BITS & PIECES OF A MISPLACED LIFE: MOVIES # 7

GRACIE ALLEN

“The well-known radio, TV, and  movie star one year ago was voted Hollywood’s most intelligent actress by
Southern California psychology students. She ran for
President of the United States n 1940 on the Surprise
Ticket. As a painter she exhibited her paintings at a
Manhattan gallery (one of her paintings is called –
Eyes Adrift as Sardines Wrench at Your Heartstrings.

”

Current Biography 1940



**
ON THE CASTING FOR BREAKFAST AT TIFFANY'S

It’s hard to imagine any other actress besides Hepburn bringing Holly Golightly to life on the silver screen. But her casting faced some strong opposition from the book’s author. Capote had envisioned Marilyn Monroe in the role. He later stated, "Paramount double-crossed me in every way and cast Audrey. She was just wrong for that part.

CARY GRANT ON FILM ACTING

"He talked about a simple thing like mixing
a drink in a scene. You had to mix the drink
correctly or someone in the audience would
be sure to notice and complain, but at the
same time you also had to make sure to hit
your marks and remember the dialogue. If you
dipped ice cubes in the glass 'you had to do
it gently,so the sounds of the ice hitting
the glass wouldn't make a distracting sound.
He made it sound like a six ball juggle."

Scott Exman. Cary Grant: A Brilliant 
Disguise {New York: Simon and Schuster,
2020)

**

CRUEL REVIEWER AT WORK

When the film Smash-Up, starring Susan Hayward and
Lee Bowman, was released in 1947, Life magazine  
said he played his part with all the enthusiasm of 
a stuffed moose.”


Beverly Linet. Susan Hayward: Portrait of a 
Survivor  (New York: Atheneum, 1980)

**

THE UNA MERKEL TRILOGY




UNA MERKEL

Merkel, Una –
Did you ever see her on a

Bucking  horse?

(The 3rd line came close to being extremely coarse!)

**


UNA MERKEL (2)

Una Merkel,
Decided not to audition for Dr.Jekyll
 
& Mr. Hyde.” She sighed. “I’m done

When they want me to play 2 roles for the price of one.”



*

UNA MERKEL (3)


Una Merkel –
Almost any cinema-loving jerk’ll
Tell you that Una was in DESTRY RIDES AGAIN.
In Greek terms, she was involved in the Agon.


Louis Phillips