MovieProfessor

This is a BIG ONE! It was for its time, the most expensive production in Hollywood. The film was re-released in 1957. However, at least 75 minutes of footage was cut with only the silent segments featuring the story of the Ark and the great flood. The sound or talking portions involving the modern story were cut and a narration was utilized. The original (full length) 135 minute version is today believed to be lost. The film has only been partially restored at 100 minutes of footage. This is indeed a rare treat for any film buff!

> Zounds, every one I've picked has some tale of off-screen violence attached to it! Whatever hostilities there were between Fred and Ginger, their working relationship, while at times ablaze with nerves on end, disagreements and strained beyond all measures, Fred and Ginger were always devoted to their work. They really had no choice if they were going to be successful or have what was at the time, the highest point or degree to being in show business. Motion pictures had by the 1930's, eclipsed all other forms of traditional entertainment. Certainly, both Fred and Ginger realized this and although they were never so friendly in private, as they played the old "love you" publicity game for the fans and for the movie business, they managed to have some sort of professional outlook to what was expected and get their job done. Now, I must point out and make clear that after Fred's AFI lifetime award, Ginger did come around to him in a sort of conciliatory form for not having appeared at the tribute. It was at a Hollywood anniversary event celebrating RKO Pictures that for the very, very, very first time, not only did they arrive together at a special Hollywood gathering, but the two hosted the event!!! It was held on the old studio lot and many old-timers still alive were on hand for the festivities. Film clips of their time at RKO were shown. Both Fred and Ginger joked about each other as they wonderfully narrated their segment of film clips. The two even mentioned some of the hassles they encountered and jokingly they pointed the finger at one another! Several of the old-timers would later on comment as to how shaken and touched they were to see them be so joyous and humble to each other and yet talk about events and issues that at one time seemed so dangerously out of control. One old-timer said, "This was sixty years in the making, I'm glad I got to see it before I die." My moral to this posting is simply that with time, they both had to change and accept their partnership and what it best represented. Naturally, there would always be a little bit of the animosity lingering between the two. There would always be strained memories of the fights and disagreements that might have ruined their time at RKO. However, underneath all this antagonism, with the passing of time, there came from that once held professional respect that kept the partnership from breaking, an understanding towards this admiration that was as Ginger put it, "turned out to be worth every single aggravation.' Well, however one wants to look at this legendary partnership, it was one that is judged by its content or the value of the results on screen or in these days, on our panel televisions and computer monitors. A beautiful thing to remember or at least for me is that they did in a simple way come around to each other with an awareness that it was finally time to put that damn hatchet down and get towards a discernment of goodwill to each other. So, while there were times somebody could have nearly killed the other, fate deemed that they be submissive, charitable, generous, tolerant and dependable in their real lives as they had done for us on the motion picture screen. Before Fred passed away, their feelings for each other had in so many ways, come to a happy ending and that's a fact there is no way around!

I guess in the long run, it always boils down to persona and imagery or the plain and simple issue of who has the necessary *PIZAZZ!* Although it helps, in the end, it's never so much about talent in the movies or having so much skill, but that magic and allure that keeps us interested and plays with our imagination.

