Maybelline's tale of two sisters.

A long time ago, in another time and place, there were two lovely sisters named June and Marilyn Haines - who wrote to lonely servicemen during WW ll.

Never, was there a more romantic time in history, than World War ll.  Young girl's just couldn't help but
be caught up in it and the magic of advertising only fanned the flames of desire, for true love.   





Marlene Dietrich dancing with a Service man at the Hollywood Canteen.


The Hollywood Canteen was a place where young people hooked up, and exchanged address.  Even Movie Stars showed up to dance with out of town Soldiers, Navy men and Marines. 


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Movies made writing Love Letters, the most romantic thing a girl could do, and being a pen pal hinted at the promise of having a guy home to your arms.

June and Marilyn Haines.

So that's how this Love Story began, with two young ladies, doing their patriotic duty.

When June graduated from high school in 1943, she realized there were no eligible young men to be found.  Which sadly meant, no Saturday night dates, no Summer picnics, and definitely no New Years Eve, kisses under the mistletoe.  Being a self reliant girl, she decided the best way to meet a nice man, was to write a lonely soldier overseas and build a friendship.  

Marilyn Haines with her cousin Tony.

Her younger sister, Marilyn knew plenty of boys from high school, but none of them seemed as exciting, or worthy, as her new pen pal, Dick Westhouse.  After all, he'd grown up in an orphanage and obviously needed her!! 

Before long, Marilyn's pen pal letters, turned into love letters, and people began to say, " Marilyn, seem more interested in the mailbox, than anything else in the world."

After the War, Dick Westhouse and Marilyn began dating and talking marriage!

As fate would have it, June never had any luck with her Soldier Boy letters, so Marilyn and Dick, decided to bring their two closest people together, on a blind - double date.  You see, Dick had grown up with John Gary at the Orphanage - and they were best friends....   

when June met

 Sergeant John Gary,

secretary to a General at Fort Sheridan,

 a flame ignited, true love. 

Though Eva and Ches Haines, weren't too thrilled about their 17 year old daughter, marrying Dick Westhouse, right out of High School, they gave them their blessing and a beautiful Wedding as well. 

As for June and John Gary - they dated for a while, before he was sent to Germany and when the long distance romance got old, John returned to the US and they married.

 

By 1955 all the Haines kids were married,  in this picture we see, Jackie and Bob Haines - Dick and Marilyn Westhouse and their two boys - David and Jerry - John and June Gary, with their daughter Cathy, and their mother Eva Williams Haines.

And so the two sisters made their dreams come true!!! They got their Soldier Boys, and lived Happily Ever After..... at least for a while!!!

Tomorrow will continue Maybelline Story, Romance week - as we head towards Valentines Day, Feb 14TH.

Maybelline's Princess Bride.

If there ever was a Princess, so cherished by her betrothed, it was - Annette Louise Williams - The Princess Bride!

Once upon a time a long time ago, there was a sweet little Princes, who's father held a very important position in a land called, Maybelline.  Annette Williams, led a sheltered life, within her family, but when she was old enough, her father offered her a special position as secretary, within the Maybelline world.  Annette, loved her special position, of course, but deep down inside she yearned for her Prince to come and whisk her away.

One day, out of the blue, and much to her surprise, Annette was introduced to a handsome, charming man, wearing a WW ll, Army Air Corps uniform and her heart skipped a beat.  Within a short time Annette was engaged to this wonderful man named, George Corbett, and her family rejoiced!!  Soon the Wedding invitations were sent and the Wedding of the year was planned.

After the fairytale Wedding was over, Annette and George sped off in p The Father of the Brides car - for a long, long, romantic honeymoon.   

The Father of the Bride, Noel James Williams, walks his darling daughter down the isle to her betrothed.  Below Annette Williams, takes a picture at their family home, in Sauganash Illinois,  with her brother Noel A. Williams, sister, Helen Williams-Huber and brother, Dick Williams, before becoming, Annette Williams-Corbett.

