Bette and Joan

[Sepiatone]

Thing is, I haven't seen the last couple of episodes.

 

Just didn't hold my interest.

 

Oh, and check my earlier posts about MAMACITA. and how, for the character, it's more or less a misnomer.

 

 

Sepiatone

[GGGGerald]

So, have its ratings been pretty good, Gerald? I haven't been following this aspect of it.

 

I saw Sarandon on the Colbert show last Friday night plugging it, anyway. And, Lang is supposed to be on his show sometime this week, also.

 

Ratings aren't what they used to be with people watching programs at different days/times these days. They use different metrics now. Its more about the buzz. How boards like this one respond. What impact its having. And apparently its having an impact. One service (I think it was iheart) had it as the tenth most watched show.  (I'm sorry I can't remember the details of how they come up with that).  

 

Just watched it, I was riveted -- great episode! The scenes with Hedda and Joan and the phone calls; the visit to Anne Bancroft; the Oscars. I don't know how much of it is true (apart from what we know is true, e.g. Joan accepting the award). 

 

I do know one thing, though. Rip Torn was made to seem too normal!

 

Of all the portrayals, I agree that Zeta-Jones is the weakest link, although one notes an occasional de Havilland-like gesture. But de Havilland is not easy to mimic. She was an excellent actress, but not a caricature-able type.

 

But that Mamacita, what a scene-stealer!

 

I loved when Lange walked past Sarandon to accept Bancroft's Oscar. And Sarandon looked like someone just punched her in her stomach. That was good acting. 

 

I wonder how many people watching would know what a " de Havilland-like gesture" would consist of. This is an "entry level" program. Not for die hard experts of each and actor being portrayed.  Have to have some stars people can relate to so they have some reference point.

 

 

Yep, true Swithin.

 

And, maybe THE best actress of ALL of 'em in this thing at re-creating a person of earlier times.

 

(...I mean, she IS doin' a Lotte Lenya impression here, isn't she?!)

 

Good call. I didn't think of that till I read this post. 1962 was her era also

[Swithin]

does anyone else remember when he went on a bender from Hell and robbed a bank?

it wasn't that long ago....I think LARRY SANDERS was maybe still airing at the time...

 

(ps- i'm dead serious)

 

Totally can believe that, I know several people who know him. He's not in good shape at the moment.

[Princess of Tap]

Totally can believe that, I know several people who know him. He's not in good shape at the moment.

Rip Torn is still alive? I would have thought he would have been dead years ago.

 

Swith--What were all those issues he used to have with Norman Mailer? Was that just his typical personality or did they have some special reason for their animosity?

[LornaHansonForbes]

Rip Torn is still alive? I would have thought he would have been dead years ago.

 

Swith--What were all those issues he used to have with Norman Mailer? Was that just his typical personality or did they have some special reason for their animosity?

Unfortunately, I am on my phone so I cannot copy and paste or share a link, but I really do recommend a trip to Rip's Wikipedia page. They detail his contentious relationship with mailer.

[HoldenIsHere]

Just watched it, I was riveted -- great episode! The scenes with Hedda and Joan and the phone calls; the visit to Anne Bancroft; the Oscars. I don't know how much of it is true (apart from what we know is true, e.g. Joan accepting the award). 

 

I do know one thing, though. Rip Torn was made to seem too normal!

 

Of all the portrayals, I agree that Zeta-Jones is the weakest link, although one notes an occasional de Havilland-like gesture. But de Havilland is not easy to mimic. She was an excellent actress, but not a caricature-able type.

 

But that Mamacita, what a scene-stealer!

 

 

I was surprised that the Olivia de Havilland character was given the line where she called her sister Joan Fontaine a [bad, bad word that starts with a letter that rhymes with "wee"] in the phone call scene with Bette Davis since de Havilland is still alive.

It was amusing hear her tell Bette about an awful script she had been offered and see her put it in the garbage.

(It was the script for LADY IN A CAGE.)

 

As I noted earlier Rip Torn was portrayed as "jittery."

 

Mamacita is played by the wonderful Jackie Hoffman, a veteran of Chicago theater.

She was a hoot in the Broadway production of XANADU, where she played one of the evil sister Muses as well as Aphrodite (with an Ursula Andress-esque accent) during the CLASH OF THE TITANS inspired sequence on Mount Olympus. 

[GGGGerald]

Interesting interview with a grandson of Joan Crawford. He overall likes the series although he was apprehensive after Mommie Dearest.

 

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-4375684/Grandson-actress-Joan-Crawford-speaks-TV-s-Feud.html

 

There is even some home movie footage of Joan in the article.

[Princess of Tap]

Interesting interview with a grandson of Joan Crawford. He overall likes the series although he was apprehensive after Mommie Dearest.

 

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-4375684/Grandson-actress-Joan-Crawford-speaks-TV-s-Feud.html

 

There is even some home movie footage of Joan in the article.