> mr6666 . . . About Eleanor . . . The situation about Eleanor Powell's popularity can best be summed up by MGM, where she initially started, having somewhat of a limited production schedule on her behalf. This limitation also meant, MGM never really found what might be considered a suitable dance partner for her. The studio preferred to make her a solo performer and have her cast opposite some of the popular leading men of MGM. This formula worked well during her peak period of the late 1930's. When Fred and Ginger split up, MGM lured Fred to star opposite Eleanor in their annual series of musical sagas titled 'Broadway Melody." Their pairing was for the "Broadway Melody of 1940." This would turn out to be the last in the series. MGM went all out, hiring composer Cole Porter (who had twice written songs for Eleanor) and another somewhat dancer and MGM personality George Murphy to co-star. The reason this film has importance to Powell's career is that despite the tremendous amount of production values MGM poured onto the project and having some of the finest songs and dancing ever conceived, a new partnership for Fred to be paried off with someone who definitely could be considered an even better dancer than Ginger, absolutely never, never materialized to continue onto something else! The film wasn't a failure, but somehow didn't generate the type of fan hype Fred & Ginger had created. My guess is that Eleanor, while pretty and no doubt a great tap dancer (probably the best ever!) didn't have that strong allure, screen presence and glamour that Ginger had. Also, it might be that this sort of romantic musical formula that had worked well with Fred & Ginger couldn't expand or move to a new level. At times, when I watch "Broadway Melody of 1940," I'm obviously comparing Eleanor to Ginger and the results usually are disappointing, because a feeling of something magically missing comes over me. Maybe, it's just all about the look and style of the RKO films that have a sense of beauty and sophistication. What "Broadway Melody of 1940" lacks is this sense of musical intimacy of appreciation. Instead, the film is rather saturated with big production numbers. Certainly, the storyline of "Broadway Melody of 1940" was fine. As a typical backstage musical extravaganza, the movie showcased Fred well, but perhaps there is another issue here to consider and that is Powell being too much the equal of Fred in dance, as Ginger never really wasn't! In hindsight, Fred doesn't really dominate this movie! Looking at this film, Fred only has one big solo number "I've Got My Eyes on You." He was simply terrific, playing the piano and then going into his dance. But, the real show stopper was what has to be considered the greatest tap routine between a male and female dancer! It was the dazzling intro to Cole Porter's immortal tune, "Begin the Beguine." Thirty-four years later and the release of "That's Entertainment," this now famous tap dance from "Broadway Melody of 1940" would have a tremendous resurgence of interest and admiration, becoming one of the big high-points of the 1974 musical documentary. Eleanor's career going into the 1940's began to wane and its once stable direction slipped away. What can be blamed on this happening usually focuses on producer Arthur Freed, who would begin his career at the studio, becoming the greatest producer of the musical film genre. Eleanor was simply from the "old school" of musical style and grace. As Freed began his grand experiments with Garland, Kelly and even Fred, Eleanor just didn't fit into the scheme of things. It probably all boils down to a change in atmosphere and this new musical direction Freed was spreading at MGM. The basic tap dancer was giving way to flamboyant and stylized choreography. MGM's other big producer of musicals, Joe Pasternak also didn't see Eleanor so viable to where the musical film genre was heading. Joe was more interested in singers and exploiting the teenage genre. In time, Eleanor would have to take a backseat as a specialty artist or supporting player in the various films to come. Of course, when Glenn Ford entered the scene, everything came to a dead stop. Her marriage to the actor signified this was the needed excuse to end her career. She didn't feel so disappointed about what happened, due in large part to having the sense to see the handwriting on the wall. It's interesting to me that Eleanor is sometimes not even considered or thought about in terms of having had some huge influence to the movie musical. Some historians I've talked to say she was just a dancer for hire and lack the brazen personality and sparkle that's so much a part of the movies or at least makes you stand out. Strange, how some situations in the movies turn out. In the years to follow, after her retirement, she would never have any sort of decent comeback. She just drifted away and lived a simple life in Long Island, New York.

The demographics was 16 to about 40. The Astaire/Rogers films were popular across the board, with both men and women. Gene Kelly always said that "dance on film, _real_ _dance_ started with Astaire." The popularity of their films set a new direction for pop culture as well as for show business in general. Dancing had become something of a need among the public during The Great Depression of the 1930's, due in large part to phonograph records, radio and finally motion pictures (with sound and music) that fully allowed a visual experience to understanding the dance and how it could be done. While Fred and Ginger were a bit more elaborate in their technique and style on screen, they introduced a series of dances that the public did catch on to liking and some are still to this day classics. Anybody have a favorite Astaire/Rogers dance?

Years ago, I remember Elizabeth saying that she would prefer to be laid to rest next to Richard Burton, in Celigny Geneve, Switzerland. So far, the information about her burial has it for Pierce Brothers Westwood Village Memorial Park Cemetery. Her mother and father are buried in crypts and an empty one next to the parents is where Elizabeth will be buried. The three crypts are not far from where another, superstar legend is also buried, none other than Marilyn Monroe! Also in the adjoining area or other nearby crypts are buried Merv Griffin, Roy Orbison, Truman Capote, Farrah Fawcett, Natalie Wood and Dean Martin.

