Movie Memories Magazine

‘MOVIE MEMORIES’
…USA…..1930s….1940s ‘THE GOLDEN AGE’
1950s….1960s…..UK…
SUSAN HAYWARD
ISSUE 67 – SPRING 2010
MOVIE MEMORIES MAGAZINE
HONORARY MEMBERS
DINAH SHERIDAN – DORA BRYAN – DEBBIE REYNOLDS
– ROBERT OSBORNE – MURIEL PAVLOW – PEGGY CUMMINS
GOOGIE WITHERS – BELLA EMBERG – RENEE ASHERSON – ANNE AUBREY – PATRICIA DAINTON – JULIE HARRIS
JANETTE SCOTT – FAITH BROOK – ELAINE SCHREYECK – JOANNA McCALLUM – ANN RUTHERFORD – LIZABETH SCOTT
BERNARD CRIBBINS – SUSANNAH YORK – JEAN KENT – BRYAN FORBES – NANETTE NEWMAN – MICHAEL CRAIG
Whilst welcoming everyone to the first issue of 2010, it is with much regret and sadness to
have to announce the death of one of MVM’s longest serving honorary members – John
McCallum. John, along with his wife of 62 years – the delightful Googie Withers and their
charming eldest daughter Joanna McCallum, helped to thoroughly enthral and entertain
many MVM members at the annual gathering back in September 2007, giving us all an
afternoon to remember for a very long time. On that occasion, John kindly signed my copy of
his excellent book ‘Life With Googie’ which
naturally I will treasure even more now, along
with his thoughtful and most gracious letters
regarding MVM – and the enjoyment each
magazine gave both Googie and himself. Not
only a talented actor of the stage and screen,
John went into the production side of the
business in Australia – especially with the
popular TV series ‘Skippy’ in the 1960s, which I
remember with affection. John and Googie
(pictured here in the 1950s) appeared together
many times on the screen – and more so on the stage in a wide variety of successful
productions spanning some fifty years. I’m sure all MVM members will join me in sending
sincere and heartfelt condolences to Googie, Joanna and all the family, for he will indeed be
sorely missed. I would hereby like to dedicate this edition of ‘Movie Memories’ magazine to
the memory of John McCallum – a truly fine gentleman.
One of the most touching and warm biographies I have read
in recent times is ‘Joan Blondell – A Life Between Takes’
by Matthew Kennedy. Joan (pictured here) was exactly like
her screen image ‘off-camera’; a very warm, loving and
generous lady, always popular with her many friends and
co-workers, despite numerous financial, emotional and
health problems – especially in later life, as she privately
and courageously battled leukaemia which claimed her on
Christmas Day 1979 at the age of 73. I always liked Joan –
in any film – and she worked continuously for fifty years,
making her screen debut in 1930. Of course she will be
affectionately recalled for several Warner Brothers’ Busby
Berkeley musicals of the 1930s in which her peppy, witty,
down-to-earth personality shone through. As she aged, I felt
Joan was allowed to expand her range and she was a
delight in ‘A Tree Grows In Brooklyn’ (1944) in a supporting
role as the worldly Aunt Sissy. This book details her close bonds with her brother and sister
(actress Gloria Blondell) and her children and grandchildren, plus her three marriages,
including her second, to Dick Powell and her last, to the volatile Mike Todd. Never one to
complain, whatever befell her, Joan simply shrugged on got on with things, endearing herself
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to millions along the way. I highly recommend this fine addition to anyone’s film book library –
and it is a long overdue tribute to one of Hollywood’s best loved actresses. (University Press
Of Mississippi, 2007 with 300 pages, well illustrated). Incidentally, from this publisher I have
almost all the other film star biographies in this growing series, which includes so far, Alice
Faye, Dick Haymes, Rosalind Russell, Van Johnson, Zachary Scott and Claudette Colbert
(more of which later).
As usual, I am saddened to have to report the deaths of so many names from the world of
screen and stage lately, including: the
Oscar-winning Hollywood leading lady
Jennifer Jones (90) pictured here in
1943’s ‘The Song Of Bernadette’ (see
page 49); British supporting actor
Garfield Morgan (78) – latterly most
memorable for the popular TV series ‘The
Sweeney’; handsome American actor
Dennis Cole (69); the French film director
and screenwriter Eric Rohmer (89);
British character actress Moyra Fraser
(86) best recalled for playing Judi Dench’s
sister-in-law in TV’s excellent series ‘As
Time Goes By’; Cy Grant (90) a
pioneering black actor of British films and
television; lovely blonde American leading lady Connie Hines (78) forever remembered for
co-starring with Alan Young and the talking horse in the 1960s TV series ‘Mr Ed’ – which I
well remember as a child; the prolific
British character actress and bit part
player Marianne Stone (87) – pictured
here, who amazingly appeared in over
200 films since 1948, including several
of the ‘Carry On’s’ and was long
married to actor/producer Peter Noble
until his death in 1997; pretty blonde
American singer Yvonne King (89)
the last surviving member of the
famous quartet ‘The King Sisters’. The group (real life
sisters) sang with numerous big bands and appeared
in several Hollywood films of the 1940s. While
mentioning musical performers, Al Alberts, a
member of ‘The Four Aces’ has also passed away
aged 87. The Four Aces are well remembered for
their many recordings, especially the theme for
1954’s ‘Three Coins In A Fountain’. British producer,
writer and director Robert S. Baker has died at the
age of 92; popular, dark haired, handsome
Hollywood leading man from the 1950s onwards who
attained even bigger stardom on television, Gene
Barry (90) pictured here. Remember ‘Bat
Masterson’, ‘Our Miss Brooks’, ‘The Name Of The
Game’ and ‘Burke’s Law’ from the 1950s to the 70s?
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The British supporting actor Donald Pickering (76);
talented British dancer and choreographer Wendy
Toye, C.B.E (92) who went on to become one of the
first women directors of stage and screen in Britain;
the lovely Hollywood singing star Kathryn Grayson
(88) shown here with Howard Keel - who co-starred
with her in three films. Under contract to MGM during
its glorious 1940s heyday, I’ll always remember an
emotional Kathryn singing ‘After The Ball’ in the 1951
musical ‘Show Boat’ to her screen Papa, – Joe E.
Brown. Tall, dark and handsome American leading
man Pernell Roberts (pictured below) has died at the
age of 81. Despite appearing in numerous films, he
really made his name in the popular long-running TV
series ‘Bonanza’ in the 1960s (alongside the late Dan
Blocker, Lorne Greene and Michael Landon), before
starring in his own series ‘Trapper John, M.D’ in the
1980s; the diminutive (only 4’3”) American supporting
actress Zelda Rubinstein (76) latterly best recalled for
the ‘Poltergeist’ series of movies; two Hollywood
character actors Val Avery (85) and Dan Barton (88);
minor American actress often in ‘B’ westerns –
Beatrice Gray (98) and veteran Hollywood supporting
actor Arnold Stang (91) also remembered for his many
radio roles and voice characterisations. Last but of
course not least, the British film industry has taken a
severe battering, not only with the aforementioned
death of MVM honorary John McCallum A.O, CBE
(91) but also with the sad loss of Richard Todd OBE
(90), the lovely Jean Simmons a few days before her
81st birthday; Ian Carmichael OBE (89) and Lionel
Jeffries (83). See page 50. These greatly talented
stars have all given us movie buffs an array of
wonderful films over so many years and, like all those
remembered here, they will indeed be sorely missed!
On a brighter note, I was delighted to learn how the two-time Oscar winning star Luise
Rainer recently celebrated her 100th birthday with a wonderful party at London’s Arts Club.
The German born Miss Rainer has resided in London now for many years. One of the
guests, Sir Ian McKellen, reported how “Luise entered the reception for some forty friends on
her daughter’s arm, wearing a gold trouser suit and trademark Juliet cap (shown here), her
smile as enchanting as it was in ‘The Great Ziegfeld’
back in 1936”. Of course everyone knows how Luise
won the Best Actress Oscar for this film – and did the
same thing the following year for ‘The Good Earth’ in
which she portrayed a Chinese woman. Her screen
career petered out just as quickly as it had begun –
after only a handful of other films, which included ‘The
Emperor’s Candlesticks’ (1938), ‘The Toy Wife’
(1938), ‘The Great Waltz’ (1938), ‘Dramatic School’
(1939) and ‘Hostages’ in 1943. She didn’t approve of
the Hollywood lifestyle and studio ‘rules’,
subsequently falling out with studio head Louis B. Mayer – and terminating her contract. After
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a small handful of TV appearances, Luise was lured out of retirement to appear in the 1997
film ‘The Gambler’ – gaining good
notices. Her only child, daughter
Francesca (63) is from her second
marriage to publisher Robert Knittel
(who died in 1989 after 44 years of
marriage).
Her
first
husband
(divorced) was the notable playwright
Clifford Odets. Longevity may be
genetic but Luise Rainer has stayed
young through walking regularly and apparently being genuinely
interested in everyone she meets,
especially the men! Pictured here
with Melvyn Douglas and Robert
Young in ‘The Toy Wife’, I’d just like
to say ‘Congratulations – and Many
Happy Returns, Miss Rainer!’
I was amazed to learn how the famous singing group ‘The Sons Of The Pioneers’ have
recently celebrated their 75th anniversary in the business. The original group was founded in
1934 by an aspiring cowboy singer named Leonard Slye – who would later become ‘King of
the Cowboys’ after changing his name to Roy Rogers! This popular five-man singing group
would eventually go on to appear in countless films, many of them with their founder Roy
Rogers, along with his ‘sidekick’ George ‘Gabby’ Hayes and Roy’s lovely wife and ‘Queen of
the West’ – Dale Evans. Their many hits included ‘Cool Water’, ‘Way Out There’ and
‘Tumbling Tumbleweeds’ to name but three. ‘The Sons Of The Pioneers’ have been giving
75th anniversary concerts in California with much success – so many congratulations are
certainly in order for this evergreen country & western group!
Yet another fascinating and in-depth new biography has joined my bursting-at-the-seams
book shelves, namely ‘Jeff Chandler – A Biography’ by Marilyn Kirk. With over 500 pages
and very well illustrated throughout, I found this book absolutely packed with information on
Jeff’s family background and aspirations
(also included is his complete filmography,
with cast and credits, dates, etc) and at last
we learn why he died so tragically young
whilst in hospital, after much suffering, in
1961 aged only 42. Miss Kirk has certainly
undertaken some thorough research over
many years, gaining quotes along the way
from many of Jeff’s friends and co-stars,
such as Rhonda Fleming, Loretta Young,
Jeanne Crain, Anthony Quinn, Julie
London, Dolores Hart, John Saxon, Marsha
Hunt, etc, etc. Everybody liked Jeff, who
was warm, caring, quiet and thoughtful and
a much loved father to his two daughters.
On screen from 1947 in bit part roles, it
wasn’t until ‘Broken Arrow’ (1950) and his
portrayal of the Indian ‘Cochise’ that he
finally made his mark. Under contract to
Universal, Jeff quickly established himself in a series of action dramas and westerns, playing
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notable Red Indians more than once! His striking good looks with premature steel grey hair
and an impressive physique was an instant magnet for the ladies – and he appeared
opposite many of the screen lovelies of the day,
including Maureen O’Hara, Rhonda Fleming, Debra
Paget, Evelyn Keyes, Linda Darnell, June Allyson, Jane
Russell, Marilyn Maxwell, Joan Crawford, etc, etc. This
book is long overdue - and I well recommend it to all
fans of the talented Jeff Chandler – who left us way too
soon and whose death, apparently, could certainly have
been avoided. Whilst undergoing back surgery for a
painful ruptured disc, a main artery was accidently
partially severed, which in turn caused fatal internal
bleeding. It was a real tragedy, robbing the screen of a
unique talent for sure. His ex-wife and their two
daughters were financially cared for after medical
compensation – but even sadder, was learning how
both daughters succumbed to cancer in their early 50s just eight months apart in 2002/03. There were three
grandchildren, whom Jeff would never know. The
author of this book is a freelance writer – and a devoted
fan – and it has taken her many years to get the book completed and published by 1st Library
Books. Fans of Jeff Chandler will not be disappointed with this weighty tome with easy-toread print.
Recently, after many a year, I enjoyed a rare showing on standard UK TV of the excellent
1954 air drama ‘The High And The Mighty’ – with an all-star cast. Beginning with its haunting,
melodic Oscar-winning score (by Dimitri Tiomkin), this Technicolor hit (directed by the
experienced William Wellman) starred John Wayne as a washed-up pilot (who naturally
saves the day) alongside an edgy, younger Captain (Robert Stack) and youthful crew William
Campbell and Doe Avedon. The wonderful array of
assorted passengers included Claire Trevor, David
Brian, Jan Sterling, Robert Newton, Laraine Day, Phil
Harris, Paul Kelly, John Howard, Paul Fix and a bitter
Sidney Blackmer along with Julie Bishop and Ann
Doran – who both had a real chance to shine in this film.
The inter-woven stories of all the characters building up
to their stricken flight were all so interesting and well
acted by the talented players. It didn’t disappoint me
and made fascinating viewing – and what a cast!
The 12th Annual Silver Spur Awards, presented by the
Reel Cowboys Organisation and held at the Universal
Sheraton Hotel in Universal City, California, last
November - was yet another great success with many
stars in attendance, including Ernest Borgnine, L.Q
Jones, Stella Stevens, Ben Cooper, Morgan Woodward,
Ty Hardin, Ron Howard, Della Reese, Herb Jeffries,
Marty Ingels and lovely wife Shirley Jones, etc. Judging
by the many photographs shown in February’s issue of
‘Classic Images’ a good time was certainly had by all at this popular event which continues to
acknowledge the contributions of all those who work in the western genre. And rightly so!
Well, that’s all for now folks, so eyes down, look in – and on with the MVM show!
Chris.
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‘YOUR LETTERS’
What another fine issue of MVM (No.66) and a
most delightful Christmas present, arriving on Christmas Eve, thanks Chris. Sadly there were
a lot of deaths to report – over twenty in fact – and not many letters this time – which I always
enjoy. I do so agree that Eleanor Parker should indeed receive an ‘Honorary Oscar’ as she is
an excellent actress with such fine and varied roles in a long screen career. Recently I read
that the Charles Farrell of British films was actually born in Dublin and grew up in Canada
which could account for him often playing Americans. Many thanks to John Vicary for
informing us all how Dorothy Adams was married to Byron Foulger. They were both good
supporting players. The reason that Ann Dvorak was in wartime Britain was because her
then husband Leslie Fenton was British and they came over so that he could join up. At the
First Night of ‘Damn Yankees’ at London’s coliseum Theatre, I was surprised to see
Hollywood actor Barry Sullivan enter the building. When I asked him what had enticed him to
see the show, he said how he had been in
movies with Belita – who was starring in
show. Reading the nice tribute to Brenda
Joyce in MVM 66 reminded me of how, as
a schoolboy, I had a crush on her after
seeing ‘The Rains Came’ (1939). Astor
Sklair gave us another fine interview, this
time with Jean Kent, whose film career I
followed with much interest right from the
start! It was also good to read of William
Wyler who has always been one of my
favourite directors.
John Vicary has an amazing memory and I
enjoyed his ‘Bathing Beauties’ article very
much. As for John Clarke’s interesting
feature ‘Roles They Should Have Played’ I
really don’t think one of them would have
been better than the final screen choices!
Personally, I just can’t see Frank Sinatra in
‘Some Like It Hot’ as he could never have
succeeded in ‘drag’ – and his ‘Pal Joey’
went against the whole point of the show in
which he was meant to be much younger
than Rita Hayworth’s character in the film
(shown here), whereas he was actually older! It is always good to have our ‘Editor’s Extra
Notes’ – as in the case of the delectable Marion Martin (well recalled by Albert Leonard) and
he usually manages to give us some new information. What a great article on Claire Trevor
by Michael Burrows. It was a nice surprise to find Claire at a London Theatre Garden Party
several years ago – and MVM member Stan Smith had his photograph taken with her! I loved
all the different illustrations of Claire in MVM 66. I am rather ashamed to admit that I had
never heard of character actor L.Q Jones, not being a great western fan. Lastly, I can’t find
anything good in ‘The Opposite Sex’ (1956) to compare with ‘The Women’ (1939) – and June
Allyson (nice lady that she was) did have the misfortune of appearing in several remakes in
the 1950s – when the original 1930s leading ladies like Norma Shearer, Irene Dunne,
Claudette Colbert and Carole Lombard far outshone her, I’m afraid! Ken Sephton, London
The Christmas issue of MVM was a most welcome present – and it was nice to learn from
Alan Moore in Australia how Doris Day is keeping quite well at 87. Great to hear also that
Hollywood has awarded Lauren Bacall with an ‘Honorary’ Oscar. It’s just a pity we couldn’t
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see the actual presentation. Lauren’s film career highlights are undoubtedly her four films
with Bogie and I’m so glad that I was able to see her on the London stage (several times)
during the 1970s in ‘Applause’ – the musical version of the classic ‘All About Eve’. Lauren
was just great in the Margo Channing role. As much as I love Claudette Colbert, I cannot
imagine her as Margo in the 1950 movie – and
as Robert Rosterman rightly says, Claudette
would have been Ina Claire in contrast to Bette’s
Tallulah Bankhead! What a lovely story about
Eva Marie Saint keeping the matchbook Cary
Grant threw to her in ‘North By Northwest’ to
warn her of imminent danger. Incidentally, I do
so love Bernard Herrmann’s exciting music for
this classic 1959 Hitchcock thriller.