I think I saw the complete live interview with Faye Dunaway last night. I was exceedingly disappointed that they did not discuss Mommie Dearest. If they did, I missed it. I thought it was one of the best performances of Faye Dunaway's career. It was a real hommage to a very complicated and complex great movie star.

 

Unless the grandson, that you mentioned, is speaking directly for or representing one of Joan Crawford's adopted children, I don't really think I care what he thinks. Three of Joan Crawford's adopted children are still alive and are quite capable of speaking for themselves.

[Princess of Tap]

I was surprised that the Olivia de Havilland character was given the line where she called her sister Joan Fontaine a **** in the phone call scene with Bette Davis since de Havilland is still alive.

It was amusing hear her tell Bette about an awful script she had been offered and see her put it in the garbage.

(It was the script for LADY IN A CAGE.)

 

As I noted earlier Rip Torn was portrayed as "jittery."

 

Mamacita is played by the wonderful Jackie Hoffman, a veteran of Chicago theater.

She was a hoot in the Broadway production of XANADU, where played one of the evil sister Muses as well as Aphrodite (with an Ursula Andress-esque accent) during the CLASH OF THE TITANS inspired sequence on Mount Olympus.

 

Apparently there was a great deal of animosity between the Fontaine-de Havilland sisters.

 

Alfred Hitchcock--someone who ought to know-- said his dream was to hire one sister for a movie and then to secretly employ the other sister to unexpectedly walk on screen, just to see the looks on their faces. Sadistic LOL

[Arturo]

When Game Show Network aired "What's My Line" years ago, it was always at 11pm or later. "Black and White Overnight" they called it. Then had to stop because they couldn't get sponsors. When Buzzr picked it up lately, they did the same thing.

 

But, Buzzr finally did the smart thing and did market research to find out what their fans wanted to see. Come to find out, the old black and white game shows are what  people were interested it in. And they didn't watch before because they were on too late at night. Now, they are prime time viewing. 

 

It seems that even in 2017, people are still interested in a bit of class in their entertainment.

 

What is Buzzr, and where can I find it. The closest thing I see on Directv is Buzz. But that seems to be an infomercial channel.

[Dargo]

What is Buzzr, and where can I find it. The closest thing I see on Directv is Buzz. But that seems to be an infomercial channel.

 

Arturo, the Buzzr network, and like MeTV, is one of those over-the-air broadcast "sub-channels".

 

I, here in Sedona, receive it via my Suddenlink cable service, but if this channel isn't available on either your cable or satellite service(whichever you may have), I noticed you there in my old stompin' grounds of L.A. can get it over the air via one of KCOP's sub-channels...13.2

 

(...btw, for a while I too was again watching "What's My Line" along with "To Tell The Truth" on Buzzr, however I stopped because it seemed Buzzr was showing only a very limited number of episodes of those shows and in the case of WML from only its beginning date of 1950 to about the time just before Fred Allen suddenly died, and then repeated those over and over)

[Arturo]

Arturo, the Buzzr network, and like MeTV, is one of those over-the-air broadcast "sub-channels".

 

I, here in Sedona, receive it via my Suddenlink cable service, but if this channel isn't available on either your cable or satellite service(whichever you may have), I noticed you there in my old stompin' grounds of L.A. can get it over the air via one of KCOP's sub-channels...13.2

 

Thanks Dargo. Will have to look for it.

[Swithin]

What is Buzzr, and where can I find it. The closest thing I see on Directv is Buzz. But that seems to be an infomercial channel.

 

My online cable channel lineup guide refers to it as Foxbuzzr, but my onscreen cable guide calls it WWORDT3. My cable company is RCN.

 

Lots of Match Games on at the moment. Allen Ludden and Betty White (and Robert Pine).

[GGGGerald]

I think I saw the complete live interview with Faye Dunaway last night. I was exceedingly disappointed that they did not discuss Mommie Dearest. If they did, I missed it. I thought it was one of the best performances of Faye Dunaway's career. It was a real hommage to a very complicated and complex great movie star.

 

Unless the grandson, that you mentioned, is speaking directly for or representing one of Joan Crawford's adopted children, I don't really think I care what he thinks. Three of Joan Crawford's adopted children are still alive and are quite capable of speaking for themselves.

 

Well, he seems to be speaking for himself. He says in the article that he is encouraging her mother to watch the series. She , I guess like most of the family, still have nightmares of Mommie Dearest. To him, she was just the grandmother they used to visit as children.

 

The clip of her walking across that river with the gun is worth a look to me

[GGGGerald]

What is Buzzr, and where can I find it. The closest thing I see on Directv is Buzz. But that seems to be an infomercial channel.

