THAT'S ME IN THE SECOND ROW
PART 3
When the movies learned to talk, all Hell broke loose in Hollywood. Overnight, the people who wrote "Dialogue Boards" were out of work. They were replaced with expanded Music Departments. Many careers were ended when it was found out that some actors had "Squeaky" voices, or thick foreign accents which were OK for silent films, but no good for talkies. The studio owners looked to Broadway for replacements.
The advent of sound was good for both Dorothy and I. The studios went through a period of "All Singing and Dancing." Dorothy began to do speciality dances. When word got around that I was an experienced dancer, I became very busy at the studio. I became what was known in New York as a "Dance Captain." The named choreographers would devise the dances, and I would drill the dancers. This had several advantages for me. I kept a book with listings of all the dancers with notations about regular stuff (name, address, telephone numbers, sexual orientation [when known]) and whether they were chorus material, speciality dancers, if they were good enough for small roles, if had any special gifts, and if they could dance backwards. At first this book was my property, but later became quite a studio asset.
The other advantage to me was making "Tap" sounds. Most dances were filmed with the "dancers" wearing ballet slippers or regular shoes. (Lets not scuff the highly polished floor with taps). Separately, they recorded tap noises which were then "Dubbed" into the final film. I was utilized to make those "Tap" noises, and my compensation was very welcome. Like my father, whenever there was some extra cash, I bought property in the suburbs that were not yet built up. I paid cash as I hated mortgages. In those days, property was cheap! I formed a relationship with a gay real estate agent, and he tipped me off on bargains and what to buy, thus Dorthy and my (new word) retirement was assured!
My dance experience advanced my income and career. A star saw me making tap noises and asked me if I could teach her how to dance. It seems she was making a silent movie when sound and some dance numbers were added at the last minute to make it a "Talkie". This required her to dance, something she was totally untrained for. She wanted me to teach her to "Fake It" for this film, then she would have me teach her real dance. She offered to pay me an outrageous amount of money as long as I swore never to reveal the fact that she "Faked" the first film, nor that I had taught her to dance. Needless to say, I accepted her offer and scheduled her to come to the house for instructions.
Then some personal changes in my life occurred. Firstly, I met the man of my dreams. I had not been celebite in Hollywood. I had an actuve sex life, but had not met a man I wanted to pair off with. As I had said, when the movies learned to talk, the studio owners looked to Broadway for new blood. A choreographer/director was hired from New York. I was assigned as the dance captain and he was assigned "A" films. We met at the studio to discuss our working together. It turned out he had heard of my father. He asked me if I was free to talk and I said I would be free after I taught one class that afternoon. I liked him immediately! I invited him to observe my dance class. We drove to my house. That afternoon, I had a class with the star. I escorted him into the dance studio, and sat him in a chair. The female star was upset that I had invited someone to observe her class. When I explained who he was, she immediately calmed down and we got on with the class.
After the class was over, we went to the New Italian Restaurant for dinner. At that time, Italian restaurants were new. The Italian immigration had begun at the turn of the century, and the Italians were now getting around to opening restaurants. At first, they were strictly for the extras as they offered inexpensive food. The Stars ate French and German food. They had not yet discovered the cuisine of Italy, Greece or Spain. If you wanted Chinese Food, you had to go to China Town where they served only "Cantonese" Food. Mexican food was a no-no.
We had a wonderful dinner, then he said to me: "Are you gay?"
I was weary, as homosexuality was a no-no, and answered: "Are you?"
He then said: "I am gay and you turn me on and I would like to get together with you!"
I looked at him and said: "I am gay and you turn me on and I would like to get together with you!"
He smiled and replied: "I am glad that is out in the open. I am still in a hotel so it's your place or mine?"
I answered: "My place. Lets find out if we are compatible in bed." We drove back to my house and into my bedroom. We are both versatile and spent the night fucking each other. (This was back in the time when there was no AIDS.) Not only were we compatible in bed, but there was an emotional communication between us. After some pillow talk, I invited him to move into the house.
