Maybelline founder Tom Lyle Williams ran the Company while raising he brother's 12 year old son

Bill Williams holding Lady, 1938

Tom Lyle did his best to take over being "dad," while running his growing mega-company.  He enjoyed his time with his nephew, swimming in The Villa Valentino's Olympic-size pool, playing badminton, dropping dimes in the slot machine in the game room - decorated like the Hawaiian Islands -or listening to Bing Crosby sing Sweet Leilani, from the film Waikiki Wedding.  When Unk Ile was busy Bill listened to  The Green Hornet, - Fibber McGee and Molly and curled up on the sofa till he fell asleep.

For Christmas that year Tom Lyle had the Villa decorated  with a 15 foot tree and strung colored lights on some of the trees surrounding the The Villa.

They were a family now, Bill, Evelyn and Tom Lyle and on Dec. 21, when the premier of Walt Disney’s first feature length animated film, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs came out, Unk Ile drove them to the Cathay Circle theatre is Los Angles, to see it, with dinner at Brown Derby afterwards.

On Christmas Day Unk Ile brought out a little basket with a beautiful Cocker Spaniel puppy in it, named "Lady."   Bill finally got his wish - a dog of his own. 

Maybelline discovers "Miss Typical America" Eleanor Fisher in 1938

Here is an example of how the Hollywood Studio/Star System worked in the 1930's.  Paramount Studio's promoted True Confession, a 1937 screwball comedy film starring Carole Lombard, Fred MacMurray, and John Barrymore, by running a "Miss Typical America" contest in a Maybelline advertisement.  The winner, Eleanor Fisher is given a small part in the film and the big teen story is splashed in True Confession magazine.

Eleanor Fisher, now Miss True Confession as well as Miss Typical America has not only become a Maybelline Model, she has a chance of becoming a Movie Star.

Eleanor Fisher and Fred MacMurray in a publicity shot for True Confessions magazine, promoting themselves, the film,  Paramount Studios, Carole Lombard and director Wesley Ruggles, which is a what it's all about in Hollywood.

This article in True Confessions Magazine, promotes make-up artist Max Factor, transforming Eleanor Fisher, from a simple school girl into a glamorous actress ready for her closeup with Carole Lombard.

 Carole Lombard and Eleanor Fisher in a scene from True Confession

Lombard's career had been flying high since the release of Twentieth Century in 1934, which had begun her friendship with Barrymore. Although Barrymore, by 1937, had become an uncontrollable alcoholic and his career was severely fumbling, Lombard personally requested him for the role of Charley Jasper.

 Helen and Ken are a pretty strange couple. She is a pathological liar, and he is a scrupulously honest (and therefore unsuccessful) lawyer... See full summary »

A straight arrow lawyer has his hands full when his wife implicates herself in a murder she didn't commit. When a blackmailer gets involved, the story becomes more comical and convoluted.

 

This poster was painted by the famous Pin-Up artist Zoe Mozart, who's work was known for being glamorous and sexy, it was perfect for ad campaigns for cosmetics such as Maybelline and for Hollywood films. In 1937 Zoe was hired by Paramount Pictures to create this poster for   

 TRUE CONFESSION.

Cover also painted by Zoe Mozart.  Carole Lombard appeared in the February 1938 True Confessions Magazine, which came out at the same time as the film was being shown at neighborhood movie houses.

In the end, the film was not a great success and Eleanor Fisher went back to being anonymous.  However the Hollywood Studio-Star System was great as far as publicity was concerned. Maybelline sold truck loads of mascara, the Stars added more luster to their famous names and Paramount continued to be an ever expanding movie factory. So I guess in this instance, I can't say anything bad about The System, because there's actually no such thing as bad publicity... Why?...

because it's still PUBLICITY.

Read more about the founding of The Maybelline Company ...1915 to 1968 and beyond

For nearly a century, "Maybelline" has been synonymous with "eye cosmetics"-- yet little is known about how a tiny company offering a single product by mail order managed to grow into an international institution.

The Maybelline Story and the Spirited Family Dynasty Behind It,  aims to change that.  It could only be written by someone with insider knowledge. Sharrie Williams is the great-niece of Tom Lyle Williams, the charming and creative, yet remarkably secretive man who founded Maybelline along with his tight knit family, including his brothers and sisters -Noel, Preston, Mabel and Eva - catapulting a little mail order business in 1915 into the most successful and famous eye cosmetic company in the world.   

By digging through family documents, her own memories and the memories of the few remaining people intimately familiar with the founders of Maybelline, Sharrie slipped beneath the public facade of the company to reveal the amazing personalities at its heart. This is an exciting and thoughtful book, part memoir, part history, part family saga, that reveals the triumphs and tragedies behind the beautiful public face of Maybelline.

Chet and Mabel (Willliams) Hewes, and Ches and Eva (Williams) Haines, Hollywood, 1938.

Tom Lyle Williams with Mabel, Chet, Ches and Eva at The Villa Valentino - Hollywood, 1938.

Catalina California 1938 - left to right, My father Bill,
 great uncle Tom Lyle, my Grandmother Evelyn and my auntie Eva, auntie Mabel and uncle Chet.

Come Visit me at my Hilarious 1964 High School Blogcalled Saffrons Rule at, http://saffronsrule.com/

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Maybelline King was never to proud to say his prayers with his nephew Bill.

Tom Lyle, Bill and his mother Evelyn in front of  the little house Tom Lyle bought for them in West Los Angeles in 1938.

      Tom Lyle bought Evelyn a little California Bungalow in West Los Angeles on Kelton Ave., so they would be near him at the Villa Valentino and he could help raise 14 year old Bill.  After so many hard years, Evelyn finally had a real home of her own, and Bill lived in a real neighborhood with boys his own age.  Tom Lyle gave his sister in law a nice allowance and told her she didn't have to work,  "just take care of Bill and relax," he said according to my grandmother.

      Bill loved being at the Villa Valentino with his Unk Ile, as he called him, swimming in his Olympic sized pool overlooking Los Angeles, playing with the slot machines in the game room, decorated to look like the Hawaiian Islands, or go out to dinner in Hollywood, "movie star watching."  Tom Lyle hoped Bill might forget the pain of his childhood and enjoy what was left.

       Unk Ile  taught Bill right from wrong and before going to sleep in a twin bed next to his nephew, in the guest room, he insisted they get down on their knees and say their prayers, always reminding him to bless his aunts, uncles and cousins in Chicago.  

       Bill felt loved and secure, and when Tom Lyle said "good-night Bug, sleep tight, and don't let the bed bugs bite.” before turning off the light he knew everything was going to be alright.