Coral never wrote her autobiography, but there is a wonderful biography on her by Rose Collis, published in 2007, and appropriately titled, "This Effing Lady"

The title originates from an incident when Coral hired a taxi outside Harrods, as she got in a pushy "City Gent" attempted to open the other door, and here's what happened:

Cab Driver - Sorry Guv, this cab's taken!

Gent - What do you mean, it's taken? you stopped!

Cab Driver - I stopped for the lady.

Gent - What lady

Coral - This fu###ng Lady!

You are quite right, barely a day goes by when I don't find a new photo of Barbara, and when I checked this morning the total of photo's in my group is now 19,609.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/ar...ng-Brexit.html

A new interview with Hollywood legend Joan Collins! Very apt I thought Walter given our chat on the soap forum after Joan presented the best soap award!

I don't get the impression she's a fan of Ms Davis or Ms Crawford!

Also some interesting stories on Joan's encounter with the casting couch or rather the nude casting bath!! 😁

In terms of Coral is she British? Her naughty down to earth humour sounds very British!

Great interview, and I agree with Joan, I am voting OUT!

Most of the great ladies of the screen had little time for the younger girls coming up in the business, especially when they were more concerned about their looks than their acting.

Even Barbara, who was known for her kindness to youngsters starting out, could get exasperated sometimes. When one young actress on The Colby's was holding up production because she wasn't happy with her lipstick, Barbara bawled her out, "Fu## your lips, just get out here and try and act!"

Coral was actually from Melbourne, Australia, and was working in British films from the early '30's, including a George Formby comedy. I first remember her in 1947 as a rather buxom lady who clashed with Anna Neagle in The Courtney's of Curzon Street.

She was at her best as Roz Russell's best friend Vera Charles in the gloriously funny Auntie Mame. Other unmissable performances were in The Killing of Sister George, and as herself in the BBC production of Alan Bennett's brilliant script, An Englishman Abroad, opposite Alan Bates.

Her first husband actor Phillip Pearman was probably gay, judging by the following anecdote anyway: When told by the Royal Shakespeare Company that there was no suitable role available for him in their upcoming production of King Lear, Coral demanded to see the script. Running her eyes over it she soon found the page that she was looking for, "There you are!" she said triumphantly, "the perfect part, A small camp near Dover!"

Fellow Aussie Barry Humphries paid an appropriately irreverent tribute to her at her Memorial Service.

"She left behind an emptiness, a gap, a void, a trough. The world is quite a good deal less, since Coral Browne Fu###d off!"

I think I'm going to have to hunt down some Online videos of interviews with Coral she sounds like a right laugh with an irrevant not taking herself too seriously or with pomp attitude! Was her forte onscreen comedy as it certainly sounds that way!


He was never a big favourite of mine but apparently he was one of the best and most popular hosts of the Oscars hence why he was asked back so often.

On this day May 31st in 1930 Clint Eastwood was born -Happy 86th birthday Clint! 👍

One of the few actors and directors still around who was trained under the old system and still carries the influence and hallmarks (positive) of this today

Also Prince Rainier III of Monaco was born on this day in 1923 who famously married one of Hollywood's most famous beauties Grace Kelly but in the process curtailing her career in film.

Also on this day in 2013 actress Jean Stapleton died aged 90.

Although I love Coral in comedy, she was equally good in dramatic roles as she proved in The Killing of Sister George and An Englishman Abroad. Incidentally, one review of Sister George described her as twiddling with Susannah York's nipple as if she was looking for Radio 3.

I wish that I had kept her very moving performance as Alice Liddell in Dreamchild, in which she played the elderly lady who as a child had been the inspiration for Lewis Carroll's, Alice in Wonderland.

There is lots of Coral to be seen on YouTube, everything from a 1944 newsreel of her modelling hats, to a very camp 1977 advert of her and husband Vincent Price advertising Nestles soup.

Yet another Coral story, she was a converted Catholic, and was standing on the steps of the Brompton Oratory when she a theatrical queen bustled up to her with the latest juicy bit of gossip. Rolling her eyes, she raised her hand in protest and said, "Please, I don't want to hear such filth, not while I'm stood here in a state of fu##ing grace."