> cujas . . . This is a "Tall Order," but I like It! > Can you tell me why Ginger Rogers wasn't allowed to use any of the dance video with Fred Astaire in her Kennedy Honors tribute? There were several reasons. One was an obvious copyright situation that couldn't be worked out and so the idea was abandoned. Then, it's been rumored that it was agreed to have Ginger be the main (solo) point to the tribute and not have so much Astaire, referring to a simple issue that Ginger was her own woman. > Can you tell me if Astaire was extremely angry that Ginger discussed their brief Broadway affair when he was fixing the dance numbers in "Girl Crazy"? I hate to say it, but YES. Fred was explosive about what Ginger said, because as far as he was concerned, there wasn't anything so deep about that early encounter. What essentially bothered him were the various presumptions about their love affair that in all reality didn't have any determining factor to their later teaming up in motion pictures or at least I believe what Fred said, "A few dates, that's all it was and I never thought I'd see her again!" However, this whole assumption on the part of the press that picked up the story and the countless fans who loved this sort of stuff, just added to the magic that they had both created for the motion picture screen! > Can you tell me why last every major dance star Astaire ever worked with from Audrey Hepburn, Leslie Caron, Eleanor Powell, Barrie Chase, Cyd Charisse, Gene Kelly, Ann Miller and dance luminaries like James Cagney, Barishnikov, Bob Fosse--showed up to speak and honor Fred Astaire at his AFI Life Achievement Award, except Ginger Rogers? Sadly, Ginger was in New Orleans at the time, doing her one woman show. She could have canceled her engagement for the evening and gone to the AFI tribute or even had made a video to send, but her feeling was that the night and its achievement honors belong soley to Fred. Of course, lurking around this matter was a feeling that the old hostilities between the two of them were part of the reason. This does shed a bit of light to simply believe that for Ginger, she would always be looked upon as Fred's once popular dance partner and not someone whom she had a close overall working relationship with, because in Ginger's eyes, the main focus had always been on Fred and not her. Therefore, this issue warranted her believing she not be part of this big tribute to Fred. In the course of receiving the award, Fred made mention in his acceptance speech that Ginger sent him a very long and expressively magnanimous letter! He joked that it was hard to read her handwriting. Over the years, this statement has since then been interpreted as the division in their feelings towards each other that had more to do with their professional partnership and where they both stood on it . . . Or, should one say, "danced on it?" > Can you tell me why Ginger was allowed to wear dresses, such as the Powder Blue Feather number in "Cheek To Cheek" (Top Hat) or the heavy spangled beaded number in "Let's Face the Music and Dance" (Follow the Fleet), when Astaire felt the dresses not only made it difficult for him to dance, but obsured his vision (feathers) and ko'ed him (beaded sleeve) for the number. (Infor from his autobiography "Steps In Time". Reportedly Rogers got to wear these dresses by using her mother's Lela Rogers clout with Pan Berman who was having an affair with her cousin/protege Lucille Ball. It could very well had been the issue of Ginger's mother (never heard that one before!) or Pandro Berman. But, my sources say that time and money played a more important part in Ginger getting to wear those dresses. Whatever difficulties Fred encounted with the outfits, RKO wasn't about to shelf the dresses due to cost and that I think makes the big difference in this matter. > But my dear Music (Movie Please!) Professor--I didn't know that he hated her enought to try to kill her--maybe he got tired of her trying to get those chaine turns right in "Never Gonna Dance". She said she did 20 takes, with her feet bleeding--guess that was one take too many for Astaire. It's tough to say just what really happened on that stairwell, during the filming of "Swing Time." Naturally, tensions must have been high and an exhausting frustration set into motion. It was probably more of a little shove that made Ginger slip and she rolled down to the bottom of the stairwell. Upon reaching the floor, there was a bit of panic. She was of course helped up by a few crew members, who wanted to hang Fred by his famous tails! After a bit of order was restored by director George Stevens, Fred managed to show a little concern over what had happened, but he remained steadfast in his feelings that Ginger wasn't responding properly to the dance routine. This number "Never Gonna Dance" is amazing to watch today, knowing what was going on behind the scenes!!!! It's one of those incredible movie situations that leave one with a profound and sometimes perplexed feeling to wonder how can something so beautiful and inspiring be created out of so much chaos and with a little added hate. I've said it once and I'll say it again, "That's Show Business!" Anything else?

