Golden Age of Hollywood
Here are the actresses (leading ladies as well as "scene stealers") from Hollywood's Golden Age - the classic era that many refer to as "Old Hollywood." I just call it the Best Hollywood.
Carole Lombard, Twentieth Century (1934)
After filming of Twentieth Century (Amazon dvd link) ended, John Barrymore gave Carole Lombard an autographed photo he’d autographed with a tribute she must’ve treasured: “To the finest actress I have worked with, bar none.”
What an absolutely beautiful compliment – and a testament to the professionalism and talent of Carole Lombard.
I love my family. Okay, that should probably go without saying, but seriously… I really, really love my family.
Not only because they’re the coolest, most colorful, and lovable group of people you could ever hope to meet but also because they’re uncommonly thoughtful, kind, generous, and… well…. DARN good. Not just good. DARN good.
The book you see here is an early Christmas gift from my youngest daughter Stephany. She and her two sisters (Emily and Brittany) have contributed to my Old Hollywood book and dvd collections tremendously and I love that they love supporting my obsessive habit!
They’ve helped create the monster behind these words.
Renegade Women in Film & TV is an absolutely remarkable book. Not only is it gorgeous (hardcover and packed with colorful illustrations of the women it celebrates), it is an exceptionally inspiring read.
Within the pages I was reminded of just how remarkable some of my favorites are (Lucille Ball, Carol Burnett, Dorothy Dandridge, Hedy Lamarr, Hattie McDaniel, Dorothy Arzner, Mary Pickford, Rita Moreno, Anna May Wong, Marlo Thomas, Oprah…). I also learned a lot about some ground-breaking women I knew very little about (Ida Lupino, Mae West, Edith Head, Barbra Streisand, Susan Harris, Mary Tyler Moore, Lesley Visser, Barbara Walters, Geena Davis…) and met ladies I knew nothing about and a few I’d never heard of before but will never forget now.
(Continued Below Lucille Ball… how mesmerizing are those eyes??)
Lucille Ball
As expected, there are outstanding women who are missing that I’d have LOVED for them to have included..
However, the ones who AREN’T there should not and do not detract from the ones who are. Besides, maybe there’ll be a follow-up. I certainly hope so!
Renegade Women in Film & TV would make the most wonderful gift for fans of Old Hollywood and/or Classic TV imaginable. You will, however, want to get your hands on a copy for yourself, too, trust me.
But, here’s the thing… you may want TWO copies. I know I do. One for enjoying and keeping whole (it would make a perfect coffee table book) and one for removing the gorgeous photos for framing. They are truly stunning.
See Renegade Women in Film & TV for more information.
Carole Lombard, To Be or Not to Be (1942)
Greta Garbo
Just as we all have our favorite Old Hollywood actors and actresses, we all have the other extreme, don’t we? Actors or actresses that, for whatever reason, don’t float our boat. Heck, there are some we wouldn’t even let on our boat if we were starving and they were carrying a pizza in each hand!
There are various reasons we may not care for them. A few I’ve ran into, personally…
Funny thing is, though, very often these “undesirables,” if given half a chance, can win us over. They’ve been known to waltz right into your top favorites when given this the chance to shine.
Confessional time – please don’t hold any of this against me and, if you must judge me, please remember I have made retribution.
I am, by nature, an extremely non-judgmental person. In fact, judgmental people are among my least favorite people. For this reason, I honestly don’t have an issue with holding things actresses/actors did or said in their real life against them. For one thing, they all had their private battles and lived in a completely different world from the one we know. Their “reality” was more like a “fantasy,” and their reactions to the craziness around them simply can’t be put under a microscope and studied. It just isn’t fair. Does it make abuse, affairs, lies, cheating, and so on okay? Of course not.. but, again, their “reality” and “norm” were not like anything we’ve ever seen.
