Madeleine Carroll's "Health and Beauty Talks"
In January 1931, a syndicated column purported to be written by actress Madeleine Carroll began appearing a number of British local newspapers, usually under the title "Health and Beauty Talks".
The column was used to impart a wide variety of tips for female readers and encouraged women to write to Carroll for personal advice.
At the start of the 1930s, Carroll was already a popular film star and the column would have ensured her name remained in the public eye, particularly with the female British cinema-going audience.
A year prior to her first column appearing, Madeleine Carroll won a court action against Athletic Publications Limited and Globe Rotary Press Limited after they published an article titled "How Do You Carry Yourself?" in the November 1929 edition of Health and Strength which falsely claimed to have been written by Carroll.[1] Interest in the case may have led to the creation of the "Health and Beauty Talks".
The Hull Daily Mail published the following piece prior to the very first column:[2]
Famous Actress Tells How to be Beautiful
An article making a special appeal to women will appear in the MAIL to-morrow.
It will be from the pen of Miss Madeleine Carroll, who as announced in the MAIL last week, will contribute each week a specially written article on health and beauty.
Few women have a better claim to knowledge of beauty matters than Miss Carroll, who in a short time has reached the front ranks of filmdom.
In addition to her articles Miss Carroll will give private advice by post to any woman reader of the HULL DAILY MAIL about personal problems concerning health and beauty, and letters should be addressed to her c/o The Editor, HULL DAILY MAIL.
At present, it is uncertain if Carroll herself wrote the columns or if they were ghost-written. However, nearly all of the columns contain various studio-style publicity stills of the actress.
The articles ran nearly continuously until the end of 1932 and then only appeared very sporadically in 1933, by which time Carroll was being courted by Hollywood.
Articles
The following is an attempt to index the articles.
The date given is of that of the first found appearance of the article. The article's headline occasionally varied across the newspapers it was printed it — in these instances, the most representative headline is listed.
Articles have been located in the following British newspapers:[3]
- Cheltenham Chronicle
- Derby Daily Telegraph
- Gloucester Citizen
- Gloucestershire Echo
- Hull Daily Mail
- Lincolnshire Echo
January 1931
- 9th — My Beauty and Good Health Secrets
- 13th — What Every Woman Should Know: The Road to Good Looks
- 20th — Art and the Use of Cosmetics
- 27th — If You Want to be Slim
February 1931
- 3rd — Baths that Befriend Beauty
- 10th — The Little Things That Matter
- 17th — Poise is an Asset You Can Acquire
- 24th — A Pretty Head for You
March 1931
- 3rd — Housewives Need Not Loose Their Looks
- 10th — Dips Into My Letter Bag
- 17th — Take Care of Your Hands
- 24th — Let Your Eyes Tell Their Own Story
April 1931
- 7th — The Sporting Way to Health and Beauty
- 14th — Your Nature Revealed By a Smile
- 21st — How to Look One's Best
- 28th — Don't Miss Your Beauty Sleep
May 1931
- 5th — Golden Rules for Fitness
- 12th — Freckles and Other Summer Blemishes
- 19th — My Fresh Air Cure for Dull Hair
- 26th — Teeth — Every Woman's Pearls
June 1931
- 2nd — Manners Maketh Women
- 9th — Magic Boxes to Take on Your Holiday
- 16th — Charm of a Gentle Voice
- 23rd — Mirrors of Personality
- 30th — Motoring Wisdom for the Holiday Tour
July 1931
- 7th — Beauty in a Hurry
- 14th — Fighting Summer Beauty Woes
- 21st — Take Care of Your Feet
- 28th — Be Yourself
August 1931
n.b. Carroll married Captain Philip Astley at Varenna, Lake Como, Italy, on 26th August.
- 4th — Keep Cool in the Heat
- 11th — Yourself and Your Mirror
- 18th — Store Up Your Energy
- 25th — What Readers Want to Know
September 1931
- 1st — When a Woman's Charm is Waning
- 8th — Beauty From the Garden
- 15th — The Right Way to Choose Clothes
- 22nd — "Looks" and the "Right" Figure
- 29th — Well-Groomed Women
October 1931
- 6th — Let Your Hat Enhance Your Looks
- 14th — Protect Your Looks During Winter
- 20th — Getting Ready for the Dance
- 27th — Solving Two Winter Problems
November 1931
- 3rd — Common Sense and Shoes
- 10th — Care of Hands and Ankles
- 17th — Daily Attentions that Matter
- 24th — You Can Have Attractive Arms
December 1931
- 1st — Don't be a Fireside Fan
- 8th — Can You Create a Good Impression?
- 15th — Christmas Shopping Trials
- 22nd — Make the Most of Your Holiday
- 29th — Review Your Faults
January 1932
- 5th — The Right Way to Keep Warm
- 12th — Keep Your Eyes Bright and Sparkling
- 19th — Smiles Do Not Always Please
- 21st — Life is Full of Pretence
- 26th — Can You Improve Your Looks?
February 1932
- 2nd — Study Your Hands and Feet
- 9th — These Are Days of Grace
- 16th — Cultivate Your Conversation
- 23rd — Clothes and Colours to Suit You
March 1932
- 1st — Details that Make Perfection
- 8th — Marriage... or a Career... What Not Have Both?
- 15th — Maxims that Have Ruled My Life
- 23rd — Off for the Easter Holiday!
- 29th — Getting Out of the Hurry Habit
April 1932
- 5th — Need Married Women Lose Their Looks?
- 12th — Do Women Dress to Please Men?
- 19th — Manners Maketh the Woman
- 26th — Does Intelligence Kill Charm?
May 1932
- 3rd — Dress and the Housewife
- 10th — Getting in Trim for Summer Sport
- 17th — Are You Tired of Being Ordinary?
- 24th — June Roses and Cream
- 31st — Cool Thoughts for Hot Days
June 1932
- 7th — Clothes and the Summer Sports Girl
- 14th — Little Attentions of Every Day
- 21st — When Beauty Goes to Bed
- 28th — Don't be a Sleeping Beauty
July 1932
- 5th — Look Below the Chin Line
- 12th — Don't be a Slave of Fashion
- 19th — How to a Take a Holiday
- 26th — Don't Worry
August 1932
- 1st — Choosing Jewels to Suit Your Style
- 9th — Advice for Blondes on Holiday
- 16th — Happy Feet on Holiday
- 23th — Praise that Pays in Beauty
September 1932
- 6th — Make the Most of Vitality
- 13th — Madam, Pray by Seated!
- 20th — Autumn Tints in Clothes and Cosmetics
- 27th — Beauty in the Bud
October 1932
- 8th — Winter Clothes Are So Becoming
- 11th — Make Fashion Serve You
- 18th — If You Are an "In-Between"
- 25th — Wise Women Make Good Husbands
November 1932
- 1st — Don't Be Too Thin
- 8th — Turning Your Back to Beauty
- 15th — Common Sense Spells Happiness
- 22nd — Beauty Hints for the Winter
- 29th — Keep Your Eyes Bright
December 1932
- 6th — Don't Be Afraid to Smile
- 13th — Perfume that Reveals a Woman's Personality
- 20th — Be Your Best for Christmas
- 27th — If You Want to Have Charm
March 1933
- 25th — Prepare for Spring
April 1933
August 1933
- 14th — Looks and the Woman
- 28th — Why Some Women are Always Wallflowers