> WONDERFUL LIST traceyk65! > infinite1 your question was: > I know that Fred's specialty was his dancing, but he also did a great deal of singing in his films. Was Fred also recognized as a Crooner? Maybe not the caliber of a Bing Crosby, but were there any Fred Astaire records made during the 30s and 40s? Absolutely: a BIG YES to that question! It shouldn't be such a surprise that Fred got into the recording studio and he had a weekly radio show, live from Hollywood. He first successfully recorded (solo) on the old Brunswick label. At around 1934, Fred began a series of recordings from the various songs he had made famous from both the stage and his current film career. He had earlier, recorded a few 78 rpm's with his sister Adele . . . The most famous, if not, popular was their sort of original cast album of the Gershwin hit show, "Funny Face." After Adele split with Fred and he embarked on his film career with Ginger, he started the Brunswick series of recordings and not long after came highly popular radio show. So, by the late 1930's, Fred actually had two other endeavors besides a motion picture career. He would continue for the rest of his career and life, make various recordings, most of which were obviously songs he had introduced and then a few new ones as well as some standard tunes Fred admired. The best of his later recordings are on the special deluxe box set from Verve. What was somewhat strange throughout the rest of his life after becoming a motion picture super star, Fred never, absolutely never returned to his live stage roots, preferring to remain in motion pictures, until 1958 and the lure of television finally caught up with him and like so many other facets of show business, Fred conquered it easily. Today, there is a wonderful CD compilation of Fred's Brunswick recordings. If interested, the Brunswick series is easily found all over the web for sale. I had the old LP version (double album) of the Brunswick series for many years. Of course, I now prefer to have and watch the TCM Complete Film Collection of the Astarie/Rogers films! This complete collection is one I certainly prize beyond measure.

This film marked the beginning of the newly discovered hearttrob Troy Donahue and his association with director Delmer Daves. Even though the critics panned this movie, filled with the usual studio soap opera formula, it was a box-office smash! Looking back at what happened with this movie, the real success was the theme song, that swept across the country in a whirlwind of popularity. The 45 rpm (single) "Theme From A Summer Place by Percy Faith" sold in the millions! Aside from this technical success, Donahue and Sandra Dee became stars as a result of the hoopla created, mostly by the teenage fans that hadn't flocked to a movie like this one, since the release two years earlier of "Peyton Place." This movie set into motion director Daves to produce a series of pot-boiler melodramas throughout the 1960's. The film is today symbolic of it's era and everything else that goes with the sexual anxiety felt by society that couldn't be so clearly shown on film. This sort of censorship would continue, until by the end of the decade, with certain restrictions lifted, "A Summer Place" would end up looking more like a Disney film!

It's funny you mention "The Women," because about the only role Loretta might have been able to play was the Norma Shearer lead role and possibly that of Joan Fontaine's. Yet, I believe that Loretta was in every form and fashion *OUT CLASSED* by all those ladies of the MGM 1939 classic film! It isn't that I feel Loretta wasn't capable of some good acting, I just see her as limited in some respects to how her film career finally evolved. Of course, Loretta would go on to have a weekly, popular television series, abandoning her major film career. This was probably a smart career move and it allowed her an even bigger sense of success than when she was a major film star. Throughout the 1950's, Loretta was a house-hold idol among millions of housewifes, as her television show became so highly rated. Yet, for all her time in show business, I just don't see the overall seriousness to her dramatic career and that she was more a movie star for hire than a really solid bona fide actress. I have more feelings for Susan Hayward than Loretta, simply because Susan took some tough risks or chances with roles that I feel Loretta never did. While I do in some professional regard have to respect Loretta's status in Hollywood, her move to television signified that she could have never held on to that star status as long as others did in motion pictures.

> jbh . . . In answer to your question. . . > Dear MovieP: You seem to have close ties with that community. Can you work some magic? I have been connected to the community for over 50 years. As for John, well for now, he probably isn't interested in the idea of being a programer on TCM. In asking him, he hasn't really said "no," while keeping us hanging on a "yes." I have to feel that the door on this question will remain open for some possible consideration in the future.