For another thing, a lot of it is hearsay. He said, she said… she did… he did… I read once that an actress had an affair on her husband (an equally well-known and beloved star). I was good and ready to carry a grudge against her for at least a week until I read that the husband was the first to cheat. In fact, it was after his second mistress that she decided that, well… if that’s how he wanted to play.
I put down the grudge.
Finally, how could decide that it’s perfectly reasonable to hold bad behavior against actors and actresses, yet not be prepared to do the same for athletes, historical heroes/heroines, politicians, and authors, right? I mean, if we don’t like a particular actress because she was a lousy mother, what about the first ladies who weren’t exactly Caroline Ingalls either?
When I see my Optometrist, I honestly don’t care what kind of wife, mother, daughter, or sister she is. I don’t care what her opinions about politics are. I don’t care who she likes or doesn’t like. I care about her ability to keep my eyes healthy and prescribe the eye wear I need to keep from running into walls!
That’s it. I just want her to do her job. I judge how good or bad of an Optometrist she is by this and this, alone.
Actors and actresses that have gotten on my bad side earn their way there, usually, by boring me in a particular movie or by not being what I consider to be a good actor/actress.
The following stars have been in my proverbial doghouse before… now, remember, don’t judge me. I saw the light!
Greta Garbo. I used to think Greta Garbo was the most (not one of, mind you, but THE MOST) overrated star to ever exist. I was even convinced that she only existed, in the first place, just to torment me.
Yeah. We have a past.
I first saw her in Hotel – a film that, in MY opinion, Joan Crawford stole and ran away with. When I first saw Grand Hotel, I just kept thinking, “Greta Garbo overacts… she’s kind of painful to watch… oh, geez, where’s Joan?!” From that day, forward, I had a very, very bad impression of Garbo. When one of her movies would come on television, I’d say, “No thanks!” and change it to the History Channel, sports, I Love Lucy, Gunsmoke… a safe, familiar place to hide from Greta.
I finally decided to watch another Greta Garbo movie – Susan Lenox, Her Fall and Rise (1931). I figured, “It has one of my favorite actors, Clark Gable, in it, so at least it’ll be worth it…” I was not prepared to fall head over heels in love with Greta! My old nemesis. She was beautiful, charming, fun to watch, wonderful, and downright adorable. My mind had no idea how it was even possible but it also wanted, very much, to see more Greta Garbo movies.
Simply by having BOTH an open mind AND a desire to love as many stars from Old Hollywood as possible, I was able to discover a new favorite and erase a “least favorite.” That’s always a trade I’m in favor of because positivity beats negativity 10 times out of 10.
Leslie Howard. Blame it on Ashley. I never thought fondly of Leslie Howard and it all has to do with his dull as dirt character, Ashley, in Gone With the Wind. Whenever I saw his face, I saw Ashley and his wishy-washy face. So much so that it took me YEARS to ever consent to watch him in anything! I finally did and… what do you know?… the man was a very, very fine actor. Not the least bit boring, either. Go figure.
(Continued below Maureen O’Hara and Paul Henreid…)
There have been other stars who I actually LIKED, but grew to LOVE when I saw them in different roles.
Two come to mind that I liked a great deal, but after seeing them in more than just one role, they became absolute favorites…
Olivia de Havilland. Again, you can blame Gone With the Wind on this one. Olivia de Havilland was lovely and wonderful as Melanie in Gone With the Wind, but when you’re alongside larger than life characters like Scarlett, Rhett, and Mammy… lovely and wonderful don’t exactly stand out. While I “liked” her, Olivia de Havialland was not in my top 20 favorite actresses by any stretch of the imagination. That is until I saw The Strawberry Blonde, Devotion, and Robin Hood. She didn’t just march into the top 10, she flew past the vast majority of them and reached rarefied air enjoyed by Lucille Ball, Maureen O’Hara, Rita Hayworth, Katharine Hepburn, and Barbara Stanwyck.
