Paulette "Peter" Goddard was born on this day in 1910.
Photos © Roy Export S.A.S.
*The Stowaway story eventually became Chaplin's last film, A Countess From Hong Kong (1967), but it was originally written as a vehicle for Paulette.
June 3, 2014
Paulette Goddard posing outside of her dressing room at the Chaplin Studios, c. 1935
"Peter" was Paulette's nickname although I don't know the origin of it. Chaplin biographer David Robinson believes it was Chaplin's pet name for her, while other sources claim it was a name she had given herself. Chaplin refers to her as "Peter" in early drafts of the "Stowaway"* script from the mid-1930s as well as a little known project from the same period about a male dancer named Tamerlain (Paulette was to play another dancer). She had a vanity box with the name Peter spelled out in diamonds, as well as pieces of jewelry that bore the name. For instance, in Diego Rivera's Pan American Unity mural from 1940, Paulette is wearing a necklace with a charm that says "Peter."
Paulette "Peter" Goddard was born on this day in 1910.
Photos © Roy Export S.A.S.
*The Stowaway story eventually became Chaplin's last film, A Countess From Hong Kong (1967), but it was originally written as a vehicle for Paulette.
Paulette "Peter" Goddard was born on this day in 1910.
Photos © Roy Export S.A.S.
*The Stowaway story eventually became Chaplin's last film, A Countess From Hong Kong (1967), but it was originally written as a vehicle for Paulette.
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Just think, that is probably just a "lounge around" outfit. I've heard "Peter" before, too. It's not addressed in the Gilbert book (yet another oversight from the author), either.
ReplyDeleteNo, it isn't and I don't recall reading anything about it in the Morella and Epstein book either. Although Gilbert does mention that Erich Remarque referred to his first wife, Jutta, as Peter. An odd coincidence, I thought.
DeleteOn another note, she looks so young here, especially in post number 2. I've seen tons of photos of her by this point, and am amazed how old she can look in one, and how young in another, both taken on the same day. There was a series of her on the set of Modern times, sitting in a directors chair - and the ones where she has a coke bottle in her hand she looks like a teenager, then she looks up and they shoot from below and she looks like she's in her 30's!
ReplyDeleteI agree. In some of those photos you can see that (you hate to say it) girlish, playful quality about her that must have attracted Charlie.
DeleteHoly cow that first picture....drop dead gorgeous!!! And the second is also beautiful (obviously) Happy Birthday Paully waully!! xxxx
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