I was born in Bombay. My mother was Ceylonese. My father… a
British railway engineer. I am my mother’s second child but only I
lived at home as my sister was abandoned. She was born out of
wedlock and my mother refused to take care of her and so stuck her in
a boarding school. When it comes to heartlessness… humanity places
no boundries.
I was born on February 19, 1911. My father died in 1914. He was
serving on the front lines of the war between England and Germany.
Mother and I lived an impoverished existence in Bombay. Then… in
1917 I received a foundation to go to a good school. We moved to
Calcutta where I was constantly being taunted for being Anglo-Indian.
So I quit school and relied on home education.
I loved the movies and first performed with the Calcutta Amateur
Dramatic Society. During my teen years I dated prestigious men.
Beauty offers unparalleled rewards. In 1929 I was foolish enough to
follow a man to France where I had been promised untold opportunities
in the world of acting. Unfortunately… the curse of being a
half-breed followed me and when it was discoved my mother had dark
skin… I was dumped by my supposed benefactor. However… my exotic
good looks held me in good standing… and I was soon getting bit
parts.
I moved to London with my mother. I worked as a dance hostess. And I
began getting a handful of walk-on and extra roles in the movies. And
then I met Alex Korda. He loved my looks. He changed my last name.
And my career began its ascent. Korda invented my past. I was born in
Tasmania, he said. My father was an army Major.
After an operation on my fallopian tubes–a presage to my inability
to ever bear children–I was given the role of Anna Boleyn in The
Private Life of Henry VIII. The reviews were dizzying. The Private
Life of Don Juan followed. Then… The Scarlet Pimpernel with Leslie
Howard… with whom I had a fling.
- Korday splits my contract with Samuel Goldwyn who cast me in
Dark Angel. I received and Academy Award nomination for best actress.
I was launched. The Children’s Hour came next. And I was established.
Then came I, Claudius and the Divorce of Lady X with myself and
Laurence Olivier. I acted with Lawrence again… and my name was now
assured of its place in the annals of Hollywood fame.
All that said… since Tidbits is more about jewelery than about
mysterious actresses… I feel it only fair to show you a trinket of
mine. It’s a rather attractive thing… a diamond and emerald
necklace made by Cartier. It has diamond rondelles and and 29 exotic
emeralds.
As to who I am… well… ask Benjamin. He knows. Write to him. Take
a guess. He’s a rather decent sort and will not mock you if you guess
wrong. Truth be told … another time another place… with his green
eyes and impish grin… mmmmm… But enough said about that. Go. Go.
Take a look. And let Benjamin know if you know who the exquisiteness
of me is.
For those of you who are new to this thing called Tidbits…may I
direct you to my home page at www.tyler-adam.com where you will
scroll down the left side menu till you get to the area that says
Current Tidbits… and you will get to see this pretty little emerald
and diamond doo-dad that I liked so much to wear.
And there ya have it.
That’s it for this week folks.
Catch you all next week.
Benjamin Mark