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=CEYGOSxSNpE

A two hour interview with one of the few living Hollywood legends from the golden era Olivia De Havilland from 2006!
A real treat of a find!! 🙌👏

What a memory for a woman of 90, and so articulate, just fascinating, a treat indeed.

Thanks for that Hilda!

It doesn't seem possible, but Marilyn Monroe was born 90 years ago today.

I can remember so clearly when Michael Aspel announced her death on the Sunday evening news 54 years ago.

OMG That makes even me feel old

I'd love to hear any casual readers thoughts on Marilyn Monroe.

I'm delighted you liked the Olivia De Havilland interview -I haven’t watched it in full yet but what I saw was great. What a lady.

The NFT are celebrating her centenary with a season of her best films:

https://whatson.bfi.org.uk/Online/de...e::context_id=

For any of you who may have missed it, there is another chance to see "The Other Love" on the Talking Pictures channel - Sky 343/Freeview 81/Freesat306/& Youview 81.
You will need to set your timer at it is showing at 3.30 tomorrow morning.

This was the film that made me a Stanwyck fan for life, right from the opening where she is seen playing a Grand piano over the credits. One critic commented, "Miss Stanwyck makes one or two spirited attacks upon a Grand piano which may leave you in doubts to her genius as a concert pianist, but full of admiration for her genius as an actress."

An added bonus is a luminous performance by Joan Lorring as her friend in the Sanatorium where they are both staying, For anyone who may not have noticed, Joan was the inspiration for this marvellous thread that celebrates it's second anniversary in just two days time. I urge anyone who has not seen it to take the trouble to watch, I am sure that you won't be disappointed.

A Happy Second Anniversary to us today!

Who would have believed that we would still be going two years after Hilda created this marvellous thread. My thanks to him, and everyone who has contributed, and here's to the next two years!

It was 6.46 am when Hilda posted his first message, and I am sending this at exactly the same time as a tribute to him.

Did you get up early specially to post that, Walter?

Congratulations to Hildaonpluto on your thread that you probably expected to get just a few replies.

And to Walter for his great knowledge of the Golden Age of Hollywood and wonderful personal experiences of meeting some of the legends of the screen.

Well, I always wake up early, as most days I am in the gym by 6.45. I usually have a lie in on Saturday morning as my gym doesn't open till 9am today, but as I was up and about by 6am I thought that it would be a nice gesture to Hilda to post that message at exactly the same time, although I was sure that he would have beaten me to it.

Thanks for your kind words, I must say that it has given me a lot of pleasure reminiscing about the stars that I have met, and the films that I have seen over the past 70 plus years.

I don't see any reason why we can't go on indefinitely, we are already the second biggest thread in this Movies section, and with regular contributions from you and other members we are looking pretty healthy.

Congratulations to Hilda and Walter on the continuing success of this entertaining and informative thread.

Thanks! I'm hoping for some good media and press coverage when she turns 100 next month!

Hey Hilda, I thought you would have beaten me to it on the occasion of our second anniversary, didn't you read the earlier messages.

Thank you so very much it's been a surprise and a pleasure! Let's all keep the show on the road!


Thank you so much for this Walter and boy oh boy is that dedication and an eye to detail posting at the exact same time as I started the thread at in 2014 🙌👏👍
I too see no reason why we can't go on indefinitely especially if others pluck up the courage to post too! All interested or even slightly curious about Hollywood's golden era are welcome! This thread wouldn't be what it is though without your crystal sharp brilliant memory and knowledge be in no doubt!



Many thanks. I actually think I have jumbled up my post with everyone else's quotes and messed it up making it look like it's all one post by one person Apologies!

But yes I would never have imagined the thread would take off as it has! Long may we reign!! 😘

Thanks Hilda,

I must have posted my previous message while you were writing this. Anyway, I do believe that we should give ourselves a pat on the back, and I do think that we are slowly getting more contributors, even if their input isn't quite as frequent as ours.

