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The Times We Had: Life with William Randolph Hearst
The was the unofficial empress of Hollywood and she spent a lifetime as the mistress of one of America's richest men. Gathered from tapes recroded a decade before Marion Davie's death, read, in her own words, the story of a fantastic and glittering life, as never told before.
384 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 1975
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 103 reviews
November 28, 2020
What can I say about this book?
I truly hope Marion Davies was not as dumb and naive as she appears in this book. I should probably start off by explaining to those of you who don't know, who Marion Davies and William Randolph Hearst were.
Marion Davies was an actress during the silent movie era and early talkies. William Randolph Hearst was a newspaper magnet and is probably best known now for Hearst Castle which was his California home and is now a California tourist attraction. Hearst despite being married, dated and lived with Marion Davies for over 30 years. The relationship was an open secret and the basis for the iconic Orson Welles film Citizen Kane. Hearst hated Citizen Kane so much that he banned any mention of the film in any of his newspapers and he owned ALOT of newspapers. Citizen Kane bombed when it was released but has gone on to become a classic.
In The Times We Had Marion Davies spends alot of time trying to portray herself as some sort of naive and innocent little girl. And she really wants everyone to think that Hearst was a sweet kindhearted simpleton. When it's widely known he was a ruthless and greedy control freak. I understand why someone would want people to think the best of them and their lifestyle, especially given the fact that Davies is more known for being a rich man's mistress than for her acting career. The character based on Davies in Citizen Kane is dumb talentless showgirl who rich boyfriend bought her an acting career. So I can understand why she would want to paint a picture of her life as being perfect.
But...It makes for boring reading.
I didn't hate this book. Some of stories about her famous friends were super entertaining. I would have loved to have attended one of those parties. But after reading this book I still don't feel like I know anything about her.
No rec.
I truly hope Marion Davies was not as dumb and naive as she appears in this book. I should probably start off by explaining to those of you who don't know, who Marion Davies and William Randolph Hearst were.
Marion Davies was an actress during the silent movie era and early talkies. William Randolph Hearst was a newspaper magnet and is probably best known now for Hearst Castle which was his California home and is now a California tourist attraction. Hearst despite being married, dated and lived with Marion Davies for over 30 years. The relationship was an open secret and the basis for the iconic Orson Welles film Citizen Kane. Hearst hated Citizen Kane so much that he banned any mention of the film in any of his newspapers and he owned ALOT of newspapers. Citizen Kane bombed when it was released but has gone on to become a classic.
In The Times We Had Marion Davies spends alot of time trying to portray herself as some sort of naive and innocent little girl. And she really wants everyone to think that Hearst was a sweet kindhearted simpleton. When it's widely known he was a ruthless and greedy control freak. I understand why someone would want people to think the best of them and their lifestyle, especially given the fact that Davies is more known for being a rich man's mistress than for her acting career. The character based on Davies in Citizen Kane is dumb talentless showgirl who rich boyfriend bought her an acting career. So I can understand why she would want to paint a picture of her life as being perfect.
But...It makes for boring reading.
I didn't hate this book. Some of stories about her famous friends were super entertaining. I would have loved to have attended one of those parties. But after reading this book I still don't feel like I know anything about her.
No rec.
February 23, 2009
I read this book just after visiting Hearst Castle. I impulse bought it on my way out of the gift shop. It was a light read - I finished it in a single evening.
Overall, I enjoyed the book. Marion Davies is full of interesting anecdotes of the time, and I felt I had learned a decent amount about both her and Hearst from a perspective that biographers might not present.
By the end of the book, though, I found myself quite depressed. Obviously she had not had a terrible life as the mistress of a wealthy man who clearly loved her intensely. But there were aspects of her life that seemed frustrating or unfortunate. She was an ambitious woman, despite her humility throughout the book. (Her comments are very self-effacing, indicating she has no talent, etc. even though many independent sources state that she was an extremely talented comedienne.) Hearst's devotion to her resulted in a level of skepticism towards her accomplishments - as though she might not have succeeded without his PR machine, which in turn stifled her career in later years.
The end of her life also seems depressing. When Hearst dies, she was younger than he was when he met her. But his death seems to ring a death knell in her life too. His family, who while he lived were quite cordial to her, suddenly treat her as an outsider. She notes this in the book, although charitably she does not mention how they sedated her the night he died, then removed all his possessions from her home so that not a trace of him was left there when she woke. It is hard for me to imagine that happening after someone I was that close to for 30 years has passed away. Another note briefly referenced in the book which I confirmed outside of it was that Hearst willed her a majority share of his company - she sold this to the family for $1 a year (and a few other more minor boons like a lifetime consultancy and some press for her charitable works), mostly to show them that she wasn't after his money. Another notable item in this respect was that as his company floundered in 1938, she pulled together $1 million of her own money and gave it to him to help his company get back on its feet.
She lives only around a decade after he died, marrying someone who by all accounts looks just like a younger version of Hearst and increasing her drinking until she dies of cancer. I cannot help but feel like she rejuvenated his life, but his death afforded her no such rejuvenation.
In a strange way, I think back to my wedding. Sometimes people would say things along the lines of "This will be the happiest moment of your life." And I'd think "God, I hope not - how horrible it would be to know that nothing in my life's future could match what I feel now." That's how the end of this book left me - feeling like I was reading a description of a moment in time that would leave Miss Davies unable to reach that pinnacle again.
Overall, I enjoyed the book. Marion Davies is full of interesting anecdotes of the time, and I felt I had learned a decent amount about both her and Hearst from a perspective that biographers might not present.
