The Most Famous People in the World, Mary and Doug, rather mystifyingly enjoy a little canoeing in the pool at PickFair.So much of this image seems as vanished as if it never had been. Just think of it: in this photo, the two stars are presented as if frolicking outdoors; today, they would look overdressed for church. This house was America's ideal, the most elegant, even ostentatious last word in Hollywood glamour; today, it doesn't measure up, in square footage or general showiness, with the average real-estate-bubble McMansion in Des Moines.
And, it goes without saying, Pickford and Fairbanks, even at opposite ends of their little boat, project an aura of starry perfection. Now, we know that things didn't end well. Just a little while after this sunny morning, Hollywood's Perfect Marriage was as gone as hats for canoeing. Doug drifted off, leaving Mary at Pickfair, where she stayed. And stayed. And stayed.
But they really were a lovely couple.
It was all just a charade. Doug and Mary drift apart. The house ended up in the hands of Pia Zadora and her husband bought it and found it was essentially a "set" not a well built house. So they razed the house and built a palace for Pia.
ReplyDeleteoddly enough this pic reminds me of hyacinth and richard bucket (or "bouquet"). off to have an exclusive candlelight picnic.
ReplyDeletei bet they were in that boat rehearsing an "accident" that they hoped to pull off; the unlucky victim, their daughter in law, joanie. mary would've wacked her over the head with an oar & doug would've supplied the gentle push into the deep end. lucky for joan, that night she skipped the fairbanks' and gave gable a blow job in his duesenberg.
ReplyDeleteI wonder if legally she was Lucille LaSuer Fairbanks, or Joan Crawford Fairbanks?
ReplyDeleteOf all the husbands I'm willing to bet that Douggie Jr. had it easiest of all of Lucille's husbands - she was still somewhat untouched and "tight".
oh ya, "tight" like a bowl of mashed potatoes.
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