In search of...Virginia Weidler

[TopBilled]

Hi Pete,

 

I am waiting for you to discuss GIRL OF THE OZARKS. Hint, hint.

[ginnyfan]

> {quote:title=TopBilled wrote:}{quote}Hi Pete,

>

> I am waiting for you to discuss GIRL OF THE OZARKS. Hint, hint.

 

And I'm still waiting for me to watch it! I'm also still waiting for me to discuss a couple of other films, too. I've gotten behind on my movie watching, although I did watch a couple of good Richard Dix pre codes in the last couple of days.

 

I apologize for being so late with this but my tablet died today, only 18 months old, and I spent the afternoon vainly attempting to get it to boot. If anyone has suggestions about how to get a company to give one a break on the warranty, this seems to be a common failure based on my research, I would certainly appreciate the guidance.

 

In the meantime, my posting ability and ability to reply to comments will be a bit limited.

 

Now for TODAY IN GINNY.

 

Landers Stevens (1877) was a stage actor of some note in San Francisco and on the Orpheum circuit. He made his try at the movies in 1918 and worked steadily until his death in 1940. His last role was as a Senate investigator in CITIZEN KANE and the film came out after his death. He played Thatcher in THE LONE WOLF SPY HUNT.

 

Dave Pepper (1889) had a bit role in THE OUTCASTS OF POKER FLAT. Two years later his daughter, Barbara Pepper would play a tough girl in THE WOMEN, making the Peppers the first father/daughter team I've run into in Ginny's credits. I have no photo, an Outcasts one will have to do.

 

Rita Owin (1904) portrayed a teacher in OUTSIDE THESE WALLS. She played 21 parts in Hollywood from 1932 to 1942 and in exactly one of them she received actual billing. I am posting a lobby poster from that film.

 

Charlie Spivak (1907) played "the sweetest trumpet in the world" according to his own publicity. In THE BIG BROADCAST OF 1936, he was doing it with Ray Noble and his Orchestra.

 

Marc Lawrence (1910) is a guy I'm familiar with from gangster roles and westerns. I saw him a lot doing TV guest roles in the 1960s. His final role was as an ACME VP in LOONEY TUNES: BACK IN ACTION (2003). He played Henchman in Trenchcoat in THE LONE WOLF SPY HUNT.

 

James Millican (1910) is another character guy who got started in the early 1930s. By the 1950s, he was appearing fairly regularly in James Stewart-Anthony Mann collaborations. He played a Cabby in THE LONE WOLF SPY HUNT and a sailor in BARNACLE BILL.

 

[ginnyfan]

TODAY IN GINNY features...Ginny!

 

On this date in 1942, BORN TO SING was released.

 

Think of the film as Virginia plays Judy while Ray plays Mickey, or maybe Ray and Leo and Larry and everyone else plays Mickey. It's hard to figure.

 

It wasn't a big hit but she got to sing and dance, unlike BEST FOOT FORWARD where they dubbed her. MGM, as was its habit in those days, loads the film down with some scenes that are pretty offensive today of course. There are some photos of Virginia that I won't be posting here because of it.

 

Now as far as the picture goes, haven't we all wanted to do that to Leo Gorcey at one time or another?

 

 

Since BORN TO SING came up, I found this photo posted on an auction site as being Weidler and Gorcey. At the VWRS we've kind of decided that it isn't Virginia, although she was a knitter on the set. Does anyone know who the lady is?

 

 

Now we move on to birthdays.

 

Paul Weigel (1867) was a character actor who, while of German descent, usually portrayed Frenchmen and Spaniards. He, like Virginia, won a small role in AFTER TONIGHT(1933) based upon linguistic skills. He played a concessionaire.

 

Edward Arnold (1890) had a great career playing character parts in big budget films and leads in smaller ones. I remember him on the radio as Mr. President. On that show he would act out an event from a President's term without identifying that President by name. The identity would be revealed by Arnold in a postscript. He played Ginny's father, Burton V. Lyons, in THE YOUNGEST PROFESSION (1943).

