Showing posts with label Quotes of the Stars. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Quotes of the Stars. Show all posts

Saturday, June 8, 2013

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.

Wednesday, April 24, 2013

Paintings of the Stars - Part 1

Beatrice Lillie; 1963

Life Magazine did a series on paintings done by celebrities in 1963.  I find it interesting to see what artists do in art fields other than their own.  Well, it turns out that several actors and actresses were wonderful painters as well.  Beatrice Lillie was an actress I would have loved to see.  While known for her wonderful stage work, she made some films as well.


Beatrice Lillie; 1963

One of the stories about her I find most striking is from World War II.  Lillie entertained the troops quite frequently.  One day, she found out her son had been killed in action and refused to cancel her performance. Her quote:  "I'll cry tomorrow" (Source).  Beatrice Lillie sounds like an amazing woman I would loved to have met.  Her strength, generosity, and talent are worth remembering.



As to these paintings, I'm not sure what happened to these particular ones, but several of her paintings are stored at the New York Public Library. 

Tuesday, July 10, 2012

Fred MacMurray Channels Tony Curtis


Fred MacMurray

June and Fred


“I’ve had so many pictures taken with my wife (June Haver)  that I’m beginning to feel like Tony Curtis.”


[Source: Movieland; February 1955]

June and Fred

I find both Fred MacMurray and June Haver delightful.  They were married 37 years, from 1954 until MacMurray's death in 1991.  They adopted twin girls in 1956.  

Above Suspicion (1943)


June is not remembered as she should be and Fred seems to be remembered solely for My Three Sons.  Not that it wasn't a good show, but he was great in many other projects, most notably in Double Indemnity, a Film Noir classic.  My current MacMurray favorite is Above Suspicion (1943) which I saw recently on TCM.  My favorite June Haver film is her last film appearance, The Girl Next Door (1953).

Monday, June 25, 2012

James Dean Gets Serious


James Dean

James Dean and Elizabeth Taylor Reading


“I’m a serious minded and intense little devil – so tense I don’t see how people stay in the same room with me.  I know I wouldn’t tolerate myself”.


[Source:  Movieland;  February 1955]

Wednesday, December 14, 2011

Paulette Goddard on Home

Paulette Goddard


World traveler Paulette Goddard, to columnist Earl Wilson, about her Hollywood home:  "It's a wonderful place for my paintings and my loot."




[Source:  Quick Magazine;  November 17, 1952]

Tuesday, December 13, 2011

Jimmy Durante's Dream Presidential Cabinet

Jimmy Durante


Jimmy Durante, on his dream Presidential Cabinet:




Rita Hayworth
State Secretary Rita Hayworth - "She'd clean up our foreign affairs - to say nuttin' of a few domestic ones, too!"




Ava Gardner
Labor Secretary Ava Gardner - "Any man would wantta form a union wit her.  I'd insist on a closed shop."

Corinne Calvet
Agriculture Secretary Corinne Calvet - "Why, da farmers wouldn't ask for subsidies.  They'd pay them!"

Marilyn Monroe
Interior Secretary Marilyn Monroe - "Her exterior ain't bad neither."

Zsa Zsa Gabor
Army Secretary Zsa Zsa Gabor - "Any man would fight for dis girl!"


[Source:  Quick Magazine; November 17, 1952]





Monday, December 12, 2011

Mae West on the new "Mae West"

Mae West with a "Mae West"


Mae West, viewing the Navy's latest "Mae West" life-jackets, now colored red instead of yellow:  "I understand they can be seen from a great distance.  That's another thing we have in common."




[Source:  Quick Magazine;  July 28, 1952]




Gotta love Mae West!

Sunday, December 11, 2011

Orson Welles as Othello

Othello Poster


Orson Welles, on one of his recent films:  "I starred in Othello because I was the only star I could afford to hire."




[Source:  Quick Magazine;  July 28, 1952]

Saturday, December 10, 2011

Lionel Barrymore tells it like it is

Lionel Barrymore


Lionel Barrymore:  "Acting is acting.  It hasn't changed.  The only change has been in the audiences which, I must say, have gotten lousier and lousier."




[Source:  Quick Magazine; November 10, 1952]




I have to agree with the fabulous Mr. Barrymore, but I don't think there are that many actors left either.  We have celebrities - not actors.  I can count on one hand the number of people who "act" on film which I would consider actors.