I celebrated by going to the gym and breaking my own record at the Plank, 9 minutes, 10 seconds.

Happy 2nd Anniversary! it's flown past. Anyway, the Golden Age of Hollywood on Facebook posted the picture below earlier. MGM celebrating their 20th anniversary in 1943. A bit hazy but I can still make out some of the stars.

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?f...type=3&theater

Thanks Dan, For some reason that page isn't available, but for anyone who wants to see it, just Google "MGM's 20th Anniversary photo"

Louis B Mayer was very fond of showing off his stars and getting them together for group photo's every few years. He did it again for their 25th and 30th anniversary's. He always boasted that MGM had more stars than there are in heaven, and looking at this line up, he wasn't wrong.

Front Row: James Stewart, Margaret Sullavan, Lucille Ball, Hedy Lamarr, Katharine Hepburn, Louis B Mayer, Greer Garson. Irene Dunne, Susan Peters, Ginny Sims, Lionel Barrymore.

Second Row: Harry James, Brian Donlevy, Red Skelton, Mickey Rooney, William Powell, Wallace Beery, Spencer Tracey Walter Pidgeon, Robert Taylor, Jean Pierre Aumont, Lewis Stone, Gene Kelly, Jackie "Butch" Jenkins.

Third Row: Tommy Dorsey, George Murphy, Jean Rogers, James Craig, Donna Reed, Van Johnson, Fay Bainter, Marsha Hunt, Ruth Hussey, Marjorie Main, Robert Benchley,

Fourth Row: Dame May Whitty, Reginald Owen, Keenan Wynn, Diana Lewis, Marilyn Maxwell, Esther Williams, Ann Richards, Marta Linden, Lee Bowman, Richard Carlson, Mary Astor.

Fifth Row: Blanche Ring, Sara Haden, Fay Holden, Bert Lahr, Frances Gifford, June Allyson, Richard Whorf, Frances Rafferty, Spring Byington, Connie Gilchrist, Gladys Cooper.

Sixth Row: Ben Blue, Chill Wills, Keye Luke, Barry Nelson, Desi Arnaz, Nenry O'Neill, Bob Crosby, Rags Ragland.

73 years later just one of those stars is still with us, Marsha Hunt in the third row will be 99 in October.

Thanks for that Walter. Just realised it's a group and so probably not a public page.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OvIpps3hrFQ

Thought some fans of Golden era Hollywood might be interested in this little find.Its the first of a series of 3 videos of Joan talking to a European interviewer about her film career.

Ive never seen her in interview before and I found her surprisingly mesmerising/charismatic.

One snippet is that in one of her films which of course was in black and white when they digitised it and made it into colour on DVD they made a dark blue dress her character wore yellow because whoever digitised it felt it looked better.Well naturally Joan was not Happy as she feels I think the colours and designs were all chosen by the storyteller and is thus the storytellers pregorative and blue was chosen for a reason carefully for that character on set .

I will be watching the other interviews later.

Yes Walter Ive just given myself a big pat on the back!!

Congratulations on your legendary discipline and determination helping you to break another record!

Dan F Thanks so much for highlighting the details of that facebook golden era picture-Is it a facebook group your a member of I take it? If so perhaps you could alert the group to this thread and perhaps some of their passion could travel over here too!!

Isn't she wonderful Hilda? I have watched every interview that I can find on her. She was so intelligent, and articulate, with a wicked sense of humour. I think that I mentioned that she was my favourite of all the stars that I saw interviewed at the NFT, and yes, that includes Bette.

I liked Orson Welles comment on the colorization of his Classic film Classic film Citizen Kane, "Keep Ted Turner and his God damned Crayola's away from my movie!"

Yes indeed she is very wonderful! She definitely speaks her mind and I intend to trawl through the Internet to find more video interviews of her to watch. It's a shame she became so reclusive in her later years as she's a shrewd observer of the world of Hollywood and fame she was a part of.

She also seems to speak well of Hitchcock and defends him a bit certainly more so than some of his other leading ladies.