After three years of dating, Taylor married actress Barbara Stanwyck on May 14, 1939 in San Diego. Zeppo Marx's wife Marion was Stanwyck's matron of honor and her godfather, actor Buck Mack, was Taylor's best man. Stanwyck divorced Taylor (reportedly at his request) in February 1951. The couple had no children.
Taylor met German actress Ursula Thiess in 1952. They married in Jackson Hole, Wyoming on May 23, 1954. They had two children together, son Terrance (born 1955) and daughter Tessa (born 1959). Taylor was also stepfather to Thiess' two children from her previous marriage, Manuela and Michael Thiess.
Undercurrent (1946). A film noir drama directed by Vincente Minnelli. The screenplay was written by Edward Chodorov, based on the novel You Were There by Thelma Strabel. Cast: Katharine Hepburn, Robert Taylor, Robert Mitchum.
In Vincente Minnelli's autobiography, he says that Robert Mitchum was very uncomfortable in the role of the sensitive Micheal.
This was Robert Taylor's first movie since returning from military service in World War II.
Katharine Hepburn and Robert Mitchum didn't get along. One day she told him, "You know you can't act, and if you hadn't been good looking you would never have got a picture at all. I'm tired of working with people like you who have nothing to offer."
The story begins when, Alan Garroway, meets Ann Hamilton, the unsophisticated daughter of chemistry professor Hamilton and it is love at first sight.
After Ann and Alan, are married they travel back to Washington, D.C., where she is introduced to Alan's manager Mr. Warmsley and his wealthy friends. Embarrassed of her appearance, Ann asks Alan to show her how to dress and behave.
Later, Alan tells Ann that after his father died he and his brother Michael took over their father's mechanical gadget business, and that he has not seen or heard from Michael since he was caught stealing from him.
While visiting Alan's Virginia family home, Ann is startled when a horse becomes extremely upset in the stable and learns from a frightened stable-hand that Alan once badly beat the horse.
After, Alan angrily orders Ann to stop playing a familiar tune on the piano, she thinks it is because of the bad memory's from his past. Later, George the caretaker, tells Ann that the song she was playing was one that Michael used to play. Ann decides to help her husband overcome his past.
After, Alan leaves on a business trip, Ann visits his office and asks Warmsley to give her directions to Michael's house near the ocean. At the house, Ann meets Michael... he introduces himself to her as the caretaker.
Later that night, Alan comes back and surprises Ann at the house. He demands to know why Ann is there, and Ann tells him that she wanted to find out more about his past.
Later, the two brothers are alone and Michael accuses Alan, of having killed an engineer at their plant, so he could steal his plans for a remote control explosive device. Michael tells Alan, that he has decided to expose him because.. he met Ann and believes that she should not be involved with a murderer. Then Alan informs Michael, that he has changed and that he plans to tell Ann the truth about his past. For now... Michael, decides to keep quiet about the murder. Alan, lied to his brother and plans to keep his past a secret.
Ann, tells Alan that she is obsessed with thoughts of Michael and that she wants to meet him, so that she can put him out of her mind, once and for all. Alan, accuses her of being in love with his brother. Alan, realizes that he must kill her to prevent her from leaving him. They are out riding on horseback when he decides to push her off a steep ledge, will she be able to get help in time?
Hepburn, gives a very convincing performance as the insecure Ann. Taylor's, performance as the tormented Alan is also perfect, always on the edge of losing control. Mitchum, plays a very different part for him. The ending maybe predictable... but exciting.
Marjorie Main (February 24, 1890 – April 10, 1975). Born Mary Tomlinson in Acton, Indiana, Main attended Franklin College in Franklin, Indiana, and adopted a stage name to avoid embarrassing her father, Samuel J. Tomlinson who was a minister.
She worked in vaudeville on the Chautauqua and Orpheum Circuits, and debuted on Broadway in 1916. Her first film was, A House Divided(1931).
Main was typecast in domineering roles, for which her voice was perfect for. She repeated her stage role in, Dead End in the 1937 film version, and was cast many times as the mother of gangsters.
She again transferred a strong stage performance, as a dude ranch operator in, The Women(1939). Main was signed to a MGM contract in 1940, and stayed with the studio until the mid-1950s.
She made six films with Wallace Beery in the 1940s including: Barnacle Bill (1941), Jackass Mail (1942), and Bad Bascomb (1946).
She played Sonora Cassidy, the chief cook, in The Harvey Girls (1945). The director, George Sidney, said that Miss Main was a "great lady" as well as a great actress who donated most of her paychecks to the support of a school.
Her most famous role was that of "Ma Kettle", which she first played in, The Egg and I(1947) opposite Percy Kilbride as "Pa Kettle". She was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role for the part and portrayed the character in nine more Ma and Pa Kettle films.