By the end of the book, though, I found myself quite depressed. Obviously she had not had a terrible life as the mistress of a wealthy man who clearly loved her intensely. But there were aspects of her life that seemed frustrating or unfortunate. She was an ambitious woman, despite her humility throughout the book. (Her comments are very self-effacing, indicating she has no talent, etc. even though many independent sources state that she was an extremely talented comedienne.) Hearst's devotion to her resulted in a level of skepticism towards her accomplishments - as though she might not have succeeded without his PR machine, which in turn stifled her career in later years.
The end of her life also seems depressing. When Hearst dies, she was younger than he was when he met her. But his death seems to ring a death knell in her life too. His family, who while he lived were quite cordial to her, suddenly treat her as an outsider. She notes this in the book, although charitably she does not mention how they sedated her the night he died, then removed all his possessions from her home so that not a trace of him was left there when she woke. It is hard for me to imagine that happening after someone I was that close to for 30 years has passed away. Another note briefly referenced in the book which I confirmed outside of it was that Hearst willed her a majority share of his company - she sold this to the family for $1 a year (and a few other more minor boons like a lifetime consultancy and some press for her charitable works), mostly to show them that she wasn't after his money. Another notable item in this respect was that as his company floundered in 1938, she pulled together $1 million of her own money and gave it to him to help his company get back on its feet.
She lives only around a decade after he died, marrying someone who by all accounts looks just like a younger version of Hearst and increasing her drinking until she dies of cancer. I cannot help but feel like she rejuvenated his life, but his death afforded her no such rejuvenation.
In a strange way, I think back to my wedding. Sometimes people would say things along the lines of "This will be the happiest moment of your life." And I'd think "God, I hope not - how horrible it would be to know that nothing in my life's future could match what I feel now." That's how the end of this book left me - feeling like I was reading a description of a moment in time that would leave Miss Davies unable to reach that pinnacle again.
July 27, 2013
A shallow, superficial book written by a shallow, superficial actress about her shallow, superficial life and friends. She couldn't understand why Japanese Americans didn't want to be in the internment camps. "I didn't know what they were complaining about, because they had lovely menus in their camps; I had a copy of the menu. They had the most wonderful breakfasts, and chicken for luncheon, and anything they wanted at night. But still they were dissatisfied." (p.290)
January 8, 2008
This book was based on a series of recordings that Marion Davies made over the years. First off, she is not a reliable narrator. She continually plays herself as a dumb clumsy blonde, she lies about her age, she can't remember people or dates correctly...I really wish she had been interviewed by someone or at least had written the book with someone who could have supplied the research. Instead we have Marion meandering through her past in a completely non-linear manner, compliments to the editors for somehow impressing some manner of theme to each chapter, and telling ancedotes that either show her to be an angel, a harridan or a dumb blonde. It seems unfair to take her personal remiscences and plop them in a book with many flattering pictures after she was dead and had no say about how her life was portrayed. I can't recommend it as a way to understand or really know Marion Davies. To her life was a dream and nearly everyone was wonderful and a sweetheart and very understanding because if they weren't, Hearst would show 'em.
February 25, 2023
If you are into namedropping of actors, politicians and men of wealth, especially at the time that silent movies were replaced by talkies and on, and you do not mind stylistic simplicity, then this is the book for you
Read
August 12, 2023perfectly fine 20th century celebrity memoir: third grade reading level, full of lies starting on page one, nevertheless bubbling over with a kind of charisma they don’t make anymore. a few awesome stories and sick archival photos too.
August 1, 2018
What a juicy read this was. Marion Davies has spilled an absolute plethora of tea, she lets it all hang out.
I really love how direct and frank she is with the stories she tells, it made me laugh how uncouth she was. There’s a part where she’s talking about how almost her entire family was “wiped out” within 2 years. I kept thinking surely she doesn’t mean they died, alas, she did, she just told it like it is, quite entertaining I must say. She had such charisma!!
If you love old movies and movie-stars from the golden age of Hollywood then this really needs to be on your to-be-read list, it’s outrageously good.
P.S you gotta see the movie about Marion called ‘The Cat’s Meow’ - Kirsten Dunst plays her and it’s just darling.
I really love how direct and frank she is with the stories she tells, it made me laugh how uncouth she was. There’s a part where she’s talking about how almost her entire family was “wiped out” within 2 years. I kept thinking surely she doesn’t mean they died, alas, she did, she just told it like it is, quite entertaining I must say. She had such charisma!!
If you love old movies and movie-stars from the golden age of Hollywood then this really needs to be on your to-be-read list, it’s outrageously good.
P.S you gotta see the movie about Marion called ‘The Cat’s Meow’ - Kirsten Dunst plays her and it’s just darling.
May 1, 2011
Inside view of life with William Randolph Hearst by his mistress. Very biased in his favor, of course, but candid and revealing. Some local gossip, insights into his finances, politics, pets, and personal quirks. And his many famous guests at his San Simeon ranch.
The author was a Hollywood actress who spoke with a stammer. Her movies lost money but were underwritten by Hearst. She says of her acting career, "I couldn't act, but the idea of silent pictures appealed to me because I couldn't talk either."
An entertaining read if the topic interests you.
The author was a Hollywood actress who spoke with a stammer. Her movies lost money but were underwritten by Hearst. She says of her acting career, "I couldn't act, but the idea of silent pictures appealed to me because I couldn't talk either."
An entertaining read if the topic interests you.
September 25, 2019
The subtitle is an accurate summation of Marion Davies's autobiography. The focus of the book is on her relationship and extravagant life with William Randolph Hearst, who she was clearly devoted to and ardently defending when she dictated what would become this book after her own death.
