Comments on: Anita Page: Q&A with Allan Ellenberger Part II

By: chris lujan

chris lujan — Sat, 21 Jun 2008 03:47:21 +0000

i have met anita page once back in 1993/94 and she signed an autograph for me, she was so Cuuuutte~ now near 100 she is fabulous-thanks

By: CJ Shank

CJ Shank — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 18:28:26 +0000

I think it is a shame that some mention/honor wasn’t given to Anita at this year’s Oscars since she attended the very first Oscars in 1929.

By: Andre Soares

Andre Soares — Mon, 25 Feb 2008 22:50:56 +0000

Richard,
Thank you for writing. I’m glad you enjoyed the article.
Anita Page has had some serious health problems in the last 10-15 years. I don’t believe she’d be able to be interviewed at this stage.
She has, however, been interviewed before for television. Perhaps a Google search will yield some results.

By: Richard Leader

Richard Leader — Sat, 23 Feb 2008 08:22:17 +0000

What an incredible article! I have been a fan of early talkies, and silent films since I was a kid. Now, at the age of 50 in the year 2008, I never expected to read such fascinating info from someone who, I expect, still has contact with the legendary Anita Page. Is there any possibility of you filming an interview with Anita? If even a simple face to face interview could be filmed it would be wonderful to see it played on TV just prior to televising her movies. Maybe if you allowed Anita control over editing/final cut, she would approve? These great actors who have survived must be captured on film. Their memories must be cherished eternally.

By: David Fleet

David Fleet — Wed, 26 Dec 2007 13:11:37 +0000

Hi again Andre,

I forgot to mention in my previous comment
that I enjoyed your book on Ramon Novarro
very much, as he is my favourite silent actor.

I also think biographies on Barbara La Marr
and Nita Naldi are also long over due! A book
on the life of Barbara would make particularly
interesting reading. Do you know if the adopted
son she gave to Sasu Pitts is still living, as
I’ve read he is very keen to keep Barbara’s memory
alive.

By: David Fleet

David Fleet — Wed, 26 Dec 2007 09:51:51 +0000

Hi Andre,

Thanks for offering your insight in regards to
my questions about Anita’s career.
I guess no amount of publicity
such as photos, mag covers, etc is necessarily
an accurate indication as to how popular a performer is.

I wonder if Anita knew my other favourites from
the late 20’s - Fay Wray, and Mary Brian?
It’s certainly strange how some performers become
huge, and others like Anita (also Gloria Stuart,
Rochelle Hudson, Frances Drake) seem to have
both looks and talent, but don’t quite get there!
I suppose there were just so many talented
performers in those days that some just didn’t
have the combination of luck and breaks that they
deserved!!

By: Andre Soares

Andre Soares — Mon, 24 Dec 2007 17:37:50 +0000

David,

Thank you for writing.

I’ve seen those other articles claiming that Anita Page’s mail was second only to Garbo’s. That means a couple of things:

1 - Studio publicists apparently did a pretty good job.

2 - Writers usually don’t bother doing their own research. They just copy what someone else has written, no matter how unreliable the source.

True, I haven’t counted the amount of fan mail Anita Page received in the late 1920s, but during my research for the Ramon Novarro book I wrote I saw how studio publicity — and MGM was a master at that — distorted reality so as to make a performer bigger, more popular, better paid than was the case in reality.

If Anita Page had been that popular with the public, MGM would have starred her in her own vehicle. That never happened.

Also, when Anita Page finally gave up on Hollywood she had been playing second banana to MGM’s leading men (and leading ladies) for several years, and later on had been relegated to work at some of the lowest-of-the-low Poverty Row studios — e.g., Chesterfield, Chadwick/Monogram.

Stories claiming she left Hollywood at the height of her fame are blatantly false.

By: David Fleet

David Fleet — Mon, 24 Dec 2007 10:23:14 +0000

I must say how much I enjoyed this article.
It’s really incredible that a star from the
silent/early talkie era is still with us, and
occasionally still making movies! I’ve had an
interest in actresses from the 1920’s-1950’s
for many years. I am a bit confused however,that in the article it is stated that Anita never
became a big star. Several other sources state
that Anita Page was one of the most in demand and
sought after actresses by both industry and the
public, to the extent her fanmail was second
in volume only to Garbo! Surely that makes her
a major star? Also she was at the height of
her popularity when she decided to quit the
business. Perhaps another reader could offer
some insight/opinion on this matter.

By: Laura Schiotis

Laura Schiotis — Fri, 31 Aug 2007 08:56:12 +0000

This was a wonderful article. I would like to point out however, that as of very late July 2007, Anita Page was still signing autographs as she did for me. I also know people whom she still currently signs for with regularity.