File this under unlikely: In late 1935, renown beautician & "Hollywood Make-Up Genius" Max Factor penned an article under the title "Hollywood Beauty Secrets." The piece looked at changing notions of beauty, comparing the standards of Depression era America in 1935 with the "neo-classic beauty" of the earlier flapper era of 1920s America. And what's more, this particular Max Factor's article mentions Louise Brooks as representative of a flapper.
To me, this article is unlikely on a couple of accounts. First and foremost, because it was published in 1935, during a period when Brooks had not appeared in a film in four years and was little thought of in Hollywood. When she did appear in films a year or two later, in 1936 and 1937, her roles were always described as a "comeback." What is also unlikely about this article is that it appeared in a newspaper in Manchuria, China of all places!
It is known that Max Factor wrote a handful of syndicated newspaper articles which appeared in various American newspapers in the mid 1930s. However, I have never been able to track down this particular article in an American newspaper. That makes this appearance in a Shanghai newspaper something special.
In addition to its unlikely attributes, this piece is interesting in the attitudes it reveals. Does anyone know what theater / revival house Max Factor is referring to at the opening of the article?
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