The Des Moines Register du lieu suivant : Des Moines, Iowa • Page 45

The Dea Moines Sunday Register, February 16, 1936. Magazine Five Iowa Claire Dodd Is Called Hollywood Mystery Girl Pretty Film Star Born at Baxter, Refuses to Talk About Private Life; Admits She Forgot Birthplace. lives should be kept separate," she said most amiably, while I was Interviewing her at lunch one day. "I do not think It wise to publicize my private affairs. My husband la not a professional and moat of our friends are non-profeasion-als.

If I should allow any personal information about myself to be used for publicity purposes It might be embarrassing to htm or to them." There's the reason why Claire Dodd has been a mystery woman. The publicity boys of her studio whose job la to make a player anything but a mystery have had little but professional news to release to the press. She haa never related her life story to them, tells them little about her personal doings. When I Interviewed Claire I thought she was simply running true to form when she responded to my first question. I had asked her how it happened that she did not know her birthplace.

"I just didn't," was the "woman's answer" she gave me. And then quickly and earnestly ahe added, "Honest, I'm not evading your question. Please believe me when I say that my earlier childhood la jUBt a blur to me. I don't remember a thing about Iowa, I'm sorry to say. 1 was so small when we left there.

And that's true about a number of places we lived In." Claire had hardly gotten through the primer when her family moved away from Baxter. She was Dorothy Arlene Dodd then. Some six years before on December 29, 1911, to be exact she was bom in the farm home of her parents. Her father, Walter W. Dodd, was one of the leading farmers of the community.

Her mother, the former Ethel Coot, was the daughter of the local postmaster, P. J. Coo). Claire rame from pioneer Iowa stock, Her ancestors were among the earliest of Jasper county. A great-grandfather was known as Squire Dodd, the mar rylng justice.

She still has a number of relatives in Iowa, most of them In Baxter. There her grandmother Cool resides, as do several aunts. Her grand father on her father's side, Fred Dodd by name, lives In Manhalltown. Widely Traveled After leaving Baxter, Claire's parents became very nomadic. Her father had taken up veterinary work and went about the country practicing his profession.

"We traveled all around," said Claire, describing a sweeping arc with a long, black ctgaret holder. She smokes de-nlcotinlced cigareta. "We lived In Bt. Louis, Kansas City, Denver, Fhoe-nlx, Missoula, Montana that I can remember, and tome other places. Bo you can see that my Impression of places are all jumbled up.

"I seemed to be always going ahead or back a year in grade. Don't see how ever learned anything In school. I usually made good grades In mathematics, and poor ones In English. I hated English In all Its forms, especially recitation. At that time it appeared that I had an incurable case of stage fright." That Claire ever fell down In oral exercises would never be guessed today.

She has almost perfect diction. Aa for the stage fright, she has not gotten over It entirely, but none Is apparent when she works before the camera, Claire la a seasoned actress by now, however. She entered pictures over six years ago. Finally struck out on her own, while her parents were located In Missoula, going to Log Angeles. There she obtained work aa a model.

Through a friend she secured a screen test at A major studio. Nothing came of It and several months went by. Then one day she received a call to report for work In "Whoopee," an Eddie Cantor picture which Florenc Klegfeld was producing, Claire waa given a minor role. Upon the Completion of tha film, Klegfeld offered her a part of his forth-Coming New York musical comedy, "Smiles." She waa hot to be a chorus girl, but was to have a speaking role. When "Smllea" closed, Hollywood By Joseph Lewelten.

CLAIRE DODD is the mystery woman of Iowa's feminine contingent in Hollywood. Possibly the majority of Iowa moviegoers do not know that this beautiful blond actress is an Iowan. Possibly those who do, know only one thing about her that the village of Baxter 1b her birthplace. Perhaps even that would not be known to many if Claire had not applied lor a passport last spring. She could not produce the necessary birth certificate, said that, in fact, she didn't know where she was born.

Said she knew only that it was some place in Iowa. This Btrange state of affairs was reported in the newspapers. It came to the attention of the Jasper county clerk. That kind gentleman offered to supply the nonplussed Miss Dodd with a birthplace her own, in fact. It Beems that he had known her father, her mother, her aunts and her uncles, her grandmothers and grandfathers had even taught Grandpa Dodd his readin', writ-in and 'rithmetic.

