PREVALENT supposition that Hollywood is a town overrun with blonde women, to the almost utter exclusion of the brunette, has been exploded by Pere Westmore, proprietor of a popular beauty and hair dressing (and dyeing), shop and known internationally as an authority on hair and facial beauty, writes Harold Heffernan to the "Oregoni ian."
To the naked eye, ample evi idence is still supplied in every quarter that Hollywood literally swarms with the type of women gentlemen were once popularly supposed to prefer—but dig below the surface (if you dare) and a far different story comes to light Ninety-nine per cent. of the "platinum blondes," known as "white blondes" to the hairdressing trade, get that way through use of bleached: and dyes.
Shown a list of 150 women most popular in motion pictures tod Westmore could find only ten whom he would list as "true blondes." Even members of this small group, he said, need constant "touching up" to keep their blendness intact.
In his list of "true blondes" in pictures today, Westmore names Anita Louise, Mary Carlisle, Alice Faye, Virginia Bruce, Sonja Henie, Made-laine Carroll. Priscilla Lane, Carole Lombard and the Bennett sisters, n and Constance.
Westmore does not attempt to classify child stars, Youngsters like Shirley Temple and little Janet Chapman are true blondes today, but may grow darker as they mature. Even now the famous Temple curls are treated to touch-up baths at been through five years ago if they hadn't resorted to false hair. One of them is practically bald on top."
A number of the stars own hair which is difficult for hairdressers to adjust properly. So quite a few of these simply pull a mass of somebody else's hair over their heads. Binnie Barnes is one. Binnie's own hair has never been seen 6n the screen. That beautiful blonde coiffure that forms such a striking part of her attractiveness is removable, and Binnie has it well insured.
Many of the synthetic blondes, according to various beauty authorities, have "run the gamut" of hair shades, from black to platinum, and through red, gold and slate. Very gradually they are returning to their natural hair shades. There may come a time, the beauticians admit, when the natural brunette will reign supreme—but that cannot possibly be for a couple of years, at least. regular intervals.
Bette Davis Among Brunettes New Lights Start Blonde Rush ong actresses popularly sup-
It was an improvement in pho- posed to be "true blondes," but tography and in the lighting of sets] actually brunettes, are Bette Davis, a few years ago which brought about Joan Blondell, Claire Trevor, Lana the sudden rush of blondes, real and Turner, Marion Davies and Jeanette synthetic. to the screen, according to Donald. the make-up expert. Before the days On certain studio makeup rolls of "back lighting," he explains, the Westmore's classification of Carole colour of a woman's hair made little Lombard as a "true blonde" is dis-difference (Ne HN. Carers puted. Carole herself will make no The cameramen began to back light admissions. Familiarly known to women's heads, which. the case|fandom as "the glamorous blonde of a blonde, haloed the hea that it gave a third dimension effect adding both to the realism of the one and the beauty of-the subject. Once the discovery became generally known and used, almost every woman not already firmly typed as brunette wanted to gain this desired effect. She went to the hairdresser to get it. The result was, as noted—a plethora of blondes in Hollywood
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