The Best of Everything

Not only are Michael Cudahy, grandson of Edward Cudahy, Chicago packer, and Joan Crawford, motion picture actress, not married, but if they ever go through a ceremony the union will promptly be annulled, according to Mrs. Jack Cudahy, mother of the young man.

Mrs. Cudahy characterized as ridiculous reports that the actress has been the secret bride of her son for several months.

“My son is 18 years of age and I am his legal guardian, so I can say that this marriage would be annulled if he ever did decide to marry this girl. But no he has not. I have questioned him closely about it."

Young Cudahy was playing polo yesterday afternoon, according to his mother. She said he probably will go to England to school some time this summer.

A denial of the marriage report also came from the actress yesterday. "No, I'm not married,” she said. “It is true Michael and I love each other and plan to be married some day, but we haven't taken that step yet.”

Love’s troublous course for Joan Crawford, film actress, and Michael Cudahy, youthful member of the famous Cudahy family, has at last culminated in the breaking of the couple’s engagement, it was admitted by the actress yesterday.

“Michael and I agreed to disagree,” Miss Crawford explained. “No, his mother’s objections had nothing to do with it, nor had any other person. We decided we do not love each other enough to marry, that’s all.”

The end of the engagement has not destroyed her friendship for young Cudahy, the actress stated. “I still think Michael is very wonderful and we may go out together some. But as for anything serious, no,” she said.

Joan Crawford lives with her mother in Hollywood, while young Cudahy occupies the home of his mother, Mrs. Jack Cudahy. From the first, Mrs. Cudahy has stated strong objections to her son’s engagement and threatened to send him off to school if it resulted in marriage.

Neither young Cudahy nor Miss Crawford is of age. The latter is under contract to Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer in Culver City.

Well, Joan, who was “discovered” by Harry Rapf, executive at Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer studios a little more than a year ago, is one of the screen’s best criers. Directors beg for services because she can produce real tears in two and a half minutes.

This is the way she does it. Music is played by one violinist only, who plays her favorites, “Old Pal,” “The Rosary,” and “I Never Knew.” Then she begins to feel sorry for herself. She calls on some sympathetic girl on the set to put her arm around her shoulders. How awful it would be if she were homeless, friendless! Self pity! Suppose her sweetheart were leaving forever! Self pity!

The musician crouches below the lights, just out of the camera line. The violin wails and Joan pities herself. The first expression is one of sadness, then Joan pities herself a little more and the tears well up in her eyes. Boo-hoo! And now they are streaming down her face.

Some actresses can only cry when they become angry, but Miss Crawford believes that although tears may come, the facial expression is not right.

In “The Taxi Dancer,” in which Joan plays the leading feminine role, she cries eighteen times and each time she brings tears by giving herself over to undeserving self pity!