To gild refined gold, to paint the lily, To throw a perfume on the violet, ….
THE PLAYERS
The Hearst news empire reached a circulation and revenue peak about 1928, but the economic collapse of the Great Depression (triggered by the Wall Street Crash of 1929) and the vast over-extension of his empire cost him control of his holdings. It is unlikely that the newspapers ever paid their own way; mining, ranching and forestry provided whatever dividends the Hearst Corporation paid out. When the collapse came, all Hearst properties were hit hard, but none more so than the papers; adding to the burden were the Chief's now-conservative politics, increasingly at odds with those of his readers. the. Unable to service its existing debts, Hearst Corporation faced a court-mandated reorganization in 1937.
SOUND FAMILIAR ?????
From this point, Hearst was just another employee, subject to the directives of an outside manager. Newspapers and other properties were liquidated, the film company ( guess who starred in movies there ? )shut down; there was even a well-publicized sale of art and antiquities.
The Hearst Corporation continues to this day as a large, privately held media conglomerate based in New York City.
THE WOMEN
Regarding Marion Davies, Hearst became involved in an affair with popular film actress and Comedienne named Marion Davies (1897–1961), and from about 1919, he lived openly with her in California. The affair ruled over Davies' life, leaving her reputation chained with Hearst's
Regarding Millicent Hearst, she started the free milk fund in 1921, you would think that if people were struggling to that degree, and several years before the CRASH and the GREAT DEPRESSION, that the government might begin to listen to citizens of the United States when they begin to say we are struggling, the economy is not good. We can't pay our bills , and everything is too expensive.
I mean since the whole theory is "it is a trickle down economy", if it stinks at the bottom, won't that TRICKLE RIGHT BACK UP ?
It seems obvious to me that it has, there is no longer any way to hide , deny or try to camouflage it with campaign slogans like,"We Have a Strong Economy". LOL I wish I could Laugh Out Loud !
Hearst and Davies spent much of their time entertaining, holding lavish parties, the guests for which included Charlie Chaplin, Douglas Fairbanks and the young J.F.K .
San Simeon was never completed.
Renee Finberg 'TELLS ALL' in her blog of her Adventures in Design