I read this hoping for more insights on her roles and life during the silent era; I was disappointed in that regard. Davies is largely dismissive of her own career. She is blunt in how she repeatedly describes herself as without talent or brains... and on the latter point, I have to say, she does come across as a complete ditz who was a cossetted mistress from her teens. During the Depression years, she jet-setted to Europe to engage in months in travel. She takes pride in that she enjoys washing dishes, and also makes snide remarks about Japanese people who tried to escape from a camp, saying she had seen their food menu for the camp and that they had nothing to complain about. (Excuse me?) But then, she also expresses how she desperately wanted to meet Hitler and felt snubbed when her plan went through; she wanted to meet him purely for bragging cred back in Hollywood. Really, Marion Davies comes across as a woman who would have excelled in our current influencer/selfie era.
While her personality was grating to read about, the book does provide interesting insights into the lives of the wealthy from the 1920s through the 1940s. W.R and Marion truly lived it up. There are entire chapters describing the various parties they took part in abroad and the ones they hosted at San Simeon, Wyntoon, and other estates. For my research needs, those might be useful insights.
My edition of the book is from the 1970s. It had pictures throughout, but of dismal quality. They printed as so dark it is hard to discern details in many of them.
I read this hoping for more insights on her roles and life during the silent era; I was disappointed in that regard. Davies is largely dismissive of her own career. She is blunt in how she repeatedly describes herself as without talent or brains... and on the latter point, I have to say, she does come across as a complete ditz who was a cossetted mistress from her teens. During the Depression years, she jet-setted to Europe to engage in months in travel. She takes pride in that she enjoys washing dishes, and also makes snide remarks about Japanese people who tried to escape from a camp, saying she had seen their food menu for the camp and that they had nothing to complain about. (Excuse me?) But then, she also expresses how she desperately wanted to meet Hitler and felt snubbed when her plan went through; she wanted to meet him purely for bragging cred back in Hollywood. Really, Marion Davies comes across as a woman who would have excelled in our current influencer/selfie era.
While her personality was grating to read about, the book does provide interesting insights into the lives of the wealthy from the 1920s through the 1940s. W.R and Marion truly lived it up. There are entire chapters describing the various parties they took part in abroad and the ones they hosted at San Simeon, Wyntoon, and other estates. For my research needs, those might be useful insights.
My edition of the book is from the 1970s. It had pictures throughout, but of dismal quality. They printed as so dark it is hard to discern details in many of them.
August 2, 2019
A fairly good biography by Marion Davies, a showgirl turned movie actress, best known for being the long time mistress of William Randolph Hearst, who was many years her senior.
In the end, it's a story of how a girl with a third grade education managed to parlay her looks into wealth. An old story, to be sure. She also encountered most every celebrity of her day, and has a little something to say about many of them. No new information about the Thomas Ince death.
Entertaining, but I bet her ghost writer had quite a job.
In the end, it's a story of how a girl with a third grade education managed to parlay her looks into wealth. An old story, to be sure. She also encountered most every celebrity of her day, and has a little something to say about many of them. No new information about the Thomas Ince death.
Entertaining, but I bet her ghost writer had quite a job.
April 2, 2022
This book is actually more of a transcript of recordings made by Marion Davies some time after William Randolph Hearst died. Having just read Hearst's biography I thought it would be interesting to read accounts from Marion's point of view as she was his mistress for decades. Was a little disappointed that this book doesn't really provide many insights into Hearst and Davies' relationship. You really don't get much of a sense of who they were as people. Was a decent, quick read though. Even though the text was transcribed from recordings, the editors did a good job of arranging it to make it very readable.
July 15, 2024
Marion seems like she was a sweet person but I’m scared she might be just as stupid as she said she was.
January 8, 2020
Live high on the hog as your friend's companion, traveling, partying, movie starring, being a fine comedienne, though self-critical. And by all means, hold your cards close to your vest, revealing just bits and pieces of a Great American Romance.
January 8, 2017
Yes, I enjoyed this memoir of the mistress of possibly the most powerful and influential man in the United States from 1900 to 1950 – William Randolph Hearst. Her book is richly salted with numerous reprints of many photographs which greatly enhance the story.
I was enlightened by the "Foreword" written by Orson Welles in 1975. He was the author of "Citizen Kane" which is a very renowned book and movie usually described as the story of William Randolph Hearst, but in his foreword Wells explains how "Citizen Kane" "darkened an otherwise brilliant career" of Marion Davies who "would have been a star if Hearst had never happened.....a delightful and very considerable person". He says that Marion was the opposite of the mistress in "Citizen Kane".
After reading her memoir, Marion seems to me to have been very intelligent, beautiful, talented, successful, likeable and unusual. She was born into a wealthy family, both her mother and father came from wealthy families of judges, attorneys and magistrates who owned mansions, racehorses, country club memberships and the like. She could have had any life she chose, but from the beginning she wanted acting.
She was the youngest of three older sisters who were all in the theater. From the beginning as a young child she followed her sisters and she passionately devoted herself to her stage and acting training. Her first job on the stage was through the Lou Herrick Agency with a contract at age 14.
She loved acting and throughout her entire career was never late and was happy to work overtime. Her passionate goal throughout her life was to act –"I wanted to have talent."
She acted, danced and sang and became a Broadway star as a teenager. In addition to his newspapers, W. R. Hearst was in the business of the new entertainment industry and followed the stage stars. He knew of Marion as a young star and and later as a showgirl in the 1915 Zeigfeld Follies. Marion became a famous beauty with many adoring suitors bringing flowers and gifts to her stage door. Hearst was 34 years older than Marion and he had an estranged wife and five sons. He signed Marion to a generous contract for silent movies. Hearst used all of his power and influence to build up his new star.
Marion went from starring on the Broadway stage to starring in silent movies with all the backing and the powerful publicity of the Hearst papers. Hearst wanted to marry Marion, but she was perfectly content to be his adored star and treasured mistress and valuable companion. Marion then transitioned into talkies and became the richest actress of her time. She invested wisely in real estate and also inherited family trust funds. Later at one time she loaned Hearst a million dollars cash.