 

Chester Clute (1891) portrayed a Pants Salesman in LOVE IS A HEADACHE (1938). Looking at his record of small parts, I guess he'd be most easily identified as Dr.Gilchrist in ARSENIC AND OLD LACE. His final role was as Man With Spaghetti On Head in the Martin and Lewis feature SCARED STIFF (1953).

 

John Dilson (1891) was a stage actor who moved in movie character parts in the mid-1930s. He played a lot of politicians, businessmen and board members. In BAD LITTLE ANGEL (1939), he played Mr. Brown, the white haired guy in the middle of the photo. He also played Steve in FIXER DUGAN that same year.

 

Garry Owen (1902) played a reporter in MEN WITHOUT WINGS (1938). He shows up in the film long after Virginia is out of it. He, too, was in ARSENIC AND OLD LACE as a cabby.

 

[TopBilled]

BORN TO SING is one I have not seen yet. TCM does not seem to play it too often.

[ginnyfan]

If I saw it, it was long before my Weidler thing and I don't remember it. We still are trying to figure out who the gal with Gorcey is and if it actually has anything to do with BORN TO SING.

[ginnyfan]

It's a shorter TODAY IN GINNY than we've been used to of late.

 

First up is a guy who didn't make it to the screen. Carl Stockdale (1874) was a veteran actor with over 300 titles on his IMDb page. Still, his biography there is limited to gossip about his role in the William Desmond Taylor case. He had been working in films for almost thirty years before his near appearance in BABES ON BROADWAY. His performance in that film, however, was cut.

 

Madge Crance (1875) was being billed as "Mrs. Gardner Crane" when she played Madame Gauthier in ALL THIS AND HEAVEN TOO. She only had 14 credits in 12 years in the movies and died at age 88 in 1963. I didn't find her photo during a brief search so I snuck the dance scene from the movie in the space.

 

Jack Kirk (1885) was the real thing. An outdoorsman from Montana, he was in 348 films and almost all were as cowboys. He played Rancher Squinty Potts in the western comedy, HENRY GOES ARIZONA. Interestingly, his final "credit" occurred six years after his death, when stock footage featuring Jack was used in the serial RIDING WITH BUFFALO BILL (1954).

 

William Post Jr. (1901) had approximately the same number of credits as Virginia but his were spread out over a forty year career, starting in the movies in 1932 and ending in television in the 1970s. I didn't find a lot about him either except he also worked in the New York theatre. He was an announcer in BABES ON BROADWAY.

 

[ginnyfan]

I'm still working on about three other things for "the endless thread", but I've been lazy.

 

TODAY IN GINNY features three birthdays including a special tribute.

 

Tom Brower (1878) was a character actor in 37 features from 1927 to a final posthumous release in 1938. He appeared in two Weidler films just before his death in 1937, playing the town marshal in MAID OF SALEM and a griping gambler in THE OUTCASTS OF POKER FLAT. While reviewing the film I found a couple of griping gamblers, but this is the one with the most lines, so I'm assuming it is Tom.

 

Stanley Goldsmith (1904) was the propmaster on THE BIG BROADCAST OF 1936. He went on to a long career as a second director on films such as KING OF KINGS (1961) and TORA, TORA, TORA (1970). An Ebay auction tells me that's him to the left of Ava Gardner.

 

The next actor should have been in TODAY two days ago for a sadder reason. Jimmy Butler (1921) was a popular child actor in the 1930s and played Billy Wiggs to Virginia's Europena in MRS WIGGS OF THE CABBAGE PATCH (1934). He also appeared with her in LADDIE the following year, playing Leon Stanton. He is probably best known for his earlier role in NO GREATER GLORY, where he appeared with several other fine child actors in a gang film that was an allegory about the futility of war.

 

As Jimmy grew older, he appeared in several films as a military student or soldier. His last appearance in films was as a regular student in GIRL CRAZY (1943). Soon afterward, he entered the military and exited the film business. Sadly, he was killed in action in France on February 18, 1945, only a couple of months before war in Europe came to an end. He was two days from his 24th birthday.