Paul Henreid. I had only seen Mr. Henreid in Casablanca and, like Olivia, I liked him a lot. Great actor, wonderful screen presence… in fact, I couldn’t find a single thing about him to NOT like. And yet… whenever I’d talk about my favorite actors (Humphrey Bogart, Buster Keaton, James Stewart, Robert Montgomery, John Wayne, Bob Hope…), his name would not be included.
Every now and then, I make a list which includes 3 stars I want to see more of. Nearly a year ago, I wrote Paul Henreid, Van Johnson, and Susan Hayward in my notebook because, somehow, I had only seen ONE movie for each star! They each have gone on to become absolute favorites. (If you have never seen The Spanish Main with Paul Henreid and Maureen O’Hara, see it! It is one of my favorite swashbuckling movies – in fact, I do believe it is my very favorite.)
Now for the Challenge…
The idea for this challenge came about a few weeks ago. Within one day (ONE DAY, mind you!), on Twitter, I saw the following actors and actresses mentioned along with words such as, “I don’t like____” or “____ doesn’t do anything for me…”
Seriously?? The list above reads like my top tier of favorites… heck, it reads like the top tier of a lot of people’s favorites! Just as I was wondering how anyone could possibly not like any of these stars, it hit me… I’ve been that way before (holy cats, I’m still there with Laurence Olivier and an actress you’d all pass out from if I mentioned her name, so… yeah, I’ll skip that drama. I am still looking for the movie that’ll change my mind about him or her, but the search continues.).
One of my greatest passions in life is Old Hollywood, Classic TV, and Classic Radio shows. I work feverishly to do my part to keep these wonderful stars, films, and episodes shining brightly. I know there are many others who feel the same way. The bottom line is, the more stars we embrace, the more light we can shine on the entire period.
Again, positivity beats negativity every day of the week and twice on Sunday.
The challenge is as simple as it gets – simply write down an actor or actress (start with just one for now) that you either don’t like or are pretty lukewarm toward. Challenge yourself to, in the coming weeks, watch at least two of their films you’ve never seen. If you’re on Twitter, ask their fans for recommendations (we’re always ready to give the top recommendations for our favorites, aren’t we?!)
Try to watch more than two, if you’re able. Whatever you do, approach the film(s) with an open mind. Sitting there thinking, “Okay, little Miss Katharine Hepburn, show me what you’ve got!” probably won’t allow for the best experience.
Note: Not ALL stars are for ALL fans and it is possible you will never like certain stars no matter how many times you watch them. However, it is much, much, much more likely that they will win you over if you give them a chance.
One more word about the “behavior” of some stars. While I do not judge these men and women (any more than I do the ones I see today) and do not hold their behavior or lack of class against them, I do (however) have an extra EXTRA strong appreciation for those who were in the same rat race but didn’t sink to the level of rats. The actors and actresses who were decent humans, good husbands/wives/parents… the ones who their fans can read about in anyone’s biography and feel proud to be a fan.
These stars deserve a little extra appreciation, in my book, and I will always give it to them.
(Continued Below the Legends…)
How About Movie Genres or Decades?
You could also do a similar challenge for movie genres and movie decades. Is there a certain genre you don’t think you care for? A certain decade of films you try to avoid? This is a tough one for me because there is absolutely NO genre I don’t love and no decade I don’t cover with my movie obsession.
If you can think of a genre or decade, challenge yourself to watch a few relevant movies in the coming weeks. Again, if you’re on Twitter, ask for recommendations! If you aren’t on Twitter…. get there! Okay, only slightly kidding. If you aren’t on Twitter, ask other movie fans for recommendations.
Another approach would be this – think of an actor or actress you like, then see if they were in a movie in the genre you need. If you like Barbara Stanwyck, for example and are looking to add Film Noirs to your list of films… are you ever in luck. She was in one of the greatest film noirs of all time –Double Indemnity. As far as that goes, she was also in Westerns, comedies, and dramas.