I enjoyed Albert Leonard’s tribute to Barry
Sullivan (and Chris’s comments) and I know
exactly the scene Albert refers to in ‘Forty Guns’
(1957) when Barry is facing John Ericson – who
is ruthlessly holding Barbara Stanwyck (his sister
in the movie) in front of him as a shield. Quite
suddenly, Barry’s character takes aim and
shoots Barbara who falls to the ground wounded.
Ericson’s look of disbelief echoes the viewers as
he too is gunned down! Just one of the
wonderfully unexpected moments in a film. I
liked Barry Sullivan in ‘The Bad And The
Beautiful’ (1952) but his role in ‘Jeopardy’ (1953)
– again with Stanwyck, was a rather thankless
one, as he is trapped as the sea increasingly threatens to drown him. In addition to Barbara
Stanwyck, Joan Crawford and Bette Davis, Barry also partnered Claudette Colbert in ‘Texas
Lady’ and he lost Greer Garson to Robert Ryan in ‘Her Twelve Men’. As Chris says, Barry
was part of a great cast in ‘Any Number Can Play’ (1949) – and I agree, he was an unsung
screen hero! What a lovely portrait of Marion Martin by Albert Leonard. I really only knew
Marion from ‘Lady Of Burlesque’ in which she lights up the screen as the warm and funny,
tall dumb blonde. Reading Clive Roberts’ tribute to Frank Sinatra, I keep wondering why
‘Meet Danny Wilson’ isn’t out on DVD. Does anyone know why? As Clive says, Frank has
some great songs in it. How
Clive must treasure that
signed photograph from
Frank. I did enjoy John
Clarke’s article ‘Movie Roles
They Should Have Played’
but if one reads the book
‘Inside Warner Brothers’,
George Raft was never
offered the role of Rick in
‘Casablanca’. The producer
Hal Wallis makes it clear
that Humphrey Bogart was
the first choice! (Wallis’s
memos from the Warner
archives are so interesting).
Carol Hughes, Glasgow
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For sheer variety and scope, this new issue 66 has got to be the best yet, which is saying
something as they have always been one hundred per cent satisfactory. What a great set of
writers Movie Memories has. Because Barbara Stanwyck underplayed many scenes in her
films, when she erupted in each one of them such as in ‘Blowing Wild’ and ‘Clash By Night’,
in my opinion neither Joan Crawford or even
Bette Davis could touch her for intensity. Oh
dear Jean, did you really hate your film ‘2,000
Women’? I thought you seemed like a British
Rita Hayworth in 1944, because of your
hairstyle and sexy demeanour in this movie. I
was surprised then saddened to read how
actress Betty Jardine – with whom Jean had
that realistic ‘knock-down’ fight in ‘2,000
Women’, died in childbirth in 1945. What a
terrible tragedy. In my opinion, practically no
autobiography tells the absolute truth about
its subject and I suggest Maureen O’Hara’s is
probably no exception. Maureen was almost
libellous, stating that Linda Darnell was Darryl
F.Zanuck’s one-time mistress. Darryl ‘tried it
on’ as soon as Linda became seventeen –
and was told in no uncertain terms that she
wasn’t interested, as indeed had Alice Faye
and Betty Grable earlier. All three ladies were
down-to-earth with no ‘star’ egos at all. Linda
gave to so many charities in Italy whilst
making two films there in the 1950s – that she came home with no salary left at all! Ann Miller
once told me that Linda (pictured here) simply didn’t have a selfish bone in her body!
An even more striking looking actress than
Mary Morris – was the British character actress,
theatre director and author, Beatrix Lehmann
(1903-1979) photographed here by Angus
McBean in 1937. I wonder if any MVM readers
remember her? Judging by the photo of Jill
Balcon on page 2 of MVM 66, the present-day
actor Daniel Day Lewis has a strong facial
resemblance to his mother – he certainly has
her nose! Stuntman Gerry Crampton was
known as ‘the muscle-man with the pouch’ from
his many poses in various body-building
magazines of the 1950s and 60s. And on page
20 of MVM 66, young Johnny Sheffield looks
more toned than ‘Tarzan’ – Johnny
Weissmuller! Has anyone ever seen any of the
‘Bomba The Jungle Boy’ series of films (12 in
all from 1949 to 1955) which starred Johnny
Sheffield? Lastly, I feel sure that the normally
blonde Claire Trevor was asked (or maybe told)
to wear a dark brown wig in ‘Honky Tonk’
(1941) in contrast to the new blonde sensation Lana Turner!
Albert Leonard, London
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Many thanks for the brilliant issue number 66 received over the Xmas period, which featured
some lovely photographs and articles. I’m a very big Frank Sinatra fan, so reading Clive
Roberts’ piece on him was just great. Also I loved the super cover photo of Rock Hudson,
another favourite. I’m delighted to see that Jean Kent and Michael Craig have joined the
growing band of wonderful ‘honorary’ members too. Please carry on with the good work and
every success for 2010.
Vi Joyce, Bromley
Thank you for yet another excellent MVM! I
would be most interested in any information
concerning the wonderful character actor
Walter Brennan, who hasn’t been featured in
MVM to date and also the truly multi-talented
Donald O’Connor – who was sadly
underused by Hollywood, in my opinion. I
recently watched again ‘Singin’ In The Rain’,
wherein Donald matched Gene Kelly’s
dancing step for step as well as performing
his own acrobatic routines (they are shown
together here in a scene from the film).
Donald (pictured below in a more sedate
pose) also had a pleasant baritone voice and
was certainly a good comic actor. I believe
he came from a family of acrobats, but I’d
appreciate further information on this
talented star. I also remember him in several
‘teenage’ musicals of the 1940s alongside
the likes of Peggy Ryan, not forgetting his
later series of ‘Francis The Talking Mule’
films! To conclude, I’d like to reiterate my
previous remarks concerning the ‘over
dramatic’ acting of the Lana Turner style which was common in the early 1940s and really
more suitable for the stage. It was mentioned in Esther Williams’ memoirs of how the studio
coach taught this particular style of acting at that time – and how the more natural, trained
actors like Spencer Tracy – avoided it like the plague. When compared with the more
contained and restrained acting of the true actors as opposed to numerous ‘stars’ – the
difference was quite obvious.
Peter Parker, Wisbech
Thank you so much for MVM 66, with the sad news of
Brenda Joyce’s and many other departures. In view of
Rock Hudson being the cover star, I thought there must
be an article inside – but, no luck, so I hope I have
remedied that situation regarding his screen work in
this issue (see page 35). Yes indeed, it is strange how
Eleanor Parker has not been awarded an ‘Honorary
Oscar’ after her great acting in so many good movies
like ‘Caged’, ‘The Detective Story’ and ‘The Man With
The Golden Arm’ to name but three. Her dual roles in
1948’s ‘The Woman In White’ impressed me greatly
too. What a shame that Alan Moore didn’t get to meet
up with Doris Day, after running her Australian Society
for so long. It would appear that past events have
turned Doris into a semi-recluse, as such things can. I
know from experience! I think Albert Leonard is right 9
about little Connie Marshall in ‘Mother Wore Tights’ (1947). That musical deteriorated quite a
bit once Betty Grable and Dan Dailey’s screen children were brought into it so frequently. It
was very nice to have a feature on Barry Sullivan, who was torn between those lovely
blondes Ann Sothern and Jane Powell in ‘Nancy Goes To Rio’ – an under-rated 1949 MGM
musical. Walter Pidgeon, Kay Francis and Deanna Durbin had starred in its predecessor ‘It’s
A Date’ (1940). It was also good to see Astor Sklair’s fascinating interview with Jean Kent, for
such a tribute was long overdue for this lady. I’m pleased that ‘Trottie True’ is one of her own
personal favourite roles. May I add a few more memories of Marion Martin? For example,
what about her bit part as a French courtesan in ‘The Man In The Iron Mask’ (Louis Hayward
version) in 1940? Marion had even smaller parts later, in ‘Tales Of Manhattan’ and in the
opening modern bar-room sequence of ‘Oh, You Beautiful Doll’ – and in another bar, quite an
important scene during that excellent ‘B’ thriller ‘Black Angel’ (1946). It involved some
jewellery the murderer had given her and, although
Marion was announced she was ‘Millie’, I don’t
recall her name being in the cast list in that or the
aforementioned two films! What great articles on
Claire Trevor (by Michael Burrows) and Frank
Sinatra (by Clive Roberts) but I’m afraid the name
of L.Q Jones was not familiar to me – not even in a
favourite Elvis Presley movie ‘Flaming Star’!
John Vicary, Exmouth
MVM now has that professional edge in looks –
and it is a joy. I have the complete set – and I
intend to keep it that way, as I often refer to them
again and again. I was delighted to see that Jean
Kent and Michael Craig will now be able to share
with us the many memories we all have of the
cinema’s ‘golden age’. News of Virginia McKenna
is always welcome and it’s good to know she has
been filming again – let’s hope this talented and
compassionate lady is soon made a Dame – long
overdue is it not? The loss of John McCallum
(pictured here) is truly sad and our thoughts are
with his wife Googie Withers and their family. It
was also distressing to lose two beautiful
actresses, Jean Simmons and Jennifer Jones, as I
have followed Jennifer’s career in films since I was
ten years old and often replay them. Another legendary star recently celebrated her 100th
birthday, the double Oscar winner Luise Rainer, who some years ago was reportedly actively
writing her autobiography. I hope it will surface in due course, for what a fascinating insight
into Hollywood’s golden era that should be!
It was nice to see the re-appearance of Jean Arthur’s western ‘Arizona’(1940) – out at last on
DVD, in which she co-stars with the much younger William Holden (hard to believe there was
a seventeen-year age difference, for Miss Arthur certainly played it youthfully!) Derek
Chamberlain asked about little Beverly Simmons, but I don’t know what became of her in
later life. Possibly her last film was ‘Buck Privates Come Home’ (1947) which was Abbott &
Costello’s sequel to their earlier hit (alongside the Andrews Sisters) in ‘Buck Privates’. I did
enjoy Ken Sephton’s tribute to the talented Mary Morris, but he didn’t mention the brilliant
BBC sci-fi serial from 1961 called ‘A For Andromeda’ which marked Julie Christie’s ‘small
screen’ debut in which she played an organically grown humanoid computer! I refer to it as I
seem to recall that Mary Morris had a featured role in this (unless I am mistaken!)
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Unfortunately, this classic seven-part series remains ‘missing, believed wiped’ by the BBC
who didn’t realise the cult status the programme would attain – and it remains hotly sought
after by them today!
Ian Lukes, Chatham
As usual, MVM 66 was welcomed with expectation as it came safely through my letter box
over the festive season – and what a treat! From the great drawing of Barbara Stanwyck (on
the inside front cover - by Albert Leonard) it was a feast of
information with super articles, ending with another great
Leonard drawing of Charles Laughton – with that amiable
smile of his. (He is shown here in later life). One of the
features of particular interest to me was of the wonderful
Claire Trevor (by Michael Burrows). She was a great
actress with a distinctive voice – and I greatly admired her.
All in all, the entire magazine was superb and I’d like to
thank everyone concerned for making each article so
interesting!
Ron Humphrey, Swindon
Thank you so much for my latest ‘Movie Memories’ which
was a lovely read for me over the New Year. I really do
enjoy MVM – and look forward to it so much that I wish it
was a monthly publication!! Margaret Roberts, Anglesey
No sooner had I thanked Chris for issue 65 when number
66 arrived – a double treat – and I welcomed the news of Jean Kent joining our ‘honoraries’.
Versatile and often under-rated, Jean brought glamour and allure to the often small but
showy roles in various Gainsborough costume dramas of the war years, which of course took
our minds off the dreadful conflict going on around us. Often, it was Jean you remembered
most from these films, as she always seemed to be type-cast playing ‘floozies’ - as she told
Astor Sklair in his excellent and most welcome interview with her for MVM 66. Albert
Leonard’s movie portraits seem to improve with age, none better than his latest of the
gorgeous blonde Marion Martin (shown here) who also made a career out of playing chorus
girls and floozies. I vividly recall her in a Bob Hope
comedy ‘They Got Me Covered’ (1942) if memory serves
me well. Marion was on stage throwing fake snowballs
at the audience – and they were throwing them back,
but one, thrown by Otto Preminger (in a rare cameo role
as a Nazi spy) had a knife through it – giving Marion a
shot at winning an Oscar for her death scene in Bob’s
arms. I once asked Albert why he nearly always
portrayed mostly exotic, sultry sirens of the screen like
Linda Darnell, Hedy Lamarr, Joan Bennett, etc – and he
replied “They (the lookers) are really the only ones that
interest me!” I look forward to meeting up with many
familiar faces (all being well) at MVM’s annual gathering
in May!
John Clarke, Middleton-on-Sea
Please accept my subscription renewal plus a little extra
donation towards MVM’s upkeep, as I should hate to
think of the magazine ceasing publication! I love all the
wonderful issues packed with beautiful pictures of our
favourite stars - with lots of information which we
otherwise wouldn’t know about! Please keep them
coming!
Joyce Smith, Southampton
11
Christmas 2009 began well for me! On Christmas Eve morning I attended a showing of ‘It’s A
Wonderful Life’ at the cinema – and when I returned home, there was MVM 66 waiting for me
on the doormat! It was well up to its usual high standard. I appreciated Alan Moore’s letter
about my favourite star, Doris Day. Just prior to my 70th birthday, I wrote to Doris and
enclosed a photograph of
her to sign for me and
return. Sure enough, it
subsequently arrived with a
lovely
personalised
message, such a kind
gesture from a true lady! I
was very sad to read of
Richard Todd’s death, for
only a few years ago, I saw
‘Stage Fright’ (1950) in
Nottingham – and Richard
attended
the
showing
(unannounced). Afterwards
he took part in an
entertaining ‘question &
answer’ session. Pictured
here with the also recently
deceased Jean Simmons, I asked him about some of his leading ladies, such as Ruth
Roman, Patricia Neal, Jean Peters and Dana Wynter. Richard jokingly suggested that I knew
more about his films than he did! I enjoyed Albert Leonard’s appreciation of Barry Sullivan,
who was just one of a number of Hollywood actors who always gave good performances –
alongside the likes of Richard Carlson, Gary Merrill, George Macready, Kent Smith, Frank
Lovejoy and John Russell, to name a few. Chris paid tribute to the lovely Eleanor Parker –
and I agree with his comments, for who can ever forget her strong performance in 1955’s
‘Interrupted Melody’ portraying Marjorie Lawrence – the Australian opera singer stricken with
polio? Lastly, thank you Chris, for providing more details about John Cohen’s book ‘Lost
Treasures Of The Odeons’. I have now obtained a copy – and it is a real must for us vintage
film buffs!
David Richmond, Sutton-in-Ashfield
May I take this opportunity once again to thank Chris and everyone concerned with MVM
most sincerely, for all the work undertaken in order to bring this priceless magazine to today’s
level of publication so that we all may benefit – and indeed we do, not forgetting all the
information needed to collate before MVM reaches its final form. As a film fanatic of the
1930s, 40s and 50s, I eagerly await its arrival, as it truly contains ‘the stuff that dreams are
made of’ and it is produced with all the professionalism of the film albums and magazines
produced back then, namely Picturegoer, Picture Show, Film Review, Hollywood Album, etc,
etc. Long may MVM continue!
Marilyn Davies, Aberdare
I am a new member of MVM and I must say I’m enjoying all the
magazines so far. What a splendid interview Astor Sklair did with
Jean Kent (pictured here). I always thought Jean was the most
versatile of her contemporaries – and I agree with her – ‘Trottie True’
was my favourite of Jean’s films. It proved she could certainly do
musicals with the best of them in Hollywood. Of course back then in
England, the studios didn’t really know what to do with musical talent
– and apparently there was to be a follow-up of ‘Trottie’ but sadly
nothing came of it. Jean was so good in comedy too, but
unfortunately she never made another musical, which was such a
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waste in my opinion. We were, however, able to see Jean in musical theatre and Pantomime
in the 1950s. Incidentally, I remember reading an interview with Bing Crosby around 1950, in
which he was asked if he would like to make a film in England. Bing replied ‘Yes, I would like
to make a musical - with that girl called Kent!’ How marvellous that would have been, don’t
you agree?
Reg Taylor, New Brighton
Well, Chris told me that MVM 66 would reach me by Christmas Eve – and reach me on
Christmas Eve morning it did! I feel readers of ‘our’
gorgeous magazine won’t mind in the least that the
subscription fee had to be raised slightly after staying
the same for almost six years. It is worth every penny!
I guess that my favourite article this time was probably
Reg Otter’s appreciation of the brilliant William Wyler,
who with three of his films in my ‘top ten’ (‘The Best
Years Of Our Lives’, ‘Roman Holiday’ and ‘Ben Hur’)
bids fair to be my favourite director. The letter he
wrote me is just about the nicest I have ever received
from a famous person. Prior to giving a talk at
London’s National Film Theatre in May 1981, I queued
up to meet him, clutching his letter in my hand, but just
as my turn came, a publicity agent tapped him on the
shoulder and led him away. I didn’t realise until I read
Jan Herman’s excellent biography on him that Mr
Wyler was not at all well that day – and his family
were most concerned about him. Indeed, he sadly
died only a few weeks later after returning to his New York home. His lovely wife, former
actress Margaret Tallichet (pictured here) who gave William such a long and happy
marriage, actually played the unsympathetic role of the ‘other woman’ in one of my favourite
Deanna Durbin films ‘It Started With Eve’ in 1941.
