She decorated this boudoir when she was still a blond, so now she's planning to make it over to suit her brunet personality.  The framed painting of Joan is the work of Tino Costa.

Miss Bennett's home, a French provincial type, was built in 1937, while she was on tour.  She says:  "I looked at some blueprints I didn't understand and then left, with orders to have the house finished when I came back.  It was, and much larger, too, than I expected, but I like it.  The next time I build, I'll get out with a tape measure first like other people do."  This rear view of the house shows the owner walking toward her swimming pool.

 

 

 

Joan's living room is 33 by 24 feet, with this fireplace dominating one end.  Furnishings include three davenports, one 12 feet long, and four inlaid backgammon tables.  Ash trays, each holding a yellow matchbook monogrammed JB, are everywhere, so guests need not drop ashes into the 1 1/2-inch nap of the blue and white hand-tufted rug.  Joan has no housekeeper, manages the house herself in efficient fashion.

In a living room corner stands Joan's ivory-finished grand piano, covered with pictures of her sisters, Constance and Barbara, and their children.  Husband Walter Wanger's picture is not here, but up in Joan's own room.  If asked how many rooms the house has, the superstitious star answers "fourteen."  Actually there are 13.  She won't walk under ladders, take the third light off a match, or have goldfish or ivy in the house.  She says it's bad luck.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The library contains this 1936 painting of Joan and her children.  Melinda, now 6, is the daughter of Joan's second husband, Gene Markey, and Diana, now 12, is the daughter of her first husband, John M. Fox.  Joan makes no attempt to conceal her age, 30, nor the fact that she has two children.  In fact, she considers her honesty her greatest asset.  On the other hand, she believes her biggest handicap has been her supersensitiveness.

In the children's yard, this tiny bungalow is completely equipped.  The four dogs---two Spaniels, a Scottie and a Dandie Dinmont---also have their own home.  At the left here is Duke, Miss Bennett's favorite.  He, alone of the four dogs, has the run of the house, and he has the rare privilege of entering a sound stage with her when she works.  The busy movie star, who has eight servants, hires a boy to care for the dogs and their kennels.

Telephones, books and magazines are handy to the canopied bed in her boudoir, which overlooks the backyard garden and swimming pool.  Walls are covered with specially designed chintz material.  Behind these draperies are hidden black ones which entirely block out daylight.  "That's so I can sleep as late as I like when I am not making a picture," she explains.  One of her pet annoyances is people who are cheerful in the very early morning.

 

 

The swimming pool of pastel blue tile has a playroom at one end big enough to use as a dining room for informal summer luncheons.  A complete kitchen is attached to it.  The bamboo furniture is upholstered in coral colored terry cloth.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Joan and her gardener discuss her pansy bed.  Just after this picture was taken, she served Photographer Theisen sandwiches and beer, but she took root beer, explaining, "It's not so fattening."  She is 5 feet, 4 inches tall, weighs 110.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"You know I can't hit this darned target without my glass," she confided as she threw darts on her porch.  Because of her nearsightedness, she seldom drives the Buick in which she goes to work.  In addition she has a Packard limousine.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Melinda appeared, but Diana was in school.  "My doll can talk," Melinda volunteered, taking a small disc from its insides.   "I guess I've got a hundred of these."  Later she agreed with her mother that really there were only six.

Joan Bennett, Diana Anderson, Diana Markey, Melinda Markey, Melinda Beno, Stephanie Wanger, Stephanie Guest, Shelley Wanger, Shelley Mortimer, John Marion Fox, Gene Markey, Walter Wanger, Richard Bennett, Constance Bennett, Barbara Bennett, Barbara Downey, Adrienne Morrison, Adrienne Bennett, Mabel Bennett, Mabel Morrison, Adrienne Ralston Fox, www.joanbennett.net