George and Annette cut their Wedding cake, while below, the Father and Mother of the Bride, Noel James and Frances Williams, have a moment together, before he makes his toast to the young newlyweds.

An added surprise, The Bride's uncle Ches Haines, honors the young couple by singing several of their favorite love songs.

                 
    And George and Annette lived Happily Ever After!!!!


Stay tuned for more romantic stories from The Maybelline Story and the Spirited Family Dynasty Behind It!!!!!!

Maybelline's Romeo and Juliet.

So there was this boy, named Jim Hughes, and every time Shirley Hewes was with him she felt butterflies...... and just about everything about him, made her smile.

Jim loved Shirley for her sweetness, her smile and the way she believed in his dreams. You see Jim loved the theatre, it was in his blood, he couldn't help it - being born with Movie Star, good looks - the likes of James Dean and Gregory Peck.  All he wanted, was to be recognized for what was inside him, so when he won a scholarship to the Goodman Theatre School in Chicago, Shirley couldn't have been more proud.

Jim quickly rose to the ranks of some of his classmates, who included, Harvey Korman and Tim Conway.  Jim especially loved directing and eventually taught acting at a college, where one of his favorite students was Karen Black.  Now you can see the quality of acting, Jim, possessed.

 
Beautiful, sweet, Shirley, with the eyes of an angel, and the spirit of Juliet herself, met her Romeo, in 1945, when she was 18, and he was 20, fresh out of the Service, during WW11.  It just took one look and Shirley knew - someday they'd be married.

And so they were, in 1947. Jim didn't continue his acting career, instead  was welcomed into Shirley's family's business, De Luxe Mascara, (a branch of the Maybelline Company,)  but, he never gave up the same kind of heart and soul, he'd once put into his acting. 

 

 
Shirley's parents, Mabel and Chet Hewes, (if you've been following the Maybelline Blog, you know that Mabel is Tom Lyle Williams, sister and Maybelline's namesake) loved their son-in-law and appreciated everything he did to help make De Luxe a thriving business. 
 
Today would have been Jim's 87th Birthday, and I know that if he were alive today, he'd want his three girls to know, how proud he is of them, and that they were the greatest joy of his life.



Romeo and Juliet.

Happy Birthday Jim, a true Romeo - who loved his Juliet with all his heart.

Maybelline's Enchanted Maiden.

There once was a little boy named Robert (Williams) Haines, who was so adored, it seemed nearly impossible, he'd ever find a bride acceptable to his doting family

After two adorable daughters, named, June and Marilyn,  Eva and Ches Haines, rang the bells with delight,  announcing the birth of their baby boy.  Bobby was as close to a cherub as any child ever born, and with his curly brown hair, sparkling blue eyes and a sweet disposition, he was like no other. 

Little Bobby, though having two doting sisters, was
all-boy, growing up loving fast cars, cowboys and pretty girls. (Like most every little boy in the family!!)   Bobby's parents encouraged his adventurous nature, believing, someday he'd grow up to be a man they'd be proud of.

And yes, Bobby did grow to be a fine young man, devoted to God, Country and Family, wanting nothing more than to someday find the perfect girl, settle down and raise a family.

Bob, with his sister's June and Marilyn.

So it wasn't that unexpected, when he was bit by the love-bug while a senior in high school.  Enchanted by the most remarkable young Maiden, named Jackie, four years his junior - Bob knew, she was the one!  Jackie was the new girl in school, from out West in Arizona, a cowgirl, really - now living in the big city of Chicago for the first time.  Independent, adventurous - with beautiful blue eyes, and a stunning figure, Bob vowed to follow her to the ends of the earth.  But when her family returned to Arizona in her senior year, Bob's family said, not so fast - she's too young son, you might be making a mistake.  However, they'd raised him to be his own man, and this was the woman he wanted.  So he followed 16 year old Jackie out West - willing to face what ever fate dished out. 

