Neat Paul Bern Research Story

EJ’s next book is about producer-director-Jean Harlow-husband, Paul Bern. EJ thinks that beyond the glam Jean Harlow hook, Paul’s is an interesting story.

In addition to the many hours in film libraries, in ancestry.com, and digging through his other secondary research sources, EJ talks to people. One thing led to another, and he was on the phone this past week with Paul’s grand-nephew, a professor at Syracuse University. And, here’s “the rest of the story” (to steal a phrase!):

In EJ’s manuscript, which is thisclose to being finished for publication this year, is this little story: “Thalberg thought they needed the best writers available to create scripts for sound films but didn’t believe they were in Hollywood. So, Paul’s first assignment was a trip to New York to look for plays and playwrights. On the 18th he flew east aboard a U.S. Mail plane, sitting atop mail sacks in an open-cockpit bi-plane that made ten stops. But he was in New York in 36 hours. Thalberg followed by train. ”

An interesting story which conjures up an image of flying during the age of Lindbergh. You can imagine EJ’s delight when amongst the materials sent over by Paul’s grand-nephew was this never-before-seen picture of Paul taken in 1928. Maybe the very day of that story!