In April 1946 my mother actually fought a burglar on our upstairs landing in the middle of the
night! I only mention this because the account of her bravery appeared in the Daily Mirror on
Saturday, April 13, alongside a photograph of our delightful new ‘honorary’ member – Jean
Kent - on her wedding day! In Robert Rosterman’s
‘Pot Pourri’ feature, he briefly pays tribute to Boris
Karloff – and this is where my mother comes into the
picture again, because she was in King Edward’s
Hospital, Midhurst at the same time as Boris – and
she always remembered what a perfect gentleman
he was, kind and considerate – and always opening
the door for her! In the same article, Robert says how
Joan Crawford would never go out – even to post a
letter, without looking every inch the movie star! I
remember the lovely musical comedy star Binnie
Hale (pictured here whilst starring in ‘Home And
Beauty’ in 1937) once saying that, when she was in a
C.B Cochran show, she always had to come out of
the stage door looking glamorous – even though,
more often than not, she was going home to cook her
husband’s supper!!
I agree 100% with Ken
Sephton’s choice of the ‘Top Ten British Films Of The
1940s’, except that I would have found a place for
that excellent thriller, ‘Green For Danger’ (1946).
13
In the obituaries section in MVM 66, Chris mentioned the character actress Pearl Hackney,
which reminded me of when I worked behind the scenes on the 1971 stage production of
‘Show Boat’ (produced by the recently deceased Wendy Toye) at London’s Adelphi Theatre.
Pearl played Captain Andy’s wife ‘Parthy’ and she was always unfailingly kind to me. A friend
of mine recently gave me a DVD of a simply splendid 2008 film ‘Hollywood Singing And
Dancing – A Musical History’ which was hosted by Shirley Jones, who, during the question &
answer session with an audience on the second disc, stated that when she was a child, Judy
Garland, Gene Kelly and Fred Astaire were her
mentors – and that she would sit through their
many films in her local cinema dozens of times!
Brian Glanvill, Leominster
I’m sure everyone will lavish accolades on the
latest splendid MVM! There were just so many
items of interest – as usual. May I add to David
Richmond’s mention of dancing star Marge
Champion – who was in fact, the half sister of child
prodigy and later silent film actress Lina Basquette
(born in 1907), who was billed in the ‘Ziegfeld
Follies’ of 1916 as ‘The Baby Pavlova’ and for the
1923
and
1924
‘Ziegfeld
Follies’
she
choreographed her own numbers, aged only 16! At
18, Lina (pictured here at the height of her beauty)
married Sam Warner, the ‘elder statesman’ of the
famous Warner Brothers, whose foresight was
responsible for bringing talking pictures to the
screen at the Warner’s studio, thus the moneymaking ‘The Jazz Singer’ became a reality in 1927.
Lina’s daughter Lita was born in 1926, then Sam Warner tragically died from a brain abscess
the following year on the eve of ‘The Jazz
Singer’s premiere. Lina’s step-father (and Marge
Champion’s father) was Ernest Belcher, who
choreographed ‘The Jazz Singer’ and had his
own school of dancing in Los Angeles. In 1929,
Lina achieved fame starring in Cecil B. DeMille’s
‘The Godless Girl’ (which became the title of her
1990 autobiography). Off screen, the seven
times married Lina Basquette certainly led a
colourful private life, but her career in ‘talkies’
sadly never took off. She died in 1994 at the age
of 87.
The leading lady in ‘The Jazz Singer’ was the
diminutive (4’11”), convent educated May
McAvoy and she excelled as the demure
support to Al Jolson’s frenetic top-billing. She will
always be remembered for uttering the famous
line regarding Jolson’s style; “He sings with a
teardrop in his voice!” Earlier, May had enjoyed
success as the second female lead in 1925’s
epic ‘Ben Hur’ – a spectacular production for its
day, which took almost three years to make and
employed some 150,000 ‘extras’ in the cast!
Derek Chamberlain, Bracknell
14
It gives me great pleasure to renew my subscription for
another wonderful year of MVM. I am very fortunate to be one
of the early members who has a complete set of the magazine
from issue one and can truly say it has gone from strength to
strength, each new issue seems to surpass the previous one,
if that is possible! Surely there is no other publication that
gives so much information on ‘who was who’ in the golden age
of movies – and the coverage of less well known names
makes it doubly interesting. As do the photos and drawings
which I love. The fact that its existence is all due to the efforts
of a small group of dedicated people and has been since its
beginning twenty years ago, is amazing – it must be a true
labour of love! I’d like to take this opportunity of wishing Chris
and all the contributors to MVM a happy and healthy 2010 –
and as the first issue was in August 1990 this must indeed be
our twentieth anniversary, so I think it only fitting that my
subscription should this time be £20, which I’m more than
happy to enclose!
Claire St.Louis, Whyteleafe
Many thanks for the latest issue which was excellent as usual.
I noticed in the ‘Letters’ section of MVM 66, that Derek
Chamberlain enquired to the whereabouts of child actress
Beverly Simmons who appeared memorably for him in Yvonne
De Carlo’s ‘Frontier Gal’ (1945). Well, I’m sorry to have to
report that she died on April 29th, 2003 in San Diego, aged
only 64. I hope this will be of factual interest to Derek and any
other MVM readers.
Alun Jones, Anglesey
Never, ever underestimate just how much ‘Movie Memories’
means to those of us who can be described as ‘golden oldies’;
for, as someone (like many others) who was ‘confined to
barracks’ by the dreadful ‘big freeze’ during the first month of
2010, MVM may not have been a lifesaver – but it certainly
was a sanity saver! I estimate a high percentage of MVM
members will be senior citizens who, like me, were unable to
get about because of all the snow and ice – and therefore
happily enjoyed another trip down memory lane with the winter
issue of MVM. I can still recall where, when and with whom I
initially saw a particular film for the first time at the cinema –
and today am more than happy to remember my day(s) ‘at the
pictures’ with a warm glow. Thank you Chris and all the writers
for my ‘nostalgic’ journeys!
Lily King, Cumbernauld
Many thanks for MVM’s 65 and 66, all devoured with much
pleasure! I certainly agree with Chris regarding James
Mason’s unique voice. Looking back at the stars of MVM’s era,
so many of my favourites had such special voices – like
Claude Rains, Basil Rathbone, Ronald Colman, Leslie
Howard, Anthony Quayle, etc. I’m afraid I don’t watch too
many modern films, but I really can’t name any ‘special’ voices
from today’s screen stars, unfortunately. Please keep up the
fantastic work with MVM – it is so very much appreciated!
Gwyneth Peters, Pembrokeshire
15
Issue 66 was easily up to MVM’s usual high standard. I particularly enjoyed the articles about
Brenda Joyce, Claire Trevor and Mary Morris. Astor Sklair’s excellent interview with Jean
Kent was most informative, with such wonderful photographs too. Miss Kent has always been
one of my favourite screen ladies. Many thanks to everyone concerned for all the hard work
in producing such a unique and interesting magazine, crammed full of such varied and
fascinating articles. Long may it continue!
Barrie Curryer, Eastbourne
Thank you very much for Issue 66 – another brilliant read. It was great to hear that Michael
Craig and Jean Kent are now ‘honorary members’ as their work on the screen has given us
all so much pleasure over the years.
What a fascinating piece on Mary Morris
by Ken Sephton, for she was such an
intriguing presence, yet with such an
aloof, enigmatic air. I remember her also
on a children’s Sunday TV programme –
an adaptation of ‘Ballet Shoes’ where
even in old age she was commanding
and fascinating! Astor Sklair’s interview
with Jean Kent was also a highlight for
me, as was Clive Roberts’ vivid
appreciation of Frank Sinatra – and that
personally signed photograph must
surely be treasured by Clive. I also
greatly appreciated Michael Burrow’s
detailed piece on Claire Trevor – who
was one of those stars we just took for
granted! Another actor in that category
is the under-rated British star, John
Gregson (1919-1975) pictured here. He
was a great comedy actor in films like
‘Genevieve’; an authoritive, likeable
figure in thrillers like the excellent
‘Tomorrow At Ten’ and fans of his will
also remember and appreciate his TV
series ‘Gideon’s Way’ (1964-67). This
super crime drama series (now available on DVD) was a critical and commercial success
when first broadcast – but has never been shown on TV since! It is well worth looking out for
- and pleasingly, the company called Network – who specialise in releasing archive television
series like this, have stated how ‘through word of mouth’ ‘Gideon’s Way’ has become one of
their best sellers!
Pete Johnson, St.Albans
Many thanks indeed for the latest issue of ‘Movie
Memories’ – for it is always a great pleasure to read –
and the cover photographs are magnificent! Personally, I
thought the one of Robert Mitchum on MVM 64 was
superb. Instead of his ‘bad boy’ image, I think it brought
out his sincerity and vulnerability, which was a refreshing
change. I preferred this cover to the latest one of Rock
Hudson, but then we all have our own special favourites,
do we not? I know that a tremendous amount of work
goes into producing a magazine like MVM – and I
appreciate the effort made to give all of us vintage film buffs such satisfaction. I hope MVM
will continue for many years to come!
Elsie Davidson, Northumberland
16
Thank you yet again, for another enjoyable read with MVM 66. I remember the splendid Jean
Kent appearing at London’s National Film Theatre a few years ago, as forthright as ever,
correcting the interviewer and stating that ‘Trottie True’ was her favourite of her films – and
could she have a copy? A marvellous lady – and so entertaining. I feel that she really should
have played the role of Alice in ‘Room At The Top’ (1959) – no disrespect to Simone
Signoret. I could identify so much with the content of the book ‘Lost Treasures Of The
Odeons’, which was very much my era – and where are all of these movies now? Although
the author John Cohen doesn’t wish to include any Satellite/Cable showings – some have
been shown there. Of course in the USA, there is TCM (Turner Classic Movies) which seems
to screen everything you could wish for from the ‘golden age’ which at times is mouth
watering!
I was so sad to hear of the demise of the
excellent Jean Simmons (shown here as
Estella in ‘Great Expectations’ (1946). I
spent a weekend viewing ‘Home Before
Dark’ (1958) – what a role for her and she
excelled as always as the deceived wife
emerging from the ‘asylum’. Then I watched
‘Uncle Silas’ (1947) where she was the very
young and frightened heroine playing
opposite a most animated Katina Paxinou.
‘Until They Sail’ and ‘This Could Be The
Night’ (both 1957) – the latter a delightful
semi-musical, were both under-rated but
never less than interesting – and often a
great deal more. I recall my first sighting of
Barry Sullivan (those wonderful cheekbones) opposite Joan Crawford in ‘Queen
Bee’ which my mother took me to see at a
matinee not long after its release in 1955. I
don’t think it was really suitable fodder for
me – but I enjoyed it all the same. ‘Night Of
The Hunter’ is such a remarkable film, so
beautiful to watch. Not surprisingly it was a
commercial failure at the time (1955) but is
now regarded as a classic. And it seems
that Robert Mitchum is so much more
appreciated now than when he was making all of those movies in the 1940s and 50s – and
deservedly so! It was such a pleasure to read all about Claire Trevor, whom I first saw as
Natalie Wood’s mother in 1958’s ‘Marjorie Morningstar’, but shortly afterwards – and on
television I was mesmerised by her being forced to sing ‘Moanin’ Low’ in ‘Key Largo’ (1948)
by that nasty Edward G. Robinson. Claire was just so watchable – and someone you would
always think of as being a lovely lady. Finally, I recall Douglas Sirk’s 1944 film ‘Summer
Storm’ (with George Sanders & Linda Darnell) being discussed in an earlier edition of MVM a
few years ago – and I now have the DVD, just released on Region 1, so I am looking forward
to seeing it once again!
John Hutchinson, Beckenham
Many thanks Chris, for all the back issues I ordered from you – and I am delighted to have
them. I had a laugh here and there whilst reading through them – and I kept looking at the
front covers to remind myself of the year! Time has answered lots of questions posed in
these back issues – and I hope to one day complete my ‘set’ of MVM’s. I must say though,
how impressed I was to discover just how MVM has grown in quality and appearance over
the years, with an increased ‘Letters’ section – and the ‘look’ of a professionally produced
17
magazine (black & white gone forever – and in its place, some glorious colour covers which
enhance photographs of a bygone era). All credit to Chris and the handful of regular
contributors – for bringing ‘our’ MVM into the 21st Century!
Joyce Dussold, Didcot
Issue 66 was another
super read – and I
was delighted to see
Jean Kent has joined
our cherished list of
‘honoraries’ and I
loved her interview
with Astor Sklair.
Jean was a big
favourite of mine –
and many years ago I
was a member of her
Fan Club. If my
memory serves me
correctly,
I
recall
seeing
Jean
in
Pantomime
at
Hammersmith, in, I
believe
‘Cinderella’
playing the Principle
boy. Also in the cast
was a young comic
called Derek Roy – playing Buttons! Such happy memories for me, from the late 1940s and
early 1950s. It’s no joy growing old – but at least I have my wonderful film memories to cheer
me along. Thank you Chris - and all the regular contributors for improving my life with MVM,
it is much appreciated.
Beryl Thomas, London
It was nice to read Chris’s
comments on the lovely Brenda
Joyce, who I feel was perfectly
cast as ‘Fern’ in her 1939 screen
debut ‘The Rains Came’ – and was
delightful in her subsequent films,
including her very attractive ‘Jane’
to Tarzan! On an airport paperback
book rack recently, I noticed a pulp
novel or two, written by a Brenda
Joyce – but certainly not the same
person we knew from the movies!
It is curious how the same name
often pops up in the cinema – for
instance, our ‘honorary’ member –
Oscar-winning costume designer
Julie Harris, (pictured here with
MVM member Philip Yaxley at last
years annual MVM gathering) is
not to be confused with the equally
distinguished American leading
actress from ‘The Member Of The
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Wedding’, ‘East Of Eden’ and ‘The Haunting’ amongst others – and the UK’s Margaret
Whiting is not to be confused with the American songstress daughter of composer Richard
Whiting (and sister of the late Barbara Whiting). If one endures the epic cast and technical
credits at the conclusion of present day films, one can often
spot the same moniker. Lately I’ve seen a crew member called
Andrea King – and would you believe a catering service
headed by another Judy Garland!! However, I somehow doubt
that we’ll ever see a credit for another Maria Ouspenskaya!!
Most surprising for me was to discover a contemporary young
actress going by the name of Madeleine Carroll!
Thank you to John Davies for the most informative article on
stuntman Gerry Crampton, as it is always great to read about
those ‘behind-the-scenes’ personnel. I also learned a lot about
L.Q Jones from Brian Beard’s fine article – and had never
been aware that he took his screen name from the character
he played in ‘Battle Cry’ (1955). He joins the parade of others
who also adopted their screen character names for their
careers, such as Anne Shirley, Gig Young and May Wynn, to
mention three. MVM 66 really was chock full of articles that
educated me about such interesting professionals, with such
fascinating revelations about the ‘thrifty’ British producer Peter
Rogers – all this and a great tribute to Marion Martin by Albert
Leonard with the added bonus of his outstanding portrait.
Maurice Headland’s report about Harry Carey Jnr being billed
but completely edited out of ‘Rio Bravo’ brought to mind
another curious case. Although he was not completely omitted
in 1940’s ‘The Letter’, Cecil Kellaway received prominent
supporting cast billing, yet his appearance in the film was a very short sequence, no more
than a bit-part. One wonders if Cecil had much more to do, but his part ended up on the
cutting room floor! Albert Leonard’s appreciation of Barry Sullivan was very good – and I
hope that one day Albert will have the opportunity of seeing ‘Payment On Demand’ (1950).
Although this RKO film has never achieved great fame in Bette Davis’s legendary career, it
is a splendid movie – and one Bette was personally fond of, even though she objected to the
change of title. It was originally filmed as ‘The Story Of A Divorce’ – a most apt title, but Bette
felt that RKO ‘sensationalised’ the film with a title change to ‘Payment On Demand’. This
movie not only presents a fine Bette Davis performance, but there is a choice role in it for the
legendary Broadway actress Jane Cowl in an extremely rare screen appearance (she sadly
died of cancer soon after its completion, aged only 65). Robert Rosterman, Chicago, USA
Many, many thanks for all three MVM’s during 2009, for we do appreciate all the hard work
that goes into creating each edition. I loved Astor Sklair’s interview with Jean Kent, who will
always be ‘The Woman In Question’ for me – it was her best role in my opinion. Also ‘The
Browning Version’ which gave her plenty of meat to get her teeth into. And of course, how
can we forget ‘Trottie True’ in glorious colour! Late last year, I watched ‘The Whisperers’
(1966) for the first time – and I wasn’t disappointed. Dame Edith Evans gave a superb
performance, almost stealing the whole show, alongside Eric Portman and Nanette Newman,
directed by Bryan Forbes. It was a little jewel of a film! How great that Debbie Reynolds is
touring the UK in April, ending up in London in May. I met Debbie some years ago at her
theatre in Las Vegas and after the show she kindly signed my programme – along with a nice
hug and kiss. What a evening that was for me! Please don’t worry about the subscription
increase, for you can look in Waterstones or W.H Smiths - but you won’t find any other
publication of MVM’s quality, covering the ‘golden age’!
Doug & Violet Ward, Retford
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REMEMBERING TOM DRAKE
By Albert Leonard
Tom’s real name was actually Alfred Alderdice Jnr and he was born in Brooklyn in August,
1918. He began his acting career in stock companies whilst in his teens, then appeared on
Broadway in several plays from the late 1930s. His film debut came in a small part in 1940’s
‘The Howards Of Virginia’ which starred Cary Grant and Martha Scott. When no more roles
were forthcoming, he returned to the stage, where he was eventually spotted by a talent
agent for MGM. Signed to a contract, his first film there – and one of two that I recall mainly,
was 1944’s ‘Two Girls And A Sailor’ in which he played Gloria De Haven’s young soldier
admirer. (They are pictured together here). Van Johnson and June Allyson also starred. I
remember a young girl
once telling me how she
found Tom’s husky-voiced
Texas drawl ‘extremely
sexy, coming from such a
young-looking face’. Just
one day before writing this
article, I watched Tom on
television in one of Ann
Sothern’s ‘Maisie’ films,
playing a young soldier
(again) married to an
amazingly youthful Ava
Gardner! A couple of films
with the likes of Lana
Turner and Greer Garson
led to his casting as John
Truett, Judy Garland’s
‘boy-next-door’
in
the
wonderful ‘Meet Me In St.
