Maybelline Story author Sharrie Williams on the AZTV Show.

Please click here to see my AZTV interview.                

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fo8_FOpNBHk        

Getting miked for my interview with lively and lovely Tanya Mock and Lew Rees.

I have been asked back to do a cooking segment on March 30th.

I will be baking my grandmother Miss Maybelline's famous Pineapple upside-down cake in a skillet.

The Maybelline Story, inside peek of a never before told stroy!

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 Story excerpt with pictures of Carole Lombard, Fred MacMurray and Eleanor Fisher.

Excerpt from The Maybelline Story and the Spirited Family Dynasty Behind It.

BILL WANTS TOM LYLE TO INTRODUCE HIM TO MISS TYPICAL AMERICA.

Tom Lyle continued to take Bill with him when they visited actress Hedy Lamarr, Joan Crawford and Carole Lombard, but nothing was more exciting for him than meeting the newly crowned "Miss Typical America, Eleanor Fisher," who won a chance to appear with Carole Lombard in her final film at Paramount "True Confession." Taken from the top selling magazine "True Confessions," that held the contest that Eleanor Fisher won.

The Magazine was a top selling magazine for teenage girls and it struck a deal with Paramount and Maybelline to do a sweeping marketing campaign to bring in a larger audience of youth.

Paramount gave Eleanor a small part in their film staring Lombard and Fred MacMurray, while Maybelline splashed full page color pictures of her in magazines across the country saying Eleanor Fisher had been chosen from thousands of America’s most dazzling beauties in a great magazine’s nationwide search for ‘Miss typical America!"

The ad continued, saying "of supreme importance in helping her to win, were Miss Fisher’s beautiful eyes, framed with the glamour of long, romantic lashes. The charm of beautiful eyes, with natural-appearing long, dark, luxuriant lashes can be yours too, instantly, with but a few simple brush strokes of Maybelline Mascara."

The Ad, combined with the film and True Confessions magazine audience expanded Maybellines scope and increased their teenage market to a new level. It was a win win for everyone and young Bill now  fourteen, was introduced to one of the many beauties who would usher him into the "the girl-crazy" part of his life. 

Carole Lombard and Eleanor Fisher, in True Confessions.

Bill begged Tom Lyle to get him car for his fifteenth Birthday, so he'd be popular at school with all the guys and especially the girls.

Tom Lyle told him he’d think about it.

"I promise I’ll help mom do errands around town," he said, trying to convince his uncle to see it from his perspective.

Did Tom Lyle break down and get his nephew a car?  You can scroll down to earlier posts to find out - or you can read The Maybelline Story and get the whole scoop. 

Maybelline Headquarters in the Hollywood Hills - Rare Vntage Photo's.

During the 1930's and 40's, Tom Lyle, Emery Shaver and Arnold Anderson made up the West Coast branch of the Maybelline Co.  These three men handled the entire Advertising department and produced some of the most artistic photographs of movie stars ever seen. 

 Tom Lyle worked with the major film studios, movie stars and ad agency who booked ads in magazines and newspapers seen around the world.  Emery wrote the copy for the ads and created Maybelline's famous slogans. Arnold a creative genius when it came to  touch-up and "before and after" shots, used technicolor to perfect his photos to Tom Lyle's satisfaction. 

 Their story is clearly spelled out in my book, The Maybelline Story, but in case you've already read the book and wished for more pictures of Maybelline West, The Villa Valentino and the three men who lived there, here are some rare vintage black and whites.


Portion of the Villa Valentino's garden.



steps leading to the patio.



Tom Lyle and Emery on one of the patio's, with the Packard parked on the street.



Tom Lyle, Arnold and Emery with two of Tom Lyle's nieces in front of the Villa Valentino




Maybelline West, The Villa Valentino in the Hollywood Hills.

The statue Aspiration overlooking the pool.  Two starlets at a photo shoot.