> finance . . . I liked Loretta, but . . . It's not so impractical to think that Loretta lack a bit of the comic fortitude that other actresses in Hollywood had, say like Carole Lombard, Roz Russell, Colbert, Ginger, Jean Arthur, Goddard or Harlow. I think Sprocket_Man hit on something clear, in relation to the overall image of Loretta that wasn't geared towards comedy and that she did lack this sort of diversity from an overall perspective as an actress. Of course, the choices she made or was given probably have a lot to do with this lack of really good comedic flare. She was a nice lady, attractive and a good actress, but I don't think such a great actress along this line of how you want to look at her career that in the process doesn't have much in the way of something so comically memorable to remember. The very strange thing about Loretta that is today somewhat forgotten was her winning the Academy Award. It's been considered by most in the business (from that time period) perhaps the biggest upset or surprise in the history of the Academy Awards. She was not the front-runner and yet somehow she received the necessary votes. As to what theories there are to Loretta winning have been too many to list or want to discuss. I guess it was just one of those crazy Hollywood things . . .

Freddie Young for Doctor Zhivago. Even if the movie failed to make an impact with the critics, it has in time become a classic and the cinematography by Young as directed by David Lean was second to none in 1965! Sure, "The Sound of Music" might have won the Academy Award for best picture, but Doctor Zhivago was the real winner along all the technical lines there are to filmmaking, especially the way Freddie Young shot the motion picture and he managed to take home a well deserved "Oscar" for his efforts!

> JefCostello . . . > Hedy Lamarr > Marilyn Monroe > Gene Tierney > Vivien Leigh > Sophia Loren > Grace Kelly > Ava Gardner > Jean Harlow > Greta Garbo > Lana Turner > Loretta Young > Jane Russell > Yvonne de Carlo > Doris Day > Myrna Loy > Eleanor Parker If you don't mind: I'd like to add lovely Susan Hayward . . .

> traceyk65 & jbh . . . The son of legendary, King of Hollywood Clark Gable, named John Gable is still very much alive and well. After his celebrated birth in 1961 that many fans at the time believed to be Clark's only child, he lived with his mother on the 22 acre Encino, California estate that Clark had first shared with his third wife, beloved Carole Lombard. As young John grew up, he had for many years a secluded upbringing and wasn't allowed to venture out in public much. When he did, he was usually accompanied by his mother's family members and trusted employees of the Gable estate. Growing up, his favorite pastime was said to be fishing. Upon becoming a young adult, John showed no interest to following in the footsteps of his famous father. However, when he reached his 30's, he began to toy with this idea of perhaps getting into show business. It's all too logical that what gave him an open-hand or easy access was his namesake. Well, in 1990, a film producer by the name of Michael E. Forrell of "21st Century Films" decided to gamble on John's heritage! John absolutely had no kind of acting experience when he was cast in this western film entitled "Bad Jim." What makes his being in the film rather interesting from an historical point of view was that the star of the picture, actor James Brolin, had played his father Clark Gable, in the 1976 biographic film, "Gable & Lombard." The western was a reasonably well produced film with a pretty good cast that included Richard Roundtree, Harry Carey Jr., Rory Calhoun and Ty Hardin. The storyline was rather out of the ordinary; about a cowboy who buys outlaw "Billy the Kid's" horse and goes about robbing banks and then turns into a sort of "Robin Hood" character. When the film was released, it somehow failed to make any sort of respectable impression. It wasn't such an overall bad movie, but John didn't generate any important excitement the film company had hoped for, naturally on the grounds of being the son of a motion picture icon. John's inexperience or the lack of it clearly showed up on screen! There just wasn't enough positive publicly to exploit the issue of his legacy. His film career fizzled away and ended in one single stroke! With few options available, he fell back on some family business ventures and some say he should have remained there! But, I guess the crazy lure of who his father was again came into another picture! It was 1994 and this time the NBC television network produced a TV movie on the life of novelist Margaret Mitchell that starred Shannen Doherty in the title role. Naturally, most fans know that Mitchell wrote "Gone With The Wind" that was Clark Gable's most famous motion picture! John however, wasn't really given any big role in the TV movie. In fact, he had what might be considered a bit part or even a walk-on! There was a little bit of publicity on the issue of John, but this too would fizzle itself away and the television movie wasn't anything so memorable. At this juncture, John must have come to realize his chances of making it in the business were next to none. The fact is that he had simply started late and he lacked the training or know-how that might have made the big difference. As strange as it might seem, John lacked the charisma, magnetism and the dynamic force his father had created on the motion picture screen. John would not be seen again, until 1996, appearing in a documentary about his famous movie star father. John would try and make a few more rounds in Hollywood before finally calling it quits. Perhaps he came to realize he wasn't as energetic and fascinating as his father. There just wasn't enough of the old Clark Gable magic to rub off on his son. John then turned to motorbike racing and has since been active in this endeavor around Southern California. He has also been married twice and had two children with his second wife. Now single, he runs a nice little business in Malibu. I rather not say what or where his business is out of respect to his privacy. He remains today, as when he was child, out of the spotlight that might have been expected for him to dwell under. John just prefers to stay as relaxed as possible and lead a quiet life. He admits today that he could have never played or been the crown prince of Hollywood! One has to wonder, if John would ever consider coming on TCM and perhaps be a guest programmer? Of course, I wouldn't have to say which movie star would be appropriate for him to choose . . . Should I?

