Biographers once portrayed him as staid and reticent. A fictional gentlemen's club, the Senior Conservative Club is staid and old-fashioned. However, the hotel's reputation at this time was "staid rather than ritzy". Born in Boston, Burgess was "raised among staid, conservative New England gentry". In painting, Balestra was staid and reactionary. She had great success and was tumultuously acclaimed by the normally staid London audiences. Its initiation rites parodied more staid fraternal orders such as the Freemasons. The Tycoon introduces Sissy to a staid Mohawk named Julian Gitche, whom she later marries. That's a fine start, but the film then marches in staid chronological order. Muntz rejected the then common opinion that used car salesmen should project a staid image. It is revealed that Sue has grown "staid and worn" with Phillotson. Mike Todd has new ideas that will shake the staid world of Hollywood.