jdb1

Barber, Barber, Shave a pig. How many hairs to make a wig? Four-and-twenty. That's enough. Give the barber a pinch of snuff!

> Call me Monty and I do agree GarboM. Bottled Blondes > is my preference and I am sticking to it but I > appreciate the two cents jdb. As a matter of fact, I > am going to put them in this bottle right here ... > ??clink?? ??doink??... that was the sound of 2 > pennies hitting the head of Sarah Michelle Gellar. > > Well, I am pretty good natured so rib away. I do > turn into a spitfire when cornered but from some of > the things I?ve read on these threads over the last > two weeks, me-thinks-me-not-the-only-one. Graciously said. I'm going to make a contribution to the Clairol Foundation in your name. Will 2 cents be enough, do you think?

It's just as Stan said of Babe, upon re-viewing their films years later: "He really is a funny fellow!"

I remember -- it was one of the new Miss Marple mysteries. Not sure now if she was someone's aunt, actually, since I didn't watch the whole thing. Nevertheless, I just happened to flip by the program, and recognized her instantly.

I saw her only recently in something - a movie on TV? She played someone's aunt, I think. I'll have to look it up. She looked very nice, by the way.

Yes, I think your impressions are correct. Laurel certainly knew that he didn't really come into his own as a performer until he was teamed with Hardy, and he knew how to write for and direct Hardy to always make him look good. They had great respect for each other as actors and as people, and they socialized in private life. Hardy generally answered any question about their work as a team with "Ask Stan." You ought to try to find the "Babe" book, because it tells of Babe's life, particularly his performing life, before he was teamed with Stan. His credentials are extensive. Like Stan, he had seemingly boundless energy and never really stopped working, until ill health forced him to do so. A lovely man.

Maybe two movies are being confused here. Davis was in a film 'That Certain Woman,' where she had a son after her marriage was annulled and subsequently gave her son to her former husband (Henry Fonda, I think) and his new wife.

My take on "Murder, She Wrote" was that Mrs. Fletcher was a Dark Angel, and wherever she went, someone died.

Chris, the only bio of Babe Hardy I could find out about was the McCabe book, aptly titled "Babe." So that's probably the one I read. Have you seen it? The book certainly reinforces the impression that Hardy was a very nice man.

> > For the ladies it is mostly Maureen O'Hara. There > aren't too many strong women in westerns. (previous > poster comments noted on Stanwyck.) Chris, what about Dale Evans? I never bought the damsel-in-distress thing they made her do in movies with Roy Rogers. She was definitely in charge.

Interesting movie. It's not TAB Hunter, though, it's JEFFREY Hunter.

Thanks, Lar. One of the things I like about boards like this one is that I can get some understanding of what exactly it is that other people find attractive in stars I don't like. Sometimes I even change my mind about a previously brushed-off star (but not too often, since I've had so very many decades now to consider the opinions I hold). In any event - I don't really hate La Lansbury, I just don't think she's All That. Love 'em or hate 'em, we can't deny that they are part of our lives. However, I stand firm in my resolve not to bother with tonight's festivities on TCM. I think I've already seen all the films, and I've heard Lansbury tell most of her stories before. I have a good book to read. I did hear something rather nice about Lansbury recently that I didn't know before: how she gave work to the actress Madeline Rhue on "Murder, She Wrote" so that Rhue could keep her SAG health insurance (she was suffering from MS).

> .... how about... this thread has had more visitors > than Crawford?s boudoir. > > Hedy, Liz and Gene, all raven haired beauties yet > today?s hollywood is full of bottled blondes... what > a shame. Monty, forgive me for quibbling, but actually I thought what you said was kinda cute. Just for future reference, it's "bottle blondes," not "bottled blondes." I'm sure you know that it refers to the use of a bottle of peroxide to achieve blondeness, and not to a blonde being stored in a bottle. I guess in these days of spray-on hair coloring, this phrase is becoming archaic. I could refer to myself as a "plastic tube brunette."

