Thank you for posting this. We also lost British actor George Cole today who while he never persuaded a big Hollywood career did star in the legendary Cleopatra starring Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton. [/quote]

Yes, I mentioned George in the tribute to him in the Showbiz section, a terrific actor who had a marvellous career.

We also lost the lovely Natasha Parry who I first saw in Dance Hall in 1950m the only survivor left from that film is the lovely Petula Clark, still touring at 82.

[/quote] Thanks for this Walter -good to see so many archived interviews now available online.[/quote]

There are some fascinating interviews there, and even some who weren't particular favourites have such wonderful memories, including 81 year old Patricia Crowley who was just 22 when she worked with Barbara in There's Always Tomorrow, and speaks so warmly about her. [/quote]


Which roles big and otherwise do you think Barbara would have been a strong contender for if she had of been competitive?

I've never heard of Natasha Parry but I shall now research her. Did she go on to do television?
I wonder how many cast members are left from Cleopatra now that George Cole has died? Is there a website that lists particular films and gives a rundown /list of which actors are still alive from that film!?

Do you like the film Pinky and do you rate oscar nominated actress Jeanne Crain who starred in it?

Yes, I mentioned George in the tribute to him in the Showbiz section, a terrific actor who had a marvellous career.

We also lost the lovely Natasha Parry who I first saw in Dance Hall in 1950m the only survivor left from that film is the lovely Petula Clark, still touring at 82.

[/quote] Thanks for this Walter -good to see so many archived interviews now available online.[/quote]

There are some fascinating interviews there, and even some who weren't particular favourites have such wonderful memories, including 81 year old Patricia Crowley who was just 22 when she worked with Barbara in There's Always Tomorrow, and speaks so warmly about her. [/quote]


Which roles big and otherwise do you think Barbara would have been a strong contender for if she had of been competitive?

I've never heard of Natasha Parry but I shall now research her. Did she go on to do television?
I wonder how many cast members are left from Cleopatra now that George Cole has died? Is there a website that lists particular films and gives a rundown /list of which actors are still alive from that film!?

Do you like the film Pinky and do you rate oscar nominated actress Jeanne Crain who starred in it?[/quote]

When I look at some of the stars that tested for Gone With the Wind, including thequite unsuitable, plain, bordering on ugly Jean Arthur, I never understood why Barbara didn't test. Four years later she convincingly aged from 16 to 110 years old in The Great Man's Lady.

I have always said that Barbara would have been a magnificent Regina Giddens in The Little Foxes, lets face it, even the limited Liz Tylor did it on stage, and in a wheelchair.

I loathed Cleopatra, and have never been a Taylor and Burton fan, so have never been interested enough to see who us still around from the film. I know that Francesca Annis and Richard O'Sullivan are still with us, I am sure that you can find out on Google.

Can't say that I am a fan of Jeanne Crain, so I never saw Pinky. I liked her in Margie and Letter to Three Wives, but was very thankful that she lost the role of Eve to Anne Baxter in All About Eve. I don't think that she would have been up for it, while Anne was just wonderful, and deservedly shared a Best Actress Oscar Nomination for the film, but probably cancelled each other out.

http://www.legacy.com/news/legends-a...o-riches/3366/

Thought you might be interested in this post /link Walter on the one and only Barbara Stanwyck.

Oh I quite agree with you about Anne Baxter in All about Eve - I can't imagine ANYBODY else playing that role as good and definitivly.

Barbara Stanwyck in Gone with the wind sounds like a dream come true -so sad it didn't come to pass

A great tribute, and here is another from someone who is obviously a big fan

Watching these clips shows just how versatile she was, as Laura Dern says, "She just takes your breath away".

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fU33k_nhA8Y

I thought that Vivien Leigh was just perfect in Gone With the Wind, I just wish that Barbara had tested for it. If you look at the many tests on YouTube you will see how many of them were so wrong to be even considered.

Thanks for the clip. I think Laura Dern summed it up brilliantly in the earlier part of the clip were she's basically describing how versatile Barbara's face was -an amazing gift for a character actress. A brilliant happy medium between being distinct and being versatile enough to play a huge diversity of roles in a compelling /believable way.
Are there any other actresses from this era who you feel were exceptionally gifted and lucky in this way and thus being hard to stereotype?