Her first sentence is "I was born in 1905." However, the editors note that her real birthday was 6:00 am, Sunday, January 3, 1897. Although she has a few self-promoting lies in her book, I am still endeared to her. The book is improved by the two editors who note corrections and explanations throughout the book and clarify her omissions. They explain in their "Introduction" that Marion Davies began her book in the summer before W.R. Hearst died on August 14, 1951 at age 88. She died ten years later on September 9, 1961 at age 64. She withheld her memoir from publication during her life because she felt that she may have revealed too much.
Marion writes candidly and with humor and personal insight about her fabulous life. They regularly travelled with their entourage of servants. She was Hearst's hostess at his fancy parties held at his famous castles and mansions (San Simeon and St. Donat's Castle in Wales, Wyntoon Village, Santa Monica Beach Mansion-Ocean House and more), each property maintained by many full-time servants. The guests were kings, presidents, politicians and all the famous "Beautiful People".
I commend this book to anyone for simple and enjoyable entertainment, it's a peek into the life of a very wealthy rich person. Although Marion is not a literary genius, her writing is appealing, engaging and revealing. I also commend this book to anyone interested in Hollywood history, it has a good index referencing many of the big stars and big names of the first half of the twentieth century.
I was enlightened by the "Foreword" written by Orson Welles in 1975. He was the author of "Citizen Kane" which is a very renowned book and movie usually described as the story of William Randolph Hearst, but in his foreword Wells explains how "Citizen Kane" "darkened an otherwise brilliant career" of Marion Davies who "would have been a star if Hearst had never happened.....a delightful and very considerable person". He says that Marion was the opposite of the mistress in "Citizen Kane".
After reading her memoir, Marion seems to me to have been very intelligent, beautiful, talented, successful, likeable and unusual. She was born into a wealthy family, both her mother and father came from wealthy families of judges, attorneys and magistrates who owned mansions, racehorses, country club memberships and the like. She could have had any life she chose, but from the beginning she wanted acting.
She was the youngest of three older sisters who were all in the theater. From the beginning as a young child she followed her sisters and she passionately devoted herself to her stage and acting training. Her first job on the stage was through the Lou Herrick Agency with a contract at age 14.
She loved acting and throughout her entire career was never late and was happy to work overtime. Her passionate goal throughout her life was to act –"I wanted to have talent."
She acted, danced and sang and became a Broadway star as a teenager. In addition to his newspapers, W. R. Hearst was in the business of the new entertainment industry and followed the stage stars. He knew of Marion as a young star and and later as a showgirl in the 1915 Zeigfeld Follies. Marion became a famous beauty with many adoring suitors bringing flowers and gifts to her stage door. Hearst was 34 years older than Marion and he had an estranged wife and five sons. He signed Marion to a generous contract for silent movies. Hearst used all of his power and influence to build up his new star.
Marion went from starring on the Broadway stage to starring in silent movies with all the backing and the powerful publicity of the Hearst papers. Hearst wanted to marry Marion, but she was perfectly content to be his adored star and treasured mistress and valuable companion. Marion then transitioned into talkies and became the richest actress of her time. She invested wisely in real estate and also inherited family trust funds. Later at one time she loaned Hearst a million dollars cash.
Her first sentence is "I was born in 1905." However, the editors note that her real birthday was 6:00 am, Sunday, January 3, 1897. Although she has a few self-promoting lies in her book, I am still endeared to her. The book is improved by the two editors who note corrections and explanations throughout the book and clarify her omissions. They explain in their "Introduction" that Marion Davies began her book in the summer before W.R. Hearst died on August 14, 1951 at age 88. She died ten years later on September 9, 1961 at age 64. She withheld her memoir from publication during her life because she felt that she may have revealed too much.
Marion writes candidly and with humor and personal insight about her fabulous life. They regularly travelled with their entourage of servants. She was Hearst's hostess at his fancy parties held at his famous castles and mansions (San Simeon and St. Donat's Castle in Wales, Wyntoon Village, Santa Monica Beach Mansion-Ocean House and more), each property maintained by many full-time servants. The guests were kings, presidents, politicians and all the famous "Beautiful People".
I commend this book to anyone for simple and enjoyable entertainment, it's a peek into the life of a very wealthy rich person. Although Marion is not a literary genius, her writing is appealing, engaging and revealing. I also commend this book to anyone interested in Hollywood history, it has a good index referencing many of the big stars and big names of the first half of the twentieth century.
July 24, 2007
I got this book while at Hearst Castle in Cali. It was fun to read after having been to Hearst Castle. It is written in first person and it is like listening to someone talk and not be able to ask any questions. This also means that the telling of her life is from completely her perspective and time line. The editors add in little notes to make sense of things or give more details on an event. This book is a fun, light read. Marion Davis is the fascinating mistress of W.R. Hearst. However, she seems more like a spoiled daughter (she was much younger). She makes me think of some of the empty headed starlets of today. Yes, the empty headed starlet has always existed! She did do good works and open hospitals and cared about others. She also worked hard to create her own name and knew when it was time for her to quit because she had no talent for the talkie films (she was a silent film star). There is no doubt about it, she had a fabulous life. I wouldn't mind being her for awhile!
October 13, 2015
I just bought his book at Hearst castle since I was curious about Hearst and his kid mistress. She positionned herself as a poor little girl but I think that she was much more smart than that. Why do you stay with a man 40 years your senior ? Advantages, money, etc... She seems to have liked him but it must have been much more on his part to kind of love her. However, it was interesting to read parts of it because of the movie scene in the early years. The authors interviewed her when she was quite old, around her sixties according to her but more around her eighties in reality. It was nice to find out that Clark Gable was a nice man, I kind of like him a lot.