She Is a Hollywood Rebel Now Claire Dodd can tell you where she was born. But that's just about all she Will tell you about her personal ielf. You see, Claire is a Hollywood rebel. Unlike the majority of the filmltes, she haa hot given In to revealing to a breathless public such quaint facts aa bath-tub diversions, favorite Bleeping positions, marital and parental Intentions, etc. No, decidedly not Claire Dodd.

"I believe one's personal and professional waa still Interested In her and she signed with Paramount for five years. "They gave me a number of minor said Claire, and then one day I was Instructed to go to the Warner lot and report to Mr. Darryl Zanuok, the producer. Zanuck Bought Her Contract wslked Into Mr. Zanuck's office and he simply stood there behind his deek looking at me, but not saying a word.

Finally he said, I Just wanted to see how you look In That waa all. It was very mysterious. Several days later I was Informed that he had bought my contract. "When again I reported to hlm he said, 'Young lady, I'm going to give you all kinds of roles, and plenty of them, to give you camera He did! I worked In 19 pictures tn a year's time." And then came the calamity in Claire Dodd's life. At least that's what she calls It.

They cast her as the third side of the eternal triangle. She gave too realistic a portrayal of a alren who lured a happily married man away from a devoted wife. Since then the film-makers have hot been able to see her aa anything else. This typing haa made Claire Dodd a perfect Jekyll and Hyde character. For ahe Is as gracious a person off the screen as one could hope to meet.

Claire Is nice even when she lets you know that what you are asklhg her Is none of your business. The very first thing hotlced about Claire Dodd swept away the Impression I had gained of her from her screen roles, When she Joined ma at the luncheon table that day It was my first meeting with her she waa smiling. One never anyt that a lady grins, but Claire's smile la so generous that It almost merits the designation. "If. Brand Ntw, LooW" As soon as Claire was seated she exclaimed, "Look what I've got." Extending a hand across the table, she displayed a beautiful star sapphire ring.

"It'a brand new!" ahe exulted. "I just couldn't resist It. Isn't It a beauty Here, look at the tar," She cupped the fingers nf one hand around tha stone. Claire was aa delighted with the ring aa a baby with a new toy. Because of Clalre'i "statement of policy" our conversation atald on safe grounds, Or rather 1 should Bay waters, as we talked at longth about deep sea fishing.

Claire and her broker-husband, Jack M. Strauss, are devoted to the Sport. Claire la probably the leading fUher-woman of the films colony. i ml KtX, if x' i feature every week in The Sunday Hffteter Mngaisne tecnon. 1 it Wl ii I ii if (Watch for thie new uv 11 1Wi js08qk fir 1 Clair Dodd, siren of the screen, Is as beatiful as sha Is mysterious.

She was born Dorothy Arlene Dodd, 24 years ago on a farm near Baxter, la. She has grandparents living in Baxter and Marshalltown, la. Her husband, Jack M. Strauss, Is a broker and most of her friends In Hollywood have nothing to do with films. Claire is considered one of America's best dressed women.

"She Wed in Haste" An Iowa Farm Girl Romance 114 -JJF is Si EXACTLY ONE FOUETU the brohdSv, ia, on rwivKS to eAtJL DarkAfii 8 ropy nrv IA foct DODGEJA.MISS maccaret present of their lives and the future, only, mattered. As she stood there, letting the peace of decision flood her soul, Jane heard a crinkling of paper, noticed that a little written note was being pushed under her door. She caught It up hastily, read it there In the moonlight. In a big, determined scrawl the note said. "Will you go away with me tomorrow We can get married In Missouri.

I can't sleep unless you give me your answer." And Jane gave her answer without a second's hesitation. Taking her pencil from the little stand at the head of her bed she wrote one word on the note and pushed It back under the door. The one word was. "Teg." COFFEE MARRIED Be NO AMI BEAN. THE ATTENDANTS WfBl ME AND Mies.