Hmmm, I’ve always been obsessed with Barbara Stanwyck, maybe that explains why I love all genres.
You may or may not be able to move a “don’t care for..” star to a list of favorites – but I guarantee you’ll have fun trying.
Branch out, watch more, and make room in your life for as many favorites as you can handle! ~ Joi (“Joy”)
P.S. If you have a star or stars win you over, I hope you’ll let me know. I live for that sort of thing!
For What It’s Worth…
My recommendations for the stars named above. If you don’t like any of these stars, now, I hope you’ll see the movies I list. I’ll limit my recommendations to just three – although it can be tough sometimes.
Please give them a chance, they truly are remarkable stars – some of the absolute best, in my opinion.
Carole Lombard
I love reading about old Hollywood actors and actresses. Okay… let’s be honest – I’m completely obsessed with it. Carole Lombard (like Fred Astaire and James Stewart, to name a few) is one of those people who… the more you read about her, the more you like her. She apparently had a huge personality and a wicked sense of humor. She was friends with Lucille Ball, so that shouldn’t surprise us.
Below are a few Fast Facts about the stunning actress, followed by trivia and classic Carole Lombard quotes.
Birth: Carole Lombard was born Jane Alice Peters on October 6, 1908 in Fort Wayne, Indiana. One of her nicknames was actually “The Hoosier Tornado.” After her parents divorced, Carole moved, with her mother, to the Los Angeles area in 1916. Her first film was A Perfect Crime in 1921 when she was only 12 years old. It would be four more years before she appeared in another film.
In 1926 Carole was seriously injured in an automobile accident. The left side of her face was scarred as a result of the accident. To LITERALLY add insult to injury, once she had recovered, Fox canceled her contract.
In spite of the accident (and Fox’s rejection), Carole Lombard went on to achieve legendary success as a leading lady. Gifted with a beautiful voice, she was able to transition from silents to “talkies” – something many stars were unable to do.
In 1931, she was teamed with William Powell in Man of the World. She and the talented actor fell hard for one another and married. Unfortunately, like many things in Hollywood, it didn’t last and they divorced in 1933.
In No Man of Her Own (1932), Carole’s co-star was none other than the wonderful Clark Gable. They hit it off and were married seven years later in 1939. By this time, she was with Paramount Pictures and was one of its biggest stars.
Her last film was in 1942. She played Maria Tura opposite Jack Benny in To Be or Not to Be. Tragically, the beautiful actress was killed before the movie’s release. The film wrapped in 1941 just as the US entered World War II. Carole went home to Indiana for a war bond rally. On January 16, 1942, Carole, her mother, and 20 other others were flying home California when the plane went down outside of Las Vegas, Nevada.
There were no survivors. Carole Lombard was only 33 years old. THIRTY-THREE.
After her 1926 automobile accident badly cut her face, Carole elected for plastic surgery. At the time, doctors believed that use of anesthetic during the surgery would leave worse scars, so she endured the reconstructive surgery without an anesthetic. Unimaginable!
She was only 5’2″ (with shoes).
She was posthumously awarded the Medal of Freedom by President Franklin D. Roosevelt as the first woman killed in the line of duty in World War II.
To Be or Not to Be was in post-production when she died in the plane crash. The producers decided to remove a line where her character asks, “What can happen in a plane?“.
Lucille Ball said she actually agreed to do I Love Lucy when Carole (who had been a close friend) came to her in a dream and recommended she take a chance on television.
Considered by a lot of fans to be the inspiration for the icy blondes in Alfred Hitchcock’s films. (I certainly think she was.)
Carole Lombard’s performance as Maria Tura in To Be or Not to Be is ranked #38 on Premiere magazine’s 100 Greatest Performances of All Time.
Turned down the role of Ellie Andrews in It Happened One Night. Claudette Colbert was then given the role and won a Best Actress Oscar for her performance.