Louis’ and this, of course, is the other of the two films I mentioned earlier, as being the high
spots of his film career, in my opinion - and I well remember Tom being ‘beaten up’ by an
angry Judy when she mistakenly thinks that he is responsible for her small sister Margaret
O’Brien’s accident.
‘The Green Years’ (1946) was just as memorable a film, where Tom plays the grown-up hero
to Dean Stockwell’s childhood version, although the film was stolen by a bearded Charles
Coburn in a very extrovert role as Tom’s grandfather. A very pretty girl called Beverly Tyler
was the love interest in this film and in fact she and Tom had quite a serious real-life
relationship for some time. She died only a couple of years ago, I recall. Over at Universal,
Tom was Deanna Durbin’s leading man in ‘I’ll Be Yours’ in which he spent some time in the
film sporting a goatee – which made him look even more like a very young man with a false
beard! Back at MGM, Tom played Richard Rodgers to Mickey Rooney’s highly fictionalised
Lorenz Hart in the all-star ‘Words And Music’ (1948) where, as with ‘Till The Clouds Roll By’,
we had to sit through overlong stretches purporting to be the life story – to enjoy the truly
great musical numbers. Of course, there were other top-grade films for Tom, but they were
always supporting if important roles such as ‘Courage Of Lassie’ in which Elizabeth Taylor
demonstrated that she was the most beautiful child star ever to appear in films; ‘Cass
Timberlane’ (1947) – a good but not outstanding Spencer Tracy item; ‘The Beginning Or The
End’ (1947) – a worthy but ‘so what’ account concerning the atomic bomb discovery;
‘Marriage Is A Private Affair’ with other actors John Hodiak and James Craig in more
important roles opposite Lana Turner again and ‘Mr Belvedere Goes To College’ (1949) –
which gave Tom the opportunity to romance the grown-up Shirley Temple. After 1950 he got
20
21
only the occasional good role, as in ‘Sangaree’ (1953) with Arlene Dahl – and ‘Raintree
County’ (1957) wherein he played Elizabeth Taylor’s brother, a role which Elizabeth
personally obtained for her friend. Her loyalty to her young co-workers from earlier MGM
days was one of her endearing features. They
appeared together again later on in 1965’s ‘The
Sandpiper’. Tom went back to the stage in the 1950s
in between film performances and he also appeared
on television – though not in starring roles, right
through to the 1970s. His final film was 1973’s ‘The
Spectre Of Edgar Allan Poe’. After this, nothing much
was heard about him for the remainder of his life.
Apparently Tom was yet another former star who was
reported as having a serious drink problem – and in a
1998 interview, his former co-star Gloria De Haven
described him as being “his own worst enemy.” From
the mid 1970s, Tom (pictured here with Judy Garland
in ‘Meet Me In St Louis’) was discovered working as a
salesman for a motor car company in Culver City,
very close to the old MGM studios where he once
briefly shone in the 1940s. I wonder how he managed
to deal with that situation? In private life, he was
married just the once (no children), to the unusually
named actress Christopher Curtis, which ended in
divorce in 1947 after only three or four years. Tom
Drake sadly died in 1982, from lung cancer at the age of 64, but will forever be remembered
as MGM’s one-time ‘boy-next-door’, preserved forever in the classic ‘Meet Me In St Louis’.
‘STARS ON LONDON TRANSPORT’
By Ken Sephton
During WWII, with the petrol shortage, it really was the time to see stars actually travelling on
public transport. I recall once being surprised to spot Jessie Matthews looking very elegant
in a mink coat, awaiting a train on the Underground.
When it arrived, she stepped into the carriage – and it
was crowded – so we both had to ‘strap-hang’. I was
amazed that no one seemed to recognise her and I
didn’t speak to her as I felt it was not the right
occasion. Another time on the Underground, I found
myself strap-hanging near Roland Culver – and
when he pushed his hat back to scratch his head I
was surprised to notice that he was bald! As a
teenager then, I had not yet been able to spot wigs
and/or hair pieces! Standing beside Peter Ustinov in
Army uniform waiting to get off the Tube train, I was
so envious of his perfect complexion – while I at that
time was having problems with mine!
I saw Laurence Olivier leave the Stage door of the
New Theatre in 1944, dressed like a businessman –
and I followed him down the escalator of Leicester
Square Tube station and was surprised how no-one
spotted him while he walked right to the end of the
platform. I followed and politely asked him if he knew
when his film ‘Henry V’ would be opening in the
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cinema. Pictured below, he replied “Sometime in November” – and indicated that that was
the end of the conversation! Years later,
when Denis Quilley was doing matinees at
the National Theatre – and I was going to
the NFT, we were often on the same Tube
train - and as we both used the front
carriage, we often sat and chatted. He was
extremely friendly and genuinely nice. On
many occasions I travelled on the train with
Renee Houston when she was appearing
in a Revue at the Cambridge Theatre in the
early 1950s and we had many jovial
conversations. Renee was extremely chatty
and even knew what year I had seen
herself and her sister Billie Houston in the
pantomime ‘Babes In The Wood’ in my
home town of Belfast. One time she
introduced me to one of her young sons
(from her second marriage to Pat Ahearne)
who was visiting her from Hollywood.
Others I saw on the Tube trains without
speaking to them, included Eric Porter,
Ernest Thesiger, Griffith Jones and his
wife, Alfred Marks, Nyree Dawn Porter,
Peter Barkworth, Genevieve Page,
Denholm Elliott, Bill Owen – and the most
exciting for me – Nova Pilbeam (pictured
here in her late 1930s heyday ) during the
1990’s. When I sat beside her, she was so
surprised that I actually recognised her, as I
hadn’t seen her for decades. (Nova had
retired from the screen in 1949).
Unfortunately it was a rather rushed
conversation as I could not know how long
she would be on the train. As it was, she got
off after only a couple of stations, but I still
managed to have several questions
answered. Nova told me how Alfred
Hitchcock had wanted her to star in
‘Rebecca’ (1940) but David O. Selznick didn’t
think she was a big enough ‘name’. I haven’t
seen nearly so many stars of the stage,
screen and television on London buses, but
one I do recall, came towards the end of
WWII and was none other than the famous
George Arliss with his actress wife Florence
Arliss in Regent Street – but again I didn’t
feel that it was the right occasion to speak to
them. So, it really is worth keeping your eyes
open while travelling around London on
public transport as you never know just who
you may see!
23
MUSIC FROM THE MOVIES
By Astor Sklair
One of my most potent childhood memories was being taken into posh cinema seats at the
Green’s Playhouse Cinema in Glasgow some seventy years ago to see ‘Gone With The
Wind’. The thrill of hearing the rousing opening bars of the music has remained with me and
created a lifetime interest in film scores. Max Steiner (pictured here) was the composer - and
his contribution was as memorable as the
unexpected interval in the middle of the movie –
which enabled me to rush ‘to the loo’ without
missing an inch of the movie!. Max Steiner was
born in Vienna in 1888 and really set a new
standard for film music with his score for ‘King
Kong’ (1933) for RKO. At Warner Brothers he
wrote that wonderful fanfare that introduced their
movies – and he was Bette Davis’s favourite
composer, working on ‘Dark Victory’, ‘The Letter’
and ‘Now Voyager’. Other memorable Max
Steiner scores include the much loved
‘Casablanca’ plus ‘The Big Sleep’, ‘The Treasure
Of The Sierra Madre’ and ‘The Caine Mutiny’. He
died in 1971. Another ‘Vienna-to-Hollywood’
composer was Erich Wolfgang Korngold who
was born in 1897. Pictured below, he created
some wonderful music for some great movies,
beginning with ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’ in 1935, adapting Mendelssohn’s music – and
going on to compose several stirring romantic themes for Warner Brothers, with ‘Captain
Blood’, ‘The Sea Hawk’ (one of my absolute all-time favourite scores), ‘The Adventures Of
Robin Hood’ (all starring Errol Flynn) not forgetting
‘Kings Row’. Korngold once stated how he treated
each film as ‘an opera without singing!’ Sadly, he died
in 1957 following a stroke, aged only 60.
Dmitri Tiomkin was born in the Ukraine in 1894 and
his first major score was for ‘Lost Horizon’ in 1937. His
music for the classic ‘High Noon’ gained him a Best
Song Oscar for ‘Do Not Forsake Me Oh My Darlin’ –
and he scored four Hitchcock movies; ‘Shadow Of A
Doubt’, ‘Strangers On A Train’, ‘I Confess’ and ‘Dial M
For Murder’. Also, let’s not forget his Oscar winning
‘The High And The Mighty’ in 1954. Tiomkin passed
away in 1979. Bronislau Kaper – born in Warsaw in
1902, was first noticed for writing the title song for
‘San Francisco’ (1936). He was then responsible for a
couple of Marx Brothers films before going on to the
likes of ‘Gaslight’ and ‘The Forsyte Saga’. Later he
won an Oscar for ‘Lili’ and his other notable credits
include ‘The Brothers Karamazov’, ‘Butterfield 8’ and the Marlon Brando version of ‘Mutiny
On The Bounty’ – which wasn’t a huge success, but the Oscar-nominated music has been
described as ‘a rip-roaring masterpiece!’ Kaper died in 1983. Miklos Rozsa, born in Hungary
in 1907, was yet another European who ended up composing film music in Hollywood,
though he first worked in England for Alexander Korda on ‘The Four Feathers’ and ‘The Thief
Of Baghdad’. Rozsa found his way to Hollywood when Korda transferred his organisation
there at the beginning of WWII. His atmospheric scores for ‘Double Indemnity’, ‘Spellbound’
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and ‘The Lost Weekend’, followed by the epics ‘Quo Vadis’ (1951) and ‘Ben Hur’ (1959)
which made him one of the most famous of all Hollywood composers, winning a total of three
Oscars. Miklos Rozsa published his autobiography in 1982, entitled ‘A Double Life’ and died
in 1995. Franz Waxman (shown here) was born in
Germany in 1906 – and his first movie was ‘The
Bride Of Frankenstein’ in which he created some
wonderfully scary music as Elsa Lanchester was
brought to life! He was also responsible for four
great film scores for Hitchcock; ‘Rebecca’,
‘Suspicion’, ‘The Paradine Case’ and ‘Rear Window’
and he had the distinction of winning two Oscars two
years running with ‘Sunset Boulevard’ (for which he
created a tango theme and distorted versions of
1920s and 30s popular music) and ‘A Place In The
Sun’. Waxman died in 1967. Victor Schertzinger –
born in Pennsylvania in 1880, was a violin prodigy at
the age of four and he had the unusual talent of not
only composing film scores but also directing movies
at Paramount. He is credited with writing the first
ever film score for the silent ‘Civilisation’ in 1915. He
wrote the music for several well-known songs with
Frank Loesser, including ‘Kiss The Boys Goodbye’
and ‘Sand In My Shoes’ and with Johnny Mercer,
including ‘I Remember You’ and ‘Tangerine’. Mr
Schertzinger directed the first two of the highly successful ‘Road’ movies – ‘Road To
Singapore’ and ‘Road To Zanzibar’ (see below) and his final film was ‘The Fleet’s In’, which
was released after his early death in 1941.
.
Victor Young was born in Chicago in 1900
and started out as a classical composer and
concert violinist. His movie scores included
‘Golden Boy’ (1939), ‘For Whom The Bell
Tolls’, ‘The Quiet Man’ and ‘Shane’. He also
wrote the music for a lot of well-loved
standards, including ‘When I Fall In Love’,
‘My Foolish Heart’, ‘Love Letters’ and ‘I Don’t
Stand A Ghost Of A Chance With You’. His
movie scores were Oscar-nominated an
amazing 22 times – and although he won
none in his lifetime, his music for ‘Around The
World in Eighty Days’ was awarded a
posthumous Oscar just four months after his
death in 1956. Georges Auric, born in
France in 1899, was a child prodigy who
began his film composing in his native
country, but became known for his great work
on the music for many of the Ealing
comedies, which earned him the comment
‘French yet very English!’ These included
‘Passport To Pimlico’, ‘The Lavender Hill
Mob’ and ‘The Titfield Thunderbolt’. His other
credits include ‘Roman Holiday’ and ‘The
Wages Of Fear’. Georges Auric died in 1983.
25
Alfred Newman – born in absolute poverty in New Haven, Connecticut in 1900, was the
eldest of ten children. Pictured here, he finished up being involved with more than 250 film
scores, going on to be Oscar-nominated an
amazing 45 times – including twenty
consecutive years between 1939 and 1957 –
and he won nine in total. His first movie was
‘Street Scene’ and his last was 1969’s
‘Airport’ – and in-between those were so
many memorably scored films, including
‘Dodsworth’, ‘Dead End’, ‘Alexander’s
Ragtime Band’, ‘Gunga Din’, ‘Tin Pan Alley’,
‘The Grapes Of Wrath’, The Song Of
Bernadette’, ‘The Razor’s Edge’, ‘Mother
Wore Tights’, ‘With A Song In My Heart’, ‘Call
Me Madam’, ‘Love Is A Many Splendored
Thing’, ‘The King And I’ and ‘How The West
Was Won’ – such an impressive list. The
great Alfred Newman died from emphysema in 1970, aged only 69. Alex North, born in
1910, came from a poor family in Pennsylvania, where his mother had to take in lodgers
following the death of his blacksmith father. He received fifteen Oscar nominations – but
didn’t win once, although he eventually received a Lifetime Achievement Oscar as
compensation in 1986. His jazz-based score for ‘A Streetcar Named Desire’ (1951) set the
New Orleans atmosphere perfectly and his beautiful Mexican-style music for ‘Viva Zapata’
was another example of his extensive musical talent. Some of his other films include ‘The
Rose Tattoo’, ‘Spartacus’ and ‘Cleopatra’. He wrote a score for Stanley Kubrick’s ‘2001: A
Space Odyssey’, only to find Kubrick had replaced his music with classical pieces. North’s
music for the fairly obscure film ‘Unchained’ became ‘Unchained Melody’ – a hugely
successful and widely recorded song. Alex North passed away in 1991.
Bernard Herrmann (pictured here) was born in New York
in 1911. He worked in radio at CBS – and it was there that
he met Orson Welles – and wrote music for Welles’
Mercury Theatre Productions, going on to compose the
music for the film ‘Citizen Kane’, (1941) ranging across
numerous musical styles including Grand Opera. He did
several Hitchcock movies; ‘The Man Who Knew Too Much’,
‘Vertigo’, ‘North By Northwest’ and ‘Psycho’ with
appropriate dizzying music, but when it came to 1966’s
‘Torn Curtain’, Hitchcock wanted a jazzy-pop theme – and
Herrmann always said “I have the final say or I don’t do the
music” – so he turned the project down. His final film score
was for ‘Taxi Driver’ (1975) shortly after which he died aged
only 64. Nino Rota was yet another child prodigy, born in
Milan in 1911. He wrote operas and ballet music before
moving into Italian films with Fellini, who described Rota as
‘The most precious collaborator I’ve ever had!’ Their successes included ‘I Vitelloni’, ‘La
Strada’ and ‘La Dolce Vita’. He also wrote scores for Visconti and Zeffirelli, including the
latter’s ‘Romeo And Juliet’ but it was when he teamed up with Francis Ford Coppola for ‘The
Godfather’ that his wonderful music will be best remembered and for which he won his welldeserved Oscar. He died in 1979. Leonard Bernstein (1918-1990) was born into a Russian
Jewish family in Massachusetts and was responsible for only one movie score, apart from
film versions of his great stage musicals. That was ‘On The Waterfront’ (1954) which he
claimed was the most difficult work he ever did, being tense, dramatic and superbly lyrical.
26
David Raksin was born in Pennsylvania in 1912 and made the move from Broadway (where
he arranged music) to Hollywood, where his first assignment was to arrange the music of
Charlie Chaplin for ‘Modern Times’ (1936) which Chaplin hummed and whistled to him as he
wrote it down! His haunting melody for ‘Laura’ (1944) contributed greatly to the success of
that movie – and when Johnny Mercer added the lyric, it became one of the most recorded
songs ever. Other Raksin movie scores include ‘Force Of Evil’, ‘The Bad And The Beautiful’,
‘Separate Tables’, ‘Two Weeks In Another Town’ and ‘Will Penny’. Jerome Moross, born in
Brooklyn in 1913, was a child prodigy, composing at the age of eight! He had a special talent
for developing great Western themes, most notably for ‘The Big Country’ (1957). His other
excellent film scores include ‘The War Lord’ and ‘Rachel, Rachel’.
Andre Previn was born into a Jewish family in
Germany in 1929. He was responsible for so
many great stage-to-film adaptations, including
‘Gigi’, ‘Porgy And Bess’ and ‘My Fair Lady’, but
he also composed beautiful scores for movies
like ‘Bad Day At Black Rock’ (1954) and ‘Elmer
Gantry’ (1960). Shown here as he is today,
Andre Previn is a brilliant pianist, conductor and
composer – and with his vast movie background
it is somewhat ironic that he is perhaps best
remembered as ‘Andrew Preview’ in the oftrepeated brilliant sketch from the famous 1970s
Morecambe & Wise Christmas TV Show – and
he claims that taxi drivers still call him ‘Mr
Preview’! Elmer Bernstein was born in New
York City in 1922. His great film scores include
‘The Ten Commandments’, ‘The Magnificent
Seven’, ‘The Great Escape’ and ‘To Kill A
Mockingbird’. His political views led him to be
grey-listed (not as heavy as black-listed!) during
the McCarthy era. This meant he was kept away
from major movies for quite a while – and had to
settle for the likes of ‘Robot Monster’ and ‘CatWomen Of The Moon’. He redeemed himself with
such later offerings as ‘To Kill A Mockingbird’,
‘Thoroughly Modern Millie’ and ‘True Grit’.
