Hedy Lamarr: The Most Beautiful Star!

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[GarboManiac]

 

They are selling this pic on www.allposters.com as Hedy!

 

You must be ever vigilant!!

[JackBurley]

Is that really Miss Lamarr? She looks like Vivien Leigh there...

[jdb1]

"Samson and Delilah" was on some channel or other yesterday afternoon, and I watched some of it. My original opinion of Hedy is unchanged: she is gorgeous, she photographs gorgeously, she moves gorgeously, and she is gorgeous (did I already say that?) When I grow up, I want to look just like her.

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[GarboManiac]

As a contribution to interesting facts about Hedy, I will quote from her Films of anthology by Christopher Young:

 

"While The Heavenly Body was in production, two other films were announced for Hedy: Duel in the Sun and Dragon Seed. But she lost the role in Duel when author Niven Busch abandoned plans for his own production and sold the property to David O. Sleznick. Jennifer Jones took over Hedy's role as the half-breed Pearl Chavez and was nominated for an Academy Award."

 

"About this time, Hedy was in the habit of turning down nearly everything, including Gaslight. And when Metro offered her the star role in Pearl Buck's best seller Dragon Seed, she refused it: she says she could not imagine herself as Jade, the Chinese heroine. Perhaps for spite, Metro refused to loan her to Warners for Mr. Skeffington or to Fox for Laura, two films for which she would have been ideally cast."

 

More later . . . .

[wordmaster]

Hmmmmmm...very interesting.

 

Hedy as "Laura", instead of Gene Tierney...

 

That would make for an interesting dynamic between Hedy and Dana Andrews, for sure.

[GarboManiac]

"Turning down Dragon Seed was a mistake, for it was an important picture. Maguerite Roberts and Jane Murfin fashioned a good screenplay from the book, a huge cast of important actors was assigned prominent roles, and Sidnyey Wagner produced some superior photography. Katherine Hepburn inherited the part Hedy refused and gave one of her usual fine performances."

 

"It has been said that Warners tried to borrow Hedy from MGM for their production of Casablanca. Whether that is true or not, everyone knows that Ingrid Bergman got that choice part opposite Humphrey Bogart."

 

"When Warners tried again for Hedy's services, they were more successful. Since Hedy was giving her home studio so much trouble by turning down so many films, they finally decided that getting her off the lot for a few weeks would be a good idea. The Conspirators was supposed to be another Casablanca, it wasn't."

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[GarboManiac]

Oh, good, TOOMANY. I thought there was some truth to the story. But, I am just quoting from the book, and I hoped people would jump in if they had contradictions, more info, or general comments!

 

Thanks! Here's one for you!

[GarboManiac]

 

Hedy in The Conspirators.

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[GarboManiac]

You know that was one of her most beautifully photographed movies! Oops! Was that redundant? Anyway, I sometimes wonder if she wouldn't have been better off at Warners! She would have made Casablanca, Mr. Skeffington, and most probably, Laura. I think it was her contract and affiliation with MGM that held her back. After all, it was working at United Artist in Algiers that made her a star. After she went back to MGM, they didn't know what to do with her. Jack would have known what to do! That Louis B, and you know what that stands for!

 

 

Brainless! ;-)

[TMS]

I finally got to this thread. Took me awhile to read since I am at work.

Lots of info! Thanks.

I will be looking into Hedy and she if very beautiful!! I can't wait to see some of her movies!

 

Thanks GM!

[GarboManiac]

Well, let me get you started in the right direction. Her first and best is Algiers (1938). That is when the world first saw that face, so it is a good place to start. That is the first film I saw, and I was hooked.

Then go to:

 

Lady of the Tropics 1939

Come Live With Me 1941

Ziegfeld Girl 1941

Crossroads 1942

White Cargo 1942

The Heavenly Body 1943

The Conspirators 1944

The Strange Woman 1946

Samson and Delilah 1949

 

I put them in order, but you don't necessarily have to see them that way. And, there are many others, 26 in all. But, these are her best in my humble opinion.

[GarboManiac]

 

Hedy and her mom!

[vecchiolarry]

Hi GM & All,

 

I don't think it's that Louis B. Mayer and MGM didn't know what to do with her, it's that LBM didn't want to do anything with her, period.....

 

A little story I heard years ago: don't know how true it is but --

Hedy fled to London from Vienna and managed to book passage on the same boat to US as LBM, who was returning from Europe after contracting Greer Garson, Ilona Massey and Militza Korjus for MGM.

Hedy paraded around in her finest gowns and jewels hoping to get noticed. Mayer finally told her that he had seen "Ecstasy" and it was 'dirt' and that Americans were not interested in seeing her ****!.......

When the ship docked Hedy got off first and the MGM flunkies thought she was one of Mayer's discoveries, praising him for his brilliant 'find'...... They were less impressed with Greer, Ilona and Militza.........

Hedy was in but Mayer never promoted her and resented her forever.

It's a fact that she had to fight hard for her role in "Boom Town" and I think she was great in that!!!!

 

Larry

 

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[GarboManiac]

And, who says Hedy can't act!!!! She pulled that off brilliantly! Thanks for the story Larry, and keep 'em coming whenever the spirit moves you.

 

And, I was right, in a way. It was LB! The big jerk.

[JackBurley]

You might want to high-tail it to today's poll, Garbomaniac. The question is:

 

"Who would have been Elizabeth Taylor's closest competitor for the title 'Most Beautiful Brunette in the Movies'?

 

And Miss Lamar is currently in second place:

 

Ava Gardner 39%

Hedy Lamarr 29%

Vivien Leigh 21%

Jean Simmons 11%

[GarboManiac]

HUH!!! These people today!! No sense of tradition!

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[vecchiolarry]

Hey TMN,

 

I don't want to see Hedy's **** either, her face and figure are enough to astound any wide-eyed, young boy or 'dirty old man'......

Actually, I have seen her in a bikini in Acapulco, so ha,ha, I'm one up on you!!!

 

Larry

 

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[GarboManiac]

Hey, EVERYONE! Looks like Hedy has pulled ahead of Ava in the poll!! Keep those votes coming people! Thank you!

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