 

[ginnyfan]

TODAY IN GINNY features a star I never realized had crossed Virginia's career path.

 

But we start with Frank Orth (1880) a superior character actor who played Harris in GOLD RUSH MAISIE (1940). ginnyfan just finished watching the Sothern-Tone comedy/mystery FAST AND FURIOUS where Frank did a turn as an unemployed lion tamer. It beat being "guy on left at bar", but Orth had a few of those too. He was married to his Vaudeville partner, actress Ann Codee, for more than fifty years. We'll get to her on March 5, since they are a husband/wife TIG team.

 

Charles Wagenheim's (1896) film appearances are described by his IMDb biographer as "atmospheric". He did play a lot of those vital background guys. He was Reed's composer in BABES ON BROADWAY. I was surprised to note that he and not George E. Stone played The Runt in the first Boston **** movie.

 

Edwin L. Marin (1898) directed Ginny twice at MGM in HENRY GOES ARIZONA and GOLD RUSH MAISIE. It seems he became a personal director of sorts for two TIG-ers, Reginald Owen and Ann Sothern. He's seen here with Owen. Guess what film that's from!

 

Robert Bradford (1907) had a career as a producer after his brief acting stint. He was a tenor in the "Bombshell From Brazil" production number in BABES ON BROADWAY.

 

Now for the surprise. Before she became a major star, Ann Sheridan was an uncredited town girl in MRS. WIGGS OF THE CABBAGE PATCH. She was still Clara Lou at that time. The photo I selected of her was taken in the year of that films release, 1934.

 

[TopBilled]

Ginny would have been right at home in Sheridan's later picture for Republic called COME NEXT SPRING.

[ginnyfan]

> {quote:title=TopBilled wrote:}{quote}Ginny would have been right at home in Sheridan's later picture for Republic called COME NEXT SPRING.

I've never seen it. I'll need to keep a look out.

[ginnyfan]

Men With Wings (1938) is a rare Paramount release featuring Fred MacMurray, Ray Miland and Louise Campbell. It appears to be on the list of hidden Paramounts that Universal controls and ignores.

 

I've never seen the film, but I have seen Virginia in it thanks to YouTube. It's her first color appearance. I don't want to violate any rules here, so to be safe let me just say a search of "Men With Wings 1938" will find the two clips from the early portion of the film.

 

In the top photo, Pat (Donald O'Connor in hat) and Scott (Billy Cook) "convince" the lighter Peggy (Ginny) to pilot their aircraft. At bottom, Peggy admires the shiner she got from her flight.

 

[musicalnovelty]

 

ginnyfan said...

 

 

Landers Stevens (1877) was a stage actor of some note in San Francisco and on the Orpheum circuit. He made his try at the movies in 1918 and worked steadily until his death in 1940. His last role was as a Senate investigator in CITIZEN KANE and the film came out after his death. He played Thatcher in THE LONE WOLF SPY HUNT.

 

 

========================================

 

 

 

 

 

You didn't mention what I think would be the thing he's probably best known for (among those who've heard of him at all) - he's the father of the great director George Stevens.

 

 

 

 

 

[musicalnovelty]

On this date in 1942, BORN TO SING was released.

 

Now as far as the picture goes, haven't we all wanted to do that to Leo Gorcey at one time or another?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

======================================

 

Remember way way way back when you first started posting about Virginia Weidler I posted that I have this still (original b & w 8 x 10) from the movie that shows the scene where Virginia socks Leo Gorcey...well this is it, but used for one of the lobby cards for the movie.

I never can seem to figure out how to post pictures here, or I'd have posted this still way back then.

 

But it's great to see that you found it, and to see that it was one of those chosen to be a lobby card.

[musicalnovelty]

 

TopBilled said...

 

 

Ginny would have been right at home in Sheridan's later picture for Republic called COME NEXT SPRING.

 

 

 

 

 

======================================

 

 

 

 

 

For what role, I wonder? The movie is from 1956 so she'd be too old to play the daughter (so well played by Sherry Jackson in the movie).

 

 

[ginnyfan]

> {quote:title=musicalnovelty wrote:}{quote}

> ginnyfan said...