During their honeymoon, Clark Gable and Carole Lombard stayed at the Willows Inn in Palm Springs, California. Not only does the Inn still exist, guests can stay in the same room the legendary couple stayed in, called “The Library Suite.” The room remains largely unaltered since the Gables stayed slept there.
She and Gloria Swanson were close friends.
Both of her husbands (William Powell and Clark Gable) starred in Manhattan Melodrama (1934) with Myrna Loy.
Apparently her mother had had a bad feeling about taking a plane and wanted to take a train to Los Angeles instead. The decision to take the plane was literally decided by the flip of a coin – with Carole “winning” the toss.
Carole had a much-loved little dachshund named Commissioner that reportedly ignored Clark Gable completely. After her death in 1942, however, the dog would not leave his side.
One of my personal favorite stories about Carole Lombard comes from writer Garson Kanin. Apparently Carole never had a dressing room when shooting a movie. Instead, she preferred to socialize with the cast and crew members during her breaks. Words can’t describe how much I love this about her.
“(William Powell) is the only intelligent actor I’ve ever met.”(Explaining why she would not work with Orson Welles) “I can’t win working with Welles. If the picture’s a huge hit, he’ll get the credit and, if it’s a flop, I’ll be blamed.”
“Personally, I resent being tagged ‘glamour girl’. It’s such an absurd, extravagant label. It implies so much that I’m not.”
“A woman has just as much right in this world as a man and can get along in it just as well if she puts her mind to it.”
“I can’t imagine a duller fate than being the best-dressed woman in reality. When I want to do something, I don’t pause to contemplate whether I’m exquisitely gowned. I want to live, not pose!”
“When it comes to your personal life, such as love and romance, girls should take a tip from the men and keep their affairs to themselves. Any man worth his salt regards his private life as his own. To kiss a girl and run and tell would mark him as a cad. Why doesn’t that apply to girls also?”
But what about the equally talented stars who didn’t quite achieve this level of notoriety? It’d be my great honor to keep these stars shining just as brightly, so I’m going to begin spending a lot more energy on these wonderful men and women. I’m anxious for all of us to get to know them a little better.
First up (Marjorie Main) is a random one, I’ll admit, but I’ve always enjoyed her so much. Marjorie just seems like a perfect place to start for several reasons. For one thing, she falls into a category that a lot of these non-household names fall into. The category where we end up saying things like, “Wait a minute…. I know that face… I know that voice… where have I seen her/him from…. Gunsmoke? Andy Griffith? I Love Lucy? Was it a Western? Was it a Musical… nah, I don’t think they could sing…. Where do I know that face from?!?!”
Marjorie Main is a classic example of this because I pretty much went through the entire series of questions above recently when she showed up on an episode of Wagon Train I was watching. She was the title character in the episode “The Cassie Tanner Story.” For whatever reasons, when I’m trying to identify a face, my “go to” options are Gunsmoke (after all, who didn’t guest star on this series at some point?!), musicals, westerns, or screen time with Lucy or Andy.
As Cassie Tanner (with her adorable hat) kept looking at me from my tv, it finally hit me… Ma Kettle, it’s you!
The 5’7″ actress was born Mary Tomlinson in Acton, Indiana (basically Indianapolis). Her father was a minister which is undoubtedly why – after she joined vaudeville – she changed her last name to keep from “embarrassing” the family.
Ma and Pa Kettle on Vacation Trailer (1953):
For example, a few who are firmly on my lists of favorites that are (somehow!) not on her’s are Olivia de Havilland, Veronica Lake, Gene Tierney, Ida Lupino, Abbott and Costello, Clint Eastwood, Dean Martin, Jerry Lewis, and Lauren Bacall.
There were also a couple of her “absolute favorites” who didn’t quite make my list: Grace Kelly, Laurence Olivier, Myrna Loy, and Ingrid Bergman. Not that I don’t like them, mind you.. .they simply aren’t my favorites. I mean, they can’t ALL be, right??!