Hollywood Super Stars clamored to be featured in Maybelline color advertisements during the 1940s

                                    Rita Hayworth

 During World War ll, Maybelline's market share skyrocketed, because so many women worked in air craft plants and refused to cut back on their cosmetics.  When the war ended Tom Lyle's thirty-year-old invention benefited mightily from the Postwar Boom when mascara and eye-shadow came out in matching colors - with new hues added every Spring and Fall - imitating the practice of fashion designers.  The increase in sales were dramatic and though in 1940 only one in four American women wore eye make-up, by 1949 this figure increased to three out of four, with Maybelline accounting for 45,000 units out of 51,000 eye products sold that year. 

Merle Oberon

Tom Lyle contracted major motion picture stars to appear in Maybelline's advertisements.  War-movies showcased them as the ideal Amercan image and young girls around the world purchased Maybelline at their local dime stores.

Rita Hayworth, Merle Oberon, Betty Grable, Joan Crawford  and Hedy Lamarr (click to see) were some of the GI's favorite pin-up girls. They were top box office queens during the war years and their image represented money in the bank for Maybelline. 

Betty Grable

Tom Lyle contracted Betty Grable for her sex appeal, moxy and girl next door image.She appealed to young want-a-bee’s who saved their grocery money to buy hope in a little red box.  Maybelline turned simple shop girl's into  sex symbols - inspiring soldier boys to get back home.  In fact a G.I.'s morale was often dependent on pictures of their girls with "Those Maybelline Eyes."

 Tom Lyle spent more on his beautiful movie stars as cover-girls then any other cosmetic company in history and it paid off in the 1940's beyond his wildest dreams.

Joan Crawford

Joan Crawford became the official face of Maybelline in 1945 after she won an Oscar for "Mildred Pierce."  Be sure to watch HBO's new version of "Mildred Pierce" with Kate Winslet airing Sunday March 27th.  This mini-series depicts the era, clothes and background painted in The Maybelline Story.  I'm sure if you watch the series and read the book at the same time you'll see The Maybelline Story come alive.

Hedy Lamarr

Hedy Lamarr was an Austrian-American actress. Though known primarily for her extraordinary beauty and her celebrity in a film career as a major contract star of MGM's "Golden Age.  She had a seductive look in her eye that appealed to Tom Lyle, because she targeted a certain audience of women who sought her sex appeal. 

Maybelline Story - what people are saying about it today!

I will continue to bring you more exciting excerpts from my book, as well as vintage Maybelline ads, family pictures throughout the decades, car stories and videos from future Concourse d'Elegance, "Nana's beauty secrets,"  excerpts from letters - and family history going back to the 16th century. 

My blog is not just to sell my book, which of course I hope to do, but, it is also for entertainment.  I plan to publish it after a year of posting and offer it as a coffee table book - since it can be opened at any point - and fascinate the reader with fun trivia and beautiful pictures.  But for now, here are some of the reviews over the last six months.  So far everyone, including book clubs, love it.  I hope you read my book and if you have any questions about the characters or the story, please email me at maybellinebook@gmail.com or leave a comment under my post for the day.  Thank you to the 11,267 people who have checked into blog to date.    Sharrie Williams

This story is fascinating from beginning to end. It covers multiple generations of a family that came to Hollywood to share a beauty discovery that changed the industry, and offers the reader a first-hand glimpse into the ups and downs of a world based on appearance, ambition and competition to reach and stay on top. The photos provide unique shots of some of the lead characters. The book concludes with valuable insight on how to live with fame and fortune and still retain individual spirit and character. Definitely worth the read.

This is the most interesting book I've read in a long time. It's all about the Maybelline family along with it's founder Tom Lyle. You come to know the Maybelline family and fall in love with some of them, despise some of them, and just feel for others. I couldn't put the book down once I started it. It's a love story and a mystery. You don't want to miss this one. I feel there will definitely be a movie coming soon!!!!!

Sharrie Williams tells it all in this efficient, fast paced ride through the 20 century. The reader feels like they're getting an inside view of her life within the Maybelline Family. This is a never before been told story about a private man, Tom Lyle Williams the founder of the Maybelline company and his wild and crazy family. The Maybelline Company provides a powerful background as the characters play out their drama center stage. My only complaint is I wanted more more more and was bumbed it ended. I hope Sharrie Williams comes out with part two and brings us up to date with her unbelievable family. If she never told her story it would have been lost for ever, an American institution now owned by L'Oreal Paris. You will be shocked by the ending.