In the 1950s, she had appeared in the MGM musicals: Meet Me in St. Louis, The Belle of New York and It's a Big Country.
In 1954, Marjorie Main played her last roles for the studio; Mrs. Hittaway in, The Long, Long Trailer and Jane Dunstock in, Rose Marie.
In 1956, Main played The Widow Hudspeth in the hit film, Friendly Persuasian. In 1958, Main appeared twice as rugged frontierswoman Cassie Tanner in the episodes "The Cassie Tanner Story" and "The Sacramento Story" on NBC's western television series, Wagon Train. In 1964, she appeared on an episode of Perry Mason.
Main married Stanley LeFevre Krebs, who died in 1935.
In 1974, a year before her death, Main attended the Los Angeles premiere of the MGM film, That's Entertainment. It was her first public appearance since she retired from films in 1958. At the post-premiere party, she was greeted with cheers from the crowd.
Her Cardboard Lover(1942). Comedy film directed by George Cukor. The film is the third screen adaptation of the play, following The Cardboard Lover in 1928 and The Passionate Plumber in 1932. Joan Crawford and Hedy Lamarr were each offered the part of "Consuela", but both turned it down.
Songwriter Terry Trindale, has fallen head over heals over Consuelo Croyden, a woman he has watched from a distance every night at a Palm Beach casino. Even though, he has gone out of his way to be seated at the gambling tables next to Consuelo, Terry has never spoke to her.
One night, he finally gets the courage to speak to her and lets it slips out, that he loves her and then he asks if she could ever fall in love with him. She says "absolutely not" and warns him not to be so "clingy", if he wants a woman to return his love.
Consuelo, then heads for the gambling tables, with a stuffy Tony Barling, not far behind, but.. because he is not dressed properly he cannot enter the casino. When, Terry learns that Tony wants to give a note to Consuelo, he volunteers to take it to her, but as soon as Tony leaves, he tears it up.
Terry, then watches from the side lines.. Consuelo, win at chemin de fer and yells out "Banco", to play against her. After, she wins again, he now owes her a great sum of money. He tells her that he does not have the money to pay her. At first, she feels a little sorry for him, but when he gives her the pieces of Tony's note, angrily she asks him what the letter said.
After, telling her what he remembered she then asks him to come to her house. She then comes up with the idea for him to work as her secretary to pay off his debt. Assuming the role of her "cardboard lover," she asks for a written contract to pretend to be her fiance. She then explains that Tony is her fiance, with who she broke off because of the "madness" of their on and off again relationship.
Just then Tony, arrives and Consuelo has Terry hide on the patio. Although, she tells Tony, that she is in love with someone else, he does not believe her. Terry, then comes waltzing in, acting very affectionate. Tony, recognizes him from the casino and is suspicious, and when Terry goes to get ice, Tony tells Consuelo that he knows this is an act and begs her to come to a friend's yacht before they sail in the morning.
After Tony leaves, Consuelo, quickly packs her bags to meet Tony. Terry, is waiting at her front door, to stop her.
Four weeks later, Terry is still working as Consuelo's "Cardboard Lover". Chappie Champagne, Terry's partner, cannot talk him into coming back with him to New York to sell their new song, "I Dare You," which they have been composing on Consuelo's piano.
Wanting to get rid of Terry, she pretends that she is cured of Tony, once and for all and offers to cancel the rest of Terry's debt. Terry then leaves, saying he is going to the airport. Consuelo, receives a call from Tony, saying that he is going away with another woman and she convinces him to stop by her house. Tony, asks her wear a negligee and unlatch the door for him. But... it is Terry who arrives, admitting that it was he who called, disguising his voice to sound like Tony.
When Tony really does arrive, she tells Terry hide and then explains to Tony that Terry, is not really her lover. At this moment Terry, comes out wearing pajamas and gets into her bed. Consuelo, tries to make Terry tell the truth, but he refuses and Tony leaves.
Consuelo, locks Terry in the bathroom, but he has already left and is waiting in the hall. She slaps him, but he again reminds her of his promise to keep her from Tony. Frustrated with him, Consuelo says that his songs are "tripe," but soon apologizes and admits that she is in love with Tony. She calls Tony and says she has kicked Terry out and is leaving to see him. Terry then threatens to jump out the window, but.. is unsuccessful.
Terry, goes back to his hotel, where Tony is also staying. After meeting in the elevator, the two men begin a wild fight.
During their hearing on charges of disturbing the peace and assaulting a police officer, Consuelo shows up angry with Terry, but when Chappie arrives with tickets to New York and money from the sale of their song to pay Terry's fine, she begins to realize her true feelings.
Norma Shearer, in her last film, wears gorgeous clothes and played her part perfectly. Robert Taylor, looks very young and handsome. There are some wonderful scenes: one where Taylor threatens to jump over a balcony and one when he is wearing her pajamas.