As soon, as 17 year old Jackie graduated from High School, in 1953, she married her sweetheart in Prescott Arizona, and they soon started their own family.  Bob and Jackie were so in love, nothing was going to stop them, no matter what!!

Jackie and Bob Haines, of the left, followed by Dick and Marilyn Haines-Westhouse, John and June Haines-Gary, Eva Williams-Haines.  Below is David and Jerry Westhouse and June and Johns little girl.



Soon the Enchanted Maiden, was part of the Williams-Haines family and over the years gave them 6 grandsons, who grew up to be fine young men, just like their dad. 

Bob and Jackie will celebrate their 59th Wedding Anniversary this year, and as Bob approaches his 80th, Birthday in August, they remain the longest married couple in the entire family.  Now that's a Love Story.

Maybelline's, "Little Prince".

There once was a Little Prince, named Richard Lyle Williams, who came into this world unexpectedly, but who's presence brought untold joy to everyone he touched in his lifetime..... 

Painted by Maria Pace Wynter.

Quote from ‘The Little Prince’:  “A single event can awaken within us a stranger totally unknown to us. To live is to be slowly born."  by author of The Little Prince,  Antoine de Saint-Exupéry

Little Dick Williams parents, Noel J. and Frances Williams were quite surprised when Frances announced she was expecting at 42 years of age.  They were happy of course when their angel arrived and gave him everything a little Prince might expect in his lifetime.



Dick with his cousins, June and Marilyn Haines.



He was so adorable, that all his little girl cousins fawned over him and soon he realized he'd been born with a gift for charming the ladies.  Dick's parents were painfully aware of how special their boy was, and though strict by nature, were incapable of saying no to anything his heart desired.  When Dick discovered his love for wheels, (like most of the boy's in the Williams family,) he received a real motorcycle for his 16th Birthday, and our - James Dean - with movie star good looks was born. 

At 17, Dick was known for his Peter Lawford, charisma, style and cocky wit and was used to getting what ever he wanted, when he wanted it..... But, our Little Prince met his match when he fell in love with the most popular girl in school.  Beautiful, talented, feisty Ann Flynn. 

So like all storybook Romances go, Our Prince and Princess, Dick and Ann Williams, were married in 1955 and lived happily ever after. But that's another story!!!!

So in Dick Williams case, he was surely born with it, and yes, it was Maybelline!!!!

Stay tuned all this week for more fairytale romances, from The Maybelline Story and the Spirited Family Dynasty Behind It...

Maybelline's "Sleeping Beauty.".

A Romantic day dream, is transformed into a magical reality, with Maybelline. 

Every little wallflower, dreams of becoming a Princess someday, according to this 1945 Maybelline ad.

Annette, Noel A. and Helen Williams, 1929.

Once upon a time, there was a little girl named Helen, who dreamed of being a Princess, waiting for her handsome Prince Charming to come along and  sweep her away on his white horse.  

Ten years later, sweet Helen - no longer a portrait of a wall flower - evolved into a Princess, with the most beautiful, Maybelline Eyes. 

 "Maybe she was born with it - Maybe it's Maybelline,"  certainly applied to Helen Williams, who, not only was born into the Maybelline family - (her parents being Noel J. and Frances Williams,) but was as beautiful as any Star in a Maybelline ad. 

So Helen, lived the storybook dream - married her childhood sweetheart, George, aka, "Cook," Huber, had seven children and lived happily ever after.  Here they are at Helen's brother, Noel A. and Jean Williams Wedding, with their son, John, in 1949.

Cook and Helen (Williams,) Huber, looking like Royalty, in a Romantic Novel, at Helen's baby brother, Dick and Ann (Flynn) Williams Wedding, in 1955. 

Stay tuned for Maybelline Romance week, as storybook weddings within the family unfold.

"Two basic elements comprise every romance novel: a central love story and an emotionally - satisfying and optimistic ending."