Friday, December 9, 2011

Ursula Thiess's First Film

Ursula Thiess
Actress Ursula Thiess, telling columnist Earl Wilson about her forthcoming film in which she swims nube:  "It was my first picture and I did what they told me."




[Source:  Quick Magazine; January 5, 1953]


Ursula Thiess




Ursula Thiess (May 15, 1924 - June 19, 2010)  born in Hamburg, Germany.  RKO brought her to America for a test in 1952 and she was voted most promising newcomer by Modern Screen (along with Marilyn Monroe).  While starring in a mere 5 films, she is probably best known for her marriage to Robert Taylor.  They met on a studio-arranged blind date.  They fell in love and were married May 24, 1954 until Taylor's death on June 8, 1969.  She had 2 children with Taylor.  Ursula basically retired from the screen after she married Taylor and concentrated on her family.  Her last screen appearance was in 1972.


Robert Taylor and Ursula Thiess

Wednesday, December 7, 2011

Clifton Webb on California

Clifton Webb
Clifton Webb, visiting New York City from balmy Hollywood:  "California is beautiful.  So is a rose.  But I can look at a rose for just so long and then I want to spit on it."  




[Source:  Quick Magazine; January 5, 1953]

Tuesday, December 6, 2011

Bea Lillie on Television


Bea Lillie:  "Television has grown up to be just summer stock in an iron lung."




[Source:  Point;  August 1954]






Ouch!  Beatrice Lillie (May 29, 1894 – January 20, 1989) is known as being an amazing talent.  She shined on stage. She is an amazing woman and entertained the troops during WWII - even on the day she found out that her only son had perished in action.  Best known for her Tony Award winning 1953 revue An Evening with Beatrice Lillie.  She retired from the stage due to Alzheimer's.

Monday, December 5, 2011

Anita Loos Remains a Brunette



Anita Loos, author of Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, when asked why she remained a brunette:  "Personally, I don't prefer gentlemen."




[Source:  Point;  August 1954]
Anita Loos and Jean Harlow


Anita Loos was the author or contributor to some of my favorite films such as Red-Headed Woman, Another Thin Man, The Women, Susan and God, and When Ladies Meet.  


John Emerson and Anita Loos
Loos had two troublesome marriage:  First, to Frank Palma, Jr (from 1915-1919); and secondly to actor, writer, director John Emerson (married from 1919 to his death in 1956).  Emerson and Loos never officially divorced, but their marriage consisted of economic strife and Emerson's mental illness.  

Sunday, December 4, 2011

Elaine Stewart on Bachelors


Elaine Stewart:  "A bachelor I know decided to reform.  The first day he cut out cigarettes.  The second day he cut out liquor.  The third day he cut out women.  The fourth day he cut out paper dolls."




[Source:  Point;  August 1954]

Saturday, December 3, 2011

Fred Allen on Poise


Fred Allen:  "Poise?  That's the ability to continue talking while the other fellow picks up the check."




[Source:  Point;  August 1954]

Friday, December 2, 2011

Groucho on Skywriting



Groucho Marx, to a skywriter contestant on his TV show:  "When you're up there writing do you ever get the impression that someone is looking over your shoulder?"




[Source;  August 1954]




Jack Benny and Groucho Marx doing a 'You Bet Your Life' skit on 'The Jack Benny Show'

Thursday, December 1, 2011

What Bob Hope thinks of Bridegrooms


Bob Hope's definition of a bridegroom:  "A wolf who paid too much for his whistle."




[Source:  Point;  August 1954]

Wednesday, November 30, 2011

Eva Gabor Loves Women


Eva Gabor:  "I'm glad I'm a woman.  As Grandpa used to say, 'Always be satisfied with your own sex, or you'll never be satisfied with anyone else's"




[Source: Point;  August 1954]

Tuesday, April 26, 2011

Judy Garland Works It Out


Judy Garland
“Somebody told me I work as if I have only ten minutes left in which to do everything.”
(Source: Movieland; February 1955)

Monday, April 4, 2011

Donald Tries to Take it WIth Him

Donald O'Connor and Marilyn Monroe
Donald O’Connor Looking worn from overwork, was warned again that he couldn’t take it with him “No,” said he, “but it’s fun trying.” (Source: Movieland; Feb 1955)

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