The following is my latest extended narrative and timeline that I have crafted into my past life as a young woman who moved from Chicago to Hollywood. – I share this version with you, as it provides a clear example of what’s possible when creating an extended story for a past life that needs some tender loving care and a new timeline.

Chasing The Dream

Sunset Boulevard is where I landed my first real job, just as movie studios were starting to pop up. I found lodgings at a lovely guesthouse owned by Mrs. Summertown, whom I soon affectionately called Auntie Ruth. She was so warm and generous, giving me an extra layer of confidence in this new world.

My pretty room had a cozy sitting area and a large window that let the sun in each day, filling the space with soft golden light. As I walked up and down streets looking for more work, I knew my few hours at the local 5 and 10 store weren’t enough, it was one of my friendly co-workers who suggested trying the studios. I hadn’t considered the studio idea before, and it was Auntie Ruth who remembered that movie people had often stayed at her guesthouse. Thankfully it was these connections that helped me get a proper job at the new Chaplin Studios. Each day, I showed up brimming with enthusiasm to do set dressing and assisting with wardrobe.

My Approach Seem To Worked

Working at the studio with Mr Chaplin was like nothing I had even seen, he was creative, innovative and sometimes difficult. However, I just focused on my role and what I could do to help. My approach seemed to worked well in this creative space, and I loved working with all the other people on set and behind the scenes. One day Mr. Max Factor came to the studio to show Mr. Chaplin his new method; the Colour Harmony principle of “make-up”.

A term still used today, make-up shades were coordinated to complement a women’s natural complexion, eye, and hair colouring. – It was then that Mr. Chaplin asked if I would like to work with Max for a year and come back and train the team. I did my year with Mr. Max Factor and was sent back to the studio. As fate would have it my role had been taken up by another young woman and I was sent bank to Max Factor. However, it wasn’t long before I was asked to join the hair and makeup team at the new Metro Goldwyn Mayer studios.

I often had the opportunity to watch the master of glamour Mr. Max Factor as he worked his magic on stars like Jean Harlow, Greta Garbo, and Bette Davis. But I found my real calling when I was asked to help in the editing suite. I took to it like a duck to water, quickly learning to shape stories from scattered film reels. The editing room felt like an alchemist’s workshop, where raw footage transformed into mesmerizing tales.

My life at the studio was a whirlwind of creativity and glamour. Amid the swirl of activity, a handsome extra named Gordon caught my eye with his vibrant magenta turban. We started dating, and Gordon surprised me with my first real birthday party for my 18th, filling me with sheer delight. The party was a dazzling affair, with music, birthday cake, singing, dancing and champagne.

Dreamy-eyed World Came Crashing Down

But my dreamy-eyed world came crashing down when I realised Gordon had been cozying up to me merely to learn my editing style and skills. When I discover he’d conned his way into taking my editing job I was devastated, embarrassed and became quite ill. Still heartbroken on my return, I was reassigned elsewhere on the lot

I emerged from that experience wounded but determined. I now knew that Hollywood could be a place where dreams and bitter disappointments intermingled. My heart had been scared, but it did heal, and I kept my career as both an editor at MGM and a makeup assistant with Mr. Max Factor himself.

I vowed never again to let a smooth-talker take advantage of me. I was a woman making her own way in this new frontier of movie making and no man was going to get in my way again. I knew I was good at what I did and was confident that I would continue to live my passion and purpose with a healthy dose of self-love.

Passion and Purpose

As the years passed, I became a respected film editor. My keen eye for shaping powerful narratives from raw footage made me an invaluable part of the dream-making machinery. I worked on many iconic films through the tumultuous years of the Great Depression and World War II.

My time with Max Factor proved fortunate. I became an expert in the revolutionary new camera-friendly makeup techniques he pioneered. This allowed me to work closely with all the biggest stars, perfecting their looks on the silver screen. My unique double role straddling editing and makeup made me one of the most versatile artists in the business.

In 1935, I finally opened my heart again and married a kind set designer named James. Our wedding was a magical evening under the stars, with some of Hollywood’s best in attendance. We had two children together, creating my little family at last after those chilly and hungry Chicago days. Though my beloved James passed away too soon in 1948, I carried on, raising my children with the same grit and passion I brought to crafting every film frame.

Over the decades, I helped guide cinema through numerous evolutions—the coming of sound, brilliant Technicolor, widescreen formats, and more. One of my career highlights was making “The Wizard Of Oz”; it was such a turning point for the industry. The creative vision of many I’ve worked with has contributed to countless movies that have moved millions and become a new form of storytelling.

As I entered my golden years in the 1950s, I embraced the innovative new creatives bulding the new Hollywood while trying to impart my hard-earned wisdom from my journey. Though the movie capital had drastically changed since those dizzying early days, the thrill of spinning magic from the costumes, lights and action has never faded.

In 1957, at 54, I peacefully passed away, surrounded by loved ones. My cup runneth over, having spent my life living out my dream within those studio walls. I witnessed from the inside as cinema bloomed from a novelty into a mighty artistic force.

My life’s work helping to craft images that resonated worldwide brought me tremendous pride and a sense of passion that was well rewarded. After all, I was that young dreamer who made it through, I always faced my struggles and a cruel betrayal. Movies became my life, my purpose—all because I took a chance on the new frontier that was Hollywood.

Heart to Heart, Elizabeth