>

> Landers Stevens (1877) was a stage actor of some note in San Francisco and on the Orpheum circuit. He made his try at the movies in 1918 and worked steadily until his death in 1940. His last role was as a Senate investigator in CITIZEN KANE and the film came out after his death. He played Thatcher in THE LONE WOLF SPY HUNT.

>

>

> ========================================

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

> You didn't mention what I think would be the thing he's probably best known for (among those who've heard of him at all) - he's the father of the great director George Stevens.

>

>

>

>

Because I actually didn't realize it! As I've often said, I'm no expert, I just know what I like. Each day, I'm looking up these people and learning about many of them from scratch. I had never heard of Landers Stevens to be honest about it.

 

I'm sure I've missed other obvious things on other subjects.

[ginnyfan]

> {quote:title=musicalnovelty wrote:}{quote}On this date in 1942, BORN TO SING was released.

>

> Now as far as the picture goes, haven't we all wanted to do that to Leo Gorcey at one time or another?

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

> ======================================

>

> Remember way way way back when you first started posting about Virginia Weidler I posted that I have this still (original b & w 8 x 10) from the movie that shows the scene where Virginia socks Leo Gorcey...well this is it, but used for one of the lobby cards for the movie.

> I never can seem to figure out how to post pictures here, or I'd have posted this still way back then.

>

> But it's great to see that you found it, and to see that it was one of those chosen to be a lobby card.

>

It is the first thing anyone ever talks about concerning this movie. Everyone who has commented on the VWRS page has mentioned "what Virginia did to Leo Gorcey". I suspect it, in a way, shows what a lot of people think of Leo Gorcey that they relish it so much!

 

There is a "how to" post about pics here somewhere. I just use plain text and place the URL between two exclamation points. If you need a URL for your own photo, I just run the photo through tinypic.com.

 

I'm really glad to see you post in this thread again.

[ginnyfan]

TODAY IN GINNY we have a favorite of mine along with several guys I admit to not knowing.

 

Harry Depp (1883) was a long time silent film actor who continued in the talkies in smaller roles. He played Scoop Smith in the silent feature INEZ FROM HOLLYWOOD (1924). That film is interesting to me because it also featured Lewis Stone and Mary Astor. He played an Assistant Prop Man in THE BIG BROADCAST OF 1937. To answer the obvious question, Harry is no relation.

 

Harold Hurley (1895) was the producer of TIMOTHY'S QUEST and 31 other unmemorable features. He did produce some of Randolph Scott's early 1930s work. I'm letting Bennie Bartlett, who played Jimmy in TQ represent.

 

Lyricist Val Burton (1901) co-wrote "Buy A Kiss", the immortal love theme of AFTER TONIGHT (1933). A movie poster from the film represents him.

 

I love Sheldon Leonard (1907). He went from the stage, where he said he was always hired when they couldn't get Sam Levene, to movies and radio. We old time radio lovers remember him as the racetrack tout on the Jack Benny program, most probably saw him as Nick in IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE. I thank him for all the wonderful TV he provided me in my youth, especially for having the guts to present the great Dick Van Dyke Show episode, "That's My Boy??" (w/ guest star Greg Morris) to CBS in September 1963 knowing there would be lots of pushback not to air.

 

In a similar vein, he produced the groundbreaking series I Spy as well. That series was his favorite for both it's historical importance and for the fact that he got to travel all over the world filming it. Leonard played his stereotypical tough guy, Pete Detroit, in BORN TO SING.

 

John Hamilton (1909) wasn't TV's Perry White. This John Hamilton was a Technicolor technician for MEN WITH WINGS, which we saw stills from yesterday.

 

Tom Stevenson (1910) played Jack Derano in BORN TO SING (I'm starting to think that Mr. DeMille had something to do with that film considering all the castmates who seem to pop up.) The pic is from his memorable appearance in THE WOLF MAN.

 

[musicalnovelty]

 

ginnyfan said...

 

 

I'm really glad to see you post in this thread again.