Ida Lupino was probably the most underrated of them all. At Warner's she got the roles that Bette turned down, but I really thought that she was better, and certainly more attractive. Although it was at 20th Century Fox in 1948 that she had one of her greatest roles, she was unforgettable in Road House as a torch singer is one of my all time favourite examples of Film Noir. She was another star who in her early 20's was playing character roles, as in Ladies in Retirement.

If only Barbara had signed with one studio instead of short term contracts with several studios I really think that she would have been an even bigger star than she was, and probably won a couple of Oscars too. She was playing grey haired mothers at only 25 years old, as in So Big, in which Bette had a small supporting role. That was at Warner's where Bette had just signed a long term contract, and where subsequently she became their biggest box Office Star for many years.

Incidentally, you may have noticed that we have had well over 50.500 viewers.

I'm delighted that this thread has maintained stable and steady interest and "viewership "!

When Barbara received her honorary oscar was this the result in part from dissatisfaction within the Hollywood community that she'd been overlooked for an oscar -what I'm driving at is were there particular known cheerleaders /fellow actors giving momentum to the campaign to ensure Barbara received some form of official acknowledgement for her achievements from the academy? Perhaps from some of the directors she worked with for instance?

Oh BTW it's Vera Miles 85th birthday today I understand from social media -Are you a fan?

I think that the Acadamy finally realised just how good she was, although by that time, the only directors that were still alive who had worked with her were Frank Capra and Billy Wilder, and Billy was present that evening to pay tribute to her. For years she had been overlooked by the industry, and all those wonderful performances taken for granted. Barbara, unlike Bette was her own worst publicist, always saying that she didn't like fuss, but I am sure that she was pleased and proud to finally be recognised by her colleagues.

Then there was the American Film Institute's Life Achievement Award in 1987, which is said to be the highest honour to be given by the industry. She was only the third woman to be honoured, and it was in fact her last public appearance, and her acceptance speech can be seen on YouTube.

Even I was blown away by her amazing versatility in that wonderful Laura Dern tribute. Incidentally, I have discovered that Laura's mother Diane Ladd, was working on Barbara's TV series, The Big Valley while she was pregnant with Laura, and her Dad Bruce Dern also worked on the show. No wonder she grew up being such a fan, and I am sure that her parents only had good things to say about working with Barbara. I have been reading about Laura on her Imdb page, her idols are Katharine Hepburn, Barbara, and Lucille Ball, and her favourite film , The Lady Eve, something else we share in common.

I am a big fan of Vera Miles, ever since I saw her in Tarzan's Magic Fountain, back in 1955. I especially loved her as the bitch in Joan Crawford's Autumn Leaves, and even Joan was moved to say, "Why doesn't that talented lady get more work?"

Vera was born in 1929, so she is in fact 86 today.

Isn't she better remembered these days as one of the first female directors in Hollywood?

Sadly, yes, but she was a wonderful actress, and probably the most underrated of them all. She never received a single Oscar Nomination, and only ever won award, and that was the New York Critics Award for the Best Actress of 1943 for her stunning performance in The Hard Way.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b04jk3qm

Thought you might like this BBC RADIO 4 piece Walter /fellow golden era Hollywood fans on Lucille Ball.


In terms of Laura Dern it's lovely that there are some stars from younger generations who have such respect and affection for people and films from the golden era as well as being another good example of how easy and good Barbara was too work with.
I recall Henry Fondas granddaughter actress Bridget Fonda talking about how she prefers films from the 1930s and 1940s far more than Hollywood's contemporary films. She spoke with great affection about the eras films especially the 1930s.

At one point I thought that Diane Ladder was related to Alan Ladd but I'm pretty sure that I found out that O was wrong to assume that?

For any members who have Sky plus and who can get Talking Pictures, Channel 343, there is another opportunity to see Joan Lorring the lady who inspired this thread, at 7pm tonight.

She gives a beautiful performance in The Other Love, as a fellow patient and friend of famed concert pianist Karen Duncan, played by the great Barbara Stanwyck in one of her most memorable roles.

Thanks Walter I have set my Sky Plus box to record the movie. This is one of Barbara's movies that I have not seen.

Earlier in this long running thread you mentioned that you were a fan of Paul Newman, which of his movies are your favourites?