Henry Mancini was born in the Little Italy neighbourhood of Cleveland, Ohio in 1924 and
brought up in a little mill town in Pennsylvania. Her learned to play the flute and later piano
and became an arranger for Universal Pictures in films like ‘The Glenn Miller Story’ and ‘The
Benny Goodman Story’. His real breakthrough came when he composed the music for Orson
Welles’ film noir ‘Touch Of Evil’ (1958) and he was responsible for the menacing theme for
the ‘Peter Gunn’ TV series starring Craig Stevens. Henry Mancini will always be remembered
for his Oscar-winning songs ‘Moon River’ (for ‘Breakfast At Tiffanys’) and ‘The Days Of Wine
And Roses’ – both with Johnny Mercer’s lyrics, along with the most recognisable movie
themes of all time – ‘The Pink Panther’ (immortalising Peter Sellers’ bumbling detective!)
Maurice Jarre was born in Lyon, France in 1924 – and went on to make a world-wide
impression with his score for ‘Lawrence Of Arabia’ (1962). It was film producer Sam Spiegel
who invited Jarre on to that project (directed by David Lean) and Jarre also supplied the
music for Lean’s ‘Dr Zhivago’ featuring the haunting but lyric-less ‘Lara’s Theme’. Those two
movies both gained Jarre Oscars – and David Lean was again the director on ‘Ryan’s
Daughter’ (1970) and ‘A Passage To India’ (1984). Maurice Jarre passed away in 2009.
27
Jerry Goldsmith (1929-2004) was born in California and became a contract composer for
20th Century Fox. His many film credits include ‘Seven Days In May’, ‘The Sand Pebbles’,
‘Planet Of The Apes’ and the ‘Star Trek’ movies. His chilling score for ‘The Omen’ (starring
Gregory Peck and Lee Remick) contributed enormously to the success of that movie. We
really mustn’t forget Anton Karas, born in Vienna in 1906. Apparently he found an old zither
in his grandmother’s attic when he was twelve years old. His zither playing music for ‘The
Third Man’ (1949) – which involved working on the score for fourteen hours a day for twelve
weeks, was his one and only film score, with his ‘Harry Lime Theme’ becoming an
international smash hit!
The wonderful music of the major classical composers has often been used effectively in
movies – and when carefully selected has added greatly to the atmosphere of the films,
Tchaikovsky, Mozart, Chopin and Wagner included. Their superb melodies have contributed
mightily over the years and they had the advantage of
saving the producers money by being long dead! British
classical composers of more recent times have brought
us some powerful film scores. Sir Arthur Bliss (18911975) with ‘Things To Come’ (1936) proved it was
perfectly respectable for serious composers to write for
film. Sir William Walton (1902-1983) was responsible
for the scores of Laurence Olivier’s Shakespeare films of
‘Henry V’, ‘Hamlet’ and ‘Richard III’, but he also
composed the music for ‘The First Of The Few’ (1942) –
and although only part of his work was included in ‘The
Battle Of Britain’, that scene of the climatic air battle,
was played without sound effects, creating a beautiful
lyrical quality.
Other British classical composers who were involved
with movies include Ralph Vaughan Williams (‘Scott Of
The Antarctic’), Arnold Bax (‘Oliver Twist’) and Sir
Malcolm Arnold (‘The Bridge Over The River Kwai’).
Richard Addinsell (1904-1977) wrote scores for ‘Fire
Over England’, ‘Goodbye Mr Chips’, ‘Gaslight’ and later
‘The Prince And The Showgirl’ (starring the rather odd
pairing of Laurence Olivier and Marilyn Monroe) but it is
for ‘Dangerous Moonlight’ (1940) that he will be best
remembered, because it featured the hugely popular
‘Warsaw Concerto’. Apparently the producers wanted
Rachmaninoff to compose the concerto but he turned it
down, so Addinsell actually created the concerto in the
style of Rachmaninoff! I remember the film (which
starred Anton Walbrook opposite the beautiful blonde
Sally Gray) running for several years at the tiny Grainger Cinema in my home town of
Newcastle-upon-Tyne during WWII, solely because of the haunting ‘Warsaw Concerto’.
There are, of course many newer composers who have dominated the screen in the last forty
years, like John Williams and John Barry to name just two, but looking back over the
history of movie music, the important influence of those Europeans, escaping Fascism and
anti-Semitism cannot be exaggerated. And another thought that occurred to me during my
research, with all the talk of equality of the sexes, whatever happened to the lady movie
composers? Ah well, I won’t think about that today. I’ll think about that tomorrow, because, as
Scarlett O’Hara insisted at the end of ‘Gone With The Wind’…… “tomorrow is another day!”
28
MARGARET RUTHERFORD – CINEMA’S BLITHE SPIRIT
By Pete Johnson
‘If you have a face like mine, the thing is to learn to live with it and come to terms with it. This,
I think I have managed and it has, after all, been rather good to me.’ The speaker was
Margaret Rutherford, whose unique appearance and demeanour (‘that of a startled
turkeycock’, wrote David Shipman) meant she was also, as Ron Moody observed ‘a
consummate professional – each performance a collector’s piece.’ There was something else
too: a wonderful other worldliness which as Roger Lewis observed made her ‘a cross
between a games mistress and a fairy.’ Andy
Merriman’s superb new biography (briefly
mentioned by Chris in MVM 66) entitled ‘Margaret
Rutherford – Dreadnought And Good Manners’
does full justice to her film legacy – as well as
detailing her many stage appearances which I
knew little about. But, admirers will also be
shocked by just how grim and tragic Margaret’s
early life was. Her father, William was admitted to
an asylum suffering from depression – and upon
his release, his father took him on a recuperative
holiday. William showed his gratitude by beating
his father to death with a chamber pot – and then
went on to spend seven years in Broadmoor for
the crime. Margaret was born in 1892, two years
after his release. Even more tragedy followed
when Margaret’s mother hanged herself when
Margaret was just two years old. (William would
eventually die in another asylum in 1921.)
Margaret, brought up by aunts in Wimbledon,
threw herself into the make-belief of acting. “I was
eight years old when I made my mind up to
become an actress.” When a cousin fell ill, Margaret stepped into his shoes to play the
prince. ‘That night’, she wrote, ‘I went to bed filled with dreams of being an actress. This was
to be my life – there could be nothing else.’ But it wasn’t until Margaret was in her 40s that
she really hit her stride, notably (and very surprisingly) playing the sinister Mrs Danvers in
‘Rebecca’ at the Piccadilly Theatre in 1940. But, it was the role of the eccentric medium –
Madam Arcati in Noel Coward’s ‘Blithe Spirit’ which made her a star. She played this role on
the stage and in David Lean’s very enjoyable 1945 film. The superb cast was headed by Rex
Harrison, Kay Hammond and Constance Cummings, but Margaret Rutherford steals every
scene; as the hearty bicycling Madame Arcati who skips about in triumph when she brings off
a coup; she is wildly funny, yet touching and true also. Nothing about her performance feels
false or manufactured – and as one critic observed: ‘To see her Madame Arcati get up from
an armchair is a lesson in eccentric observation!’
Other great films include ‘The Happiest Days Of Your Life’ (1949) – see illustration over the
page – in which she is a headmistress matching wits with Alastair Sim’s headmaster. Both
are quite superb – and as a critic wrote: ‘She was unflaggingly funny in her wildest vein and
yet as always with her, disbelief was suspended.’ There was also, of course, ‘The Importance
Of Being Earnest’ (1952) in which she was a delightful Miss Prism – and ‘Miranda’ (1947)
(and its sequel ‘Mad About Men’ in 1953) in which she plays the mermaid’s nurse. The
director of ‘Miranda’ – Ken Annakin, noted: ‘Margaret had the gift of making a character real,
but also full of imagination……one of our great British character actresses.’ Margaret should
have won an Oscar for ‘Blithe Spirit’ and finally did win one in the 1960s for ‘The V.I.P.s’ in
29
the ‘Best Supporting Actress’ category, playing a pill-popping Duchess: “I’ve got two
enormous purple things that apparently knock you out. I’ve also taken a couple of pep pills
which have pepped me up all over. I’m flying already!” She steals the whole film from the
deeply boring stars Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor. She also famously played Miss
Marple in four films in the 1960s. None of them – and especially the later ones, were really
worthy of her, or Agatha Christie, but they are jaunty and Margaret is fun striding about in
billowing capes – and her co-star is her real-life husband, Stringer Davis. They married late in
life (1945) and some, such as Frith Banbury believed it was a lavender marriage. He says
waspishly; “I can’t imagine there was much action in the bedroom – neither of them would
have known what to do!” But in reality, Stringer Davis was of great support to her – and truly
adored and ‘nursed’ her to the end. Throughout her personal life, Margaret suffered from
what she called ‘occasional ill health’ (she had several break-downs and underwent intensive
bouts of electro-convulsive therapy). These break-downs were caused by manic depression
– now referred to as bipolar disorder. With Margaret’s tragic background, it really wasn’t
surprising that she was unable or unwilling to admit to such a diagnosis!
Yet she always bounced back, aided by Stringer Davis and her many friends. A great number
of them are interviewed in this new book. For instance, Petula Clark, who had been seriously
ill in hospital, was woken and told there was a visitor who had been waiting a considerable
amount of time to see her. As the nurse helped Petula steadily along the corridor, she heard
the unmistakable voice of Margaret Rutherford, exclaiming “My dear, how wonderful to see
you on your feet!” Petula continued “The hands went up, the flowers went around me and I
found myself looking into a lined and whimsical face which mirrored all the kindness and
pleasure in the world.”
Dame Margaret Rutherford died in 1972 at the age of 80, after a lengthy bout of fragile
health, followed a year later by her devastated and devoted husband Stringer Davis. Andy
Merriman’s fine biography (Aurum Press, 295 pages and nicely illustrated) is indeed full of
marvellous stories, bringing this inimitable actress to glorious life. However, there is one
rather amusing quote about Margaret Rutherford which the author has missed – and it came
from one of Britain’s most popular and handsome leading men of MVM’s era, James Mason.
When asked who was his favourite leading lady, Mr Mason answered, saying how he had
tried to rate all of his leading ladies with a ‘star’ system – and the only ‘five-star’ lady was
none other than – Margaret Rutherford!
30
REMEMBERING FRED MacMURRAY
By Robert Osborne
I still recall the 1991 radio announcement: ‘Actor Fred MacMurray has died at the age of 83.
He starred in TV’s ‘My Three Sons.’ End of the announcement! Well, I guess one shouldn’t
be surprised at the short shrift given to Mr
MacMurray, for he was always under-rated and
never given his due, certainly not in his lifetime,
unfortunately. Fred MacMurray was one of the
best, most versatile performers Hollywood ever
made famous – and he could do it all, be it
screwball comedy or film noir (just say ‘Double
Indemnity’ and say no more). There were
romances (a la Hepburn in ‘Alice Adams’ and
Barbara Stanwyck in ‘Remember The Night’);
westerns (‘The Moonlighter’ and ‘Trail Of The
Lonesome Pine’); dramas (‘The Caine Mutiny’
with Humphrey Bogart and ‘The Apartment’ with
Jack Lemmon and Shirley MacLaine) and even
musicals (‘Sing You Sinners’ with Bing Crosby
and ‘And The Angels Sing’ with Dorothy
Lamour). Fred worked for all the Hollywood
studios including Walt Disney – and even
Republic, where he had to endure the boss’s
wife Vera Hruba Ralston as his co-star – and he
was always well-liked and a true professional.
But, Fred MacMurray never got an AFI Lifetime
Achievement Award and tribute. There was no Kennedy Centre or Lincoln Centre honour for
him. Not even a single Academy Award nomination came his way, despite the portfolio,
despite the high grade work. Maybe that was MacMurray’s problem: continued excellence!
He was never bad – so that the good work
was noticeably impressive. One hopes that he
personally felt rewarded by the results of his
efforts and by the public’s continued affection
throughout his long career on screen and
television. John Q. Public certainly liked him
even if Hollywood itself took him for granted.
Maybe now that he is no longer with us,
people will take a good and serious look at
Fred MacMurray’s prolific work on the silver
screen. For as Errol Flynn once said back in
the 1950s, “They have great respect for the
dead in Hollywood – but none for the living!”
Cynical, yes, but more often than not, too true!
Editor’s Note: At least in private life, Fred
apparently found much happiness in his long
second marriage to the lovely June Haver,
(from 1954 until his death) with whom he
adopted twin daughters. His first wife sadly
died in 1953, leaving him to bring up their
adopted son and daughter. I’ve never seen
his TV series ‘My Three Sons’, has it ever
been shown on UK television, I wonder?
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‘HAPPY 90th BIRTHDAY BETTY’
By Susan King
Betty Garrett’s life can be summed up by these lyrics from Stephen Sondheim’s ‘I’m Still
Here’ from his 1971 masterwork ‘Follies’: “Good times and bum times, I’ve seen them all and,
my dear, I’m still here!” The vivacious 90 year old had a talented husband – Larry Parks and
has two equally talented sons, Garrett and Andrew
(and a much adored granddaughter). She appeared in
such classic MGM musicals as ‘Take Me Out To The
Ball Game’ (1948) and ‘On The Town’ (1949) and
much later gained new audiences as a regular on two
TV series’ – ‘All In The Family’ and ‘Laverne And
Shirley’. A founding member of Theatre West on
Cahuenga Boulevard in Los Angeles, Betty has done
four plays there in the last two years alone – and she
heads its musical theatre workshop. But behind her
success and triumphs was also the insidious
Hollywood blacklist that destroyed her husband’s film
career and was nearly the death knell to hers. “People
say how come you’ve lasted this long?” says the
gracious actress in the dining room of her Studio City
hills home she and her late husband bought in 1963.
Betty currently shares her home with her son,
composer-musician Garrett, his wife, singer Karen
Culliver – and their daughter Maddy. “I say I think it’s
because all of my life I have gotten to do what I love to
do” says Betty, who threw a big birthday bash,
directed by David Galligan. Said Betty; “I told David
how I wanted this party to be very personal. I wanted
to be mistress of ceremonies – and I wanted my family and close friends to be in it.” So, her
daughter-in-law Karen’s group ‘The Phantom Ladies’ sang, her son Garrett played boogie
woogie on the piano and son Andrew gave a speech. Betty (pictured below as she is today)
performed her bawdy limericks “One of my great talents” said Betty, smiling. “When I did my
last show, where I put together a musical revue of all the songs I had written in my life – I
think the Devil got into me! I did my bawdy limericks – and they were the biggest hits of the
whole show!” Betty Garrett credits her mother, Octavia, for allowing her to pursue a career in
entertainment. “She was a very intelligent lady, very musical. She played the piano and
worked in a music store. Early on I guess she saw that I was a performer!” Through a friend
of her mother’s, Betty got an interview with dancer Martha Graham –
who in turn arranged for her to receive a scholarship at
Neighbourhood Playhouse in New York City – at the age of 16. Her
mother gave up her job and came with her. She eventually met
handsome actor Larry Parks (of ‘The Jolson Story’ fame) and married
him in 1944. The couple were devoted until his early death in 1975.
After the blacklist ended Larry Parks’ film career in 1951 (Betty
avoided being called before the House Un-American Activities
Committee because she was pregnant with Andrew) the couple got
involved with real estate. “We bought property between Santa Monica
and Wilshire Boulevard and we built two-storey apartment complexes – and that income
saved our lives!” Betty and Larry performed in clubs and on Broadway and came over to
Britain – playing the London Palladium twice. But the blacklist would often rear its ugly head.
Said Betty “One time Larry and I got a call to do The Arthur Murray Show – the first TV job
we had been offered in a long time. We got to New York and spent the day rehearsing, when
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we received a message at the hotel that said they had gone overtime and didn’t need us. We
knew what it was. That was heartbreaking.” Editor’s Extra Note: Despite all the hardships
Betty has endured over the years, she remains upbeat and a delightful, warm and gracious
lady. After the blacklist, Betty did have at least one more notable screen role in 1955’s ‘My
Sister Eileen’ with Janet Leigh and Jack Lemmon. And, after a period of more than forty
years, Betty and Jack Lemmon reteamed for the 1998 TV movie ‘The Long Way Home’ –
which I have yet to see, hopefully! So, Many Happy Returns, Betty Garrett – and continued
good health and happiness, always! It is well deserved!
MY TOP SIXES!
Compiled by Clive Roberts
Alfred Hitchcock (pictured here in 1960) once sent me a personal letter in which he listed
the SIX favourite films he had directed. I would therefore like to share this information with all
MVM readers, so, here is the list: No.1 ‘Shadow Of
A Doubt’. 2). ‘North By Northwest’. 3). ‘Strangers
On A Train’. 4). ‘The Trouble With Harry’. 5). ‘Rear
Window’. 6). ‘Psycho’. This got me started on what
other directors (and stars) would perhaps have
chosen as their best six! Unfortunately I never met
Billy Wilder and it is obviously too late to ask him
now, so here is MY selection of what might have
been his choice: 1) ‘Ace In The Hole’. 2). ‘Double
Indemnity’. 3) ‘Sunset Boulevard’. 4). ‘Witness For
The Prosecution’. 5). ‘The Apartment’. 6). ‘Some
Like It Hot’.