 

http://buzzrplay.com/

[lavenderblue19]

I think I saw the complete live interview with Faye Dunaway last night. I was exceedingly disappointed that they did not discuss Mommie Dearest. If they did, I missed it. I thought it was one of the best performances of Faye Dunaway's career. It was a real hommage to a very complicated and complex great movie star.

 

Unless the grandson, that you mentioned, is speaking directly for or representing one of Joan Crawford's adopted children, I don't really think I care what he thinks. Three of Joan Crawford's adopted children are still alive and are quite capable of speaking for themselves.

A few years ago, I read that Dunaway said she regretted making Mommie Deareast. She may have requested that the film not be brought up in the interview. I think she may have had a change of heart regarding Joan. If you noticed, in the interview Faye only had wonderful things to say about anyone Ben asked her about. It was all positive and complimentary to anyone she's worked with and the films she made. i think leaving Mommie Dearest out may have been done on purpose at either Faye's request or Ben doing his research realizing Faye's change of heart about the film and making sure Faye was completly comfortable during the interview.

[LornaHansonForbes]

 

She was a hoot in the Broadway production of XANADU, where she played one of the evil sister Muses as well as Aphrodite (with an Ursula Andress-esque accent) during the CLASH OF THE TITANS inspired sequence on Mount Olympus. 

 

 

Wait wait wait wait wait wait wait.

There was a Broadway production of XANADU?

[LornaHansonForbes]

PS- I know I seem like I'm always "beating the drum" for youtube, but i am pretty sure that there is a trove of classic game show episodes from all decades to be found there at any time; i know for a fact this is the case with all the extant WHAT'S MY LINE? footage.

 

I USED TO be one of those "it's just not the same watching it on my monitor/phone screen types" and then i wised the hell up about it and realized the chance to summon these things from the past at any instant rivals the size/aspect ratio in which we can view them.

[LornaHansonForbes]

here is the first episode they ran after the death of Dorothy Killgallen.

 

 

[Princess of Tap]

A few years ago, I read that Dunaway said she regretted making Mommie Deareast. She may have requested that the film not be brought up in the interview. I think she may have had a change of heart regarding Joan. If you noticed, in the interview Faye only had wonderful things to say about anyone Ben asked her about. It was all positive and complimentary to anyone she's worked with and the films she made. i think leaving Mommie Dearest out may have been done on purpose at either Faye's request or Ben doing his research realizing Faye's change of heart about the film and making sure Faye was completly comfortable during the interview.

Yes, I knew the film was controversial and that it got bad reviews.

 

In the end I'd heard that Christina was very disappointed that Faye started identifying with Joan and made her too much of a sympathetic character.

 

It's funny when I think of Faye Dunaway and all those great film roles she played--that Mommie Dearest will probably be the only DVD of hers that I will buy.

 

Something about that movie really captured old Hollywood for me and the strength of the Golden Age actresses who had so much courage, tenacity and guts.

 

BTW--Wasn't Marlon Brando's sister and Dana Andrews' brother great in that movie!

[jakeem]

Wait wait wait wait wait wait wait.

There was a Broadway production of XANADU?

 

Yes. It received 2007-2008 Tony nominations for Best Musical, Best Book (Douglas Carter Beane), Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Musical (Kerry Butler) and Best Choreography (Dan Knechtges).

 

It lost the Best Musical award to Lin-Manuel Miranda's first Broadway sensation, "In the Heights."

 

The film version of "Xanadu" is one of my guilty pleasures.

 

 

[jakeem]

AwardsWatch‏ @awards_watch

 

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"You should never say bad things about the dead, you should only say good…Joan Crawford is dead. Good.” Happy Birthday, Bette Davis.

 

[RoyCronin]

Re: "Iguana"...Bette was also very nasty to Margaret Leighton. Once Leighton garnered the most glowing reviews and a Tony to boot, Bette started missing performances. Come on Bette, did you forget that "Margo must go on"?

[ChristineHoard]

A Joan-centric episode of FEUD this week.  I loved the opening with the STRAIGHT JACKET promo.  Interesting; I kind of felt sorry for all Joan went through. I loved the scene with Joan and Hedda and how it unfolded that Hedda might have something on Joan in spite of their friendship.(Hedda may have had heart trouble, but she didn't pass away until 1966).   Robert Aldrich finally tells off Jack Warner!  John Waters as William Castle!  Overall, another good episode with fine performances all around.

[Swithin]

A Joan-centric episode of FEUD this week.  I loved the opening with the STRAIGHT JACKET promo.  Interesting; I kind of felt sorry for all Joan went through. I loved the scene with Joan and Hedda and how it unfolded that Hedda might have something on Joan in spite of their friendship.(Hedda may have had heart trouble, but she didn't pass away until 1966).   Robert Aldrich finally tells off Jack Warner!  John Waters as William Castle!  Overall, another good episode with fine performances all around.

 

I agree -- just watched the beginning -- loved the opening. Watched only through the scene with Hedda but looking forward to the rest!