February 27, 2013
Fascinating oral memoir("as spoken to a tape recorder") by William Randolph Hearst's mistress of many years who was is not always a reliable witness, but all the more intriguing because of it. My husband was reading a biography of Hearst at the same time I was reading this book, and we had a lot of fascinating discussions about the differences in Davies' perception of the facts and the biographer's.
November 4, 2023
Interesting. Fast, easy read.
January 21, 2009
This is a very light read that I have to admit I enjoyed. It is basically and autobiography of Marion Davies the mistress of William Randolph Hearst. All the famous movie stars and politicians that came in and out of their lives over a period of around 30 years was amazing!
March 9, 2017
Marion Davies was a talented and wonderful woman, but you'd never know it from reading this book. It reads as if it were dumbed down for a child audience. The reminisces are simple and cover surface details. If you're looking for an in-depth analysis of a misunderstood woman's life, look elsewhere.
February 7, 2015
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August 19, 2012
Not all that interesting and terribly written; I couldn't force myself to make it through after about half of this dreck.
August 19, 2022
This was pretty easy reading. It’s not exactly an autobiography; it’s based on interviews that Davies had done in preparation for an autobiography. Occasionally a third party fills in some gaps or corrects Davies’ recollection of events. It says next to nothing about her ten years after Hearst’s death since the interviews had started just prior to his death and she soon lost interest in the project. What I enjoyed most was getting to hear Davies talk about her life. She’s very self-effacing about her acting talents, but she really wants us to know how much she loved and tried to protect Hearst, and what lovely times they had together. She portrays him as having certain rules or expectations of behavior at dinner time or at San Simeon in general, but nothing unusual – he just thought people should act like ladies and gentlemen. The rest of the time it sounds like he got to be a big kid around Marion, especially during their many Hollywood costume parties.
I agree with a lot of Davies’ assessments of her films. A lot of the costume dramas that Hearst wanted her to be in, ostensibly to showcase her acting but really because he was older and these seemed more respectable, were wooden perhaps even by 1920s standards. (Though I heartily recommend the period films “Little Old New York” and “Lights of Old Broadway”.) Hearst wanted the world to know what a talent she was, but he was out of step with public tastes in many ways. She lights up the screen in her silent films directed by King Vidor, “The Patsy” and “Show People”. She didn’t put up a huge fuss as a film star, either standing up to Hearst and saying that she belonged in comedy, or in the numerous stories she tells of doing her own stunts in silent films! She is hilariously brutal in her assessment of “The Red Mill” where she plays a rich girl and a poor girl in Holland. It’s a stinker and she knew it.
She tells so many funny stories. It doesn’t matter if they are true. I’m sure most people want to know about the events on the yacht when Thomas Ince was killed. I’ll take the story about the kitchen staff getting too flustered when the president of the Philippines visits San Simeon, or Marion’s mother scribbling rave preview cards in the lobby after a test screening of “The Red Mill” and Thalberg didn’t notice they were all in the same handwriting. She talks in a matter of fact way, like someone who didn’t really believe in her success. She has a few roles in early 1930s films that are similar to Joan Crawford’s ‘shopgirl phase’ and she’s wonderful. Too bad she couldn’t have done more of those. She played dual roles in several films; you can’t be a bad actress and pull that off.
Through her stardom and Hearst’s wealth and influence she met all the famous people of her day. One of my favorite stories is when Mary Pickford is sitting next to Lindbergh who won’t talk. Marion writes Mary a note instructing her to talk about airplanes, which worked because he had a one-track mind. Davies also had a list of famous people she almost got to meet, like the Queen of England, Hitler and Mussolini. “W.R. was invited to see Mussolini and when you’re invited you have to go. If you’re in a country and you want to learn about it, it’s a good idea to go and find out what they have to say for themselves; you might want to write a good story about it, when they’re not looking.”
I don’t know how much of it is true, but Davies really wants us to know various ways that she intervened as Hearst’s empire was crumbling, nearly done in by the recession of 1937-38. She wants us to know that she’s not dumb, and that she’s very loyal. She even enlists the help of one of her former stage-door-johnnies who ended up at the Treasury Department. All of a sudden her life started to shrink in the late 1930s. She stopped acting. Several of her nuclear family died. Hearst became somewhat poor and lost control of the business. Little wonder that she and Hearst became paranoid about the Japanese invading, with Hearst especially thinking he would be a target due to his fame, proximity to the coast, and having started all that ‘yellow peril’ business back in the 1890s. She also says some ignorant things about the Japanese internment camps being a nice place to live, but she was living a pretty disconnected life by then.
Overall, however, I get the impression that Davies was a very brave, fun and unassuming person. A loyal friend, at times to her own detriment. Very talented, according to me. According to her, she thinks mostly of her relationship to Hearst. “I liked to think that W.R. was at his happiest when he was with me. That’s a very conceited thing to say, but we always did have a good time. […] I’d be reading, he’d be working. We’d have an occasional conversation. With a great long friendship, and love, you don’t have to talk. You are perfectly contented to know that somebody’s just there. That means a lot, that complete tranquility.”
I agree with a lot of Davies’ assessments of her films. A lot of the costume dramas that Hearst wanted her to be in, ostensibly to showcase her acting but really because he was older and these seemed more respectable, were wooden perhaps even by 1920s standards. (Though I heartily recommend the period films “Little Old New York” and “Lights of Old Broadway”.) Hearst wanted the world to know what a talent she was, but he was out of step with public tastes in many ways. She lights up the screen in her silent films directed by King Vidor, “The Patsy” and “Show People”. She didn’t put up a huge fuss as a film star, either standing up to Hearst and saying that she belonged in comedy, or in the numerous stories she tells of doing her own stunts in silent films! She is hilariously brutal in her assessment of “The Red Mill” where she plays a rich girl and a poor girl in Holland. It’s a stinker and she knew it.
