Contributed by Kate Gaddis, UHCL alumna
With the #MeToo and Times Up Movements already in full swing, most people do not realize that violence and sexual harassment towards women in the entertainment industry is nothing new. From actresses with well-known histories of abuse like Natalie Wood and Barbara Stanwyck to women such as Janet Gaynor, Joan Fontaine, Colleen Moore, Shirley Temple, and Jobyna Ralston, whose stories are less known and have been passed down from generation to generation.
During the Golden Age of Hollywood, women were seen as commodities, things and prizes to be won. They were seen as objects that men could abuse or torment on and off screen.
Back in that time, there were no movements like the ones seen today. Actresses at the time typically remained silent on abuses endured out of fear. If they did speak out, they were deemed “difficult” to work with, which resulted in limited work.
Shirley Temple
As America’s sweetheart, abuse would not seem to be in the picture. Well, sadly, it was. Shirley Temple married young to a man who was seven years her senior, John Agar Jr.
Marrying at only age 17, she thought that marriage would be a lifetime of roses and petals. Unfortunately, what she got, was a man who really didn’t like being considered “Mr. Shirley Temple.”
Ironically, he was roped into acting and the couple made two films together. Within a year of marriage, John began to drink and invite other women to the couple’s home. It really got worse when she became pregnant with the couple’s only child, Susan. John’s drunkenness became violent and he physically abused Shirley. Yet, on the outside, everyone thought they were Hollywood’s Ken and Barbie.
The San Antonio Light Newspaper article from 1949 stated, “Judge Clarence L. Kincaid yesterday set Dec.5 for the trial of the actress’ divorce suit on charges of cruelty.”
Finally, Shirley had enough and divorced him on Dec. 5, 1949, at the age of 22.
Janet Gaynor
Abuse takes on many forms. Janet Gaynor’s abuse was from both her first husband, Jesse Lydell Peck, and 20th Century Fox studio executive, Daryl F. Zanuck.
When she was working at 20th Century Fox, Zanuck had taken advantage of lots of women on the studios’ lot.
Her son, Robin Adrian, said in an interview I conducted that, “Zanuck chased my mom around the office until my mom could get out of the office.”
Her husband, Jesse, was verbally and physically abusive. Her son said,d “She realized that he was a mistake on the honeymoon.” She divorced Jesse in 1933 after over three years of marriage.
Joan Fontaine
Joan Fontaine’s story about her abuse in the industry is rather unknown. In her tell-all book “No Bed of Roses,” Joan explains how she was raped by Conrad Nagel, an actor she was dating at the time. On page 84 of her book, she speaks about how Conrad did not even give her the chance to give consent.
“But suddenly Conrad rose from his armchair, threw back my bedcovers, and before I could protest, the dire deed was done,” Joan wrote. “One might say I was surprised out of my virginity. I was 20.”
Joan never spoke publicly about the rape, but if you read that in her book, it showed how she was taken advantage at the tender age of 20.
Colleen Moore
Men in the entertainment industry can be greedy. John McCormick was just that. When Colleen Moore married her press agent in 1923, the marriage seemed to be a match made in heaven. But when he started taking control of Colleen’s career, she began to have second thoughts about her “perfect” man.
In an interview with her niece, Melinda, she said, “He started turning down roles for her, without her consent or knowledge and worse, took control of her finances.”
Colleen finally divorced him in 1930.
Jobyna Ralston
Jobyna Ralston knew what it was like to be assaulted by one’s husband. Richard Arlen was a handsome actor, who used his good looks to his advantage. He drank heavily, and he screamed at his beautiful wife.
The worst part is that the Hollywood circuit thought that they were the perfect couple, sadly, it didn’t work out that way. Jobyna’s eyes would be dawned with powder to keep the bruises from her son, Rick.
Jobyna’s experience with Hollywood itself was not always great, including with Harold Lloyd, a leading man.
As Jobyna expert Dennis Lambert said in an interview, “I think that he could have struck her. It wouldn’t surprise me that when they’d argue, that he would hit her.”
Time is now up
#MeToo is a movement that is happening now, and women feel strong enough to speak out. Back then, this was not always the case. If you think that #MeToo is anything new, please rethink that. It’s only a matter of time before other women’s stories come out into the open.
But all we know is that time is up, gentlemen.
Also published on Medium.