Today's Blind Items - I Remember You Well At The Plaza Hotel - Old Hollywood - An INSIDERHER Blind Item

My Mom was a big shot at the Plaza Hotel in the 60s-70’s and met all the stars who stayed there. My Mom didn’t much care for movies or movie stars. There was no one she was  awestruck by, except maybe Gregory Peck.

But, she was very much aware that her 12 year old daughter was obsessed with old movies, and permanent A+ actor  & permanent A+ Actor in particular. So, when she heard that this Permanent A list film star was staying at the Plaza, she told me. I flipped, since film star had appeared in 2 films from the 1930’s with my favorite actress!

The next thing I know, my Mother tells me, “We’re having dinner at the Plaza with...let’s call him Chick. I cannot believe this news. I’m a 12 year old girl from the suburbs, and I’m going to dinner with the man who danced his way through two films with my most beloved actress? I guess we should call her Hazel.

I was freaking. All I could think of was whether I could get through this dinner in his suite and have the courage to ask him what it was like working with Hazel?

It was the strangest dinner ever. A dapper old movie star, my gorgeous mother-and little old me! He wore a silk bath robe. We’re sitting around a four seat table room service brought into the suite. Chick is very, very elegant. And meticulous. To the extreme.

Watching him really amused me, especially given his background. I’ll never forget his dinner. He ordered one lean baby lamb chop, a spot of peas, a spot of potatoes. To me? It wasn’t enough to keep a bird alive. But hey, he was getting on, and he was looking good. Who was I to criticize? He didn’t want to be criticized, that was fairly obvious. He was a rather intimidating figure, and I don’t intimidate easily. But, I mean, the guy had worked with Bogey!

He spoke not about old Hollywood, which is of course what I wanted to hear, but about his strict dietary habits, and yar yar yar. I was bored. I was also hesitant to eat in front of the man. He definitely had a thing about food and hygiene.

I think it was my indomitable mother who finally brought up the subject of my idol, Hazel, and her still more famous Permanent A+ list hubby-whom I shall call Blackie.

When the topic of Hazel was broached, Chick waxed rhapsodic. Said he adored her. That working with Hazel was the high point of his life. I felt like my heart would burst hearing that. It was as close to her as I might ever get, and it was cool. I felt close to her through him

And then he ruined it.

My Mom asked him about Blackie. Oh, dear. Big mistake. Chick blows his stack!

He starts raving ‘He killed her! Blackie killed her, that SOB!

It was his fault she died!”

Well, I thought I’d die on the spot. What?

Was he accusing Blackie of somehow murdering his wife? Horror!

Chick raved on: “She knew he was screwing Permanent A list actress!

And that other broad, from Gone With the Wind. That’s why she rushed back, because he was a lying, cheating SOB!’

Wow! Quite an earful for 12 year old ears! That was about as much of this lovely evening at the Plaza as I could take. I couldn’t wait to get out of this crotchety, eccentric old actor’s suite.

But-I had read the same thing from other sources. I knew, even then, that people blamed Blackie for Hazel’s death. And that Blackie blamed himself. But it was another thing to have it yelled at you by a movie star who once did the rumba with Hazel!

As I got older, I read interviews where Chick says he was crazy about her, and implies that perhaps, something went on between them. Why not?

I’m sure it was the violence of her death, and the fact that he had loved Hazel himself, that made him bear this lifelong grudge against the lonely, distraught Blackie .But at the time? It was a bit more truth than I was prepared to admit. It’s hardly like Chick’s background or connections were less indicting than  Blackie’s! They were far worse.

I don’t think I ever really recovered from Chick’s shattering my childhood illusions.

This was, indeed, a very bitter taste of Old Hollywood.

I’ll never forget him eating one pea at a time.

He was, without a doubt-a character!