Our little corner of the world is very rich in history, even if it’s only been tracked for a couple of hundred years. The Palos Verdes Historical Society schedules regular programs promoting the appreciation of local history as well as their efforts to find a home for a large collection of artifacts from the Peninsula. This collection includes everything from the original models of buildings planned for the peninsula in the 1920’s to an actual mammoth tusk unearthed in our own backyard!

These events are always fun and the Daughters of the American Revolution, as big supporters of historic preservation and education, try to attend regularly. October’s DAR chapter theme was to celebrate Palos Verdes’ 100th birthday. How appropriate that the Historical Society’s talk this month was about a 1920’s silent film star and held at one of the filming locations, as well as the first building on the peninsula, the La Venta Inn!

The flappers of Point Vicente Chapter DAR couldn’t resist the opportunity to step into history at the event and meet Ms. Barbara La Marr in person. Okay, truth be told, Ms. La Marr passed away at the tender age of 29 in 1926, but Sherri Snyder, a skilled actress and Ms. La Marr’s biography author stepped in. She told us all about how the young girl, Reatha Watson, born in Yakima, Washington ran away to Los Angeles to become a famous movie actress. Reatha was a wild child and quite the dramatist, portraying a couple of real-life kidnappings and ending up in the nationwide press. When her parents discovered she was a party animal, dancing and drinking while underage, her father got the Los Angeles juvenile authorities to ban her from the city. Her last attempt to emancipate from her parents was to marry. The only problem was that the man was already married! After these scandalous stories, Reatha had ruined all chances at becoming a movie star.

Reatha partnered with professional ballroom dancer Robert Carville in 1915 and refined her dancing skills. They began their dance partnership in 1915, were lovers, and performed in some of the country's foremost cabarets and on Broadway. The team was a great success in cabarets and on stages across the country, even becoming a success on Broadway. She had reinvented herself as Barbara La Marr. With fame, came more drama and Barbara went through men like wine. When WWI broke out, she took to the Vaudeville circuit and met her next husband, Ben Deely. She followed her love back to Los Angeles where she was inspired to write and landed a $10,000 contract with Fox Film Corporation for six original stories. All of her stories were released to the big screen!

A happenstance meeting with Douglas Fairbanks launched her acting career in 1920 and she appeared in 26 films. When talkies came onto the scene, many of those films were lost, but there are a few still out there and a link can be found on her tribute website, http://www.barbaralamarr.net.

Lianne LaReine of the Palos Verdes Pulse was thrilled with our silly enthusiasm and fun. The DAR flapper’s only regret is that we didn’t swipe the keys to the Rolls and go for a joy ride in honor of the notorious actress!

SUBSCRIBE FREE TO PALOS VERDES PULSE

Diana R. Starr

Diana is a SoCal native who grew up barefooted on Venice Beach. After college she moved to Phoenix, AZ and then to Seattle, WA where she began her family. After having two busy little boys, she and her family jumped at the opportunity to return home to enjoy the sun and sand. Diana has written several books, likes to volunteer, loves to travel and sample the beautiful things in life.