Because she is one of my absolute TOP favorites, I had to question her about not listing the beautiful and talented Olivia de Havilland. I had a feeling that I KNEW the reason, but I wanted to interrogate her to be sure. As I’d suspected, she’d only seen her in Gone With the Wind.
That’s the only explanation there could be.
Melanie was a lovely character in one of the greatest movies of all time, but the role did very little to showcase Olivia de Havilland’s talent, beauty, and personality. The same can certainly be said for Leslie Howard as Ashley. The characters of Rhett and Scarlett were written larger than life and they were directed in a manner to loom larger than the rest of the cast – although, in my personal opinion, Hattie McDaniel and Butterfly McQueen – along with Clark Gable – were the ones who truly stole the show. Melanie and Ashley were vital to the story but were never meant to outshine the stars.
While their performances were, obviously, wonderful, they didn’t show all they have to offer. This is especially true (in my opinion) with Olivia de Havilland. The actress is a real force to be reckoned with – ironically, she has a great deal of “Scarlett O’Hara” fire in her… certainly more Scarlett than Melanie.
Her personality is as large as her face is beautiful – and that’s saying a great deal.
A few of my favorite Olivia de Havilland roles:
I’ll leave you with the same words I left my fellow “Old Hollywood” lover with… If you’ve never seen Olivia de Havilland in anything besides Gone With the Wind, DO SO! She is about as far from Melanie as you can conceivably get. The vast majority of her roles are filled with passion, fire, personality, and fun. To give you an idea of the type of personality we’re talking about here, when she was nine years old, Olivia made a will in which she stated, “I bequeath all my beauty to my younger sister Joan, since she has none”.
Wonder what Melanie would think about that?!
{Continued Below….}
Facts About Olivia de Havilland:
One of our absolute favorites was The Carol Burnett Show. Carol Burnett was my first girl crush – I loved her style, her beautiful smile, and… most importantly.. she had what I’ve always considered to be the BEST trait for anyone to have. She made you laugh.
And laugh and laugh and laugh and laugh!
I can still watch skits with Carol Burnett, Vicki Lawrence, Harvey Korman, Tim Conway, and Lyle Waggoner and roll with laughter as though it was the first time I’d ever seen them. A lot of people talk about “it” and about “TV magic,” these 5 were bathed in “it” and frolicked in the magic they created.
When I saw that Carol Burnett had written a new book, In Such Good Company, and that it was devoted to the 11 years of creating The Carol Burnett Show, it was all I could think about. I knew it’d be a very special book, but it actually surpassed my expectations.
The New York Times Bestseller
Comedy legend Carol Burnett tells the hilarious behind-the-scenes story of her iconic weekly variety series, The Carol Burnett Show.
In In Such Good Company, Carol Burnett pulls back the curtain on the twenty-five-time Emmy-Award winning show that made television history, and she reminisces about the outrageously funny and tender moments that made working on the series as much fun as watching it.
Carol delves into little-known stories of the guests, sketches and improvisations that made The Carol Burnett Show legendary, as well as some favorite tales too good not to relive again. While writing this book, Carol rewatched all 276 episodes and screen-grabbed her favorite video stills from the archives to illustrate the chemistry of the actors and the improvisational magic that made the show so successful.
Putting the spotlight on everyone from her costars to the impressive list of guest stars, Carol crafts a lively portrait of the talent and creativity that went into every episode. With characteristic wit and incomparable comic timing, she details hiring Harvey Korman, Vicki Lawrence, Lyle Waggoner, and Tim Conway; shares anecdotes about guest stars and close friends, including Lucille Ball, Roddy Mcdowell, Jim Nabors, Bernadette Peters, Betty Grable, Steve Lawrence, Eydie Gorme, Gloria Swanson, Rita Hayworth, and Betty White; and gives her take on her favorite sketches and the unpredictable moments that took both the cast and viewers by surprise.
