George Sanders | Hollywood Yesterday

Elizabeth Taylor and George Sanders, Pictures from Ivanhoe

April 25, 2020 By Joi Leave a Comment

Elizabeth Taylor, Ivanhoe (1952)

I’ve probably mentioned it on Hollywood Yesterday before, but Elizabeth Taylor and Grace Kelly were two of my mother’s absolute favorites. She adored them so much and knew, seemingly, everything about them – from their movies to their bios.

I can’t see a picture of either lady without thinking of my mom and, for this reason more than any other, I love them both almost as much as she did.

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The pictures in this post are from the 1952 film Ivanhoe which starred Elizabeth Taylor, Robert Taylor, Joan Fontaine, and George Sanders.

You can (usually!) find Ivanhoe on dvd Amazon (it can be one of those dvds that’s hard to find – so, if you’re a collector, grab a copy as soon as you find one).

Elizabeth Taylor, Ivanhoe

George Sanders: Living Life by His Own Rules (For Better or Worse)

March 12, 2018 By Joi 5 Comments

George Sanders and Anne Baxter, All About Eve

I have actually put off writing about one of my favorite actors (George Sanders) for years, now, simply because I did NOT want to come across like I was judging him or making light of anything he did, said, or was involved in. Far, far, far from it. I believe that, like many stars, George Sanders battled his own private demons. He was, as they say, quite a character, but we’d be wrong to quickly judge the man without knowing what he, himself, dealt with on a daily basis.

He has long been one of my favorite actors, even though his body of work is less acclaimed than, say, household-name actors such as Jimmy Stewart, Cary Grant, John Wayne, and Glenn Ford. In fact, if we’re being honest, only those of us who are fairly familiar with old movies can put a face to George Sander’s name or vice versa.

The Golden Age of Hollywood was a very trying time for actors and actresses – even more so than today, in my opinion. The pressure to succeed was intense and each star knew that the success or failure of one film could also mean their own success or failure. What’s more, if someone during that time suffered from mental or emotional illnesses, they did just that SUFFER. Often in silence, for fear of losing roles. Today, help and understanding would be available – but back then, either would have been hard to come by. Trying to cope with a mental or emotional disorder would be about like trying to handle asthma or diabetes without medication.

Can you say impossible?!

I’m not saying, one way or another, that George Sanders suffered from any such issues. I’m one of his biggest fans in the world and even I can admit that he may have just been a bona fide rascal!

George Sanders and Gene Tierney, The Ghost and Mrs. Muir

George Sanders was born in 1906 to British parents in St. Petersburgh Russia. His U.S. film debut was in 1936 with Twentieth Century-Fox. He portrayed Lord Everett Stacy in Lloyd’s of London.

During the late 1930s and early 1940s he made a number of movies as Simon Templar (The Saint) and as Gay Lawrence, (The Falcon). If you’ve never seen these fun oldies, try to catch them when you can. They’re just pure old fashioned fun and Sanders ad The Saint is particularly entertaining. His portrayal is very different from the way Vincent Price played The Saint on the classic radio show by the same name. Price’s version was perfect for radio and Sanders’ version was perfect for film.

Like most people, I always remember the first film I ever saw my favorites in. With George Sanders it was as “Robert Fleming” in Lured. His co-star was another of my absolute favorites, Lucille Ball. Their chemistry helped make this an especially wonderful movie. For a movie few have even heard of, Lured is actually one of my favorites… and not just because of the leads! It’s well written and catches you off guard a couple of times.

Rage in Heaven with Robert Montgomery and Ingrid Bergman (talk about a strong cast). This 1941 film is also well-worth finding on dvd (or TCM). It’s one of Robert Montgomery’s best performances, in my opinion. He’s mesmerizing in this film… even if you find yourself wanting someone (anyone!) to just go ahead and choke him. It isn’t easy for me to say, but Mr. Montgomery is definitely the star of this film – Ingrid and George are pretty much along for the ride.

Other notable movies and roles include…

The Ghost and Mrs. Muir (Miles Fairley)

Confessions of a Nazi Spy (Schlager)

The Outsider (Anton Ragatzy)

All About Eve (Addison De Witt)

Allegheny Uprising (Captain Swanson)

Rebecca (Jack Favell)

The Son of Monte Cristo (Gen. Gurko Lanen)

The Picture of Dorian Gray (Lord Henry Wotton)

Mr. Freeze on TV’s Batman (1966)
Sanders, very deservedly, won the 1950 Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his role in All About Eve.

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George Sanders in The Ghost and Mrs Muir

His personal life was nearly as interesting as his movies. His second wife was none other than the beautiful Zsa Zsa Gabor. They were married from 1949-1954. His third wife was actress Benita Hume. They were married from 1959 to her death, from bone cancer, in 1967. His fourth and final marriage was to Magda Gabor. They lasted one year…. and, yes, she was Wife #2’s sister.

From everything I’ve read, Benita was the love of his life and he never fully got over losing her. He lost three loved ones (his mother, his brother Tom Conway, and Benita) in 1967.

Sanders once said that he loathed giving interviews because he did not get paid for them. He also apparently loathed the idea of giving autographs, since it’s something he never did. He actually seemed to relish in the role of being perceived as a rude, haughty, snobbish, and downright disagreeable person!

In 1937, Sanders told David Niven that he intended to commit suicide when he got older. Tragically, in 1972 he did just that.

