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Norma
and Irving chose their home to be at the foot of the Santa Monica
palisades, along the same stretch of shore that boasted the mansions of
Louis Mayer and
Marion Davies. The Thalberg house lacked their ostentation, being
tastefully designed in French provincial style. The house sat on the
sand several yards from the Pacific, but visitors had no sensation of
being close to the ocean. Thalberg slept poorly, and the noise of
the surf was shut out by soundproof walls and double windows.
Because the ocean air was considered bad for his heart condition, the
entire house was air-conditioned by a primitive system that blew air over
cakes of ice. Between the house and the beach was a swimming pool in
which Thalberg never swam.
The
Thalbergs were delighted with their first home, and Norma fulfilled her
promise to Henrietta. Everything possible was done to make Irving's
home life restful. She established no regular dinner hour, realizing
he might feel guilty if he missed it. dinner was ready whenever he
returned from the studio, which was normally after she had finished her
day's work. She mixed him the weak Scotch-and-water which he enjoyed
at the end of the day, and she listened to the problems that faced
him. In a community not noted for marital permanence, it was a good
marriage.
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