...This is amazing for your first, and I hope not your last, memoir. I've read this book a couple of times and enjoyed it more with each read. It is a peek at a way of life many of us can only imagine. The book was written so well, so descriptive, that I could picture Tom Lyle and the rest of his devoted family.  I hope Ms Williams writes a sequel...would be interesting to know about the generations that came after. I would also love to see this novel become a movie.  Now that I know this story I feel a deeper connection to my Maybelline mascara!! Great back story for the brand and a fun read!! Great gift book.  Hands down the best memoir I read.

This was a wonderful treat in so many ways...strong characters, romance, mystery, glamour. An inspiring story of 'making it in America' that you just can't put down. I looked forward to curling up with this book and was sad when it ended. I hope the author, Sharrie Williams, fills us in with another book soon! And I can't wait to see this book made into a movie!

Maybelline Family cruising down the highway in Dad's 1961 Limo.



Georgia, Sharrie eating an apple and Preston at Casa Guillermo, Palm Springs California, 1982.


One of the most fun car's in my dad's collection was his 1961 Limousine - he said had belonged to President Ford - a Palm Springs resident himself.  The Limo had places to put two little American Flags on the hood and on Memorial Day and the 4th of July Dad had the flags flying, while he sped down the highway, if only to go to the market. 

 One of my best memories was going to the drive-in with the whole family including my 5 month old baby daughter in her car seat.  Dad put red roses from his garden in the little etched vases that were attached to the inside of the car in the back seat,  He liked the smell he said and of course red was Maybelline's colors.  I felt like we were Vampires cruising low in the night, quietly slipping into a slot next to other cars, who did double takes at the big old Limo packed with the family.  Dad always brought his martini shaker and a glass to watch the picture in style, while my baby girl sucked her bottle, Preston popped open a beer and Gloria my dad's future wife, took goodies out of a picnic basket.  We all liked to talk a lot, so more gabbing and laughing went on then picture watching, but I have to say it was more fun being in that Limo, up close and personal with my dad and family than any nightclub in town with a hot date.  Family was everything to us and still is.


When my sister Billee got married in 1998 Dad detailed the Limo inside and out and drove the "out of town family," to my house for a cocktail party before the rehearsal dinner.   He was always a kick and kept everyone in stitches with is hysterical antics.

Dad the Limo driver getting ready to pick up his guests and drive them to my home for cocktails.

My dad, Bill Williams, Father of the Bride looking like a million bucks as always in his Tux.

My Cousin Chuck, the "car-guy" in the family today, with me to the right and Billee's bridesmaids getting in the car.

Beautiful Birde, Billee Williams Keller and her new husband Dr. Steven Keller, on the way to their reception in Newport Beach.

Cousin Chuck at the wheel with me by his side. What's playing on the stereo?  The Beach Boy's of course - singing "Wouldn't it be Nice."    -  Click here to listen to whats playing while we cruise in the Limo down Pacific Coast Hwy with the sun glistening off the Pacific Ocean.

The day the limo was sold at the estate-sale in 2004, along with all of dad's incredible car's, was a sad day indeed.  But for over 35 years at Casa Guillermo, we made the most fun memories and had the time of our lives in Daddy's Cars.

The Beach Boy's said it best, "and we'll have fun fun fun till Daddy takes the T-Bird away!!"

Click to here The Beach Boy's sing Fun Fun Fun.

Maybelline Car-Guy, Bill Williams with a couple of jealous mistresses.

Ever since my great uncle Tom Lyle Williams, founder of the Maybelline Company gave my dad his first car for Christmas when he was 15, beautiful automobiles became a jealous mistress, constantly begging to be upgraded to more expensive models.  My dad Bill Williams and his cousin, Bill Stroh who went on to become a well known race car driver in Chicago in the 1960's, continued to collect and drive the most amazing cars ever.  Here is a picture of Bill Williams and Bill Stroh with Bill Stroh's car in 1944  about to take a Cruise to the Malibu beach before Bill Williams takes off for boot camp.

