Glamour, celebrities and Hollywood stars - the great ocean liners which visited Southampton during the 1930s had them all.

This was the golden age of ocean travel when anybody who was anybody could be seen strolling on deck as the ships crisscrossed the Atlantic between Southampton and New York.

Rarely did a liner arrive in Southampton without a famous showbusiness name among the passenger list, which would be eagerly scanned by waiting reporters and photographers on the dockside all keen to be first with the news.

Of all the liners which came and went, probably none equalled the French ship Normandie, arguably the most elegant on the Atlantic.

Unusually Normandie never actually docked in Southampton but anchored off the Isle of Wight, which meant passengers, their luggage and the mail were ferried backwards and forwards between the vessel and port by tenders.

On Monday, July 20, 1936, Normandie arrived in the Solent after a transatlantic crossing, but this time her arrival caused more of a stir than usual.

The Daily Echo, along with all the national newspapers, had sent reporters to record the event as on board was not only the famed actress Marlene Dietrich but a group of other big-named Hollywood stars.

“Mystery, comedy, romance and surprises were present when the French Lines’ Normandie dropped anchor in the sun-kissed Solent this morning,’’ we said at the time.

“They were all provided by film stars.’’

According to the story, “mystery’’ was provided by Marlene Dietrich, who it seems had disappointed her many fans on board the ship by emerging from her stateroom only a few times during the voyage.

We reported: “Marlene was accompanied by her 11-year-old daughter, Marie.

“From the time Marlene made her dash to join the liner in New York she sought secrecy.

“Marlene did appear once or twice, but each time she was the object of so much admiration and interest that she retired quickly to her suite.

“One of her appearances was in the ship’s cinema, and she was surprised when the picture thrown on the screen was her latest, Desire.

“It is stated that someone took a photograph of her seeing her own film, and she was not pleased.’’

SS Normandie (Image: Echo) “Romance’’ came in the form of Bert Wheeler, part of the then-famous American comedy team of Wheeler and Woolsey.

“A pretty blonde with a smart little green hat and charming smile hung on to his arm when Bert left the ship to board the tender," we said.

“This is my fiancée, Miss Sally Haines, and we are going to get married next year,’’ said Bert, who partnered Robert Woolsey both on Broadway and in a series of highly popular films.

One showbusiness history book says: “Curly-haired Bert Wheeler played the ever-smiling innocent, who was not very bright and easily led, but who would also sometimes display a stubborn streak of conscience.

“Bespectacled Robert Woolsey, usually smoking a cigar, played the genially leering, fast-talking idea man that often got the pair in trouble.’’

Also on board was Edward Everett Horton, who at the time was known as America’s “Prince of Comedy’’.

We said: “There was something new about him – he had grown a moustache!"

“I have come over to play in The Man in the Mirror and I thought maybe the film director might like me to have a little moustache”, he said.

This particular passenger list also included the renowned musician and composer Irving Berlin.

“Do you remember Alexander’s Ragtime Band or better still, Top Hat and Follow the Fleet? we asked.

“Well, the man who wrote them, and who has been writing musical scores for a quarter of a century, was on board – Irving Berlin.

“It is his first visit to England since 1932 and he is to stay in this country for ten days before he leaves with his wife for a continental holiday, following the completion of the score for the new film, On the Avenue.’’

However, there was also one last surprise following the arrival of Normandie.

“Soon after the tender from Southampton had drawn alongside the liner, a speedboat roared across the water,’’ said the Daily Echo.

“On board was Douglas Fairbanks Junior who wanted to pick up a passenger, Irving Asher, one of the Warner Brothers executives.

“But regulations have to be observed even for famous film stars, and Mr Asher had to remain on board the tender until it reached the quayside.’’