How did Ruby Keeler make it?

[msladysoul]

I read around these boards that most don't like Ruby Keeler and can't see how in the world she made it. I wonder did her dating a gangster before Al Jolson have anything to with her making it. I was reading a movie summary of the movie Broadway Through a Keyhole which said is based on Ruby Keeler's early life and her and Al Jolson's relationship. The gangster she dated had some influence in getting her parts and roles on stage and screen.

 

Do did her relationship with a gangster help her career than her dating with Al Jolson, the greatest entertainer in the world help her as well?

 

Not to say that Ruby didn't have some type of charm and talent to make it. I guess Ruby wasn't as innocent as we like to think. I'll have to see this movie. Constance Cummings plays Ruby's part, I see a resemblance. Constance was also a good dancer and good actress, so it would be fun to watch.

 

Here's the info I found on the movie...

Broadway Through a Keyhole is based so exactly on the courtship of Ruby Keeler and Al Jolson that Jolson, having read the script, knocked out Walter Winchell when they met accidentally at the Hollywood American Legion stadium on the night of July 21, 1933. Keeler, who was a dancer at Texas Guinan's nightclub, was dating gangster Larry Fay when she met Jolson. Fay visited Jolson after hearing of this just to tell him that he could marry her.

[ayresorchids]

If only Keeler had written an autobiography! The tales she coulda told.

 

I vaguely remember hearing that Jolson even paid off the gangster in order to marry Ruby, but I could be misremembering that.

 

I certainly found it laughable that she was considered a great dancer. Her singing is so oddly low and her acting is so stilted. Still, she's cute as a button, and what legs!

[richardny4me]

I have read that Ruby Keeler was hired for the role of Peggy Sawyer in 42 STREET because she really could not dance or sing all that well. Consequently that made her the perfect someone that depression-era audiences could readily identify with, in other words, "If she could be a star, well I can do it too." I had not heard about the gangster connections, but I being Jolson's wife I am sure helped her career.

 

Another film version of their marriage can be found in the THE JOLSON STORY / JOLSON SINGS AGAIN movies which were made by Columbia in the 1940's. Their marriage was long ended by then, and this time Ruby Keeler sued to keep her name out of the film, so the character played by Evelyn Keyes is a lightly-fictionalized Ruby Keeler.

[therealfuster]

I have no idea if you are visualizing Ruby according to standards of acceptability for now or in the past, but though I agree wholeheartedly with you concerning her inherent talents of dancing and singing as being a bit challenged, I think from talking to my grandmother and some great aunts and uncles who went to the movies then, that Ruby fit the times well, and for that was liked by the ticket goers.

 

Unlike now where tall, gargantuan Victoria's Secret models are the ultimate dream girl, in the early thirties during the Depression years, the small, dainty and delicate type female who was cute and approachable, was the norm for the girl next door parts. Though the overly sweet Mary Pickford types, with long curls from a silent period prototype were not as popular any longer, or the Lillian Gish types with the tiny cupid's bow lips, Ruby was perfect as the energetic and sweet heroine of light comedy musicals, for her time period.

 

The fact that this type also went out of style in not too many years, and by the WWII period, was totally replaced also, as was marcelled hair and on-the-bias cut dresses, I think Miss Keeler just was fortunate to be around, when her type was needed on film.

 

I'm more a fan of Thirties women like Carole Lombard or Claudette, but I can see the appeal of Ruby, who was likable and cute, and had a fun, innocent attitude on film and was not as sophisticated as the former ladies, which bode well for her to play ingenues. And in those Berkeley extravaganzas, one would not want too strong a female presence as star, to take away from all the alluring visual, and kaleidoscopic displays I think.

 

Just my opinion....

[bansi4]

Miss Ruby Keeler, may not have been the greatest dancer or singer, but she had PIZAZZ. Sweet and appealing she was the darling of the Depression era, when most moviegoers wanted some sunshine in their life.

Ruby delivered and the rest is history.

 

Mongo

[xxmass]

Hi Msladysoul, I Read You Post And Totally Agreed. My Opion Is That She Was One Of The Worst Actress I Had Ever Seen. I Do Believe That Al Joelson Had Alot To Do With Her Getting Her Acting, And Dancing Parts. I Had Heard A Story On Jolson And Thought You Would Like To Hear It. One Night Jolson Went To See This Young Kid {singer/ Comic} As Jolson Was Standing In The Wings He Was smileing. The Next Day Jolson Spoke With The Kid Told Him That He Was Going To Sue Him For Stealing Jolson Material. This Scared The Young Man Too Death. The Next Night Jolson Was Performing At His Own Show, And Used The Exact Material He Saw The Young Kid Use The Night Before. This Was The Type Of Person Jolson was. Of Course Jolson Would'nt Have Sued The Young Man, But He Did'nt Know That, What A Great Bluff. Just Thought You Would Like To Know How Powerful Al Jolson Was, Not A Very Nice Person LOL. I Hope You See This Reply, And Let me Know What You Or Anyone Thought Of It. Bye For Sincerly, Xxmass.

[bggalaxy]

xxmass, just a curious question totally off the subject.

I'm a slow one finger typer. I noticed that every first letter in your post are upper case. My question is:

Do you hit "shift" for every first letter or is your key board set up to do this automatically?

I'm thinking your a fast typer and can hit the "shift" key without thinking. (little impressed)

[xxmass]

Hi Boggalaxy, I just read your lastest post and noticed that your right lol lol. I do hit the shift everytime lol, a bad habit. I hope this is is better, I know that a person would think it's nuts lol. Thanks for bringing it to my attenion, old habits are hard to break lol. by the way what did you think of my post?? I'll look foward to see your reply. Thanks again. Sincerly, Xmass. P.S Bye the way my name is Larry. see you soon bye.

[bggalaxy]

xxmass: lol, Please don't stop. I was just curious and impressed that you could do that while (if you see several of my posts) I forget to upper case names and titles because I hunt and peck the keyboard.

[bhryun]

I think Keeler's appeal had to do with her contrast to the more cynical and worldly characters who surrounded her in films like 42nd St and Golddiggers - Blondell, Ginger Rogers, Una Merkel, etc. Clearly, she is no singer or dancer as one need only look at a giant talent from the same era, Eleanor Powell, to see what great tap dancing could (and should) be.

[alix1929]

Ruby Keeler was very cute! I agree with whoever said she made a good contrast between more worldly characters. She could have never pulled off Aline MacMahon or Joan Blondell roles. Nor could she have wise cracked like Ginger Rogers. She played Miss Innocent perfectly.

 

And yes, I think being Al Jolson's girl might have had a little to do with it.

[msladysoul]

I do love Ruby Keeler. She was so pretty to me. I always liked her. To me, she could dance, she danced fine with James Cagney and in Dames and in . I think she's wonderful. All dancers have their own way of dancing and there's also another secret to performing... a lot of times if you don't have the talent, if you have personality and charm it makes you look good and take away the flaws.

 

Some people can't see how Ginger Rogers sung on stage and screen, some say she wasn't much of a singer but she thought so.