I'll be brave and say that I'm not an admirer of Lansbury the actress. You can put me on the "Anti' side for this lady. Can't stand her hyperthyroid looks. Can't stand her show-offy acting style; even when she's trying for "warm," she strikes me as cold and calculating. Especially can't stand her chicken-squawk of a singing voice. If I do turn on the TV tonight, the dial won't be tuned to TCM. There is one thing I did like Lansbury in, though. A somewhat obscure film called "The Summer of the Seventeenth Doll." It was shot in Australia, and features Lansbury, Anne Baxter, Ernest Borgnine and John Mills. I suppose it dates from the time that Baxter was living on that Australian cattle ranch (station, as they say in Oz) - about 1959/60. A very nice little film.

I remember being impressed by the Guiles book on Laurel. Very informative (and nice photos). Now what book did I read about Babe? There was something, but I can't remember the name. I'll have to research that.

Stoney, I watched portions of the George Brent movies broadcast the other night, and I have to say, in all candor, that man has the goofiest face I've ever seen on a "serious" actor, and he makes even sillier grimaces in the name of "acting." Oh dear. I tried to like him, but it was a losing battle. Good sense and good taste won again.

You are so right. I picked Cagney over Bogart, but seeing "Dark Passage" yesterday reminded me that Bogie was pretty hunky and hot when he had his Baby to play against. I don't feel that sort of chemical reaction from him with any other co-star.

> moirafinnie, > > Another interesting question. My timeline: > > 1915-1941 Glamour. > 1941-1945 Glam-grit, actually war movies. > 1945-1960 Gritty. > > Rusty Rusty, your timeframe seems a good one to me, mainly because Hollywood perfected "gritty" after WWII. Even the simplest noir film was generally worlds better after 1945 than before, and that is mostly due to the look of the films, rather than any great difference in the plot or the acting. With exceptions, of course.

"One's real life is often the life one does not lead." -- Oscar Wilde

Since I'm especially fond of character actors, there are many supporting cowboys I like. Most notably Walter Brennan (hybrid star/supporter) Jim Davis Arthur Hunnicutt Edgar Buchanan Pat Butram Jay Silverheels

> > The actress who played Al Jolson's wife Julie Benson > in The Jolson Story was Evelyn Keyes (perhaps > better known as Scarlett O'Hara's sister). Thanks for reminding me, JackB. Kitsy, Evelyn Keyes wrote an autobiography called "Scarlett O'Hara's Younger Sister." Hot stuff.

Chris. I'm glad someone got to hear the broadcast. I couldn't get my *##**!! computers at home or in the office to access the audio. Phooey! Anyway, I recall reading about the Louvish book, but I haven't yet read it. Thanks for reminding me. What L&H books have you read? One of the most well known is "Mr. Laurel and Mr. Hardy" by John McCabe. It's OK, but more of a brief joint history and filmography. There's a very good, serious biography of Stan (called . . . . "Stan") by one Fred Lawrence Guiles. Have you read it? It's very comprehensive, and does the usual biographer's psychoanalysis and second-guessing. It's probably the best of all the L&H materials I've read so far. I'll let you know about the Louvish book when I get hold of it.

Yes, he was very good at the Chamber of Commerce type guy, and the good-natured goof. I particularly like him in "Arsenic and Old Lace" as the neighborhood cop who wrote a play he'd like Cary Grant to read.

Hey GarboManiac -- I saw this sign myself in the window of a Tribeca jewelry shop near Manhattan Community College: EAR PIERCING: 10% OFF ALL STUDENTS Hmmmmm . . . . . please, not the lobes!!

Wow, Kitsy, you are reallly taxing my memory now! I read so many of these books, some gossipy, some serious, some vindictive trash. Many afternoons during my lunch hour I go to the public library and pull out some star's bio or autobio and read for an hour. I can't even remember the titles of all these books. I'll have to start making a note of them. One book title that comes to mind (by which I mean I actually remember the title and author), not on Jolson, is a biography of Danny Kaye called "Nobody's Fool." The author is Martin Gottfried. Very interesting. The book talked about on the Hedy Lamarr thread "Ecstasy and Me" is also a good read. I recently read (during a lunch hour), the memoirs of 50s actress Corinne Calvet (called "Has Corinne Been a Good Girl?"). Very gossipy. Shelly Winters' memoirs are also full of Hollywood and Broadway gossip, One of the best insights into the entertainment business generallly is the three-volume memoirs of producer/director/actor John Houseman. He led a very, very interesting and event-filled life, and he knew just about everyone. (Each volume has a different title, as I recall.) Hope this gives you some direction. Regards. Judith