He said: "What will people say?"
I answered: "We will spread the word that you knew my father in New York; that you were a "family friend." so naturally you moved into my house."
He replied: "Sounds like a plan."
I decided to tell my sister that my amaretto would be moving in with us, and she hit me with a bombshell: she would be moving out! It seems she had met the man for her. He did not make movies, but marketed them. They had been seeing each other for some time, when he gave her a ring and asked her to marry him. He was an Irish Catholic man whose intentions were honorable, and she said yes. I wished her the best, and told my amaretto the news, and he immediately offered to pay her share for the upkeep of the house. The next few weeks were filled with wedding plans and her moving out! Eventually she moved out, jot married, and then I considered the advantages to having an all male house.
We could now walk around nude, and I hosted some pool parties for those of our sexual persuasion. Homosexuality was a no-no with the public, and sexual reality was hidden. There were many homosexual men in Hollywood, and some women. (The arts seems to attract homosexuals. Look at Michelangelo!) These were not SEX parties, although an outsider looking in might get that impression. At my pool parties, those people could be themselves. They could relax and not pretend to be what they were not. Clothing was optional in my pool and nudity was common. Sexual attraction was very obvious in naked men, but I did not allow any sex at my house though some people pared off. Admittedly, the optics were not good: a bunch of sexually aroused men cavorting naked in a pool could be misinterpreted. I did not have any of these "pool parties" when my sister was in residence, out of deference to her sense of morality, although I knew she wasn't a virgin (I was aware when she, discreetly, had various men stay overnight in her room. It was fun letting Uncle Jack NOT know) and she knew how to prevent babies.
Over time my relationship with my amaretto deepened. Initially, we kept our finances separate. When we realized we were a couple and planned to be together for the rest of our lives, I change our banking. I opened a joint account with both our names on the account. I added his name to all the deeds to property I had purchased. His income and my Income went into this account. Between the two incomes, we were on "Easy Street." We hired a cook and a housekeeper!
I was working steadily. It seemed I had a valuable talent. I could see the relationship between music and dance. Because of this, I was in constant demand. My studio began to "Rent Me Out" to other studios. My studio was paid an exorbitant amount of money for my services, and I was compensated with some large bonuses. (This was before the development of the studio system. We were not "Under contract" with a weekly salary, but were hired for individual projects.) I worked with some of the finest composers of the age: Richard Rogers, Lerner and Lowe, The Gershwin Brothers, Cole Porter and many others. (Later was Mancini and Williams) They would compose, and I determined which music could be danced to, and which music was not suitable for dance. I was becoming a "Power Behind the Throne." As such, my anniminity must be preserved. When I danced in films, I was always in the second row and my face was never filmed.
I had some very interesting experiences during this time. The most notable was when Ernest Lubich was to make a movie of "The Great Waltz," for another studio. He wanted a cast of "Thousands". He had heard of my book of dancers, and asked to see it. I don't know why, but I refused to show him the book.
The next day, I made an appointment with my Studio's owner. He knew who I was and agreed to see me immediately. I appeared at his office with "The Book." I explained what it was, and offered it to the studio as a source of income. The owner of the studio immediately saw the value of my book. While I sat there, he called the owner of Mr. Lubich's studio and in exchange for an exorbitant fee, he would grant Ernest Lubich access to my book, (I got a very nice bonus.) I witnessed the agreement. The next morning Mr. Lubich came over to the house, and I gave him the book. He looked through the book and rapidly tuned into my notations. He then started taking notes on the available dancers. Many of the dancers listed in my book wound up in the movie. Word got around to the dancers about my contribution and the dancers came to appreciate me, as I had got them jobs, (most of the dancers were freelance as the studio system was not yet in existence.)
Then my amaretto and I teamed up on several films.