> finance . . . Ginger had been the number one top female draw at RKO, beginning around 1935, barring none! She overtook Katie's once prominent position at the studio, at least along box-office lines of thinking. Katie began to struggle after 1936, choosing materials that weren' popular and perhaps way ahead of their time. The problem that Kate had was an inconsistency at the box-office, as she kept experimenting with ideas she thought had dramatic or artistic merit. She was pretty much running her own career at RKO, while Ginger went along with the flow of not being so fastidious about what the studio wanted from her talents. However, Ginger did feel a bit trapped by the Astaire issue and this is where she spoke up or challenged the studio. Kate would remain with RKO until 1939. She always gave the contention that she left on her own accord. Not one to be so discouraged, she headed back to Broadway, where she had a tremendous success in the staged version of "The Philadelphia Story;" and every film buff knows Katie's appearance in the film version rejuvenated her career. Ginger also had to face the end of her partnership with Fred that same year! Of course, waiting for Ginger the following year of 1940 was the once and for all final attribute that freed her to some extent from Fred: an Academy Award! When this happened, Ginger was off and running to a major solo career and became her own woman. She took the advice of Cary Grant and freelanced between RKO, Paramount, Selznick International and MGM. Without any doubt, Ginger was one of those few talents in Hollywood, able to cover any sort of genre in motion pictures! It's interesting to me, that both Katie and Ginger managed themselves well enough, after the two actresses left RKO. However, Ginger wouldn't really have such a huge dramatic resurgence as did Katie. I've always felt this issue to be rather strange in the sense that Ginger's choices of projects would end up somewhat routine and not as impressive. When compared to what happen with Katie, (especially when Kate teamed up with Spencer) Ginger's later film career wouldn't have such a strong impact or be as memorable. After 1949 and Ginger reuniting with Fred at MGM for "The Barkley's of Broadway," she would never again appear in a musical film! I've been told that Ginger decided on slowing down with her career, due to wanting to have a decent personal life; in the end, she would never have a successful marriage. As she approached middle-age, unlike some of her famous counterparts in motion pictures, Ginger wasn't as lucky or those special and important offers didn't come her way. So, she did like Kate had once done and headed back to Broadway and even found some opportunities in "live" television. But, her biggest of all breaks came, when she embarked on a popular concert hall and nightclub act that brought back her fans in droves to see her! With success on Broadway and a triumphant "one woman tour" that kept her viable in the eyes of her fans, this seemed to be enough. When she was on tour or wherever she was performing, she always had her "Oscar" with her in the dressing room, as something of a reminder to what she had accomplished and symbolic to her total devotion towards her profession. Ginger would remain one of those glorious Hollywood icons of the 20th Century. In those last years of her career, just before she had to stop due to age and ill-health, she began to reflect upon her association with Fred. She would always pay a tribute to him in her one woman show that was both sentimental and yet something of a confessional to the simple fact that her years with Fred would be what the world at large would foremost remember. Ginger proudly came to this acceptance and understanding to what her films with Fred had come to poignantly mean to the fans. This is why I feel she is so incredibly worthy of a respect few movie stars should have! When she was still rather active with her career, it's a shame that Ginger was passed up for the lead role in the film version of "Hello Dolly." She had played the role on stage. But, the whole atmosphere in Hollywood had changed and her imagery was now out of step with what was expected. Still, she was and will remain a great movie star and a fine example of one who managed to keep herself on the straight and narrow between that of her private life and her career. She was one of a kind in every respect of the word, as far as her entertainment value goes. As for her partnership with Fred, it ended up expressing a wonderful magic there is to movies and this I think adds to that very rare touch of class that doesn't come around very often.

