Ursula and Bob have a Cozy Christmas

Ursula Thiess

Ursula Reading a Script

Is hoping to get her eight-year-old son here from Germany by Christmas so he can join her. Bob Taylor, and his sister for the holidays.  The boy’s travel was held up by an appendectomy.  It’ll be curious to see Bob with two children on his hands and living in a new house of his own.  He was never very much of a family man even when married to Barbara Stanwyck.

[Source: Movieland; February 1955]

Will Joe and Marilyn Ever Reunite?

Marilyn Monroe

Marilyn 1954

And Joe DiMaggio who supplied the biggest screen divorce story of the year, may also come up with the largest reconciliation.  At this writing, Marilyn still has her divorce on file, but Joe, with time for reflection, seems to think he acted too hastily in walking out on his blonde bride.  And he was the one who did the walking, of that you can be sure even though Marilyn hastily applied for the divorce.  Joe was blazingly angry at something about which he wouldn’t talk.  The rumor mill has been working overtime to try to come up with an answer.  But Joe took the first active step toward a reconciliation when he visited Marilyn while she was hospitalized for minor surgery.  It was the concern that a man shows for his wife and not a divorced mate.  If they reconcile, and we believe they will, both Marilyn and Joe will have to learn a little more of the old game of give and take which has saved many marriages.  Certainly Marilyn has no intention of chucking over her career and Joe will have to accept that fact – just as Marilyn will have to accept the fact that a marriage brings responsibility to the home.  The highly publicized separation could be the best thing that ever happened to that marriage.  We believe the reconciliation will be as sudden as the divorce.  Marilyn needs a long rest, which a second honeymoon could provide – rather than the publicity field day occasioned by their first.

[Source: Movieland; February 1955]

Marilyn and Her Attorney Announcing the Divorce

We all know the story of Marilyn and Joe.  If not, there are plenty of sources which speak of the topic.  I wish they could have made things work.  They seemed to have a lifelong love, or at least lifelong respect for one another.  Joe certainly never married again and Marilyn is known to turn to Joe when life was roughest.

Marilyn 1954

There were rumors of the two reuniting in February 1961, but though Joe nursed Marilyn through this tough moment in her life, the two never remarried.  Maybe they found each other again in that great baseball diamond in the sky.

Joe and Marilyn - in Happier Times

Grace McDonald - Survivor

Grace McDonald

• Born in Boston or New York (depending on the source) June 15, 1918
• Born Grace McDonell
• Began straining in ballet and voice at age 8
• At age 11, she became ill and lost much use of her legs.  She was in bed an entire year, but began training again only to suffer a relapse after 1 month.  She spent another year in bed without the use of her legs.  Her brother, Ray, would practice his tap and ballet by her sickbed which encouraged Grace to use her toes and muscles in bed to her brother's steps.  Gradually she was able to dance again and never looked back [Source: New Physical Culture, November 1944]
• Made her debut in vaudeville at age 14
• Reached Broadway as a team with her brother Ray as a star dance in "Babes in Arms"
• Signed with Universal in 1940 and made many B pictures, many vehicles for the Andrews sisters.
• Retired from films in 1945 to become a mother.  She had 3 children with her marine husband, Ralph Green and moved to Minneapolis, Minnesota
• Passed away from double pneumonia on October 30, 1999 in Scottsdale, Arizona

Check out Grace dancing at 2:20

Check out her brother Ray dancing with then wife Peggy Ryan