Esther Williams's Wishes

In honor of the late, great Esther Williams, I thought I'd re-post one of my favorite posts from 2009 from the October 1946 issue of Photoplay about wishes.

"I'd wish to be reincarnated as a fish. Then I'd have a legitimate excuse for spending all my time in the water. I guess the only reasonable facsimile of that wish would be to have a huge swimming pool right outside my bedroom door, so that every morning I could climb out of bed, plunge into the water, and swim to my heart's content with nothing to interrupt me - weather or engagements or work or friends."

"I seem to have been born with an innate love of water, starting when I was two years old, I used to cry when my mother would take me out of the bathtub. I think I learned to swim even before I learned to walk. In high school I used to do my homework in the bathtub during the winter. Unless I spend part of the day in the water, I suffer a slight drying of the skin."

"I have everything I want except my dream pool where I could spend several hours a day just making like a fish."

I can just imagine Esther swimming laps in the big swimming pool in the sky.  I think part of the reason I adore her is I find swimming so freeing, too.  It is one of the rare activities I feel light and free - almost like a normal person must feel.  We will miss our Mermaid and I wish her family my thoughts and prayers.

If I Had One Wish . . . Linda Darnell

Linda Darnell finishes off the wishes from the October 1946 Photoplay. There have been some serious ones, and some light hearted ones. Let's see what Linda wishes for . . .

"There is just one thing I have really wished for in my life that hasn't come true so far, and that is to go to South America. I suppose every person has one place where he would rather go than than any other place in the world - a place beyond the horizon of the world which beckons - a distant Shangri-La."

"When I was growing up in Texas, we had a servant who was born and raised in Brazil. Her romantic stories about the South American way of life fired me with a great desire to go there and sometimes I actually find myself feeling wanting for a land I had never seen. It was a strange feeling and it has never quite left me. Every time I hear Brazilian music I get the urge to suddenly fling everything aside and hop the next ship sailing south. I'm sure I wouldn't [next word unreadable in my copy here] in the country because I believe that beauty [next words unreadable in my copy here] lie in the eyes of the see-er."

And so we conclude our trip into the dreams of the stars. I hope you enjoyed the trip. We saw dreams of racial harmony, fantastic trips, and even wishes to be a fish. Thanks for coming along for the trip!

If I Had One Wish . . . Zachary Scott

I simply adore Zachary Scott. He is in my current fav film, Mildred Pierce. I didn't really know a lot about him, but after doing a bit of research, I respect him even more.

So on that note, here is Zachary Scott's One Wish: "If I had one wish that could actually be fulfilled, it would be for the complete and utter elimination of racial prejudice."

"Recently a great colored artist came to town - an artist whose talent brought happiness, entertainment, and great escape from reality to millions of people all over the world. I know many famous Hollywood people who would have deemed it a privilege to meet him, I decided to entertain. I live in a small house which is inadequate for large parties, so I tried to make reservations elsewhere. I called every place I could think of, but each one had a different excuse. Finally and appallingly, the truth dawned on me. It was because of the artist's being colored. Most restaurant owners were amenable, but they said their help would walk out!"

Horrible story. Wonder who it was. I love the Forties, but there were things that were definitely not cool about the time.

"I still suffer from shock when I think this can happen. My sincerest wish is that racial prejudice could be vanished from this Earth."

Serious stuff, but Zachary did really walk the walk and talk the talk. He did tons of charity for the poor, U.S. soldiers, and racial causes.

Some Zachary Scott Trivia:

• He was a descendant of George Washington's sister, Betty
• He was a son of a surgeon, and was going to be a surgeon too until he caught the acting bug
• Hobbies included: Classical music, golfing, gourmet cooking, gardening, horseback riding, antique collecting, and swimming
• His first wife Elaine Anderson divorced him and married author John Steinbeck
• He was nearly drown in a rafting accident but survived, only to become incredibly depressed from it
• In 1951 he was arrested at a bar in Louisiana for violating segregation laws. He was in a black establishment drinking alcohol with African-Americans. he protested in court that he was invited to the bar by black men in uniform and that he was proud to drink with US soldiers
• Was married to Ruth Hall on July 6, 1952. For info on Ruth, check out my post here: http://flapperdays.blogspot.com/2009/08/favorite-food-of-famous-stars-8-ruth.html
• Arrested in 1961 in Hawaii for doing a Hula dance intoxicated
• Unfortunately he passed away penniless from a brain tumor on October 3, 1965

If I Had Only One Wish . . . Esther Williams

America's Mermaid, Esther Williams, has today's quote from the October 1946 Photoplay. And would you believe that her wish is that she wants to be a fish?

