false alarms, called to express their displeasure.
When Cary Grant first visited my house, he immediately began straightening the pictures, clucking in disapproval.
Through the years, Cary Grant generously tried to straighten out my private life, advising me on relationships, acting, stocks, and even offering to hypnotize me to cure my liking for Scotch whisky. His help, though not always effective, showed his genuine concern for others despite his own worries.
Cary’s perfectionism extended to his physical fitness. He looked and acted much younger than his age, attributed to his disciplined eating, daily workouts, and massages, though he often claimed, “I just think myself thin.”
One morning at his Palm Springs home, I heard him taking swimming lessons. When I asked why, since he already swam well, he replied, “I want to do it perfectly.”
Cary also used hypnotism effectively, curing himself of smoking by repeating affirmations. Impressed, Hjordis and I let him hypnotize us, too. Cary Grant’s remarkable composure and relaxed demeanor on screen made him an undeniable magnet for the audience’s attention.
Describing Cary Grant as a private individual is challenging because he was elusive and unpredictable. He moved swiftly through marriages with Virginia Cherrill, Barbara Hutton, and Betsy Drake, often falling in and out of love with his leading ladies, highlighting his excellent physical condition.
Cary believed relaxation was key to enduring romance, saying, “The trick is to be relaxed. If you can attain true relaxation, you can make love forever.” Gentle and thoughtful, he was loved by many but threw himself passionately into each romance, believing every one was “the one.”
Despite many disillusionments, he faced failures with gallantry, blaming himself for being too egocentric. His strategy was to stay within a similar pattern, quickly moving on from one romance to another. When Sophia Loren announced her marriage to Carlo Ponti, Cary swiftly shifted his affections to a younger Yugoslav actress named Luba.