This book is Carol’s love letter to a golden era in television history through the lens of her brilliant show. Get the best seat in the house for “eleven years of laughter, mayhem, and fun in the sandbox.”
And I make some darn good peanut butter fudge, just so you know.
The book includes adorable behind the scenes photographs as well as photographs from skits (naturally, I remembered each and every one). The stories and reflections are broken into bite size readings – sort of like blog posts. I can’t tell you how much I love this. Books that break everything down in such a way spoil me to the point that I get annoyed with books with long chapters. I know, I know – that doesn’t say anything good about my attention span, but there you have it.
I just can’t say enough good things about this book. I feel like I know so much more now about Carol Burnett, Harvey Korman, Vicki Lawrence, Lyle Waggoner, and Tim Conway as well as guest stars that are also household names: Sammy Davis, Jr, Rita Hayworth, Betty White, Betty Grable, Jim Nabors, and my much beloved Lucille Ball. This gal was never happier than the times my favorite red heads shared TV time together.
I hope you will click through In Such Good Company and order a copy for yourself. This book would also make a perfect gift idea – there’s a whole generation of us who connect with this show and these stars in a very profound way. Trust me, this is a book any Carol Burnett fan would love immensely.
Note: I received this book from the Blogging for Books program in exchange for this review. The opinions and photographs are my own. When they send books for review, it’s entirely up to the reviewer whether it’s a positive or negative review…. it all depends on the book and In Such Good Company is exceptional. Ironically, it was at the top of my “Buy SOON” list when they sent it. Sometimes fate smiles on a blogger.
“I believe that the actress who wears her profession on her sleeve, as it were, outside of her work, is, as a rule, merely dramatizing herself. When she acts off-stage as well as on, she is wasting her talent. It is like using nectar to quench a casual thirst.” – Ann Harding
Ann Harding, was born Dorothy Gatley on August 7, 1901 in Fort Sam Houston, Texas.
You may remember her as Mae Priest on “Dr. Kildare” or as Edith Sommers on Ben Casey. Ann Harding also had a very impressive film career – even though she never received the acclaim she truly should have.
An exciting new biography has been written about this talented and beautiful actress.
Press Release for Ann Harding: Cinema’s Gallant Lady:
When Ann Harding opted for an acting career, her Brigadier General father, George Grant Gatley, told her that she had taken “the inevitable road to Hell.” He banished her from his home. The year was 1921. The father and his equally strong-willed daughter did not reconcile until he was on his death-bed ten years later.
Ann proved her father wrong.
Her integrity as an actor – her commitment to her profession, allowed her to create a sensation on and off Broadway in such hits as Inheritors, Tarnish, and The Trial of Mary Dugan. When Ann and actor-husband Harry Bannister settled into Hollywood, she took the motion picture industry by storm. Film fans and critics were transported by her honest, natural portrayals. The microphone loved her. One critic referred to Ann as having the “Voice of Temple Gongs.”
Following an Academy Award Nomination for her role in Holiday (1930), Ann went on to further triumphs in Pre-Code hits such as The Animal Kingdom (1932), When Ladies Meet (1932), Gallant Lady (1933), and, one of her best, The Life of Vergie Winters (1934). As Vergie Winters, Ann immersed herself (and her audience) with such a realistic take on the shopworn topic of unwed motherhood, that her lovely, frank, open face easily displayed a raw vulnerability that was rare for the screen.
Noted author and film critic Mick LaSalle (who has written the foreword for the new biography release Ann Harding – Cinema’s Gallant Lady) refers to Ann Harding as an “overlooked master” – “one of the greatest actors in the history of American cinema.”
Theater visionary-director Jasper Deeter, Ann’s life-long mentor, attributed her success to her ability in hiding a childish, and stubborn temperament.