Elizabeth Patterson (November 22, 1874 – January 31, 1966), born in Savannah, Tennessee. Her father, who had been a Confederate soldier, was a judge in Hardin County. She was educated in the county's public schools and at colleges in Pulaski and Columbia, where her participation in college theatricals helped to form her interest in drama.
Her parents sent her to Europe in the hope of discouraging her interest in the theater, but her determination to become an actress was only reinforced by her experiences attending productions at the Comédie Française. After returning from Europe, Patterson used a small inheritance to move to Chicago, where she joined a theatrical troupe, and subsequently toured with repertory companies.
In 1913, she made her Broadway debut in the play Everyman. She remained active in New York City theatre through 1954. In 1926, at the age of 51, Patterson was cast in her first movie, The Boy Friend. Additional screen credits include: A Bill of Divorcement; Tarnished Lady; Dinner at Eight; High, Wide, and Handsome; Intruder in the Dust; Remember the Night; No Man of Her Own; The Shocking Miss Pilgrim; Little Women; My Sister Eileen; and Pal Joey.
In 1952, at the age of 77, Patterson made her first appearance on the hit CBS-TV sitcom I Love Lucy in the episode entitled "The Marriage License". In that installment, Patterson's character, Mrs. Willoughby, was the wife of the Greenwich, Connecticut justice of the peace (played by character actor Irving Bacon) who re-marries Lucy and Ricky Ricardo.
The following year she was cast in a featured guest role as Mrs. Matilda Trumbull in the episode "No Children Allowed". Patterson's character of Mrs. Trumbull was initially an ornery curmudgeon who also resided in the Ricardos' apartment building. In that installment, she threatened to make trouble for the Ricardos since the building did not allow children. At the end of the episode, however, her character softens as she holds the Ricardos' baby for the first time and, as a result, Mrs. Trumbull becomes friends with both the Ricardos and the Mertzes. In fact, Patterson's role was so popular (as well as useful to the writers of the series) that she continued in the role for three more years as the babysitter for "Little Ricky". In the fall of 1956, with I Love Lucy in its final season, Patterson made her last appearance as Mrs. Trumbull in the episode, "Little Ricky Learns To Play The Drums". Her character was mentioned one last time in the 1957 episode "Lucy Raises Chickens". In that installment, Fred and Ethel Mertz decide to follow the Ricardos and move to Connecticut to be near them and Mrs. Trumbull's sister moves into 623 East 68th Street to manage the apartment building for Fred.
Never married, Patterson lived alone at the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel during her thirty five-year motion picture career. She died in Los Angeles of complications from pneumonia at the age of 91. She is buried in her hometown of Savannah.
Camille(1936). Director: George Cukor. Produced: Irving Thalberg and Bernard H. Hyman, from a screenplay by James Hilton, Zoe Akins and Frances Marion. The picture is based on the 1852 novel and play La Dame aux Camélias by Alexandre Dumas, fils. Cast: Greta Garbo, Robert Taylor, Lionel Barrymore, Elizabeth Allan, Jessie Ralph, Henry Daniell, and Laura Hope Crews.
The film inspired Milton Benjamin to write a song called "I'll Love Like Robert Taylor, Be My Greta Garbo." Portions of the film, including the final scene, are featured in the 1982 musical film Annie after the number "Let's Go To The Movies."
Marguerite Gautier, is known as "the lady of the camellias" because of her love for the flowers. Marguerite's friends know her as a woman whose heart is bigger than her bank account. Though she is given money and jewels by her many suitors, she has trouble keeping up her lifestyle.
Prudence Duvernoy, comes to Marguerite and tells her, she must find a rich man who can take care of her and arranges for her to meet, Baron de Varville. When Prudence leaves the theater box to find de Varville, Armand Duval, who has been in love with Marguerite and has been following her for weeks, joins her.
Because they have never met, she thinks that he is the baron.
When she is introduced to the real Baron, Marguerite is disappointed, but she still leaves with him. Soon, Marguerite, becomes de Varville's mistress. When he goes on a business trip to Russia, her frail health keeps her home.
At a coach auction, she meets Armand again and is told by her maid, that he came to ask about Marguerite's health every day.
Later, Marguerite invites him to a party at her home, and when she becomes ill, he carries her into her bedroom and tells her that he is deeply in love with her and wants to take care of her. Marguerite, must choose between the young man who loves her and the baron who wants her.
A very romantic film and one of my favorite Garbo performances. The cinematography and costume design are absolutely beautiful. The supporting performances from Lionel Barrymore, Laura Hope Crewes and Maureen O'Sullivan are perfect. Robert Taylor, is very young and handsome. A wonderful classic film you will not soon forget.
Fun Facts: Greta Garbo's personal favorite of all her films. Greta Garbo wore bedroom slippers under all her fancy dresses so she could be comfortable. Film debut of Joan Leslie.
