Do You Know Me?

[Mysterious_Mose]

Ramon Novarro? Can't find he had a tv series all on

his own, but did a lot of it.

 

Nope. This guy started his film career in 1930 in what today would be considered a politically incorrect film.

[pintorini]

Uh, oh. Clearly the first set of clues given was too broad. No, "I" am not the marvelous Dame Edith Evans, but here is another clue:

 

The movie for which I received my second Oscar nomination brought an Oscar to one of my co-stars in the same category. In other words, I lost out to a lady who won for her performance in the same movie for which I was nominated.

 

Also, while I did not live quite as long as Dame Edith, the age at which I joined my ancestors would certainly have been considered a ripe old age at the time. I died well before Dame Edith's death in 1976.

[Mysterious_Mose]

> Uh, oh. Clearly the first set of clues given was too

> broad. No, "I" am not the marvelous Dame Edith

> Evans, but here is another clue:

>

> The movie for which I received my second Oscar

> nomination brought an Oscar to one of my co-stars in

> the same category. In other words, I lost out to a

> lady who won for her performance in the same movie

> for which I was nominated.

>

> Also, while I did not live quite as long as Dame

> Edith, the age at which I joined my ancestors would

> certainly have been considered a ripe old age at the

> time. I died well before Dame Edith's death in 1976.

 

 

How about Hermione Baddeley with the film being "Brighton Rock"? She lost the Supporting Actress role in "Room at the Top", while Simone Signoret won Best Actress for the same film. However, Hermoine died 10 years after Edith Evans. She was 80 when she died in 1986. So, maybe not.

 

MM

[Mysterious_Mose]

>

> How about Hermione Baddeley with the film being

> "Brighton Rock"? She lost the Supporting Actress

> role in "Room at the Top", while Simone Signoret won

> Best Actress for the same film. However, Hermoine

> died 10 years after Edith Evans. She was 80 when she

> died in 1986. So, maybe not.

 

No, I'm wrong. It's Dame May Whitty.

[pintorini]

Dame May Whitty is correct!

 

May Whitty (1865 - 1948) spent much of her acting career on stage, but appeared in several notable films, including Night Must Fall, The Lady Vanishes, Suspicion, Mrs. Miniver, Lassie Come Home, and Gaslight. She was named a Dame Commander of the British Empire for her charitable work during World War I as well as for her contributions to the arts. Her last film was released the year she died at age 82: 1948.

 

Whitty earned her first Oscar nomination for her supporting role in Night Must Fall and her second for her supporting role in Mrs. Miniver. The second time, she lost to Theresa Wright, who won for her performance in Mrs. Miniver.

 

Mrs. Miniver, all but forgotten today except by film buffs, is probably the most Oscar-rich propaganda movie in history. Among others, it won a best-actress Oscar for Greer Garson and a best-picture Oscar, beating out (among others) The Magnificent Ambersons, Pride of the Yankees, Random Harvest, and Yankee Doodle Dandy.

 

To historians, Mrs. Miniver is best known for helping to bring about a radical shift in American sentiment concerning whether to enter WWII. In fact, Winston Churchill said that the film's propaganda value was worth a dozen battleships (another commodity provided by the US to Britain during WWII).

 

To maximize sympathy for the characters, however, the film also had to counteract the popular conception of Britain as a bastion of social privilege and snobbery. Accordingly, although the Minivers are financially well off, they are presented as very much middle class. Apart from the war, the principal plotline concerns their son's desire to marry the niece of May Whitty's character, Lady Beldon. At first Lady Beldon strenuously objects to the marriage, ostensibly because her niece is too young for marriage, but in truth because of class snobbery. Under the exigencies of the war, however, Lady Beldon softens and ultimately warms up to the marriage.

 

The characters' hearty spirit and determination in the face of danger and reduced circumstances won the hearts of Americans. The film was not only a critical success but a box office bonanza, grossing more in North America than any other M-G-M film.

[benwhowell]

Dick Powell?

[Mysterious_Mose]

> Dick Powell?

 

 

No. I was a red-head and it was Clark Gable that convinced MGM I was leading man material after he worked with me in a film of some note in the late 30's (not "Gone With the Wind"). I did appear on Dick Powell's television show once, though.

[CharlieT]

In reply to Mysterious Mose: Dan Dailey? He was a hoofer and later a leading man. He was in the TV series "The Govenor and J.J."

 

CharlieT

[Mysterious_Mose]

> In reply to Mysterious Mose: Dan Dailey? He was a

> hoofer and later a leading man. He was in the TV

> series "The Govenor and J.J."

>

> CharlieT

 

 

Nope. One more clue. As previously stated, my first film was in 1930 and would be deemed politically incorrect today. This film featured a pair of hugely popular radio stars, whose radio show would be reprised as a popular television show in the 1950's. But, you can no longer see it on television. The film also featured a royal man of jazz and his orchestra in a popular New York night club.

[CharlieT]

Dennis O'Keefe?

[Mysterious_Mose]

> Dennis O'Keefe?

 

 

That's correct. From 1930, starting with Check and Double Check", until 1937, Dennis O'Keefe hung on in Hollywood as an extra in usually uncredited roles. In those days, he was known as Bud Flanagan. In 1937, he worked in the film "Saratoga" and Clark Gable was impressed enough with his talent to recommend that MGM use him in lead roles. They eventually took his advice and O'Keefe went on the star in a number of 'B' features. One of his best know was "T-Men". From 1959-1960, he had "The Dennis O'Keefe Show", in which he played syndicated columnist Hal Towne. He died of lung cancer in 1968, at the age of 60.

[Mysterious_Mose]

If no one else has one right now, I have another.