She tells so many funny stories. It doesn’t matter if they are true. I’m sure most people want to know about the events on the yacht when Thomas Ince was killed. I’ll take the story about the kitchen staff getting too flustered when the president of the Philippines visits San Simeon, or Marion’s mother scribbling rave preview cards in the lobby after a test screening of “The Red Mill” and Thalberg didn’t notice they were all in the same handwriting. She talks in a matter of fact way, like someone who didn’t really believe in her success. She has a few roles in early 1930s films that are similar to Joan Crawford’s ‘shopgirl phase’ and she’s wonderful. Too bad she couldn’t have done more of those. She played dual roles in several films; you can’t be a bad actress and pull that off.
Through her stardom and Hearst’s wealth and influence she met all the famous people of her day. One of my favorite stories is when Mary Pickford is sitting next to Lindbergh who won’t talk. Marion writes Mary a note instructing her to talk about airplanes, which worked because he had a one-track mind. Davies also had a list of famous people she almost got to meet, like the Queen of England, Hitler and Mussolini. “W.R. was invited to see Mussolini and when you’re invited you have to go. If you’re in a country and you want to learn about it, it’s a good idea to go and find out what they have to say for themselves; you might want to write a good story about it, when they’re not looking.”
I don’t know how much of it is true, but Davies really wants us to know various ways that she intervened as Hearst’s empire was crumbling, nearly done in by the recession of 1937-38. She wants us to know that she’s not dumb, and that she’s very loyal. She even enlists the help of one of her former stage-door-johnnies who ended up at the Treasury Department. All of a sudden her life started to shrink in the late 1930s. She stopped acting. Several of her nuclear family died. Hearst became somewhat poor and lost control of the business. Little wonder that she and Hearst became paranoid about the Japanese invading, with Hearst especially thinking he would be a target due to his fame, proximity to the coast, and having started all that ‘yellow peril’ business back in the 1890s. She also says some ignorant things about the Japanese internment camps being a nice place to live, but she was living a pretty disconnected life by then.
Overall, however, I get the impression that Davies was a very brave, fun and unassuming person. A loyal friend, at times to her own detriment. Very talented, according to me. According to her, she thinks mostly of her relationship to Hearst. “I liked to think that W.R. was at his happiest when he was with me. That’s a very conceited thing to say, but we always did have a good time. […] I’d be reading, he’d be working. We’d have an occasional conversation. With a great long friendship, and love, you don’t have to talk. You are perfectly contented to know that somebody’s just there. That means a lot, that complete tranquility.”
July 19, 2023
How much you like Marion Davies will probably determine the level of appeal this untypical autobiography will have on you. I’m a big fan of Marion, so it appealed to me a lot.
I didn’t rate it five stars because, at times, we hear so much about other people that Marion’s takes a back seat in her own autobiography. I hoped to read more about her acting career as opposed to Hearst’s newspapers and what he spends his money on.
This might be through her lack of self-belief. She frequently belittles her acting ability, her beauty, and so on, so maybe she felt her story would benefit if she concentrated on her travels and the people around her.
The pre-fame years are interesting. Shame she didn’t go more in-depth here, but then her memory was her only form of research. This is an important point. This isn’t a typical life story where facts are checked, people are interviewed, etc. Nor does it feature a strict chronology and exact dates are scarce. In fact, the first line is false – Marion states she was born in 1905 when she was really born on 3 January 1897! So, we have us an unreliable narrator.
Thankfully, whenever Marion states something that's not true (intentionally or unintentionally), the editor interjects and explains the correct circumstances. Likewise, he adds details whenever Marion is vague about an event or mentions a name without expanding on who the person is/was. Sometimes the editor includes too much detail, though, such as adding an extensive history about someone or some event that isn't vital to that person's/event's impact on Marion's life story.
The narrative reads like someone sitting at their home telling friends about what they’ve done during different phases of their life. It’s taken from recordings Marion made, making this the most conversational autobiography I’ve ever read. As someone who loves Marion Davies, this gives a great insight to what it would have been like to meet and talk with this beautiful classic actress.
Reading other reviews, I see some people have low opinions of Marion after reading this book. I can see where they’re coming from with some of Marion’s comments, like wishing she’d met Hitler, but this hardly means she approved of the man’s evil doings. Some people are fascinated by “sinners”, but it doesn’t make them one too. She did a lot of good in her life, such as donating to animal charities, plus she was kind-hearted and approachable.
Although this is not constructed like a regular autobiography or biography, other writers have covered Marion’s life story the “proper” way. I’ve yet to sample any, but they’re on my to-read list. So, if you want to read a standard history about Marion, try one of those. Only tackle this if you don’t mind something unconventional or if, like me, you’re a big fan of Marion.
I admit, normally I wouldn’t read a non-linear life story with insufficient research and an unreliable narrator, but “The Times We Had” felt like Marion was talking to me, which was great.
I couple of quotes I liked:
On Marion’s dying dog Gandhi, which she alone believed would recover:
“Gandhi had crapped again, and they saw it. I wish they hadn’t. Everybody gets diarrhea, and it doesn’t mean you’re going to die. If it did, I’d have been dead ten years ago.”
On why Charlie Chaplin never attended anyone’s parties:
“I don’t think there’s anything wrong with him, except that he’s a little cracked.”
Another quote, which I forgot to note down, regards Marion being late to one of Mary Pickford's (another of my favourite classic actresses) parties, held in honour of the King of Siam (I think it was Siam). On arriving, Marion is greeted at the door by Mary and a butler. She apologises to Mary for being late, hands the butler her coat, then dashes inside. Going in, she notices a disapproving look on Mary's face and assumes this was owing to her late arrival; however, she later finds out Mary's black look was because the man Marion assumed to be a butler was really the King of Siam.