 

 

===================

 

 

 

 

 

Hey, I'm always here, reading, enjoying, learning stuff, and appreciating your good work!

 

 

[ginnyfan]

It's a drizzly Saturday here at VW Central Command, but we have a TODAY entry to brighten things up!

 

Norman Taurog (1899) was apparently a child actor on the stage prior to becoming a motion picture director. Despite what we recently heard from Ann Gillis, he had a reputation of being a "kid's director" with the ability to get the best out of them. He was able to trade on these abilities with adults as well, helming six Martin and Lewis features. When Col. Parker wanted Elvis to do lighter comedy as opposed to rebellious drama, he turned to Taurog in 1960. In his later years, Taurog became blind and became a director of the Braille Institute. Taurog directed Ginny three times: 1940's YOUNG TOM EDISON (of of the best MGMs she was in, THE BIG BROADCAST OF 1936, and, of course, MRS. WIGGS OF THE CABBAGE PATCH, where Virginia was cast after Taurog had seen her stage work.

 

Actress Dorothy Morris (1922) was another one of those actresses that MGM trained for a long period of time before actually using them in films. She was a Chorus Girl in BABES ON BROADWAY, played Ginny's older sister EDITH-a role that was smaller than it should have been-in THIS TIME FOR KEEPS, and a secretary in THE YOUNGEST PROFESSION. She semi-retired while raising a family, then returned to small roles in the later 1950s. The picture is a screen capture from TTFK.

 

 

[ginnyfan]

It's OSCAR DAY WITH GINNY. (Here I am giving it the big buildup and I probably won't even watch). If they suddenly give Ginny a surprise achievement award, get in touch with me pronto.

 

First up, Max Barwyn (1884). He was an actor I didn't find a lot about. He had a thirty year career from the mid 1920s to his death in 1955. He had more credited roles during the silents than later. By the talkie era he was playing a lot of waiters. He did have a major role as Napoleon in the 1927 film THE FIGHTING EAGLE, and that's how we see him here. He played an aide in the World War I thriller STAMBOUL QUEST (1934). Virginia had a very small role in that as "Girl". He also played one of his many waiters in TOO HOT TO HANDLE, where Virginia was credited but also had a small role. Interestingly, both of those films starred Myrna Loy. Max, like Ginny, was never nominated for an Oscar.

 

Marjorie Main (1890) is both a great character actress and a great character. Someone should write a book about...oh, wait, they did. Germ freak, spiritualist, all around great gal, Main appeared with Ginny twice, and in movies with her three times.* First she had a delightful turn as Lucy in THE WOMEN, although she had no scenes with Virginia. In 1941 she was the understanding "Aunt" Marge of BARNACLE BILL trying to help Ginny figure out why they both loved that crooked old coot. Later, she played Mrs. McKissick, the cook trying to keep Ginny from eating the family out of house and home in THE AFFAIRS OF MARTHA (1942). Marjorie was nominated for an Oscar for THE EGG AND I and a Golden Globe for FRIENDLY PERSUASION, but did not win.

 

Nat W. Finston (1895) was the Musical Director for both PETER IBBETSON (1935) and THE BIG BROADCAST OF 1936. He was nominated for two Oscars for Best Musical Score for MUTINY ON THE BOUNTY and MAYTIME, but never won. After conducting THE CHOCOLATE SOLDIER in 1941 (Hey, Max Barwyn played Anton in that film), he spent most of his time working on the music for documentary shorts. He was also the Chairman of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences from 1938-44, so Ginny being overlooked while in her prime is kind of his fault.

 

Richard Thorpe (1896) was the director of two of Ginny's better MGM efforts, BARNACLE BILL and LOVE IS A HEADACHE (1938). The highlights of his career seem to have come in the 1950s, when he was nominated for DGA (THE GREAT CARUSO, IVANHOE) and Cannes (KNIGHTS OF THE ROUND TABLE) awards but did not win-that's a theme here today. Also, yesterday we celebrated the director (Taurog) who did those light musical comedies with Elvis; today we have Thorpe, who directed the edgy JAILHOUSE ROCK. He's seen here with Ginny co-star Gene Reynolds and Robert Taylor.