How about some of the great actors and
actresses? What would have been their ‘six of the
best’, I wonder? If Humphrey Bogart had been
asked what he considered to be his six best films
– would he perhaps have selected the same six
that I have? 1). ‘The Treasure Of The Sierra
Madre’. 2). ‘Casablanca’. 3) ‘The Maltese Falcon’.
4). ‘High Sierra’. 5). ‘The African Queen’. 6). ‘The
Caine Mutiny’. What about Frank Sinatra? Whether in a musical or a dramatic part, Frank
was always worth watching – one of the real Hollywood superstars! Here is my choice of his
six best: 1). ‘Meet Danny Wilson’. 2). ‘The Joker Is Wild’.
3). ‘The Manchurian Candidate’. 4). ‘Pal Joey’. 5). ‘From
Here To Eternity’. 6). ‘Some Came Running’. And what
about Marilyn Monroe? (Shown here). She appeared in
28 films during her short (1948-1961) career and in most
of the earlier ones she had small supporting roles, as in
‘The Asphalt Jungle’ in which she was wonderful – and
‘All about Eve’, having very little screen time in both of
these movies. Surprisingly, Marilyn only actually starred in
twelve films, but is still one of the most famous of all
Hollywood stars, even today. 1). ‘Some Like It Hot’. 2).
‘Gentlemen Prefer Blondes’. 3). ‘There’s No Business
Like Showbusiness’. 4). ‘Niagara’. 5). ‘The Seven Year
Itch’. 6). ‘Bus Stop’. One of the true Hollywood ‘greats’ of
the ‘golden age’ was undoubtedly Bette Davis. Who can
forget all those Warner Brothers’ classic dramas of the
1930s and 40s? Here is my choice of six of Bette’s best:
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1). ‘All About Eve’. 2). ‘Whatever Happened To Baby Jane?’ 3). ‘Jezebel’. 4). ‘Now Voyager’.
5). ‘Mr Skeffington’. 6). ‘The Petrified Forest’. Edward G. Robinson was always a favourite
of mine even though he wasn’t the typical leading man type and was never very convincing in
love scenes! He had a long career and starred in many
great movies, initially at Warner Brothers before going
on to become an outstanding character actor. Here are
six of his best, in my opinion: 1). ‘Double Indemnity’. 2).
‘Woman In The Window’. 3). ‘Scarlet Street’. 4). ‘Night
Has A Thousand Eyes’. 5). ‘The Prize’. 6). ‘Key Largo’.
William Holden spent several years in inferior roles at
Paramount and Columbia until Billy Wilder cast him
opposite Gloria Swanson in ‘Sunset Boulevard’. He then
went on to become one of Hollywood’s most popular
leading men. I wonder if he would have agreed with my
six best of his films: 1). ‘Sunset Boulevard’. 2) ‘Stalag
17’. 3). ‘The Bridge On The River Kwai’. 4). ‘Golden
Boy’. 5). ‘Executive Suite’. 6) ‘The Wild Bunch’. To finish
I would also have liked to speculate on the ‘six best’ of
many others stars, such as Spencer Tracy, Alan Ladd,
Richard Widmark, Alice Faye, Burt Lancaster, James
Stewart, Cary Grant, etc, etc, but I am limited for space!
Perhaps other MVM readers might care to select their ‘six best’ choices at some later date?
MEMORIES OF GRETA GYNT
By Sheila Gow, MBE
The glamorous star (and former MVM honorary) Greta Gynt (shown below) and her last
husband, plastic surgeon Frederick ‘Gerry’ Moore’ designed their own home when they
moved to Forest Row, East Grinstead after their marriage in 1957. Known as White Acres, in
Highgate Road, the building was designed to look like a typical Sussex farmhouse – but
inside it was way ahead of its time. Set in nearly two acres of landscaped gardens, the
interior was entirely open plan with no doors. Rooms
were connected by archways and the heating system
which cost the sum of £1,000 (an enormous figure fifty
years ago!) kept the temperature at a constant 70
degrees. The pine staircase had a wrought iron
balustrade, the dining room was of Nordic design and
there were gold-plated taps in the bathroom.
The Norwegian born Miss Gynt, whose film career had
begun before WWII became one of J. Arthur Rank’s best
known faces in the post war years when the British film
industry was getting back on its feet. Following the
example of many in the film world, Greta and her
husband looked for an escape from London to the
country. Greta loved her home in Forest Row and
became well known in the area, being ‘guest of honour’
at various local events. Amongst her neighbours was the
film director Michael Balcon who lived just up the road at
Coleman’s Hatch. A photograph published in the East Grinstead Courier in 1960 showed
Greta Gynt as president of Forest Row Tennis Club attending a dinner at the Ashdown
Forest Hotel. Two years later she was pictured presenting the prizes at the Imberhorne
Resident’s Car Rally. In 1964, with her film career on the wane, Greta and her husband put
White Acres on the market for £17, 500 and moved back to London - where she chose to ….
34
become known as ‘Mrs Moore’. The East Grinstead tourism officer, Simon Kerr recalls
walking past White Acres on his way to school in the mornings. “Showbiz glamour wasn’t too
evident in Forest Row in 1960. I never saw Miss Gynt slipping out the back door to line up
her empty milk bottles – but it wasn’t for lack of trying!” Frederick Moore died in 1983 and
lovely Greta Gynt passed away in 2000. Fans who remember her as a sparkling post-war
star were disappointed that there were very few tributes paid to her when she died.
ROCK HUDSON ON THE SCREEN
By John Vicary
As far as I can recall, Rock’s first ever screen appearance was a one-line bit part in 1948’s
‘Fighter Squadron’ for Warner Brothers. Soon signed by Universal – where he remained for
nearly twenty years, Rock received the usual dramatic and action training and star-building
along with other newcomers like Tony
Curtis and Jeff Chandler before getting
small roles in several Universal movies of
the early 1950s. Am I correct in thinking he
was a non-speaking Indian in James
Stewart’s very successful ‘Winchester 73’?
Other early brief appearances included
‘Undertow’, ‘The Desert Hawk’ and ‘I Was A
Shoplifter’
before
slightly
better
opportunities came Rock’s way. (He was
actually born Roy Fitzgerald in 1925). I do
remember him in ‘Has Anybody Seen My
Gal?’ (1952) alongside Lynn Bari, Charles
Coburn and Piper Laurie (with whom he is
shown over the page) followed by ‘The
Golden Blade’, ‘Scarlet Angel’ and others of
that ilk. Besides Piper Laurie, Rock’s many
other leading ladies included Yvonne De
Carlo, Donna Reed, Arlene Dahl, Barbara
Hale, Cyd Charisse, Lauren Bacall, Dorothy
Malone, Gina Lollobrigida, Anne Baxter, etc
and his male co-stars included John
Wayne, Kirk Douglas, Dean Martin, Robert
Stack, etc. He appeared with James
Stewart again (this time in a speaking part)
in the western ‘Bend Of The River’ and more of that type, such as ‘Seminole’, ‘The Lawless
Breed’ and ‘Taza, Son Of Cochise’ in which Jeff Chandler’s cameo reprised his former role of
that great Indian Chief, Cochise. Around that time also, Jeff and Rock played boxers in ‘Iron
Man’ (with Evelyn Keyes as the love interest). Rock was the winner in the boxing ring!
Films like ‘One Desire’ and ‘Never Say Goodbye’ were made around the same time as
Rock’s co-starring role opposite Oscar winner Jane Wyman in the tear-jerker ‘Magnificent
Obsession’ (1954) followed the next year with a re-teaming in ‘All That Heaven Allows’ both
of which were very successful at the box-office. So were ‘Written On The Wind’ (1956) and
‘The Tarnished Angels’, but I’m uncertain of how ‘Battle Hymn’ and ‘Twilight Of The Gods’
(1958) fared. Interspersed with all of the above mentioned were studio loan-outs for
‘Something Of Value’ and the much more memorable ‘Giant’ (1956) for which Rock was
Oscar-nominated. Another young star of that film – James Dean, suffered an untimely death
before the movie was released – and took some of the publicity away from some of the other
players – Elizabeth Taylor, Carroll Baker, Mercedes McCambridge and even Jane Withers –
making a sort of come-back in character roles. Up until then, the ‘beefcake’ actor Rock had
35
not done much comedy, but he scored heavily with Doris Day in ‘Pillow Talk’ (1959) which
proved so successful they reteamed for ‘Lover Come Back’ and ‘Send Me No Flowers’.
There were, in between, more action films such as ‘Bengal Brigade’, ‘Captain Lightfoot’,
‘Tobruk’ and ‘The Last Sunset’ plus comedies like ‘Come September’ (1963) and ‘Strange
Bedfellows’. Incidentally, a 1958
loan-out to David O. Selznick to
star opposite Mrs Selznick
(Jennifer Jones) in the heavy,
down-beat war story ‘A Farewell
To Arms’ was not a success.
Most studios would often
‘develop’ someone likely to take
a star’s place – and John Gavin
looked set to take over from
Rock at Universal in movies like
‘A Time To Love & A time To
Die’ and ‘Spartacus’ (not
forgetting Hitchcock’s ‘Psycho’
in 1960) but his leading man
career was relatively short.
Rock moved successfully into
television in the early 1970s for
several years with the popular
series ‘McMillan & Wife’ with
Susan Saint James and Nancy
Walker as their very droll (but funny) housekeeper. He made several top rated TV movies
almost up until his death, remaining a highly popular star to the very end.
Editor’s Note: Hunky, six-foot-four Rock Hudson certainly was one of the best looking
Hollywood males of the 1950s and 60s, with an enormous fan following. I always liked him in
any film – he just had that certain something – a twinkle in his eye, which set him apart from
the others. I know there has been such a wealth of rather tawdry bits and pieces published
about his private life over the years – and to keep his homosexuality a secret at that time
must have been extremely stressful for him (and the studio). He was well liked by his costars, especially the ladies – and it was so sad to see him literally dying in front of our eyes in
1985 from a terrible AIDS related illness which claimed him at only 59. He well deserves to
be remembered for his fine body of film work over a thirty year period – and indeed, his very
funny comedies with the delectable Doris Day are still immensely watchable today.
‘MOVIE ROUND-UP’
By Carol Hughes
‘Chicago Deadline’ (1949). Alan Ladd plays a reporter investigating the life of a girl (Donna
Reed) who is found dead in a cheap apartment. There are flashbacks – June Havoc was her
flat-mate and Arthur Kennedy her brother. There were definite shades of ‘Laura’ here!
‘Night Without Sleep’ (1952). This one reminds me of ‘Black Angel’ (1946). Gary Merrill
plays a composer who marries a rich and ruthless June Vincent. In flashbacks, he meets
Linda Darnell and another old flame Hildegarde Neff – and we find his wife has been
murdered! ‘Loophole’ (1954). Barry Sullivan plays a bank tiller, suspected of a bank theft.
Dorothy Malone is his supportive wife – and Charles McGraw is the insurance investigator
convinced that Barry is guilty. This is a good thriller. ‘So Dark The Night’ (1946). It was
interesting to see Steve Geray in a leading role as a detective who goes on holiday and falls
for a young girl (Micheline Cheirel). Made by Columbia, the film is set in Paris (we see a
picture of the Eiffel Tower). ‘Shadow On The Wall’ (1950). It was amazing to see the lovely
36
Ann Sothern - here playing a devious murderer! Honestly! Unfortunately, this film ended
Ann’s career at MGM, though her performance was a good as ever. ‘The Hunted’ (1947).
Starred Belita – who was new to me. In fact her accent was so good, I thought she was
American! This English ice-skater couldn’t have been more different from Sonja Henie in her
film roles in thrillers. Preston Foster is a detective in this, whose girlfriend (Belita) is arrested
by him for robbery. After four years in prison, she is still trying to convince him she is
innocent! This is a film noir, with Belita’s skating ability incidental to her acting. She certainly
impressed me. Lastly, ‘Suspense’ (1946). Belita stars again in this Monogram drama with a
cast including Barry Sullivan, Bonita Granville, Albert Dekker and Eugene Pallette – in a noncomedy role! My thanks go to Jim Simpson for making it possible for me to see some of
these rare films.
DOROTHY MALONE REMEMBERS…..
By Donald Liebenson
What happened in Peyton Place did not stay in Peyton Place! The fictional Massachusetts
town became synonymous with American small-town secrets and scandal, first in Grace
Metalious’ sensational 1956 novel, followed by the
Oscar-nominated 1957 film, the 1959 sequel novel,
the 1961 sequel film and then, in 1964 as American
television’s first prime-time serialised drama –
initially airing twice a week. Fans of the 1960s TV
series can now relive ‘the continuing story of Peyton
Place’ from the beginning with the DVD release of the
first 31 episodes (only 483 to go!) Described at the
time by executive producer Paul Monash as ‘a
television novel’, Peyton Place paved the way for the
more outrageous later programs like ‘Dallas’,
‘Dynasty’ and ‘Desperate Housewives’. ‘Peyton
Place’ brought Oscar-winning actress Dorothy
Malone (picture here) to series TV and put co-stars
Ryan O’Neal and Mia Farrow on the map. Dorothy
starred as Constance MacKenzie, a bookstore owner
and over-protective single mother with a devastating
secret and
Mia played
her 19 year
old daughter Allison, with Ryan O’Neal portraying
the brooding ‘golden boy’ Rodney Harrington.
Dorothy Malone’s TV stardom came at the end of
Hollywood’s ‘golden age’ of movies. Her first
notable role was as the bookstore clerk who closed
the shop early to put the make on Humphrey
Bogart’s Philip Marlowe in 1946’s ‘The Big Sleep’.
(She is shown here at around that period). Dorothy
went on to win the 1956 Oscar for Best Supporting
Actress as the promiscuous and alcoholic oil
baron’s daughter in ‘Written On The Wind’. Today,
at the age of 85, Dorothy lives in Dallas, Texas
where her family moved from Chicago when she
was a child. In a telephone interview, Miss Malone
was gracious and good spirited – and her affection
for the series and its cast was undimmed. When I
37
asked her if she was at first hesitant about doing a TV series, she replied “My dear, I didn’t
even give it a thought. I just enjoyed the acting.” She called Mia Farrow ‘delightful, very fresh
and sweet.’ And O’Neal was ‘adorable – he had a lot of sex appeal and I was always crazy
about Ed Nelson’ (who played Peyton’s new Doctor, Michael Rossi). The feeling is obviously
mutual, for in another telephone interview, Ed Nelson (80) who has recently published his
autobiography entitled ‘Beyond Peyton Place: My Fifty Years On Stage, Screen And
Television’ said fondly “Dorothy was always a joy. When I had a scene with her, I knew it was
going to be a good one. She had one quality that they never captured – and that was her
marvellous sense of humour. We used
to laugh around the set all the time.”
Dorothy Malone’s daughter Mimi
observed that her mother was ahead of
her time. While Oscar winners did not
ordinarily choose series television as a
career move “Mom just knew that the
series was going to be successful!”
Off-screen, Dorothy’s life was also rife
with drama. In 1965, she underwent lifesaving surgery after more than 30 blood
clots were found in her lungs. Medical
updates were flashed on the electronic
tickertape in New York’s Times Square
(and Lola Albright took over her role of
Constance temporarily, while she
recovered). “But” says Mimi, “Mom has
a very strong faith – and that has
sustained her. She is a survivor.”
Dorothy Malone (shown here in the late
1960s) departed ‘Peyton Place’ before
the series ended, partly because, in a
bid to attract young viewers, the writers
were focusing on the series’ younger
characters. However, she continued to divide her time between movies and television, going
on to appear in one of American TV’s first mini-series ‘Rich Man, Poor Man’ (1976) and she
reprised her role as Constance in the TV movies ‘Murder In Peyton Place’ (1977) and
‘Peyton Place: The Next Generation’ in 1985. Her last feature film (to date) was the hit
melodrama ‘Basic Instinct’ starring Sharon Stone and Michael Douglas, in 1992, in which her
role was small but most telling.
Dorothy Malone’s favourite role, however, has always been that of a loving mother to her two
daughters and whilst living in Hollywood, she made an extra effort to ensure that they were
well grounded. She finally moved the family back to Dallas in the late 1960s after she and her
first husband, actor Jacques Bergerac (the father of her girls) were divorced. Her daughters
were still quite small then. “She wanted to get us out of the crazy Southern California scene –
and grow up where she grew up, back in Dallas, Texas” stated Mimi – and both daughters
and their families still live there now. Today, Dorothy Malone enjoys being with her family and her six grandchildren. She thoroughly enjoys watching ‘Dancing With The Stars’ on
television – and receiving fan mail which continues to arrive from all over the world. It simply
brightens her day, says her daughter Mimi. “Dorothy Malone’s approachable, down-to-earth
quality would play well right now” continued Mimi. “It’s not something you can be taught. She
was always ‘down-home’ and caring about her family – but when she would turn it on (for the
camera) - it was like magic to watch!”