The cover states that book includes “outrageous photos”. Can’t agree that any of them are outrageous, but many black and white photos are included throughout the book. On the downside, almost every shot is of poor quality, and none are of good quality. This might not be the case if you have the physical book – I borrowed this for free on the Internet Archive’s Open Library and read it online.
Therefore, the photos are scans from a book that may have been an original edition. In short, the black areas are too dark whilst the white areas are too bright. Only a few are relatively clear. As someone who admires Marion for her beauty as well as her acting skills (despite her self-criticism of both attributes!), this was disappointing.
Overall, though, “The Times We Had” is a pleasant and interesting read, and for me fascinating to “hear” Marion’s voice calling from across the years.
I didn’t rate it five stars because, at times, we hear so much about other people that Marion’s takes a back seat in her own autobiography. I hoped to read more about her acting career as opposed to Hearst’s newspapers and what he spends his money on.
This might be through her lack of self-belief. She frequently belittles her acting ability, her beauty, and so on, so maybe she felt her story would benefit if she concentrated on her travels and the people around her.
The pre-fame years are interesting. Shame she didn’t go more in-depth here, but then her memory was her only form of research. This is an important point. This isn’t a typical life story where facts are checked, people are interviewed, etc. Nor does it feature a strict chronology and exact dates are scarce. In fact, the first line is false – Marion states she was born in 1905 when she was really born on 3 January 1897! So, we have us an unreliable narrator.
Thankfully, whenever Marion states something that's not true (intentionally or unintentionally), the editor interjects and explains the correct circumstances. Likewise, he adds details whenever Marion is vague about an event or mentions a name without expanding on who the person is/was. Sometimes the editor includes too much detail, though, such as adding an extensive history about someone or some event that isn't vital to that person's/event's impact on Marion's life story.
The narrative reads like someone sitting at their home telling friends about what they’ve done during different phases of their life. It’s taken from recordings Marion made, making this the most conversational autobiography I’ve ever read. As someone who loves Marion Davies, this gives a great insight to what it would have been like to meet and talk with this beautiful classic actress.
Reading other reviews, I see some people have low opinions of Marion after reading this book. I can see where they’re coming from with some of Marion’s comments, like wishing she’d met Hitler, but this hardly means she approved of the man’s evil doings. Some people are fascinated by “sinners”, but it doesn’t make them one too. She did a lot of good in her life, such as donating to animal charities, plus she was kind-hearted and approachable.
Although this is not constructed like a regular autobiography or biography, other writers have covered Marion’s life story the “proper” way. I’ve yet to sample any, but they’re on my to-read list. So, if you want to read a standard history about Marion, try one of those. Only tackle this if you don’t mind something unconventional or if, like me, you’re a big fan of Marion.
I admit, normally I wouldn’t read a non-linear life story with insufficient research and an unreliable narrator, but “The Times We Had” felt like Marion was talking to me, which was great.
I couple of quotes I liked:
On Marion’s dying dog Gandhi, which she alone believed would recover:
“Gandhi had crapped again, and they saw it. I wish they hadn’t. Everybody gets diarrhea, and it doesn’t mean you’re going to die. If it did, I’d have been dead ten years ago.”
On why Charlie Chaplin never attended anyone’s parties:
“I don’t think there’s anything wrong with him, except that he’s a little cracked.”
Another quote, which I forgot to note down, regards Marion being late to one of Mary Pickford's (another of my favourite classic actresses) parties, held in honour of the King of Siam (I think it was Siam). On arriving, Marion is greeted at the door by Mary and a butler. She apologises to Mary for being late, hands the butler her coat, then dashes inside. Going in, she notices a disapproving look on Mary's face and assumes this was owing to her late arrival; however, she later finds out Mary's black look was because the man Marion assumed to be a butler was really the King of Siam.
The cover states that book includes “outrageous photos”. Can’t agree that any of them are outrageous, but many black and white photos are included throughout the book. On the downside, almost every shot is of poor quality, and none are of good quality. This might not be the case if you have the physical book – I borrowed this for free on the Internet Archive’s Open Library and read it online.
Therefore, the photos are scans from a book that may have been an original edition. In short, the black areas are too dark whilst the white areas are too bright. Only a few are relatively clear. As someone who admires Marion for her beauty as well as her acting skills (despite her self-criticism of both attributes!), this was disappointing.
Overall, though, “The Times We Had” is a pleasant and interesting read, and for me fascinating to “hear” Marion’s voice calling from across the years.
Read
January 7, 2024“I was just an unfortunate creature trying to make a career of herself…one of those silly, giggly idiots who didn’t pay much attention to politics.” 🫶🤡🤝 tea marion, tea.
I wanted the scoop on william hearst / hearst castle / golden age shenanigans as told from a woman’s pov and marion davies def delivered. I’ve been curious about marion davies ever since Mank came out in 2020 and have been in pursuit of another way to be introduced to her character because citizen kane has never interested me nor has the male pov. so ultimately when I found a record of her account I was in!
I related to the way she saw herself and how quickly she believed that she was no more than a ditsy politics-averse shadow of a powerful man and as a result positioned herself as a listener to all the men that loved to hear themselves talk. (talk to the walls when the party gets bored to you 🎼 VIBES!)
the way she floated through life seemed to have a lot to do w the men / execs in her life, almost as if she had retreated as if to protect herself.
It’s sick that WRH swooped her up at (17) when he was nearly 60 (!!). It’s no wonder she spent the majority of her life living to serve him. but still - despite all the heinous truths, I was really interested to learn about the character of WRH and how he engaged with those around him.
It was really sad to hear marion’s low self esteem reflected on the page when she really was so much more.
but what a silly, waspy life she (((their whole entourage) lived despite it all.
circus and (baby!) parties, swan fights and antagonizing the chimps and running from the lions...
my overall impression of the golden age
-constant plane crashes (???)
