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launched on: November 9th 2008
designed by: An Pham
layout: #6 (March 2011)
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At a crucial stage in her life, Hedy takes a candid close-up of herself!
My name is confusing!
I was christened Hedwig Eve Maria Kiesler; but I couldn't pronounce all that. So at the age of
threee, I nicknamed myself Hedy. Hedwig means "refuge in trouble"; Eve means "life"; Maria -
"bitter tears." Kiesler was a respected name in Vienna, where my father was a banker. Our
ancestors were lawabidding, uncolorful people -- not a pirate in the lot! Lamarr was selected for
me by a motion picture producer when I came to America; it has no significance.
My childhood was very happy
Perhaps that is why I now have no abnormal fears nor distorted, upsetting beliefs. My parents
were devoted to each other. We lived in a large house, surrounded by gardens and trees. My
nurse, Nicolette, taught me French and Italian when I was very young; so languages have
always been easy for me. One of my earliest recollections is my only childhood tragedy: My
favorite doll had long, blonde curls; one day I cut them - and when they didn't grow again I was
heartbroken for weeks!
I am glad I played hookey
That's how I started my picture career. I was fifteen, a student at a private school. My mother
wrote a note for my teacher, asking that she excuse me for a "1 hour" absence to do an errand.
I added a zero to the figure one, an "s" to the word "hour" and went to the Sascha Studios, where
I asked for and was promised a job as a script girl. The next day, the director needed a girl for a
bit part; I asked for that job, read the part, and again was told to come back the next day. But
my ten-hour leave from school was up! I had to confess to my parents. After a stormy session,
they consented reluctantly. I played in that and another picture, then went to Berlin to study
with Max Reinhardt. Roles in his plays and other movies followed.
I like
--- Any kind of food, because I was taught to eat everything; but chocolate ice cream and candy
are my special weaknesses..
--- Heavy perfume, which I mix myself, using commercial scents and blending them until I get
the result I like...
--- The color light blue, though I prefer black and white for formal dresses...
--- Thousand Island dressing, though I am bad at figures and usally call it "Million Island
dressing," by mistake...
--- Snacks, dirndls and formal gowns...
--- Jewelry on other women. I seldom wear any jewels except pearls...
--- Bright red nail polish. It wasn't considered "quite nice" in Europe, yet I longed to wear it.
I was delighed when I arrived in America and found it was entirely proper here...
--- Gay scarfs, which I am continually losing or giving away...
--- Informality - in people and living.
I hate
--- Making advance appointments, plans and dates...
--- Writing letters. I prefer to telephone.
--- People who telephone just to chatter.
--- Hanging up my clothes.
--- Bilious shades of yellow.
--- Wearing flowers, because they die.
--- Clashing colors...
--- Procrastination
--- Scratchy needles on phonographs...
--- Insincerity and lies. I can take anything if it is the truth.
--- Afternoon dresses...
--- Thoughtlessness.
--- Standing for fittings...
--- Shopping for clothes, though I enjoy shopping for presents...
--- Sitting under a hair dryer...
--- Sitting still for more than a few minutes.
--- Being called a "glamor girl.:
I choose
--- To do things on the spur of the moment.
--- Lilacs as my favorite bouquet flower.
--- A five and ten lipstick
--- Poetry - any poetry as my favorite reading. I even write some of my own.
--- Movies for relaxation.
--- Swimming and walking for exercise. I don't enjoy other sports.
--- To shampoo my own hair, manicure my own nails and design my own clothes.
--- To drive my own car. It's a dark blue coupe, with red leather upholstery.
--- To wash my face with soap and warm water before I go to bed...
--- To sleep in an extra-wide bed in a darkened room. I have heavy, lined drapes to keep out light,
because I sleep badly...
--- To wear a nightgown.
--- To have three pillows on my bed, then push them away and not use them.
I enjoy
--- Crocheting afghans.
--- Doing needlepoint for door stop covers -- but not for chair seats.
--- Rearranging furniture in other people's homes, as well as in my own...
--- Cutting dog pictures from magazines and framing them for my den.
--- Listening to classical music, on the radio or phonograph ot at concerts.
--- Prowling around in antique and "junk" stores.
--- Collecting handherchiefs, antique brass and copper and miniature Staffordshire dishes,
which were salemen's samples back in the nineties.
--- Eating outdoors.
--- Playing "Indications," gin rummy and Chinese checkers.
I confess
--- That I suffer from mike fright, underline my part in a radio script in red pencil and have the
pages mounted on cardboard, so that they don't rustle in my hands.
--- That I am too restless, too impatient, loathe details, make decisions too fast and expect others
to do the same...
--- That I often have too many things on my mind at once...