38
THE THALIANS BALL – A REPORT
By Bob Isoz
For the past fifteen years straight, I have had the great pleasure of being personally invited to
attend this wonderful annual event in Beverly Hills, California, by my good friends Debbie
Reynolds and Ruta Lee. Amazingly, each year seems better and better – and there are so
many stars (especially from MVM’s era) attending and contributing to this wonderful charity
for mental health causes. Once again,
the Ball was held at the beautiful Beverly
Hilton Hotel. This year, the Thalians
‘honour’ went to legendary Hollywood
star Mickey Rooney. Many of Mickey’s
friends and co-stars from his amazingly
long career came to greet and honour
him for this very special award – and we
enjoyed numerous film clips from his
vast list of movies - and entertainment
shows. Mickey entered the proceedings
on the arm of his wife Jan, herself a
talented singer with whom he has often
performed in shows. Several of the
celebrity guests also entertained the
audience with some great musical
numbers – especially the lovely Ann
Blyth and Shirley Jones who are
pictured over the page. These two still
elegant ladies were stand-outs – and
when they sang, time just seemed to
have stopped – it could have been forty
years ago! Then Nancy Sinatra (with
whom I am shown below) sang her
popular number ‘These Boots Are Made
For
Walking’
which
was
much
appreciated. Amongst the many other stars who were on hand and equally enjoying the
evening were Mitzi Gaynor, Betty Garrett, Richard Anderson, Margaret O’Brien, Dick
Van Patten, Marsha Hunt – and Ann Rutherford – who gave a fabulous speech to honour
Mickey. It was so hard to believe that it
is over seventy years ago since Ann
(as Polly Benedict) and Mickey played
sweethearts in several of the popular
‘Andy Hardy’ films at MGM. I praised
Ann for her touching speech
afterwards and she was so pleased
that it was appreciated.
As always, Debbie Reynolds and Ruta
Lee entertained us all with songs and
jokes, so a big THANK YOU to both
ladies for hosting yet another
sensational Thalians Ball – I can’t wait
until next year’s event!! All the photos
on pages 40 & 41 were taken during
this memorable evening and I hope
MVM readers will love seeing them all!
39
Pictured above, left to right; of course, the always glamorous Debbie Reynolds, Mickey
Rooney and his wife Jan – and the still bubbly Mitzi Gaynor, all having a great time!
Pictured above, Betty Garrett and on the right, Debbie is shown with the charming Ann Blyth.
Shown on the left, is Bob Isoz with the still
lovely Shirley Jones. Above, Debbie
Reynolds and her equally lively co-host
Ruta Lee are flanking the guest of honour,
Mickey Rooney along with his wife, Jan.
40
Pictured left to right are; Ann Rutherford, Margaret O’Brien - and Bob Isoz with Marsha Hunt.
A TRIBUTE TO KARL MALDEN Academy Award winning actor Karl Malden passed away
last July, at the great age of 97. Born Mladen Sekulovich on March 22, 1912 in Chicago,
Illinois, he was the eldest of three sons and was raised in the Serbian community of Gary,
Indiana, where his father Petar was a milkman. Malden spent his high school years as a
basketball player – and as president of his class, but he developed a deepening fondness for
acting in the school plays. His father had been the director of the productions at the Serbian
Orthodox Church and had introduced him to the theatre throughout his childhood. Malden
happily left behind his job in the Gary mills when he was offered a scholarship to attend
Chicago’s Goodman Theatre and it was there that his passion for acting was truly ignited.
There too, he met another scholarship student, Mona Greenberg and the two frequently
played opposite each other in the Goodman’s renowned children’s theatre productions. The
couple were married in 1938 – and celebrated their seventieth wedding anniversary in
December 2008! They lived in New York where Malden (having changed his name)
appeared on Broadway for twenty years in such landmark productions as Arthur Miller’s ‘All
My Sons’ and Tennessee Williams’ ‘A Streetcar Named Desire’. During this time, he
developed working relationships and lifelong friendships with director Elia Kazan and co-star
Marlon Brando. Malden’s recreation of the role of Mitch in the film of ‘ A Streetcar Named
Desire’ earned him an Oscar for Best Supporting Actor in 1951 and he was later nominated
in the same category for playing Father John in ‘On The Waterfront’ (1954) again with
Brando.
In 1959, Malden moved his family – now including two daughters Mila and Carla to los
Angeles so that he could pursue his film career. He appeared in over seventy films including
‘Baby Doll’, ‘One-Eyed Jacks’, ‘Pollyanna’, Gypsy’, ‘The Cincinnati Kid’, ‘Nevada Smith’, ‘How
The West Was Won’, ‘Birdman Of Alcatraz’ and ‘Patton’ to name a few. Malden liked to say
how he had an ‘open hearth face’, but it was his Everyman quality that made him one of the
most well-respected character actors of his generation. In the 1970s, Karl Malden made the
transition to television, starring in the popular series ‘The Streets Of San Francisco’ which
introduced Michael Douglas as his co-star. Michael has credited Malden as his mentor ever
since. It was during that time that Malden became the spokesman for American Express
Travellers Cheques, making the slogan ‘Don’t leave home without them’ a household phrase
in the US. He went on to win an Emmy award for his portrayal of the distraught father in
1984’s television movie ‘Fatal Vision’. After serving on its board for nine years, Malden was
elected president of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences in 1990. He served
41
three terms during which he put his career on hold to devote his efforts to the position full
time. He was instrumental in establishing the Academy Library which stands today on La
Cienega Boulevard – and in 2003, Malden was honoured with the Screen Actors Guild
Lifetime Achievement Award. In business having a reputation for casual acquaintances,
Malden (shown here with his TV co-star Michael Douglas) maintained cherished lifelong
friendships, not only with Kazan and Brando,
but also with Richard Widmark, Eli Wallach,
Eva Marie Saint, Norman Lloyd, Kirk Douglas
and of course, Michael Douglas. Ultimately,
Karl Malden was a working actor, not a
Hollywood personality – and he thought of
himself that way. For Malden, the work always
came first as evidenced by the title of his
autobiography ‘When Do I Start?’ But what
was most important to him was his family,
which grew to include his beloved sons-in-law
Dr Tom Doerner and Laurence Starkman and
he considered his greatest blessings to be his
three granddaughters – and in recent years
his great-grandchildren Mila, Stella, Charlie
and Thomas Karl. As Serbian tradition
exclaims ‘Zivio!’…which translated means ‘To
Life!’
At the time of Karl Malden’s death, Michael
Douglas released the following few words: “He
was my lifelong mentor, both professionally
and personally. I worshipped the man. He took
me under his wing and helped me understand the whole acting process in a way that I never
would have, as far as learning how to listen. You understand why he was a co-star of Marlon
Brando’s for so many years in movies like ‘On The Waterfront’ and ‘A Streetcar Named
Desire’. He was a great listener and he had a phenomenal work ethic. The writers on ‘The
Streets Of San Francisco’ would hate us because we would rehearse so much that we would
pick up the pace – so the scripts had to be six or seven pages longer! And he had a great
sense of humour – he loved a dirty joke as much as anyone I knew!”
.......BUYING………SELLING………TRADING…..
FOR SALE: Picturegoer Postcards. ‘Wants’ Lists are welcomed as I have thousands! (No
list available). Also I have numerous Back Issues of Movie Memories for sale. Please contact
Eric Kent at 8 The Croft, Flitwick, Beds. MK45 1DL. Tel.01525 752222. Thank you.
WANTED: DVD’s or video copies of the following Rock Hudson films: ‘Captain Lightfoot’,
‘One Desire’, ‘Pretty Maids All In A Row’, ‘Better Than Before’, ‘Twilight For The Gods’,
‘Fighter Squadron’ and ‘Embryo’. Also his TV mini series, such as ‘Wheels’, ‘The Star Maker’,
‘The Martian Chronicles’, ‘The Devlin Connection’, ‘The Las Vegas Strip Wars’, etc. Please
contact Pauline Franks at 66 Heathview Road, Grays, Essex. RM16 2RS. Thank you.
FOR SALE: A large collection of Postcards of film stars from the 1930s right up to date.
Plus numerous books and other film collectables. Also Wanted: Any photographs or
postcards of comedy actor Victor Spinetti. Please contact Mr Berwyn Jones at 408 Selbourne
Road, Luton, Bedfordshire. LU4 8NU. Thank you.
42
SUSAN HAYWARD – TRUE GRIT
By Michael Burrows
At home in Brooklyn, with elder sister Florence, brother Walter (Wally) and loving, devoted
and supportive parents Walter and Ellen, Edythe Marrener was born on June 30th, 1918. She
was to enjoy a frugal but happy childhood; taught self-reliance, integrity and hard work,
together with perseverance, all of which would remain with her throughout the rest of her
days. Brought up during the Depression years, when her father worked as a subway guard,
her parents had to resort to the instalment plan to equip their tenement home – similar to the
family graphically portrayed in
1944’s ‘A Tree Grows In Brooklyn’.
Edythe resolved never to incur
debt – and she would, of course,
eventually acquire considerable
riches. Unfortunately, the family
goodwill was not shared by all the
residents of Brooklyn. Singing for
pennies under the windows of the
high residences, Edythe and her
friends welcomed coins thrown to
them by the occupants. However,
it was not only their hands that
were burnt when they became the
victims of some adults who first
heated the coins on their stoves
before hurling them out of the
windows to be eagerly seized by
the hapless youngsters below.
Edythe learned many lessons from
these encounters, but happily she
profited from them, avoiding any
bitterness.
Nevertheless,
her
strong determination and quite hard outlook on life may be traced to her early days. In a
phrase, through battling hardship, what she acquired was indeed – true grit! On October
30th, 1937, ‘The Saturday Evening Post’ featured a photograph pose by 19 year old Edythe
that led directly to a screen test for no less a part than Scarlett O’Hara in the projected ‘Gone
With The Wind’. But for the drama student and embryonic actress, such a challenge was too
much too soon – and as we all know, Vivien Leigh secured the much-vaunted role. However,
our attractive, confident, red-haired young lady attracted interest in Hollywood and she was
soon signed by Warner Brothers, who changed her name to Susan Hayward. Her screen
debut in 1937’s ‘Hollywood Hotel’ directed by Busby Berkeley, was made in good company.
Starring Dick Powell, it featured Carole Landis, Ronald Reagan and Susan in very small
parts. Little progress was made for two years, when, under the auspices of Paramount,
Susan secured fifth billing in the important, highly successful ‘Beau Geste’ supporting Gary
Cooper, Ray Milland, Robert Preston and Brian Donlevy under William Wellman’s inspired
direction.
The unusual 1941 ‘B’ movie ‘Among The Living’ starred sinister Albert Dekker (in what was
probably his best screen role in a long career that ended with his bizarre suicide in 1968.)
The film also featured Susan along with the ill-fated Frances Farmer. Ingrid Bergman
triumphed in the beautifully acted family drama ‘Adam Had Four Sons’ (1941) but she was
almost eclipsed by a powerful performance from Susan Hayward as the vicious wife of one of
the sons. ‘Reap The Wild Wind’ (1942) was a Technicolor sea adventure, advertised as ‘a
tale of daring piracy and hot-blooded love!’ Produced and directed by Cecil B. DeMille, it costarred Susan with John Wayne, Ray Milland and that most talented and lovely star, Paulette
43
Goddard. Many of us will remember this Technicolor seafaring period adventure in which
diver John Wayne battles a giant squid! Susan was ambitious for stardom and this popular
film was a major step forward. ‘The Forest Rangers’ (19420 was another Technicolor hit –
and a fairly routine adventure of ‘the thrilling story
of women who play with fire – and men who fight
it!’ Once more the cast was strong, including Fred
MacMurray and Paulette again. ‘I Married A Witch’
was an intelligent, delightful fantasy enabling
Susan to exhibit that combination of haughtiness,
sharp tongue and obstinacy that she needed in
attempting to deflect Veronica Lake from stealing
her fiancé, Fredric March. Her performance was
most effective in one of Rene Clair’s best
American features.
Thirty years separated the linkings of Susan with
William Holden and although ‘Young And Willing’
(1943) offered them an opportunity to indulge in
comedy, neither this film nor the much later ‘The
Revengers’ (1972) was memorable. However,
1943’s ‘Jack London’ is one of my personal
favourites. Perhaps that two of its players –
Virginia Mayo and Michael O’Shea – met on the
set and married shortly afterwards, appeals to the
romantic in me! It has always been Susan’s portrayal of writer Jack London’s loving and loyal
wife that entrances. Her adoration makes the viewer’s heart warm. Unfortunately, as a film,
‘Jack London’ failed primarily on the reputed lack of charisma showed by Mr O’Shea, who
although a likeable actor, didn’t possess the gritty, emotional power of John Garfield who
was originally sought for the lead. But it speaks
volumes of Susan Hayward’s standing that the real Mrs
London personally approved her casting. In 1944’s ‘The
Hairy Ape’, Susan appeared most effectively as a
spoiled socialite returning to America on a tramp
steamer, who is horrified when William Bendix – the
ship’s ‘hairy ape’ stoker approaches her. The London
‘Daily Herald’ described Miss Hayward’s playing as
being ‘provocative, heartless and enticing’ and it was a
clever characterisation in this little-known film.
Beautiful, highly talented, aloof and strong-willed as a
person, Susan Hayward was to appear opposite so
many of Hollywood’s most famous leading actors of the
1940s and 50s, including John Wayne, Dana Andrews,
Gary Cooper, Gregory Peck, Tyrone Power – and most
effectively with Richard Conte. 20th Century Fox’s ‘I’d
Climb The Highest Mountain’ (1951) wasn’t one of
Susan’s favourite films, but in his excellent and
comprehensive biography ‘A Star, Is A Star, Is A Star –
The Lives And Loves Of Susan Hayward’, author
Christopher P. Andersen reports that of the film: ‘Susan
would never take her part all that seriously, but she was
to receive the help of providence when she nearly lost
her life on location near Dawsonville, Georgia. Whilst
taking personal snapshots of the breathtaking scenery,
44
she was not aware that she was actually on the very edge of a 729ft gorge; a fall would
certainly have been fatal. Mercifully, studio chauffeur Will Gray saw the danger, raced to her
side and caught her ‘at the last second’! So delighted was the State Governor with the
resultant film, that the Senate voted Susan as
‘an adopted daughter of Georgia!’
When
American soldiers were fighting in Korea in
1952, Susan (pictured here with Richard
Conte) persuaded the Hollywood community to
donate Christmas presents for the troops, of
whom there were 100,000. Generally, however,
Susan Hayward was a very private person; she
disliked parties and when filming, preferred to
mix with the technicians rather than her fellow
players. However, she was extremely loyal to
her few friends in Hollywood, which included
Jeff Chandler and Thelma Ritter. When
greeting a group of servicemen – and felt
comfortable, she would endear herself to them
with her rousing cry: ‘Anyone here from
Brooklyn?’ But, above all, she was a loner.
In 1955’s ‘The Conqueror’, quite inappropriately, John Wayne appeared as Genghis Khan.
The director of this rather improbable film was former actor and crooner Dick Powell. Filmed
near St. George in Utah, in very high temperatures, it was not realised that the location was
only 140 miles from the site of the atomic bomb tests – and directly in the path of nuclear
fallout! Also, producer Howard Hughes had arranged for 60 tons of Utah earth to be
transferred to a Hollywood sound stage for retakes! Of 220 people who worked on ‘The
Conqueror’, over 90 contracted some form of cancer, including Susan, Pedro Armandariz,
Agnes Moorehead, John Wayne and Dick
Powell who all suffered early, painful deaths
from this dreadful disease. The film itself (one of
Hughes’ personal favourites) was unsuccessful,
but Susan has recorded that ‘of all my leading
men, the ‘Duke’ was my favourite!’ (They
worked together three times). Susan had also
always admired Bette Davis’s performances.
1938’s ‘The Sisters’ starring Bette, had
contained a minor role for Susan, but now,
twenty six years later, the two actresses costarred in ‘Where Love Has Gone’ (1964).
Director Edward Dmytryk has recalled: ‘Susan
was a very difficult person to know. She was
reserved, nervous and withdrawn. Bette mistook
that apparently, for rudeness. They were the
exact opposites!’ In ‘More Than A Woman’,
author James Spada writes: ‘Bette’s vociferous
demands for script revisions further alienated
Hayward, who was certain that her co-star’s
main goal was to enlarge her own part and
truncate hers! “If the script is changed, I walk!”
Susan told her producer. At this, the bad blood
between Bette and Susan completely curdled! Reputed to have been based on the Lana
Turner/Johnny Stompanato/Cheryl Crane murder case of 1957, ‘Where Love Has Gone’ was
45
a rather squalid film, as also was 1967’s ‘Valley Of The Dolls’ – in which Judy Garland had
originally been cast but couldn’t subsequently cope with the role, being very reminiscent of
her own drug problems. Judy was replaced by Susan, who only agreed to do it on the
following terms: that she would get top billing; that Judy Garland
would be paid full salary – no questions asked – and that
whatever Garland would be paid, Susan would get double! In
actual fact, Susan received $50,000 for two weeks work!
Handsome actor Jess Barker is listed in Halliwell’s as being ‘a
lightweight American leading man of minor 1940s films’. He was
four years older than Susan, to whom he was married for ten
years before a hotly contested divorce in 1954. Apart from roles
in ‘Keep Your Powder Dry’ (1945) and ‘This Love Of Ours’
(1946) he continued acting throughout the 1950s and into the
1960s. Incidentally Susan and Jess never appeared in a film
together. Susan was horrified by the publicity of her sensational
divorce case, but she was awarded custody of their young twin
sons, Timothy and Gregory. Jess Barker outlived his ex-wife by
twenty five years, dying in 2000 aged 85. The strain of her
career along with the role of mother and dealing with marriage
problems (brought to the fore in the publicity aired over the
divorce proceedings) led to a suicide attempt with an overdose. Mercifully, due to the efforts
of her mother and that of two Los Angeles police officers, her life was saved by doctors in the
Cedars of Lebanon Hospital. Contracted to make ‘I’ll Cry Tomorrow’, director Daniel Mann
was relieved to know that Susan was keen to resume her career with portrayal of the former
alcoholic 1930s actress/singer, Lillian Roth. The earlier troubled Miss Roth had visited Susan
in hospital to identify with and comfort her. A truly realistic and authentic script, ‘I’ll Cry
Tomorrow’ (1955) had appealed strongly to Susan who personally petitioned MGM studio
head Dore Schary to give her the role; it had been
considered for June Allyson. Susan’s success was
recognised both by her Oscar nomination and the
Cannes Film Festival Best Actress Award.