"I'd wish to be reincarnated as a fish. Then I'd have a legitimate excuse for spending all my time in the water. I guess the only reasonable facsimile of that wish would be to have a huge swimming pool right outside my bedroom door, so that every morning I could climb out of bed, plunge into the water, and swim to my heart's content with nothing to interrupt me - weather or engagements or work or friends."

I think it would be cool to plunge into a pool right out of bed. Might be a little difficult if you were a sleepwalker :)

"I seem to have been born with an innate love of water, starting when I was two years old, I used to cry when my mother would take me out of the bathtub. I think I learned to swim even before I learned to walk. In high school I used to do my homework in the bathtub during the winter. Unless I spend part of the day in the water, I suffer a slight drying of the skin."

Never heard of that study method. Wonder how she didn't get her homework soaking wet. Her skin care method is also intriguing. I've always heard to stay in water as little as possible if you have dry skin. I wonder if Esther's beauty tip works.

"I have everything I want except my dream pool where I could spend several hours a day just making like a fish."

What a wonderful wish, to be able to be free and swim the day away. You have to admit, you could totally see the stunning Esther Williams as a fish.

On a side note, TCM is releasing a new Esther Williams collection of October 6, 2009. It contains the films: Thrill of a Romance, Fiesta, This Time for Keeps, Pagan Love Song, Million Dollar Mermaid, and Easy to Love. Super excited about this release. I just love the simple, sweet Esther Williams films.

To buy it check out: http://turnerclassic.moviesunlimited.com/Product.asp?sku=D02343

If I Had One Wish . . . Ella Raines

Here is the gorgeous Ella Raines wish from the October 1946 Photoplay


"If I had only one wish, I would wish for a home on the range. I guess it would be difficult to find where the Buffalo still roam, but I would like to live in some wild secluded spot a few hundred miles from Hollywood where I could hunt and fish and ride. I don't suppose I'll ever get over my passion for wide open spaces. I grew up as a perfect tomboy on a ranch in Washington where my mother taught me to rough it".

"The ranch I want wouldn't have to be too large - about 50 acres but I'd like it completely equipped with everything, horses, sheep, cows, pigs, chicken, and dogs. I love every kind of animal. I love to feed them and take care of them and watch them grow. I don't like to brad, but I won some blue ribbons in Washington for my lambs and calves in Washington. Instead of spending my money of elegant clothes and jewelry, I'm saving the parts I think need saving."

If I Had One Wish . . . Peter Lawford

The next star is timely since the Kennedy's are in the news

Here is Peter Lawford's wish for His Parents from the October 1946 issue of Photoplay:

"My dearest wish ever since coming to America", commented Peter Lawford, "has been to someday reclaim all of the cherished possessions which they had to leave behind in England when they came here"

"You see, in our travels around the world, they collected many unique and irreplaceable keepsakes - keepsakes that have fond memories or sentimental value attached to them. Some of them were given to them by Indian Rajahs, princesses, high llamas, African Chiefs, or witch doctors. Some of them are thousands of years old and have weird stories attached to them."

(This has me totally intrigued by the way, but alas, I could not find anything about what untold treasures they may have acquired)



"When the war came, we couldn't go back to England. We still haven't found out what condition our home and possessions are in."

"If I could build my parents a duplicate of the home we had there, complete with a lane and large garden and fill it with all the treasured souvenirs they collected throughout their lives, then I could honestly be happy, because I know how happy that would make them."

(On a side note, I'm not sure if riding bikes and driving cars by a pool is the best idea)

If I Had One Wish . . . Rita Hayworth

(October 1946 Photoplay)

The October 1946 Photoplay highlighted the One Wish celebrities have. Today's celebrity is my girl Rita Hayworth.


Rita's Wish: "I'd wish for a trip around the world. I'd like to be gone at least a year and just roam around without any sense of responsibility. I'd like to feel free to let my impulses take me to the farthest corners of the world, follow little known trails, to explore mysterious lands, to study foreign people, to gaze on all the wonders of Earth and man. I'd like to forget for a while that I'm Rita Hayworth and live as the natives do in each of the cities I visit.

"My mother used to tell me that I should have been an adventurer or an explorer. But ever since I began dancing when I was fourteen, I have been tied down by obligations entailed in my career and for just once in my life I would like to feel a complete sense of release to wander wherever I please."

I bet Rita would have made a terrific explorer. And don't we all wish that we could escape our troubles and obligations and just explore? I know I do.