Elizabeth Allan (9 April 1908 – 27 July 1990) was an English actress who worked in both England and Hollywood, making about 50 films over more than a quarter century.
She made her movie debut in 1931, first appearing in Alibi. 1935 was her most memorable year in Hollywood, when she not only distinguished herself in two memorable Dickens' adaptations as David's young mother in, David Copperfield and as Lucie Manette in Jack Conway's, A Tale of Two Cities, but was also featured in, Mark of the Vampire.
By the 1950s, Allan had made the transition to character parts. Particularly memorable is her appearance in, The Heart of the Matter (1953). In 1958, she appeared as Boris Karloff's wife in, The Haunted Strangler.
Greta Garbo and Robert Taylor, performed together in Greta Garbo's personal favorite of all her films, Camille (1936). Greta Garbo never looked better then she did in this romantic drama about a woman named Marguerite Gauthier, who was born into a lower class family, but becomes well known as Dame Camille, living in Paris, high society.
Camille, after many years of living as a mistress of wealthy Baron de Varville, falls in love with a handsome young man named, Armand. She is willing to give up her comfortable life with the Baron to be with him. Armand's father begs Camille, to break it off with his son, knowing her past will ruin his future.
Knowing that he is right, Camille breaks it off with Armand and soon after she comes down with tuberculosis. The film ends with Camille's heart breaking death in the arms of the only man she's ever loved.
Personal Property(1937). Romantic/comedy. Cast: Jean Harlow and Robert Taylor and directed by W.S. Van Dyke. It is based on the play The Man In Possession by H.M. Harwood.
The story begins when, Dabney Lingerie and Underwear, hits hard times and Claude Dabney makes plans on marrying a wealthy American widow. Claude's younger brother Raymond, comes home after being released from prison for stealing a car. His mother is happy to have him home, but his father and Claude are worried that his return will end the marriage plans, so they ask him to leave.
That evening, Raymond attends a performance of "Aida" and is seated next to Crystal Wetherby, who he does not know is Claude's fiancee. After the performance Raymond, follows her home in a taxi. Outside the house, Raymond meets Herbert Jenkins, who represents Crystal's creditors. When Jenkins tells Raymond that he would like to leave because his wife is having a baby, Raymond offers to fill in for him and will stay to make certain that nothing is stolen.
Once inside, Raymond is told by Crystal that her husband is upstairs. She then stomps around the house in boots, hoping that the noise will convince Raymond, that her husband is home. The next morning Raymond learns from Clara the maid, that Crystal is a widow.
Raymond, offers to work as her butler "Ferguson" during a dinner party for her, fiance and his parents and is shocked to see that her fiance is his brother Claude. The Dabneys, do not acknowledge their son, then, while Raymond is out of the room, Claude tells Crystal that her butler has been in prison.
Crystal begins to realize that she is in love with Raymond. Later, Claude offers Raymond five hundred pounds if he promises to leave England, which Raymond accepts. Raymond pays all of Crystals debts, but, because she now owes him the money, he has Jenkins repossess all of her furniture just before her wedding to Claude. Raymond then tells Claude about Crystal's financial problems, after which Claude and all the guests leave. Now, what is Crystal to do that she is left at the alter?
Fun Facts:
Throughout the film, Jean wears a star sapphire ring, a sort of engagement ring from her boyfriend William Powell.
Harlow and Taylor make an excellent comedy team and I only wished that they had work together again. The story is very charming and the wit goes along at a nice pace, charming characters and beautiful costumes make this a wonderful movie.
Una O'Connor (October 23, 1880 – February 4, 1959). For many years, she worked in Ireland and England as a stage actress. She landed a part in Alfred Hitchcock's Murder! (1930). She had not attracted much attention until she was chosen by Noel Coward to appear in, Cavalcade (1933). Her success led her to Hollywood to reprise her role and with its success, O'Connor decided to remain there.
A favourite of the director James Whale, O'Connor's best remembered roles are her comic performances in, The Invisible Man (1933) as the publican's wife and Bride of Frankenstein (1935) as the Baron's housekeeper. She played 'straight' roles too, such as the grieving mother of a captured IRA member in, The Informer (1935).
O'Connor also performed in supporting roles in theatre productions, and achieved an outstanding success in the role of "Janet McKenzie", the nearly deaf housemaid, in Agatha Christie's Witness for the Prosecution at Henry Miller's Theatre on Broadway from 1954 until 1956. As one of the witnesses, in what was essentially a serious drama, O'Connor's character was intended to provide comic relief.
O'Connor was highly praised for her work, and also played the role in the Billy Wilder-directed film version of the same story in 1957. The film was a great success, and O'Connor once again received excellent reviews. It was her final film performance. By this time she was in her late seventies and decided to retire.