 

 

Edited by: ginnyfan on Feb 24, 2013 5:14 PM to amend an oversight in the Main bio.

[ginnyfan]

When you watch the Oscars this year, think of this Jimmy Fidler quote from over seventy years ago captioning the wish-it-were-true photo below. The Fidler quote is from his column of January 20, 1941.

 

H/T and appreciation as always to Ken Robichaux ([The Picture Show Man|http://thepictureshowman.com]) for the photo and to the late Jimmy Fidler for the quote that goes with the photo (and makes me believe that it should have happened.)

 

[ginnyfan]

My VWRS co-manager Danny pointed out earlier tonight that I had omitted the role of Lucy in THE WOMEN from Marjorie Main's resume. I edited here to include that mixup but when I started working on tomorrow's entry a check of my notes made me realize that I also omitted the role of Miss Kitty Wayne in TOO HOT TO HANDLE. So Marjorie actually appeared in four films with Virginia although their characters only interacted in two.

 

I find such an error totally acceptable, since it gives me an excuse to put together four more photos from the films.

 

[ginnyfan]

After last night's heartbreak of no lifetime achievement award for the braided one, I'm finally ready to to move on to TODAY IN GINNY.

 

Lucille Ward (1880) played Mrs. Martha Popham in MOTHER CAREY'S CHICKENS. I'm unsure if that character was mother or grandmother to Virginia's Lally Joy. Apparently, this was one of those "brat" roles for Ginny, as she was favorably compared to Jane Withers in the reviews.

 

Leonard Carey's (1887) career can be summed up in one word: B-U-T-L-E-R. That what he pretty much always played, although he occasionally stretched his wings and played a valet instead. He was Jamison, the Lone Wolf's loyal man, forced to play nursemaid to his master's brat daughter Patricia in THE LONE WOLF SPY HUNT. It wore him down so badly that Eric Blore, another butler/actor, replaced him in the next Lone Wolf movie. He wasn't too frightened, however, to appear in two other Weidler films. He played a...butler in THE AFFAIRS OF MARTHA and Walter Pidgeon's...valet in THE YOUNGEST PROFESSION.

 

Writer Louis E. Heifetz (1897) wrote the story for LOVE IS A HEADACHE. When I googled for photos I kept getting some guy with a fiddle. I guess that's not him.

 

Shimen Ruskin played an Excited Russian in BABES ON BROADWAY. He's seen here with Fred Willard and Carole Shelley in 1968. He worked steadily in films from 1940 into the early 1950s. After he appeared in DONOVAN'S BRAIN in 1952, he was blacklisted for 12 years after being named as a communist in Lee J. Cobb's testimony. He came back to appear in THE PRODUCERS (1968) and FIDDLER ON THE ROOF (1971). He was even in SHAFT (1971).

 

Dickie James (1927) never appeared with Virginia in a film. He did, however, appear in the Our Gang short THE PINCH SINGER with her brothers. When he grew up he got to be Buffalo Bill Jr. on television.

 

[musicalnovelty]

 

ginnyfan said...

 

 

Dickie James (1927) never appeared with Virginia in a film. He did, however, appear in the Our Gang short THE PINCH SINGER with her brothers. When he grew up he got to be Buffalo Bill Jr. on television.

 

 

====================

 

 

You mean Dickie Jones. (Still with us, by the way!)

 

 

 

 

 

[ginnyfan]

> {quote:title=musicalnovelty wrote:}{quote}

> ginnyfan said...

>

> Dickie James (1927) never appeared with Virginia in a film. He did, however, appear in the Our Gang short THE PINCH SINGER with her brothers. When he grew up he got to be Buffalo Bill Jr. on television.

>

>

> ====================

>

>

> You mean Dickie Jones. (Still with us, by the way!)

>

>

>

>

Absolutely right. Dickie James was a long ago football player. It was a typo, I knew better and still didn't see it when I proof read. Interestingly, thirty some people read it on the Facebook page and didn't catch it either.

 

Yes, he's the rarity in that he is still with us.