Ann’s personal life countered what many have referred to as her “noble” screen image. Her passionate, free-thinking spirit was something to be reckoned with. She fell out of love with her opportunistic husband Bannister, only to become involved with two of cinema’s “bad boys”: the avant-garde film director Dudley Murphy (Emperor Jones), and the ribald and brilliant author and screenwriter Gene Fowler (Goodnight, Sweet Prince).
Both of them married men.
Ex-husband Bannister turned to blackmail in order to continue to get his share of Ann’s cinema earnings. A child custody battle over their daughter Jane went on for close to a decade. French surrealist, Luis Bunuel considered Peter Ibbetson (1935), which paired Ann with Gary Cooper, to be among the Top Ten All-Time Best Films. Critics felt that Ann’s role as the ethereal Duchess of Towers to be “the most complete revelation of her art.” However, Ann Harding was fed up with Hollywood moguls and scripts she felt unworthy. She told one writer in the 1970’s, “When RKO couldn’t find a script in the trash can for me, Harry Edington [her manager] would arrange a loan out.”
Fed up with battling Bannister and her film career, Ann abandoned Hollywood. She headed for England, and returned to the stage for a triumphant tour in Shaw’s Candida. The convoluted personal and professional life of Ann Harding didn’t stop after her cinematic peak. Ann Harding – Cinema’s Gallant Lady (BearManor, 2010), covers in depth her extensive career on stage, film, radio, TV, and pays homage to a woman who, according to Mick LaSalle, “pointed the way to an entirely new way of being on screen.”
For cinema aficionados the time is ripe for Ann Harding to reclaim her legacy.
On Amazon: Ann Harding – Cinema’s Gallant Lady
The beauty above is Silent Film star Mildred Davis. She was a frequent co-star (and longtime wife) of legendary actor Harold Lloyd. She’s one of my favorite silent film actresses and one I can’t understand not being a household name!
There’s nothing quite like watching a movie from the Golden Age of Hollywood. Whether it’s a Musical, Western, Comedy, Romance, Film Noir, or Drama – if it’s on, I’m not too far away… with popcorn and raspberry tea in hand and a couple of cats nearby.
Below are a few Old Hollywood movie reviews I’ve done on the blog. There are, as you’d imagine, a lot more to come. – Joi (“Joy”)
We’re in the Money (Joan Blondell, Glenda Farrell)
The Naked Spur (James Stewart, Janet Leigh)
The Prince and the Showgirl (Marilyn Monroe, Laurence Olivier)
The White Sister (Helen Hayes, Clark Gable)
Seven Brides for Seven Brothers (Howard Keel, Jane Powell, Russ Tamblyn, Julie Newmar)
Rio Bravo (John Wayne, Dean Martin, Angie Dickinson, Ricky Nelson, Walter Brennan)
El Dorado (John Wayne, Robert Mitchum, James Caan, Charlene Holt, Michele Carey)
Rio Grande (John Wayne, Maureen O’Hara)
Frankenstein and Bride of Frankenstein (What is it With Me and These Movies??)
The Stooge (Jerry Lewis’ favorite Lewis and Martin Movie… for good reason.)
Critic’s Choice (Hilarious movie starring Bob Hope and Lucille Ball)
To Please a Lady (Clark Gable and Barbara Stanwyck team up in a fast track movie)
Grand Hotel (Joan Crawford, Greta Garbo, John Barrymore, Lionel Barrymore)
Hearts Divided (Marion Davies, Dick Powell)
The Quiet Man (John Wayne, Maureen O’Hara, Barry Fitzgerald)
More Old Hollywood Movie Reviews
Find out just how much I (truly) Love Lucy in the Lucille Ball category. I’m warning you, I call it an obsession for a very good reason…
Another personal absolute favorite of mine is Barbara Stanwyck. Not only was she beautiful and outrageously talented, she was exceptionally bright, charismatic, and colorful. This growing collection of Barbara Stanwyck Quotes will give you an idea of just how colorful she was!