> clore you mentioned: > I do feel sorry for him in that regard as he got the worst of it whereas the likes of Flynn and Mitchum somehow managed survived with their careers intact. These days a situation like that gets one a contract, back then he was a sacrificial lamb to "prove" that the studios weren't vice dens. Errol and Bob were major stars, able to get the support of their studios to a high degree of legal wrangling. Errol was lucky that he messed around with two local harlots that were made to look as if they were exploiting him. Bob had the power of Howard Hughes behind him to sort of "stack the deck of cards" in his favor to get off that mariuana charge. It's that aged old story of whoever has the power can control just about anything they want or get what they want. Let's remember what happened to one of the nicest of all guys around Hollywood, Rory Calhoun, when he was made a sacrificial lamb in order to save Rock Hudson's career!! Though I must admit, I do miss those crazy days of "Confidential Magazine!" It's actually a field I sort of once had a hand in! But, that's another, too long of a story for me to get into!! So, I'll just remain as confidential as possible.

> Swithin you mentioned . . . > Nothing wrong with those studios, those roles, or those films. *Fog Island* is one I particularly enjoy. And the two *House of...* films feature a wonderful repertory company of actors, in roles both large and small. I totally agree with you! PRC and Republic were respected studios in their own right to some degree and allowed fallen or those out of the mainstream performers like Atwill a chance at keeping their careers going. I believe that Atwill was never really washed up to the extent that he would have just kept working had he not been stop dead in his tracks by a bout with pneumonia. An actor like him, with something of a fan following, despite a little adverse publicity could still have a reasonably good film career and over time I believe that one of the five major studios would have rehired him.

> clore . . . > The big studios closed their doors to him after the scandal that was big news in 1943 but wouldn't raise an eyebrow now. Only the mini-major Universal kept him steadily employed, but the good years were over once the verdict came in. Ok . . . Maybe I was stretching it a bit. However, he was still working steady enough to be somewhat viable to the general movie going public. I do find the whole idea of his being accused of having a massive sex **** at this home, amusing to say the least. He just was doing what others in Hollywood sometimes did behind closed doors. Unfortunately, somebody "spilled the beans" on him! Interestingly, I find at times some fans get confused between Atwill and the Canadian born character actor Douglass Dumbrille of the same period. Then, there's even another one sometimes mistaken for Atwill, English character actor George Zucco. Towards the end of his life, even Warren William ended up in the same low-end league as Atwill!

I've always admired Atwill and his work in motion pictures, during the 1930's. It's always a treat to see "Mystery of the Wax Museum" on TCM. This movie was an early attempt to utilized the two-color system of "Technicolor." The storyline was successfully remade in 1953 as the 3D horror epic, "House of Wax," starring Vincent Price. While I like the 3D version, I still hold a high regard for the original Atwill version. Most film buffs agree that Atwill was one of the most crafty, if not, colorful movie villains of all time. When he died in 1946, his career had been sort of revived into major status with a string of classic horror movie hits! Who knows?. . .Had he lived long enough, he might have ended up working for Roger Corman, William Castle, Bert I. Gordon, Hammer Films and if things had gotten desperate, perhaps even the uncanny Edward D. Wood Jr.!! And, there was television about to make a big splash when he passed away.

One of the most disappointing circumstances surrounding the casting for "A Damsel in Distress" was RKO and producer Pandro S. Berman not being able to acquire the fantastic British dancing star Jessie Matthews for the lead female role. She certainly would have been more than adequate and a great replacement for Ginger! I will agree to the point that Joan was a terrific dramatic actress. She was just placed out of her league for "A Damsel in Distress." One main reason for RKO to consider her was due to the storyline simply being British and she was then a contract player. Also, because of Joan's limitations, the basic idea focused most of the film as a major and single showcase for Fred to harmonize the beautiful Gershwin tunes. In comparison to Fred's other previous films at the studio, "A Damsel in Distress" actually didn't have much in the way of elaborate dance routines. He masterfully sang the Gershwin songs, some of which are outstanding, such as "Things Are Looking Up," "Nice Work If You Can Get It" and the haunting "A Foggy Day." If anything makes the film worthwhile are the remarkable Gershwin songs and some fans feel this is one of few Astaire films that he didn't technically dominate from a dancing perspective. But, the real underlying issue that hurt the movie was Ginger having run off to another soundstage to star in the drama "Stage Door" opposite Katie Hepburn. Ginger's successful role in the drama proved to give her more added edge towards breaking away from Fred. She also aided a bit in keeping Kate Hepburn's career at the studio from totally floundering. Kate was at the time, beginning to get into trouble at the box-office and it has always been believed that Ginger's presence in "Stage Door" is what made the big difference towards success for the drama! They just didn't come around very often like Ginger . . . She was and will remain one of the prominent, awesome, distinguished movie stars of Hollywood as well as proving she could be a great actress.