 

While I was mostly a well know Broadway actress for many decades, I also created a few memorable roles in film. Mostly, I played eccentric women in smaller supporting roles. My husband was a playwright/actor and several of his plays were made into movies. He once wrote a script that was turned down by many prominent people. So, he and I portrayed the leads in summer stock and eventually brought it to Broadway. To this day, it holds the record as having the longest run for a non-musical Broadway production. Eventually, it was made into a popular movie and television series. One of my best known movie roles was as a maid to an ill-tempered singer/actress. I lived to a very ripe old age. Who am I?

[jdb1]

You are Dorothy Stickney. She was married to either Lindsay or Crouse, I never remember which, who wrote "Life With Father," the long, long running comedy/drama, in which she starred.

[Mysterious_Mose]

> You are Dorothy Stickney. She was married to either

> Lindsay or Crouse, I never remember which, who wrote

> "Life With Father," the long, long running

> comedy/drama, in which she starred.

 

 

You're way to good! Dorothy Stickney is correct, of course. She was married to Howard Lindsay, who wrote "Life with Father". Stickney, who really only made a handful of films, is one of my favorites. I recently watched "Murder at the Vanities" for the umpteenth time and I always enjoy her portrayal of Norma, the maid to Gertrude Michaels' character. Stickney also created the character of Mollie Molloy, who throws herself out a window in "Front Page".

[jdb1]

I haven't seen anything with Stickney for years. It would be nice to see her again.

 

I have a new one:

 

I performed with an opera company, but didn't sing, and with a famous long-running New York show, but not on Broadway. I made several films with some of Hollywood's biggest stars, but I didn't really catch on with the public, and I was not happy in Hollywood. I married into a prominent political family, and had a second career as a business owner, dealing with several generations of the same people I had performed with.

 

Who am I?

[jdb1]

> I performed with an opera company, but didn't sing,

> and with a famous long-running New York show, but not

> on Broadway. I made several films with some of

> Hollywood's biggest stars, but I didn't really catch

> on with the public, and I was not happy in Hollywood.

> I married into a prominent political family, and had

> a second career as a business owner, dealing with

> several generations of the same people I had

> performed with.

>

> Who am I?

 

Not much to go on, is there. Here are some clarifications:

 

In order to be in the New York show, I had to meet a minimum height requirement, which is still in effect to this day because a version of the show is still running. My business was retail and my customers needed parental guidance when making a purchase. The political family I married into was not American.

[Mysterious_Mose]

> > I performed with an opera company, but didn't

> sing,

> > and with a famous long-running New York show, but

> not

> > on Broadway. I made several films with some of

> > Hollywood's biggest stars, but I didn't really

> catch

> > on with the public, and I was not happy in

> Hollywood.

> > I married into a prominent political family, and

> had

> > a second career as a business owner, dealing with

> > several generations of the same people I had

> > performed with.

> >

> > Who am I?

>

> Not much to go on, is there. Here are some

> clarifications:

>

> In order to be in the New York show, I had to meet a

> minimum height requirement, which is still in effect

> to this day because a version of the show is still

> running. My business was retail and my customers

> needed parental guidance when making a purchase. The

> political family I married into was not American.

 

I'm still noodling on this one, but I have to admit to being pretty stumped at this time. :-(

 

MM

[jdb1]

Another hint:

 

I was in a still popular family film where I famously received a long distance telephone call.

[jdb1]

Another hint:

 

My career spanned only four years in the 1940s. My first films were musicals, and I appeared with Hollywood's most popular stars. My last four films were dramas, and not very successful.

 

The political family I married into was not American.

[PFriedman]

Lucille Bremer it is!

[Mysterious_Mose]

> Lucille Bremer it is!

 

Ye gads and little fishies! Of course. And I was just looking at "The Ziegfeld Follies" today...

[PFriedman]

I think I'm one of the few people who actually like her in "Yolanda and the Thief".

 

Best, Philip

[jdb1]

> Lucille Bremer it is!

 

 

Yes, it is!

 

She danced in the corps de ballet of an opera company, and was a Rockette (for which she had to meet a minimum height requirement [5'6"?] which is still in effect.)

 

Bremer wasn't a big hit with the public, and from what I've read about her, she wasn't too popular with her co-stars, either. She gave up the movies after only 4 years, in 1948. She married the son of a former president of Mexico, and she owned and operated a successful boutique selling children's clothing. TCM broadcast a short about such a store last year, but I don't remember if it was Bremer's store. I do remember little Mia Farrow as one of the customers in the short.

 

Your turn PF. Well done.

 

Message was edited by:

jdb1

[jdb1]

I think a lot of the players here would rather catch than pitch, so I'm pitching another one to you. This should keep up busy for a while, so start with this info:

 

Do you know me?

 

My father was an enterprising entertainment entrepreneur, who was one of the earliest producers to film sports events. His success at that prompted him to open and operate a small East Coast studio. Several of his employees (some worked both behind and some in front of the cameras) went on to careers in Hollywood. I was one of those. He must have been bursting with pride when I won a supporting Oscar.

 

Who am I?

[Mysterious_Mose]

> I think a lot of the players here would rather catch

> than pitch, so I'm pitching another one to you. This

> should keep up busy for a while, so start with this

> info:

>

> Do you know me?

>

> My father was an enterprising entertainment

> entrepreneur, who was one of the earliest producers

> to film sports events. His success at that prompted

> him to open and operate a small East Coast studio.

> Several of his employees (some worked both behind

> and some in front of the cameras) went on to careers

> in Hollywood. I was one of those. He must have

> been bursting with pride when I won a supporting

> Oscar.

>

> Who am I?

 

 

Are you Alice Brady, daughter of William A. Brady?