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| Kay Francis |
Kay Francis was one of the most glamorous and popular stars of the 1930s. But behind her clotheshorse reputation, Kay Francis was also one of the most money-wise actresses ever to grace the silver screen. She started out acting on stage as early as 1925 until the strength of her stage work landed her a contract in Paramount in 1929. Starting out with bit parts, Francis passed on as a seductress until her star as an actress eventually shone in such films as Trouble in Paradise (1932), One Way Passage (1932), I Found Stella Parish (1935), Confession (1937) and In Name Only (1939).
By the mid-1930s, Kay earned $5,250 per week and was voted by Variety as Hollywood's sixth most popular star. Numerous magazine articles were written about every detail of her life and in and off the studio lot. In 1935, she earned $115,000 in that year alone.
Kay Francis had a habit that was valued in Hollywood--punctuality. Whereas other stars were notorious for being late--or not showing up at all--Kay was legendary for her promptness. She insisted that being late made her physically ill. "But though she is rarely late, neither is she inclined to arrive ahead of time. She appears on the moment, not before, not after."
Kay was different from many stars in other important way. She wasn't a spendthrift. "I live simply, comfortably but unpretentiously. Outside of an occasional European jaunt, which refreshes me physically and mentally, I made every effort to save my money. Silly extravagance has hastened the downfall of a number of popular stars. They went head over heels in debt buying fine homes, remodelling and decorating them like queens of olden times. They bought millionaire's yachts, kept crews. They had retinues of servants. They entertained lavishly. I do not propose to make those mistakes." According to Kay, she believed in living simply. Although her personal life was often messy, she believed large houses and fancy cars only made life more complicated. "Eliminate. That's my philosophy. Eliminate waste of time, energy, effort. Leave yourself as free as possible."
Her frugality was so unusual by Hollywood standards, it made news. The Los Angeles Times ran a brief article in 1934: "About three years ago Kay Francis drove into the Warner Brothers studio for the first time in a couple of well-known make. Yesterday, she still possessed the same car, and it is her one and only. Miss Francis says she is satisfied with a modest little chugger because it serves its purpose--gets her places."
Another reporter chimed in. "The Francis weekly stipend from Paramount and Warners has not gone into Beverly Hills estates, Duesenbergs, yachts, race horses, furs and star sapphires. On the contrary it has into annuities, trust funds, bonds and similar knick-knacks. Yes, for a pretty girl Kay has been very intelligent."
Kay's mother applauded her daughter's ability to manage finances. "I have never been Kay's business manager. I take care of her press books and photos and paste all the items in sequence of events. But Kay handles her own money and investments, so why should I presume to give her advice? Kay, I am convinced, has made a far more remarkable success than if I had tried to manage her life for her."
Years later, boyfriend Dennis Allen claimed, "she was very funny about money. She often laughed about Hollywood friends calling her Hetty Green because she was so slow to part with a buck. I don't mean she was stingy. She could be incredibly generous but she did pinch pennies."
By 1937, however, Kay's star began to decline. Her frequent clashes with Warners' top bosses for better roles led to her demotion to programmers. In 1938, she was labeled by the Independent Theater Owners' Association as "Box Office Poison," together with Katharine Hepburn, Joan Crawford, Fred Astair, Mae West, Greta Garbo and Marlene Dietrich. In 1939, Warner Brothers terminated her contract.
During World War II, she did volunteer works and embarked on war-zone tours, with other celebrities. Since then, she made very sporadic appearances. But Kay didn't have to work for a living. She can walk away from movie making as much as she wanted to. Her wise investments during her heydays yielded her a comfortable income throughout her retirement years. She died from breast cancer in 1966, leaving her entire fortune, valued over $1 mn to charity.
(Image source: Wikimedia Commons)
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