The Great Banky Wedding

"The marriage of Vilma Banky and Rod la Rocque a couple of years ago still stands out in local marital annals as Hollywood's greatest wedding. Sam Goldwyn planned and executed - I almost said "presented" - the affair, and Sam is a great showman.

Well do I remember the consternation of one newspaper reporter who had written her story of the wedding the day before it happened, from information furnished her by Sam's press agents. She had opened her account with the words, "Happy is the bride the sun shines on!" And that night it rained the proverbial pussies and pups. She was in a terrible state of nerves and didn't recover until the weather cleared about an hour before the ceremony. Which just shows you what influence will do.

Anyhow, Vilma and Rod honored all the old customs and ceremonies and superstitions that anyone could suggest. Vilma wore an old bit of jewelry, carried a borrowed hanky; her own wedding gown, of course, was new, and she wore a blue - tut! tut! - chemise. She refused to don her wedding gown - even for publicity pictures - until time for the wedding. And when they returned from the honeymoon, Rod followed the old tradition and carried her across the threshold of their new home.