Conservatives have been dealing with the horrors of "incivility" in the good old U.S. of A. for a long time. It's an American tradition to refuse service to fascists and their enablers. From a December 1, 1938 United Press article:
Studios, Cabaret Bar Hitler's Girl Friend
By The United Press
HOLLYWOOD, Dec. 1–Leni Riefenstahl, one of Nazi Germany's foremost motion picture experts and often reported a "girl friend" of Adolf Hitler, left the film capital today after having been snubbed by studios and stars.Her manager, Ernest Jaeger, said she came here from Germany "only for the scenery." That apparently was all she was going to see. One night club had "no accommodations" quote for her party, one studio barred its doors to her, and several others let it be known she was unwelcome.
The German consul, Dr. George [sic] Gyssling, denied he had sought to get her into the studios and had been rebuffed.
One major producer, 20th Century-Fox, said she would be welcomed as any other distinguished visitor – but only if the consulate requested it.
Miss Riefenstahl had been hurt by the anti-Nazi League's full page denunciation in the trade journals. She spent most of two days here denying she was Hitler's "girl friend" or an agent of the Reich.
The "No Welcome" sign was out to her at Universal Studio, which employed her in a role in "S. O. S. Iceberg," filmed in Greenland five years ago.
A spokesman for Warner Bros. said that a request had been made for her to tour its studio and that it had been turned down. Other studios reported that any requests for a tour for her would not be honored.
Phil Selznick, owner of a popular nightclub said he had refused reservations for a party of 12 when he learned that Miss Riefenstahl was to be guest of honor. The anti-Nazi League, whose denunciation of Vittorio Mussolini, son of Il Duce, during a visit two years ago resulted in his being picketed, led the attacks on Miss Riefenstahl.
Riefestahl was probably shut out by Selznick at either Mocambo, Sphinx Club, or maybe Clara Bow's "It" Cafe.
There was one studio who welcomed Riefenstahl:
Walt Disney was the only studio head to receive Riefestahl, giving her a tour of his studio and showing her his sketches for his upcoming "Fantasia." Riefenstahl held a private screening of her latest work, "Olympia," a documentary on the 1936 Olympics.
If you haven't seen it, The Wonderful, Horrible Life of Leni Riefenstahl is really worth a watch. She's undeniably one of the greatest filmmakers in history, though her legacy is overshadowed by the company she kept.
(h/t Farran Nehme) Image: Earthlad