In fact, three films dominated Susan Hayward’s own list
of her personal achievements. Naturally, as her fifth
Academy Award nomination was at last converted into
the Oscar (see above) for 1958’s ‘I Want To Live!’
stood high on her list, yet she was most proud of ‘I’ll
Cry Tomorrow’ in which she had used her own voice for
Miss Roth’s songs, fully capturing her presence.
Amazingly, she lost out to Anna Magnani for ‘The Rose
Tattoo’, by coincidence also directed by Daniel Mann. A
similar fate followed Susan’s heart-warming, sensitive
playing of singer Jane Froman’s inspiring life after she
(Miss Froman) was badly injured in a plane crash in
‘With A Song In My Heart’ (1952). In this
melodrama/musical, detailing Jane’s valiant battle to
regain her mobility, Miss Froman did her own singing –
with Susan miming expertly. Despite this film gaining
Susan a third Oscar nomination (the two earlier ones
were for ‘Smash-Up: The Story Of A Woman’ (1947)
and 1950s ‘My Foolish Heart’), ‘With A Song In My
Heart’ didn’t result in the Oscar going to Susan; instead it was awarded to Shirley Booth for
46
‘Come Back, Little Sheba’. (Susan is shown below with David Wayne, Una Merkel and an
actor unknown to me in a scene from ‘With A Song In My Heart’). In ‘The United Artists
Story’,
author
Ronald
Bergan records that ‘The
Los
Angeles
Police
Department’ and many other
people in the film industry
tried to dissuade producer
Walter Wanger from tackling
the subject of a woman
executed
in
the
gas
chamber and containing an
anti-capital
punishment
message.
Mr
Bergan
commends Robert Wise’s
clinically realistic direction
and the gritty performance
by Miss Hayward, who
showed the vulnerability but
also the toughness of the woman. Sordid and harrowing, ‘I Want To Live’ is compelling
viewing with Susan absolutely credible in her role. As sole star, she virtually carries the
complete film on her own shoulders – and she does it magnificently. In ‘Child Of Fate’, the
biographer Lawrence J. Quirk assesses Margaret Sullavan’s work in 1941’s ‘Back Street’ as
being: ’a poignant, strong, delicately modulated performance – her finest film achievement! It
was a truly riveting portrayal but I haven’t seen either its forerunner (in 1932 with Irene
Dunne) or Miss Hayward’s successful endeavour in 1961.’ Halliwell commented on Susan’s
version of ‘Back Street’ by stating ‘A glossy remake typical of its producer Ross Hunter, but
unfortunately it fails to work because the heroine suffers too luxuriously! Of course, with Miss
Sullavan, my selection may be prejudiced!
In February 1957, Susan married Floyd Eaton
Chalkley, a divorcee nine years her senior. A
businessman and devout Catholic, they had a most
happy marriage, which sadly ended in January 1966
when her husband suffered a fatal recurrence of
jaundice, aged only 56. During their marriage, Mr &
Mrs Chalkley had financed the building of a Church –
Our Lady of Perpetual Help in Carrollton, Georgia,
where they lived – and it was there that her husband –
whom she described as ‘the strongest man I ever
knew – and the tenderest’ was buried, with the
adjoining plot reserved for Susan. Apparently Susan
and Floyd had once received a private audience with
Pope Paul VI and much earlier, his Eminence John
XXIII had presented Susan with a large onyx crucifix.
In 1969, Susan attempted a return to the stage when
she opened in ‘Mame’ but she had to leave the
production with exhaustion; Celeste Holm took her place. Her final public appearance took
place on April 2, 1974 at the Academy Awards ceremony. With Charlton Heston at her side,
she quickly announced Glenda Jackson as Best Actress for ‘A Touch Of Class’ – but Susan’s
valiant effort in attending the ceremony was only made possible by strong tranquilizers on top
of her cancer medication. She left the building – and shortly afterwards collapsed with a
seizure. In fact, she had less than a year to live. On March 14, 1975, after some considerable
47
suffering borne so courageously, Susan Hayward died at her home in Laurel Way, Los
Angeles. Soon afterwards, she was laid to rest beside her husband Floyd Eaton Chalkley. To
the gentle ground of Georgia, its adopted daughter had come home, to eternal peace at last.
Sadly, the former gutsy, tempestuous, red-haired screen beauty was only 56 years of age.
MEETING DEBBIE REYNOLDS
By Charles Crowell
I have been a long-time fan of the wonderful Debbie Reynolds – and last July I was able to
meet up with her as she re-opened the almost refurbished old ‘Strand Theatre’ in the rural
town of Zelienople – in southwest Pennsylvania,
not too far from my home in Trafford. (We are
pictured together here). The theatre has been
undergoing a $1.5 million renovation in phases –
and after a ribbon-cutting ceremony, Debbie later
took to the stage area to give one of her
fascinating ‘one woman’ shows, (the first of her
four weekend shows for the theatre’s grand
opening celebration) charming the appreciative
crowd with her great sense of humour, poking fun
of the town’s unusual name, her marriages and
telling stories of her experiences in Hollywood in
between singing songs from her movies (plus
showing us several delightful film clips) – and
giving us some excellent impressions of the likes
of Bette Davis and the Gabor sisters which were
great fun. Debbie even performed a country hits
medley. Said Debbie “This is an adorable little
theatre” after earlier joking in the show that it was the smallest theatre she had ever
performed in. “Can you really believe they got me here” quipped Debbie before continuing
“People offer me a job, I go there!” Debbie closed out the show with a lovely tribute to her
friend and favourite actress, the late, great Judy Garland. There was a week of festivities
around the opening of the
Strand Theatre – which had
previously been dark and
vacant for twenty five years!
Also on hand at this occasion
were representatives of the
USDA
Rural
Development
which provided $400,000 to
complete
the
renovation.
Because of them, workers were
able to complete Phase One of
the
Strand’s
renovation,
creating a functional facility for
the local community to enjoy,
with many events already lined
up for the old theatre. Debbie
and I are pictured here enjoying
a good laugh as I showed her
one of the many photographs of
Debbie I have collected over the years as I avidly followed her career. She certainly is a great
entertainer, very gracious to her many loyal fans and it was such a pleasure to be able to say
‘hello’ in person at this excellent and most worthwhile occasion in Zelienople, Pennsylvania.
48
PASSING PARADE
Editor
I know how each issue of ‘Movie Memories’ unfortunately brings us sad news of the passing
of several ‘golden age’ performers, but on this occasion we appear to have lost far more
talented, memorable artistes than usual, which
has prompted me into giving a mention, however
brief, to the following much missed stars. The
unique Jennifer Jones was a most unusual
actress, whose input was not prolific, but
certainly of merit. Initially, I wasn’t aware of her
early screen roles in ‘B’ westerns under her real
name of Phyllis Isley, but of course she came to
prominence in 1943’s highly dramatic and
emotional ‘The Song Of Bernadette’ – a true life
story – and not to be missed if you’ve never seen
it. A complete contrast came in ‘Duel In The Sun’
(1945) as a Mexican ‘half-breed’ Pearl, the object
of affection for two brothers, Gregory Peck (the
bad one) and Joseph Cotton (the good one). In
real life, after divorcing actor Robert Walker (the
couple had two sons), Jennifer married her
mentor, David O. Selznick in 1949 (one
daughter) who guided her film career until his
death in 1965. ‘Since You Went Away’, ‘Madame
Bovary’, ‘Carrie’, ‘Good Morning Miss Dove’
come to mind and she was perfect in the
haunting ‘Love Is A Many Splendored Thing’ opposite William Holden. I didn’t enjoy ‘A
Farewell To Arms’ (1958) with Rock Hudson, at all, as it was just so depressing and
downbeat. She was a welcome and most gracious supporting actress in her final film ‘The
Towering Inferno’ (1974) and her romantic scenes with Fred Astaire were emotional, even
though you just knew something awful would happen along the way. A third marriage to
millionaire art dealer Norton Simon eventually left her a very wealthy widow and she
generously donated huge amounts to various charitable causes before her own recent death
at the age of 90.
Three equally talented British actors – and memorable in
their own way, were Richard Todd, Ian Carmichael and
Lionel Jeffries. Handsome leading man Richard Todd
really ‘arrived’ with his performance as a dying Scotsman
and patient of nurse Patricia Neal in ‘The Hasty Heart’
(1949) set in a military hospital and he carved out a
career with numerous ‘stiff upper lip’ typically British
action heroes in a whole mixture of adventure films over
a significantly lengthy period. (Let’s not forget his Rob
Roy and Robin Hood along the way!) One always
associates him with ‘The Dam Busters’ and ‘D-Day The
Sixth Of June’ and he did indeed suit the uniforms of the
various armed forces which he wore with conviction on
the screen (after actually serving in WWII). An excellent,
illustrated tribute was paid to Richard by Ken Sephton in
the recent MVM 65. Ian Carmichael had an equally long career (and life) and was very
popular in the 1950s as a typical dithering blunderer in numerous comedies since his screen
debut in 1948. Who remembers ‘Private’s Progress’, ‘Brothers In Law’, ‘Happy Is The Bride’,
49
‘I’m Alright, Jack’, ‘School For Scoundrels’, etc, etc. Always a likeable character however
silly, his type of comedy eventually appeared a little dated, before he went on to enjoy TV
fame as the upper class Lord Peter Wimsey and Bertie Wooster with much success. It was
nice to see him still slim and regal in the popular recent
hospital TV drama series ‘The Royal’ in his eighties –
looking twenty years younger. He died aged 89, working
almost to the end. Lionel Jeffries (shown here) was
another unique performer who was equally adept at playing
villains, petty crooks, military or comedy roles with ease.
With a deep, commanding voice, he didn’t really come into
his own until later life despite making his screen debut in
1950. Films that come to mind include ‘Two-Way Stretch’,
‘The Wrong Arm Of The Law’, ‘Rocket To The Moon’,
‘Camelot’ and of course ‘Chitty Chitty Bang Bang’ in which
he was wonderful as the dotty grandfather, singing ‘The
Travelling Life For Me’. He turned to direction in the 1970s
beginning with the all-time classic ‘The Railway Children’
which is still a great favourite today, having recently
celebrated its 40th anniversary with cast reunions. One of
my own personal favourite Lionel Jeffries performances came in the 1989 TV movie ‘Ending
Up’ – a black comedy co-starring John Mills, Wendy Hiller, Michael Hordern and Googie
Withers – a dream cast if ever there was one. Mr Jeffries passed away at the age of 83.
Lastly for now, the announcement of the death of Jean Simmons on January 22 (the same
day as Queen Victoria in 1901) came as a real shock to me, as I’d no idea she had been
suffering from cancer for a while. On screen since 1944, I recall one of her earliest
appearances singing ‘Let Him Go, Let Him Tarry’ in the RAF dance scene from ‘The Way To
The Stars’ aged just 16. Of course she was brilliant as the young, cold and heartless Estella
in the 1946 David Lean classic ‘Great
Expectations’ and that same year she
was a complete contrast as the
bejewelled pretty young Indian girl
smitten by Sabu’s Prince in the highly
atmospheric ‘Black Narcissus’. She
stood out as the endangered heroine
in the creepy period drama ‘Uncle
Silas’ (1947) being menaced by an
over-the-top Katina Paxinou and
Derrick de Marney. And she stood out
as the blonde-haired Ophelia to
Laurence Olivier’s ‘Hamlet’ in 1948.
Marriage to British heart-throb Stewart
Granger (she is pictured here with
Granger and Frank Sinatra) took her to
Hollywood (unknowingly and unhappily
under contract to Howard Hughes) where she eventually became a major player in such hits
as ‘The Robe’, ‘Guys And Dolls’, ‘The Big Country’, ‘Elmer Gantry’ and ‘Spartacus’ to name
just a few. Hollywood certainly glamorised her and she looked stunning throughout the 1950s
– even with an impish short hairstyle. In later life, she made a big impact for me in the
dramatic TV blockbuster ‘The Thorn Birds’ (1983) and she continued to film sporadically up
until her death just a week before her 81st birthday. In private life, Jean Simmons had one
daughter from her marriage to Stewart Granger (divorced in 1960) and a second daughter
from her marriage to the director Richard Brooks (later divorced). She will indeed be missed.
50
‘POT POURRI’……
Compiled by Robert Rosterman
Katharine Hepburn (no surprise there) will be the next movie legend to be featured on a US
postage stamp from the ‘Performing Arts’ series – and the stamp will be released on Kate’s
true birthday, May 12 (1907). Miss Hepburn always gave out a November 8 birth date for
many years – in order to avoid birthday bashes! Prior to Hepburn’s stamp (of approval!) there
is a quartet of US postage stamps out honouring movie ‘cowboys’ – Tom Mix, William S.
Hart and the two pride and joys of Republic Studios – Roy Rogers and Gene Autry…………
Fans of James Bond, Agent 007 – and the James
Bond films might be tempted when in London – and
in an extravagant mood, to try the little bar in Dukes
Hotel where author Ian Fleming first gave Bond’s
definitive ‘shaken, not stirred’ instructions to the
barman in creating his ‘perfect martini’. You are
warned not to indulge in more than one!!..................
Even with her Broadway accolades and Tony Award
win for her superb performance as Madame Arcati
in the recent New York revival of Noel Coward’s
‘Blithe Spirit’, Angela Lansbury – at the age of 84, ‘ain’t down yet! Angela told the New York
press that she’s still waiting for a well-written movie role to come her way, but “I don’t want to
play somebody dying of Alzheimer’s. Julie Christie did that well enough for everyone!” Let’s
hope Angela finds that rare, solid role for another screen appearance – sixty six years after
her 1944 debut!..........................................................................................................................
When the American Film Institute (AFI) selected Michael Douglas as the 2009 recipient of
its Lifetime Achievement Award, it marked the first time that a previous winner Kirk Douglas
(who was the 19th Achievement Award recipient) was on hand to see the honour passed to
his son Michael – the 37th recipient. “I’m too young to have a son getting a lifetime
achievement award” quipped Kirk, then a
sprightly if slightly disabled 92 year-old.
Continued Kirk: “I’m so proud of my son Michael.
I don’t tell him that very often!” Joking or not,
Kirk, it is important to always let relatives and
friends know just how meaningful they are ‘in this
our life.’………………………………………………
Every fan has their own personal favourite of the
famous Bing Crosby, Bob Hope, Dorothy
Lamour ‘Road’ films. My particular favourite
would have to be 1945’s ‘Road To Utopia’ which
opens with a voice-over by humorist Robert
Benchley. Yes, I know that this was pointless
and unnecessary – which is exactly why it’s so
great. Benchley is assigned the thankless task of
explaining the ‘plot’ of the movie – whose plot is entirely beside the point, so he takes the
opportunity of conducting a running narrative (years before audio commentaries) on where
the film goes wrong! As Benchley gleefully points out various continuity errors – and some
terrible jokes, the film’s opening ‘voice-over’ gets the audience set for complete disbelief –
and a good laugh! To add to the joys of ‘Road To Utopia’ we have Dorothy Lamour delivering
the sprightly song ‘Personality’ – which the delectable Dottie possessed, indeed!....................
51
‘AND FINALLY’……….
As always, my grateful thanks go to ALL
the
writers in this issue – and of course to Albert Leonard for his usual splendid drawings. I’d also
like to thank everyone who helped with illustrations, including Astor Sklair, Clive Roberts,
Charles Crowell, Michael Burrows, Bob Isoz, Josie Whibley, AllPosters.co.uk – and Albert
once again. My special thanks go to Robert Rosterman, Charles Crowell, Bob Isoz and
Robert Osborne for their invaluable up-to-date news direct from Hollywood and the rest of the
USA – which is always so very much appreciated.
As mentioned in my initial editorial, the latest
excellent film star biography in the series from the
University Press of Mississippi is ‘Claudette
Colbert – She Walked In Beauty’ by Bernard F.
Dick. With over 300 pages and well illustrated, this
first major biography on Claudette Colbert (19031996) published in over twenty years is a real treat
for fans of the classy, Oscar winning Miss Colbert
– shown here in 1932. The book has full lists of
her screen, stage, radio and TV credits in a career
spanning almost seventy years! It also explores
her early life in Paris and New York, from
Broadway to Hollywood and back – and onto the
London stage. The smart and talented Miss
Colbert appeared to be ageless and starred in so
many great Hollywood films of the 1930s and 40s,
alternating
between
drama
and
comedy,
performing both with ease. She lived out her final
days at her beautiful Barbados home – and truly
did live a seemingly happy and contented life off
the screen, unlike so many top leading ladies of her era. I do recommend MVM readers to
get hold of a copy of this enlightening biography, for it doesn’t disappoint in any way.
Finally, I do hope to see some familiar (and new) faces on May 22 at MVM’s annual
gathering at the Concert Artistes Association (CAA), 20 Bedford Street, in London’s Covent
Garden area – as usual. The entrance is almost opposite the gates of the Actor’s Church.
The doors open at 1.45pm – but please do not arrive early as I have to set the hall up
beforehand, thank you. I hope to have a couple of celebrity guests on hand to make the
afternoon a little more special, so why not come along and say ‘hello’ especially those of you
who live in the London area! I would also like to apologise to anyone whose article has not
appeared in this issue – I simply ran out of space and could easily have run to 70 pages or
more if it wasn’t for the hefty postal charges! Please rest assured your unpublished articles
WILL see the light of day soon!! So, until the next time, I’ll leave you with yet another
humorous Mae West quote: “I’m not hard to please – as long as the price is high enough!” A
happy and healthy summertime to all MVM members, as always.
Chris.
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