> lzcutter . . . I agree with what you said about Fred not so deeply or overall inspiring any of the great musical songwriters of his era in creating some of the greatest tunes of popular music. What I've been told is that the various famous and successful music-makers of the day were more than willing to simply write for and work with Fred, obviously due to his tremendous talents. Once RKO sent the word out that they wanted to hire the best in the business, it was only logical that the success of Astaire and Rogers was probably the main reason for this influx of songwriters on behalf of the dance team. Of course, what also helped was Fred having already established himself as a major star on Broadway. Fred had already worked with a few of these songwriters and had even made hit records of the previous various tunes he introduced on stage. His film career would make him even a bigger star than he could have ever imagined. It's rather odd that the only great song-writing team of the day that refused to take an offer from RKO was Rogers & Hart. After a short stint in Hollywood, Rogers & Hart returned to Broadway and continued to have added success to their legendary teaming. As 1936 rolled in, RKO then wanted to get the rights of the Rogers & Hart hit show, "On Your Toes" for Fred and Ginger. When the deal couldn't be made, the studio then hired the Gershwin's and created "Shall We Dance" that some feel is in many ways a thinly disguised version of the Rogers & Hart hit show! In fact, it's been often felt that "Shall We Dance" is in a technical sense, far superior to its other famous stage counterpart! Certainly, the Gershwin songs are some of the finest ever written and have become popular classics among what we now call "The Great American Songbook." The enormous success of "Shall We Dance," prompted RKO to have George and Ira Gershwin stay on and the following year (1937) they wrote the songs for Fred's first RKO film without Ginger, "A Damsel in Distress." The original songs for this 1937 production were as good as for "Shall We Dance." But, the public felt cheated when Fred was seen without Ginger. The bad box-office response would turn out to be the first set-back to Fred's film career. Most fans and critics alike seem to agree that actress Joan Fontaine was a poor replacement for Ginger. Fontaine didn't even sing in the film and her dancing was rather restrained, if not, unimpressive.

> BloodhoundMan . . . I agree that the technicalities Fred insisted upon were part of the reason to discard any mistakes in the footage. You make a good point about the financial status of RKO that was always under some sort of strife or near collapse. Luckily, Fred and Ginger kept the studio afloat, while some producers managed to come up with the necessary other types of formats and subject matter. It's interesting to me that over the years, the only major studio to have saved an abundance of cut footage was Paramount.

> infinite1 you ask: > Anyone know if any blooper reels exist showing FRED and GINGER falling on their butts or on their faces? Now that would be something I would love to see. NOW THAT IS A VERY, VERY, VERY GOOD QUESTION!! However, and this is a *VERY BIG HOWEVER* . . . Because Fred had to have artistic control over his musical numbers, he was one to never be reminded of what went wrong, A perfectionist to the end, he insisted on any mistakes in the footage be eliminated! This is why there has for the most part, absolutely not been footage of mistakes with Ginger surfacing over the course of so many years! Usually, the movies they made were under locked and closed conditions! There is some extra footage from Fred's years at MGM, but these changes or retakes don't have anything so revealing to consider or be of any real interest. The only documented sort of extra footage that exists of an Astaire-Rogers film are the home movies shot by none other than George Gershwin, during the making of "Shall We Dance." It is believed that in one segment of this Gershwin film, there was what appears to be a dispute going on between Fred and Ginger over the musical interlude entitled "Walking the Dog." Whether it is clear to say a conflict was at hand, can not be verified at this time and place. And, the only footage of this home movie that has been widely shown is that of Fred and Ginger simply dancing as Gershwin shot the film from the shadows of a far away distance.

It's so wonderful when TCM pays a nice little tribute to the likes of a grand and wonderful character actor like Edward. These are the times that TCM really has its value, because where else could younger generations finding an interest in classic Hollywood, go to see what there once was of these lovable and inspiring talents?