Prolific Person of the Week:

William Haines 

"Here's something I want to get off my chest..."

Charles William "Billy" Haines (January 2, 1900-December 26, 1973) was an American film actor and interior designer--known professionally as William Haines. 

He was born in Stauton, Virginia, the third child of cigar maker George Haines and Laura Haines. His two elder siblings died in infancy. Four younger siblings followed William in quick succession. He was baptized Episcopalian at the age of eight, and began singing in the choir. 

Haines ran away from home at the age of fourteen accompanied by an unidentified young man that he referred to as his boyfriend. The pair moved first to Richmond, and then to Hopewell--and here they took up a number of odd jobs, including opening a dance-hall and brothel. Despite starting to make a decent living with his significant other, Haines' parents were frantic over his disappearance and had managed to track him down a year later. Instead of returning home with his parents, Haines stayed in Hopewell, and sent money home in order to assist his family. 

At the end of 1915, a fire destroyed most of Hopewell, and Haines then decided to move to New York--it is unclear whether his boyfriend accompanied him.

The following years were plagued with difficulty for Haine's family. In 1916, William's father's business went bankrupt, causing George Haines to have a mental breakdown. William returned home in 1917, and remained until his family got back on their feet sometime around 1919. It was at this point Haines returned to New York City, and settled in the gay-friendly Greenwich Village. 

William worked a variety of jobs, as a shop assistant and model, and was at one point a kept man of an older woman. 

He was spotted by talent scout Bijou Fernandez, and MGM signed him to a $40 a week contract. He traveled to Hollywood with fellow newly-discovered star, Eleanor Boardman. 

Once in Hollywood, Haine's career began slowly. His first significant role was in Three Wise Fools (1923), for which he attracted positive critical attention. It wasn't until he was loaned out to Fox Studios in 1923 that his star began to rise. He scored a number of high-profiled roles in romantic pictures, and started to develop an image of a hero. 

In 1926, William met James "Jimmie" Shields, who was possibly working at a "pick up". William convinced Shields to move with him to Los Angeles, and the pair were soon living together. They would remain life-long committed partners. 

 Haine's success as an actor continued, scoring him a string of romantic films starring Mary Pickford, Vola Vale, and Marion Davies.
In 1933, at the height of his career, Haines and Shields' relationship was discovered by studio head Louis B. Mayer. Mayer delivered an unfaltering ultimatum: for Haines to choose between a 'lavender marriage', or his relationship with Shields. Haines chose Shields, and his contract with the studio was promptly terminated.
Although Haines expected to be disregarded by his actor and studio friends, the majority of them supported his decision. He was even still offered roles by renegade directors working against Mayer's authority, but after two more films at discreet studio, Haines chose not to return to acting.
Haines and Shields joined forces to create a successful interior design and antiques business. Among their clients and friends were Joan Crawford, Gloria Swanson, Carole Lombard, Marion Davies, and George Cukor. Haines and Shields were living a happy, successful life when another bout of chaos threatened to tear them apart. 

In 1936, Haines and Shields' home was broken into by a group of white supremacists while they were home. The two men were dragged out into their yard, beaten, and yelled at with homophobic slurs. The incident was prompted by an unfounded accusation against the two men on the grounds of molesting a little boy.
After the incident, the men moved to the quiet neighborhood of Brentwood in the Hollywood Hills, and picked up the pieces. Their business continued to thrive until their retirement in the early 1970s. Their list of famous clients included President Reagan, and his wife Nancy.
Haines and Shields remained happily together until Haines' death after a struggle with lung cancer, on December 26, 1973. Shields, broken-hearted over the loss of his love, committed suicide not long after.
Joan Crawford, at the double memorial for the two men, them as "the happiest married couple in Hollywood".
William Haines Designs remains in operation, with main offices in West Hollywood, and showrooms in New York, Denver, and Dallas.