Bill Williams and Bill Stroh, 1945.

 Two cousins changing a tire while my mother Pauline
Mac Donald waits on the side of the road.

.                                                                                                     Here are my parents Bill and Pauline with my little sister Donna and Me standing in front of our 1949 midnight blue Cadillac with white convertible top, white leather interior and big fat white-wall tires.  My dad had gone out for a beer and came home with this beauty.  I remember him pulling into our driveway honking the horn as we all ran out screaming while he smiled ear to ear with his arm hanging out the window.  We all piled into the Cad and cruised the beach at sunset.  This was the California Dream for a couple of 29 year old kids with their two little girls in the back seat.

Tomorrow I will post another story of "Bill the Car-Guy Williams" and his mad love affair with beautiful automobiles.

Maybelline heir Preston Williams lll takes wild ride in his dad's XKE-V12

Preston Williams lll remembers taking a joy ride in his dad's XKE.

Dads 1971 Jag XKE V12, was quite fast.  I remember doing one of those joy rides, unbeknownst to Dad, who was at the condo in Newport Beach.  Tom and I had just driven out of the gates of Casa de Guillermo, turned right on to Patencio Road and then pulled onto the dirt shoulder side of the road, to test it's pony's.  I threw it into low drive and punched it!  It starting spinning it's wheels throwing dirt and all of a sudden grabbed a rock or something and jerked to the left.  The car did a complete 360 circle.  The long front end swung around like the hand of a clock and we both saw the wall next to us coming closer and closer as the front end swung around. Thank God the car missed it by the hair of my chiney chin chin, but needless to say that pretty much ended our fun for the day, as we both we freaked out after that!, But tomorrow would come and I am sure we got into something else because I knew where the keys to all the cars were so when dad left.....it was always an adventure!  
Written by William Preston Williams lll

Author Sharrie Willliams with her brother Preston.

Read more about Bill's son Preston and his roller coaster childhood in Newport Beach and Palm Springs in The Maybelline Story.

Maybelline heir Bill Williams fleet of classic car's inspired by his uncle Tom Lyle.

 

This post was written by my brother William Preston Williams lll.

Check out this beauty, this is what Dad sold at the estate sale for $11,000.00
Except it was white on red, white paint, and red leather, and full white-wall tires
1965 Lincoln Continental, Suicide door's
 


Or this beauty, 1956 TBird, sold at the estate sale for $20,000.00
black on black w/ hard top and soft top, and 30 coats Lacquered paint
 

This is the exact Car that Dad sold to the Doctor at the condo for $10,000,  a 1958 Jaguar Mk IIII, but it had white-walls, always he had a thing about white-wall tires and it had red interior, another beautiful example of Dad's Style.  These would be fun to have, to represent dad's collection

 

This was the exact car that Dad bought Billee for her 18th Birthday, a 1955 Austin Healey, but it had the reverse color scheme, white with red trim, and red Interior.
Again just an example of the classic style that Dad loved so much, but he gave it back,
as a classic English car was just not dependable for a young girl.

And who could forget this Bad Girl the 1969 Shelby GT-500 convertible, another choice ride from Dad's Past.  The man had good Taste, in cars.
 

This is series 1 Proto type and was Alain' Clenet's car, according to Steve Kouracos this is the car that Alain' drove up to Bob Fooses office, where Steve was an apprentice painter, and Alain asked Steve if he'd  like to be the head painter in a new car company, Clenet Coachworks of Santa Barbara.

Bill Williams grew up in West Los Angeles and spent his youth at the Villa Valentino with his uncle Tom Lyle Williams, founder of the Maybelline Company.  As a boy he was surrounded by the sumptuous beauty of Tom Lyle's lifestyle including his love for beautiful automobiles.  Once the Maybelline company sold in 1968, Bill had the means to live his dream and collected a fleet of classic cars.  He bought an estate in Palm Springs with 6 garages and plenty of spaces around the two acre's to house the 12 automobiles he collected until his death in 2006.  The last remaining car at his death was his favorite, a 1977 Clenet series 1.  He said it reminded him of the cars his uncle Tom Lyle drove in the 1930's and the Clenet was just fun to drive around town with the top down.  My brother Preston, was only a boy at the time and watched as his father's collection continue to grow.  He has many funny stories about his life at Casa de Guillermo when he took the key's to his dad's cars when he was out of town and quite a few close calls. I will be posting one tomorrow.

