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reprint from Woman's Own magazine; December 7, 1950 issue




MY WONDERFUL HUSBAND

by Linda Christian

He loves making other people happy, collecting antiques and wearing casual clothes. His hobby is flying, he's the life and soul of a party, yet loves quiet evenings at home.

CYNICS say that when you've only been married nineteen months, it's easy to think your husband is wonderful."When you've been married nineteen years you'll change your mind or your husband," they say.

My reply is simply this, that I shall consider Tyrone wonderful when we celebrate our golden wedding. When you choose a partner for life, you should remember above all else, that glamour, romance and the ecstasy of the first few months of being in love fades. The stardust the world has been sprinkled with dies away, the angel choirs stop singing, you then have to get down to the job of living with a person.

Any sensible woman knows that marriages are made in Heaven and ruined on earth, at least when two people stop thinking that their partner is wonderful.

It's so easy when the glamour has died away, to find a hundred, even a thousand small faults you had never noticed in a person before. And because there's no glitter from the stars to hide behind them, they become much bigger than they are, then disintegration sets in.

Because I have been reasonably sensible about these things, I know the faults which Tyrone has, but I still think he's wonderful.

I first met Tyrone when he was in Rome. I was traveling there to meet my father, who was coming back from a business trip; my sister and I were meeting him half way.

My first impression was one of almost complete disinterest. I didn't really take a terrific amount of notice, but when he asked me out to dinner, I somehow couldn't refuse, and from there on I began to like him more.

His sense of humor
The first think I liked in him was his sense of humor. He could always see the funny side of everything. We would have wonderful times together, enjoying the little things in life, like walks in the country and visits to art exhibitions, and Tyrone would always be able to see the amusing side of situations.

Like the time I had an important appointment and I laddered my stocking just beforehand.

I had to tear halfway across the city to get them changed. I was furious. Tyrone just laughed.

Now we are married, I have found many things about my husband which made me appreciate him more.

For instance, at first he wasn't interested in clothes, which I must confess are a grand passion in my life.

I would buy a new dress or coat and parade in front of him for inspection. He would raise his head from a book or magazine he happened to be reading and say, "Very nice, rather like that other black suit you had," and return to his reading.

But now he has realized that with me clothes and fashion are one of my hobbies; so he takes a great interest in them. He will even come with me to dress shows and help me choose a gown or coat.

When I was expecting my first baby (which I unfortunately lost), he was most interested in the clothes I wore, and he even made suggestions for colors and fabrics.

I consider that one of his most charming characteristics. He does try to take an interest in things which, although fundamentally they have nothing at all to do with him, at least bring happiness to other people.

That is one of Tyrone's strong points; he loves seeing other people happy.

Never refuses an autograph
I HAVE never known him once refuse an autograph, even when terribly tired and worn out after a long day filming or at the theatre. He will always stop and sign his name for the young people waiting outside.

"After all," he says, "it makes them happy, and that is a good enough reward for me."

Although my interest in clothes is great, Tyrone, I'm sorry to confess, is much happier in an open-necked shirt and casual slacks.

I personally adore to see him in evening dress, and I have some photographs taken of him when he was in the Marines. He looked wonderful in uniform.

Because he knows that I like to see him in more formal clothes, he even condescends to dress up in lounge suit and tie just to please me; that's enough to make me think any man is wonderful.

We are fortunate enough to have a great many things in common. We both love art and music, and collecting antiques.

When Tyrone can get away from the theatre or film studio, we like to get out into the country and look around small antique shops to see what we can pick up in the way of curios. These things will become part of our future together, and they are the things about which we can always say, "We bought that in so and so," and be happy with memories.

Tyrone has a wonderful habit of springing surprises, which I really do appreciate.

Perhaps it's only a little thing, a small print he's found in an out of the way shop, or a tiny statue, or a record of a particular piece of music we both like.

These unexpected presents always make me feel 'remembered'. I know that, although he may be working on a film, surrounded by hundreds of glamorous women and demanding executives, he has remembered me, and that makes me think he is a wonderful husband.

"Puss," he will say suddenly (our nickname from the first meeting), "let's go out to a small cafe and eat large plates of our favorite food."

And without any further trouble we are heading for some small and intimate restaurant and eating alone. That's the kind of spontaneity which I like in a man, and Ty has lots of it. He always likes to do things on the spur of the moment.

"Let's have some people in for a party," he will say suddenly, and so we get on the telephone and ring our friends, and they come along to a buffet supper.

Ty in company is wonderful; he has amazing and rare knack of making everyone feel at home. The dullest person in the room can become quite important when Ty's around, because he has that genuine charm and personality that makes them feel wanted.

That's another quality which makes me glad I married the man.

Although we love to have our home invaded by friends, at times we prefer to be left alone. We sit and talk and play records, and quite often read plays aloud to each other.

Because I was educated in various countries, I am fortunate enough to be able to speak six languages.

This overwhelms Ty at times, and he frequently asks me to teach him one of the languages I speak. So we sit in our flat away from everyone, and Ty struggles through Spanish verbs and phrases in order that he can flatter me by being able to converse in some of these foreign tongues.

Flattery, yes, but every woman likes to be flattered. Tyrone will only flatter me when he thinks I deserve it, and only praise me when he thinks I've earned it.

I adore his 'boyishness'
There is an incredible sense of - I don't quite know how to describe it - shall we say, 'boyishness' about Tyrone, which I adore.

For instance, he loves flying his airplane, and he gets a terrific thrill out of it. Although I can't fly, I go along as navigator, for I do have a good sense of direction, and he has taught me to follow the maps.

Tyrone would like me to learn to fly.

Many men would just regard me as a mere woman who couldn't possibly understand the intricate and involved business of 'mechanics', but not Ty; he has spent hours trying to explain the simple and elementary facts of flying. And that is some compliment from a man who is as busy as my husband.

My great interest is painting, and quite often Ty will sit reading a new play or film script, and acting as my model while I make quick sketches.

He has never once been bored with it or dismissed it as unimportant. He knows that to me it is an essential part of recreation, and because of that does not belittle it.

We spend a lot of our time together discussing the future.

We both have one great ambition and that is to have children.

He'll make a wonderful father
I KNOW in my heart of hearts that Tyrone will make a wonderful father.

I shall probably make a new film this coming year, and I hope my husband will be able to help me.

For the thing I admire most in Ty is his ability as an actor. When I consider how varied his many roles have been, from the matador in "Blood and Sand" to the hard-hitting naval officer in "Mr. Roberts" (stage play), I realize that he can teach me a lot about the acting profession

I know that he will do everything he can to help me, because Ty is like that.

He has never refused to help anyone he thought had ability, because above all else, it's one of the things he admires.

(Incidentally, my ability according to his way of thinking lies in making coffee; he thinks my coffee is some of the best he's ever tasted.)

When I have made the film, I would like to settle down and have some children, and Ty will go on with his film career.

"But darling," someone said to me, "don't you want to be a really wonderful actress, too?"

Well, do I? I don't know. I only know that I'm married to a man I consider one of the most wonderful artists, and that's plenty to cope with.

As one very young fan of Ty's said, "You are the kind of man I'd like to marry, Mr. Power, but, gee, I'd be awfully jealous about a wonderful guy like you. I'd never let you out of my site."

Frankly, I don't ever want to let him out of my sight for many years to come, not because I'm jealous, but I know a wonderful guy when I see one.