He left the following note: “Dear World, I am leaving because I am bored. I feel I have lived long enough. I am leaving you with your worries in this sweet cesspool. Good luck.”

So. There you have it. While some may argue that he had simply created a persona, I’d have to disagree – and quickly, at that. He was simply a bit of a cad and there’s no need to try to hide it. It takes all kinds in life and it’s futile to try to make someone into something we want them to be.

I’m much more comfortable with accepting them for what they are or were – celebrating the good and accepting the bad, neither glossing over it or hovering over it. I prefer to celebrate all that he brought to his movies and his roles.

Before closing with a few of his “genuinely George” quotes, I want to encourage you to see all of this talented actor’s movies – especially Lured, Rebecca, The Ghost and Mrs. Muir, Rage in Heaven, Lured, The Son of Monte Cristo, and all of the “Saint” and “Falcon” movies.

Just be sure to only expect “fun” with the Saint and Falcon movies. They aren’t very deep, to be sure… but FUN? They absolutely are that!

A Few George Sanders Quotes….

I don’t ask questions. I just take their money and use it for things that really interest me.

I was beastly but never coarse. A high-class sort of heel.

Where on the screen I am invariably a son-of-a-bitch, in life I am a dear, dear boy.

(When asked how he felt after his divorce from Zsa Zsa Gabor) Like a squeezed lemon.

On July 3, 1906, the world was at peace. Nothing of any consequence seemed to be happening in the capital cities of any of its countries. Nothing disturbed the summer lethargy of its population. Everywhere, people dozed contentedly, unaware that an event of major importance was taking place in St. Petersburg, Russia. At Number 6, Petroffski Ostroff, to Margaret and Henry Sanders, a son of dazzling beauty and infinite charm was being born. It was I.

Golden Age of Hollywood Movie Review: “Lured” with Lucille Ball and George Sanders

October 4, 2017 By Joi 1 Comment

Lucille Ball and George Sanders, Lured

Obviously, I am someone who is utterly consumed with the Golden Age of Hollywood… or Classic Hollywood, Old Hollywood, Hollywood’s Golden Era… whatever you choose to call it, I jumped into it when I was around 12 years old and have proceeded to dive deeper with each passing year.

Never you mind what depths I’ve reached.

When you’ve seen the number of movies, actors, and actresses I have, you have a difficult time narrowing down your absolute favorites. This is evidenced by my healthy lists of favorites on the Hollywood Yesterday About Page. However, the cream of the crop or the “favoritest of the favorites” would make a list if it had to include only a handful of stars. Lucille Ball and George Sanders are two of my.. well… favoritest of favorites and I cannot conceive of any “favorite list” they wouldn’t make.

Not only were these stars incredibly talented, they had that extra little spark that few stars actually had of have. The spark that cannot possibly described. It’s just there. An extra something in their expressions, in their voice, and even in the way they move. Lucille Ball and George Sanders each had this mystery spark and in large doses.

The fact that they starred in a movie (Lured, 1947) together seems like a personal gift to me , straight from Old Hollywood. The fact that the movie is so deliciously good makes it all the better.

In Lured, Lucille Ball is not remotely like the Lucy we’re familiar with. In place of gags, there’s glamour… and tons of it. She shows incredible versatility and talent that even we, her biggest fans, sometimes forget she possessed.

Lucille Ball plays an American nightclub dancer (Sandra Carpenter) in London. Her friend has been murdered and she is recruited by the police as a decoy to catch a serial killer. The killer finds his victims through the newspaper personal ads.

George Sanders is her leading man and plays Robert Fleming, a mysterious and (very) wealthy man.

Their chemistry is off the charts. There were actually rumors around Hollywood that the two stars had a fling, but there’s certainly no proof to back it up. The chemistry, however, is palpable.

In addition to the two stellar leads, the movie has a really strong cast. Charles Coburn (as a lovable Scotland Yard inspector), Cedric Hardwicke, Alan Mowbray, Boris Karloff , Joseph Calleia, and George Zucco.

Boris Karloff dives in head-first in his role as a dress designer.

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Lucille Ball and George Sanders are unmistakably the stars here, though – make no mistake about it. Each is phenomenal. The first time I watched Lured, I was so blown away by Lucille Ball’s performance (and beauty) that I didn’t give George Sanders the attention he commands. I think it’s simply because I grew up seeing her as Lucy Ricardo or one of the other Lucy characters from television. Sandra Carpenter is about as far-removed from Lucy as it gets.

Subsequent viewings have allowed me to appreciate George Sanders in this movie as much as Lucille. You may remember Sanders from The Ghost and Mrs. Muir (as Miles Fairley), the Saint movies in the late 1930s and early 1940s (as the Saint), The Picture of Dorian Gray (as Lord Henry Wotton), Rebecca (as Jack Favell), or as Mr. Freeze in the Batman TV series (1966).

His roles were kind of all over the place, but he was never anything aside from completely compelling – stealing the scene right out from just about anyone.

Except for a glamorous red-head we all know and love, that is. No one, but no one, steals a scene from Lucille Ball.

If you love old movies, Lucille Ball, or George Sanders, Lured should be one of the next movies you watch. If you love all three… this HAS to be the very next movie you watch. It’s an especially fun whodunit and you’ll be glued to every minute.