William Preston Williams lll in his Dad's Clenet at the Concourse.  Preston was 17 the day his father drove it through the gates of Casa Guillermo in Palm Springs California in 1977 and spent every weekend washing and polishing it with his dad while Frank Sinatra blasted from the speakers inside and out the house. 

Maybelline Story Media tour from Hollywood to Manhattan Beach to Desert Classic.

Several events last week kept me running around Southern California at record pace.  Thank you to all who showed up in Hollywood to hear me speak about The Maybelline Story and show Vintage Ads and pictures.  I learned just how much my audience loved nostalgic photographs of old Hollywood and am considering doing a one woman show in the near future.  The romance of vintage Hollywood is a lost art today and one that is sadly missed.

If you love the excitement of West Hollywood, with it's Comedy Store, Whisky A Go Go and Cinerama Dome as, well as coffee houses on every corner filled with interesting people you will love Book Soup.

Set in the midst of all the action, Book Soup offered the perfect venue for my Hollywood debut.  I was thrilled with the diversified group of beautiful people curious to hear  never before told stories from a romantic era in Hollywood that no longer exists.   I think a stunning piece of nostalgic history would be well received today and maybe it's time I take my act on the road and show what it was like when there was still a bit of romantic imagination left in the world. 

The next evening found me sitting in an ultra cozy little book store in Manhattan Beach called Pages a Book Store, surrounded by some of the best books about Hollywood out there today.  The Maybelline Story fit well in a coastal book store because a good portion of the story takes place in beach communities along Southern California's gold coast, including;  San Clemente, Laguna Beach, Newport Beach and Santa Monica.  I gave an intimate discussion about the Maybelline Company's birth and rise to glory as well as the aftermath of inheriting overnight millions and the tragedies that ensued.  All in all I came away with a warm feeling of gratitude for surviving it all and now able to share my story with others.

 Here I am at Pages with a couple of readers enjoying some of the wonderful pictures in the Maybelline Story.

Book Soup and Pages was a heartfelt experience but my two day event at the Concourse d'Elegance took the cake!  My siblings and I showed our fathers 1977 Clenet "Series One," at the Desert Classic where Alain Clenet the designer and owner of Clenet Coachworks of Santa Barbara, was present to sign the car while a camera crew taped him being interviewed.  It touched our hearts to hear Alain Clenet tell stories about out father and # 13 out of 250 original first edition Clenet's,  from over 30 years ago.  I was also interviewed and will post the video next month when it is officially ready to be aired.  But for now here are a few pictures of Bill the Clenet at it's debut after being in storage for 5 years.  Bill won second place in the neoclassic category.

Here I am with my sister Donna Williams at the wheel, at the Concourse d'Elegance.

My Sister Billee Williams taking a break while sitting on her daddy's car.

Bill The Clenet going through the Judges Stand with Steve Kouracous at the wheel and Donna in the passenger seat.

Here I am on the left with my brother Preston holding Bills silver cup for second place in the neoclassic category with Billee and Donna.  Now we shoot for first place at the Santa Barbara Concourse Oct 30TH!

Preston Williams, Alain Clenet, Steve Kouracos,  (who fabricated the car 33 years ago and made this spectacular event possible,) and Donna and Sharrie Williams .

Alain Clenet's signature on Bill The Clenet.

Tomorrow I will post some of the action on video we took during the signing of the car by Alain Clenet as well as some more fun pictures of the event.  I ended my 8 day media tour with a book club luncheon in my honor yesterday in Paradise Valley Arizona, at a lovely home where 18 ladies came to hear more inside stores about the book they all seemed to love love love!  Stay tuned this week for more posts and pictures I'm sure will be most interesting as well as fun to see.

Video of Clenet in the winner circle with driver, Steve Kouracos and owner, Donna Williams - click to view
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rGfV1V8eVXE