Thank you

That is great, I am so glad that I mentioned it, I hope that you love it as much as I do, it's my favourite Barbara performance after The Lady Eve.

Yes, I have always been a big Paul Newman fan, especially in Sweet Bird of Youth, co starring my second favourite actress Geraldine Page, they both created their roles in the play on Broadway.

Other favourite films of Paul are Until They Sail, with Jean Simmons and Joan Fontaine, Cool Hand Luke, and From The Terrace, with Joanne Woodward and Myrna Loy.

I meant Diane Ladd not Ladder 🙈! Autospelling my downfall 😁

I knew what you meant.

I haven't got around to listening to the Lucy programme yet.

I'd be interested in hearing your thoughts when you do. I wish there were more radio documentaries on stars from this era.
I think the BBC RADIO 4 series great lives should do an edition on the one and only Barbara Stanwyck

They did one in the 1960's, it was full of mistakes and had me yelling at the radio.

I am lucky enough to have two excellent TV documentaries on her life, "Straight Down the Line" and "Fire and Desire" and that was introduced by Sally Field, who like Laura Dern, is an avid fan,

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-34134851

Not a big big name but did star in Lovebug and 1950s Hollywood era hits Jailhouse Rock with Elvis Presley and Designing Women with movie legend Lauren Bacall.

Definitely another link in the chain and tapestry of this era sadly but inevitably gone 😞

In terms of the BBC Walter some of the biographical /discussion stuff on shows like Radio 4 Great Lives can be great and exemplary and some can be woeful.
In Great Lives currently they bring in an expert witness to enhance the discussion and the viewers understanding of the discussed person.
Perhaps the author who's embarking on this series of biographies of Barbara in the US could be drafted in as their expert witness so that they make a much better fist of it?
I'm open to them trying it again but if the BBC mess up chronicling /exploring Barbara Stanwycks life again then....... 😬 grrr 👎

As for Sally Field _a favourite actress of mine so I'm pleased to hear that she spoke so well and accurately of Barbara

Dean Jones also had a great singing voice, he originated the role of Bobby in the Broadway production of Sondheim's "Company." I saw the show when it moved to London in 1972, but this starred Larry Kert, the original star of West Side Story.

If you Google Victoria Wilson talks about Barbara Stanwyck YouTube, you can find six different interviews with the author of the last biography, and who is now working on Volume two - 1941 - 1990.

Thank you Walter for the Barbara Stanwyck youtube interview information. 👍

Did you manage to actually meet Dean Jones?

Random question -What are your thoughts on actress Yvonne De Carlo? Just seen some photos of her -she was truly beautiful but I must confess that I hadn't heard of her until recently.

No, as I mentioned, Dean didn't bring the show to London, that was Larry Kert, but I never met him either.

Yvonne de Carlo was once listed as "The Most Beautiful Woman in the World," she certainly was stunning, and she could sing too. I have an album of her songs, and she is also on the album of the Broadway show, "Follies" where she sings the show stopping number, "I'm Still Here!" You can see her rendition of that on YouTube.

She was quite a versatile actress too, and was excellent opposite Alec Guinness in The Captain's Paradise, and with Charlton Heston in The Ten Commandments.

http://variety.com/2015/film/news/ma...66-1201587461/
Starred with Irene Dunne in a 1940s film but was probably best known film wise for the 1967 camp classic Valley of the dolls.

Does he ring a bell Walter?

Yes regarding Yvonne I'm surprised she didn't become an even bigger name as I'd argue that she's as beautiful and aesthetically memorable as Elizabeth Taylor, Sophia Loren etc -at least to my eyes.

Yes, I remember Martin Milner very well, the film with Irene Dunne and William Powell was Life with Father, also starring 15 year old Liz Taylor.

I also remember him with Dorothy Malone in Too Much Too Soon, the story of Diana Barrymore, the alcoholic daughter of an alcoholic father, but great actor, John Barrymore, and grandfather of Drew.

Martin also appeared in a very popular TV series in the early 1960's, Route 66, with George Maharis, another heartthrob of that time.

I always thought Liz Taylor's looks were over rated, although she did have beautiful eyes. Even she said that Ava Gardner was the most beautiful actress of that era. As far as I am concerned, Ava was the most beautiful actress of ANY era.