WAFFUL. AT THE WEDDING 0 PEAK FAST THEKE WERE WAFFULS COFFEE AND BEANS. OF UNDPJWOOD. IA, PEPSRPES ONLY ON THE LEFT HALF OF HIS FACE AND HEAD. THE RIGHT HALF eCWAINS PERFECTLY DRY AT ALU TIMES.

rmkMce to WILUAM HOFPtlNI UNDCOWOOO, IA. Brilliant untttnnK -curat iBcilmfl rxurmirtfl biasing with vlvM fir. Ita riaizllna hauty afttnnlptiea vrynn. Wearing It glvca yuu that prriRjrua aucctinfui look. To Introluca hm.

wa off-r for Mm-MM ttma to ar1 ynu on without any obligation, Jutt to advciiiM our "Slrcamliitt" Slerlinf Silver Setting! Wt only auk you to Mtnri If to help fifty advertlilni and poitaite. Nothing mom Pr. NOTE -No iMr will bt finm for mora than ONR aampla Kara onvry guaran. Ital ang fully inHurvl ty one of Amartca't olocat iriiutanoe companlfa. hlOVgKIMI Drill.

11-11 1 I Drawer It IK, I'hllarirlphla, I'a. I PleHe aoni me a full -Carat facel- mile I'lamonrl without any obllKalton on I my part. I enrloee itr c-oln tor I'ic In I ftiampe. 20r in rana'la). to help pay a'lvertiaitig and postage.

Nothing mora 1 to pay. I I Name Aitdreee Town Siala "LAST NIGHT BILIOUS AND UPSET. Here's tha way I did it: 1 riearad blllrmgnagg and that logy, generally rundown feeling ovgrnlght I took FEEN-A-JIINT th uy "3-mlnat way." I Jtiat thawed It for three minutea before I went to bad, and feel manreloua today. With rEEN-A-MINT there ere none of the erampg or griping pgina of "all gt-once" eathartica. And KEN-A MIKT Uatea ao good, 15c and 2e at all druKglate.

0 (Continutd From Page Jane, remembered what her father had said about Susan. She knew that Susan, a city girl, had given up a life of comparative ease to marry Jim who was just a farm hand. And now Susan, who had been flattered and petted with plenty of admiration and sweethearts, was content to cook for farrfl hands, keep house for Jim, take care of their baby and work from morning until night just so that the two of them who loved each other could go on being together, and making something out of their lives. Standing there In her little white night gown, Jane pulled the cord of the electric light, plunging the room In and then she went over to the WlhdbW. Threw back the shade and opened the window.

She stood there drinking In the full beauty of the moonlighted world. Across from her window, coming up to the fenced kitchen garden was a great cornfield, acres and acres of it. She had heard Bob and Dad talking about it that evening. If the weather held Bob would start plowing the field the first of the week. Fresh turned loam would quickly replace the hard stubble covered field of today.

Another few speeding weeks and days and the greatest miracle of all would take place rows of tender corn pushing soft, green, Inquisitive noses up to the April rain and sunshine. The miracle of spring, of new life, of new love. Of new love. Suddenly Jane knew knew that she loved enough to forgive her man anything, to follow him, wherever life took him, to the ends of the earth if need be. The past amounted to nothing.

The Wt 1 TWU4KB TO 7ts7 TKANK TO IOJ-llta AVB SOUTH, GEANT JUSTICE 7056AVE COUNCIL BLUFFS WAS DRAWN FOR JUST DUTY LAbT NOVEMBER. THANKS TO ABQAPT TINLEV -JIA ftOUTH EIGHTH, St COUNCIL BLUFFS, IA. The Sunday Regitter Magaiine, Iowa be awarded to the first one received. How the Used To Punish Their Bigamists Bigamy had Its severest and, perhaps, its most appropriate penalties in Europe at the time during the wars of the middle ages when it was most prevalent. It has been said that the punishment of bigamous men was the acquiring of two mothers-in-law but that women escaped more, lightly.

It was not so with Marie Ollivicr, the bigamous woman of Hondschoote, in thirteenth century Flanders. She was sentenced to wear, for life, two pairs of men's trousers knotted around her neck. The March of Time news reel feature that started a year ago playing In 404 motion picture theaters, now plays In 4,500 theaters regularly. VOUR WOMEN BOWLERS AT UE MACS, I A IN 1974 PECEIVED THE IDENTIC All' SPLIT "SHOWN ABOVE ON ADJOIMNO ALLEYS AT THE SAME TIME. If you lmow of any "Iowa Oddities" you are invifed to tubmit them to Oddities Department.

One dollar will be paid for each one accepted. In event two or more people submit tha tame idea, the $1.00 prize will.