-joan crawford wearing her sheer dress w/o changing despite the critics was a mother move
-charlie chaplain was a contrarian w way too fluffy of a ego
-rich people go crazy
I wanted the scoop on william hearst / hearst castle / golden age shenanigans as told from a woman’s pov and marion davies def delivered. I’ve been curious about marion davies ever since Mank came out in 2020 and have been in pursuit of another way to be introduced to her character because citizen kane has never interested me nor has the male pov. so ultimately when I found a record of her account I was in!
I related to the way she saw herself and how quickly she believed that she was no more than a ditsy politics-averse shadow of a powerful man and as a result positioned herself as a listener to all the men that loved to hear themselves talk. (talk to the walls when the party gets bored to you 🎼 VIBES!)
the way she floated through life seemed to have a lot to do w the men / execs in her life, almost as if she had retreated as if to protect herself.
It’s sick that WRH swooped her up at (17) when he was nearly 60 (!!). It’s no wonder she spent the majority of her life living to serve him. but still - despite all the heinous truths, I was really interested to learn about the character of WRH and how he engaged with those around him.
It was really sad to hear marion’s low self esteem reflected on the page when she really was so much more.
but what a silly, waspy life she (((their whole entourage) lived despite it all.
circus and (baby!) parties, swan fights and antagonizing the chimps and running from the lions...
my overall impression of the golden age
-constant plane crashes (???)
-joan crawford wearing her sheer dress w/o changing despite the critics was a mother move
-charlie chaplain was a contrarian w way too fluffy of a ego
-rich people go crazy
December 28, 2017
I don't know where I heard it but when I was in high school I was under the impression that Hearst was anti-Semitic, in his writings and public life if not privately. According to Marion Davies, that was far from the truth.
One of the things that bothered me was her constant hyperbole, as in the age difference between her and W.R's twins. She was old enough to be their mother!!! Also, her stupid insipid comment about the Japanese interment. One has to wonder if she ever learned the truth about what happened in this country before she passed away. How wonderful it must be to live such an ignorant life.
This was quite an eye opening memoir, I enjoyed it very much, although it does seem strange to me how Marion was able to last for so many years as a screen actress since according to her she had no talent whatsoever. I guess it was all she had going for her was that she was a natural blonde beauty??
One of the things that bothered me was her constant hyperbole, as in the age difference between her and W.R's twins. She was old enough to be their mother!!! Also, her stupid insipid comment about the Japanese interment. One has to wonder if she ever learned the truth about what happened in this country before she passed away. How wonderful it must be to live such an ignorant life.
This was quite an eye opening memoir, I enjoyed it very much, although it does seem strange to me how Marion was able to last for so many years as a screen actress since according to her she had no talent whatsoever. I guess it was all she had going for her was that she was a natural blonde beauty??
August 24, 2024
In LA, it’s almost like homework. The memories of comedian, actor, and companion of W.R. Hearst. It has all the dramatic elements, but the style feels like tape-recorded memories,one story after another, with little dramatic variance. It’s a shame, because it is a one-of-kind life that doesn’t deserve the flat “and then this happened” treatment.
A high points: the introduction by Orsom Welles, and a little Citizen Kaine/Manx truth-telling. Another; the footnotes, done by several droll and wizened editors, adding context and occasionally correcting Ms, Davies.
For example, the book begins with this sentence: “I was born in 1905.*”
The asterisk leads to a footnote at the bottom of the page: “* Marion was born at six in the morning, Sunday, February 3, 1897.”
The back-and-forth can be saucy, but it is less satisfying that actually getting hands on the copy and getting it right the first time.
A high points: the introduction by Orsom Welles, and a little Citizen Kaine/Manx truth-telling. Another; the footnotes, done by several droll and wizened editors, adding context and occasionally correcting Ms, Davies.
For example, the book begins with this sentence: “I was born in 1905.*”
The asterisk leads to a footnote at the bottom of the page: “* Marion was born at six in the morning, Sunday, February 3, 1897.”
The back-and-forth can be saucy, but it is less satisfying that actually getting hands on the copy and getting it right the first time.
March 21, 2017
I found this obscure little book in a used book store. I knew from the outset it was not anything close to a literary piece of writing; actually, it is simply a transcribed interview with the silent film actress, and William Randolph Hearst's girlfriend, Marion Davies. The reason it intrigued me is because I am obsessed with early 20th century America. I knew that this little gem provided descriptions of the times, which included pop culture and politics. My mother and grandmother, two of my heroes, lived through these times. I like to imagine them as children and young women in Los Angeles, at the exact same time Marion was in the throes of her movie career. What struck me the most about Marion's recollections is that she was extremely self-deprecating, especially when she spoke of her inability to act and her inferior intellect. In actuality, I found her thoughts to be witty and clever at times. She surely had a sense of humor. And funnily enough, Marion even provided some keen insights into mid-twentieth century American history. A fast, fun read for a rainy day.
September 15, 2019
As expected, a total surface skim of her life with Hearst and the American elite, which was fine because I expected that. It made me now want to go hunting for the real story of course. She puts herself down as an actress and also denigrates her intelligence but I suspect that was just to counteract her royalty and appear humble. I gave her a pass as well on her classism and racism (her paragraphs on Japanese internments) because eh, what's the point. I love Hearst Castle and enjoyed hearing all about it but he also had a house in the Cali forest next to a river that blew me away in its description.
May 14, 2020
Really enjoyed this. So interesting, full of wild stories about Hollywood actors, and great photos attached as well from their fancy dress parties. Marion frequently tells contradicting stories/dates/ages...was she forgetful or hiding things? Makes it more fun to read. Almost like hearing it from your grandmother and wondering if everything they’re telling you is true. I’ve been to Hearst Castle a few times and picked this up in the gift shop. A great way to time travel back and get an inside perspective on what it was like living in that castle on the hill.
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