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Marie Dressler
Mini Biography
Once you saw her, you would not forget her. Despite her age and weight, she became one of the top box office draws of the sound era. She was 14 when she joined a theater group and she went on to work on stage and in light opera. By 1892, she was on Broadway and she later became a star comedienne on the vaudeville circuit. In 1910, she had a hit with 'Tillie's Nightmare' which Mack Sennett adapted to film as Tillie's Punctured Romance (1914) with Charles Chaplin. Marie took top billing over a young Chaplin, but her film career never took off and by 1918, she was out of films and out of work. Her role in the chorus girls' strike of 1917 had her blacklisted from the theaters. In 1927, MGM screenwriter Frances Marion got her a small part in The Joy Girl (1927) and then a co-starring lead with Polly Moran in The Callahans and the Murphys (1927) (which was abruptly withdrawn from circulation thanks to objections of Irish-American groups over its depiction of gin-guzzling Irish). Her career stalled and the 59-year old actress found herself no longer in demand. In the late 1920s she had been largely forgotten and reduced to near-poverty. Despite her last film being a financial disaster, Irving Thalberg, somewhat incredibly, sensed her potential was determined to re-build her into a star. It was a slow return in films but her popularity continued to grow. But it was sound that made her a star again. Anna Christie (1930) was the movie where Garbo talks, but everyone noticed Marie as Marthy. In an era of Harlow, Garbo and Crawford, it was homely old Marie Dressler that won the coveted exhibitor's poll as the most popular actress for three consecutive years. In another film from the same year, Min and Bill (1930) she received a best actress Oscar for her dramatic performance. She received another Academy Award nomination for Emma (1932). She had more success with Dinner at Eight (1933) and Tugboat Annie (1933). In 1934, cancer claimed her life.
IMDb Mini Biography By: Tony Fontana
Once you saw her, you would not forget her. Despite her age and weight, she became one of the top box office draws of the sound era. She was 14 when she joined a theater group and she went on to work on stage and in light opera. By 1892, she was on Broadway and she later became a star comedienne on the vaudeville circuit. In 1910, she had a hit with 'Tillie's Nightmare' which Mack Sennett adapted to film as Tillie's Punctured Romance (1914) with Charles Chaplin. Marie took top billing over a young Chaplin, but her film career never took off and by 1918, she was out of films and out of work. Her role in the chorus girls' strike of 1917 had her blacklisted from the theaters. In 1927, MGM screenwriter Frances Marion got her a small part in The Joy Girl (1927) and then a co-starring lead with Polly Moran in The Callahans and the Murphys (1927) (which was abruptly withdrawn from circulation thanks to objections of Irish-American groups over its depiction of gin-guzzling Irish). Her career stalled and the 59-year old actress found herself no longer in demand. In the late 1920s she had been largely forgotten and reduced to near-poverty. Despite her last film being a financial disaster, Irving Thalberg, somewhat incredibly, sensed her potential was determined to re-build her into a star. It was a slow return in films but her popularity continued to grow. But it was sound that made her a star again. Anna Christie (1930) was the movie where Garbo talks, but everyone noticed Marie as Marthy. In an era of Harlow, Garbo and Crawford, it was homely old Marie Dressler that won the coveted exhibitor's poll as the most popular actress for three consecutive years. In another film from the same year, Min and Bill (1930) she received a best actress Oscar for her dramatic performance. She received another Academy Award nomination for Emma (1932). She had more success with Dinner at Eight (1933) and Tugboat Annie (1933). In 1934, cancer claimed her life.
IMDb Mini Biography By: Tony Fontana
Dorothy Dandridge
Mini Biography
Dorothy Jean Dandridge was born in Cleveland, Ohio on November 9, 1922. Under the prodding of her mother, Dorothy and her sister began performing publicly usually in black Baptist churches throughout the country. Her mother, an entertainer herself, would often join her daughters on stage. As the depression worsened, Dorothy and her family picked up and moved to Los Angeles where they had hopes of finding better work, perhaps in film. Her first film was in the Marx Brothers comedy, A Day at the Races (1937). It was only a bit part but Dorothy had hopes that it would blossom into something better. But because she was a black woman in a very prejudiced society, she didn't land the roles that were readily available to her white counterparts. She did not appear in another film until 1940 in Four Shall Die (1940). The role was nothing great other than to establish the fact that she was very beautiful and talented. Her next few roles in the early forties included films such as Bahama Passage (1941), Drums of the Congo (1942), and Hit Parade of 1943 (1943). There were others in between, of course, but they were the usual black stereotypical films for women such as Dorothy. Not only was she a talented actress but she could also sing which was evident in films such as Atlantic City (1944) and Pillow to Post (1945). This helped to showcase her talents as a singer and brought her headline acts in the nation's finest hotel nightclubs in New York, Miami, Chicago, and Las Vegas. She may have been allowed to sing in these fine hotels, but because of racism, she couldn't stay there. It was reported that one hotel drained its swimming pool to keep her from enjoying that little amenity. In 1954, Dorothy appeared in the all-black production of Carmen Jones (1954) in the title role. She was so superb in that picture that she garnered an Academy Award nomination but lost out to Grace Kelly in The Country Girl (1954). Despite the nomination for her performance, Dorothy did not get another movie until she appeared in Tamango (1958) which was an Italian film. She was to make six more motion pictures, of which Island in the Sun (1957) and Porgy and Bess (1959) were worthy of mention. Once again she was a standout. The last movie she would ever play would be in 1961's The Murder Men (1961). Dorothy faded quickly after that with a poor second marriage to Jack Denison (her first was to Harold Nicholas), poor investments, other financial woes, and a problem with alcohol. She was found dead in her West Hollywood apartment on September 8, 1965, the victim of a barbiturate poisoning. She was only 42. Had she been born 20 years later, Dorothy Dandridge would no doubt be one of the most well-known actresses in film history.
IMDb Mini Biography By: Denny Jackson
Dorothy Jean Dandridge was born in Cleveland, Ohio on November 9, 1922. Under the prodding of her mother, Dorothy and her sister began performing publicly usually in black Baptist churches throughout the country. Her mother, an entertainer herself, would often join her daughters on stage. As the depression worsened, Dorothy and her family picked up and moved to Los Angeles where they had hopes of finding better work, perhaps in film. Her first film was in the Marx Brothers comedy, A Day at the Races (1937). It was only a bit part but Dorothy had hopes that it would blossom into something better. But because she was a black woman in a very prejudiced society, she didn't land the roles that were readily available to her white counterparts. She did not appear in another film until 1940 in Four Shall Die (1940). The role was nothing great other than to establish the fact that she was very beautiful and talented. Her next few roles in the early forties included films such as Bahama Passage (1941), Drums of the Congo (1942), and Hit Parade of 1943 (1943). There were others in between, of course, but they were the usual black stereotypical films for women such as Dorothy. Not only was she a talented actress but she could also sing which was evident in films such as Atlantic City (1944) and Pillow to Post (1945). This helped to showcase her talents as a singer and brought her headline acts in the nation's finest hotel nightclubs in New York, Miami, Chicago, and Las Vegas. She may have been allowed to sing in these fine hotels, but because of racism, she couldn't stay there. It was reported that one hotel drained its swimming pool to keep her from enjoying that little amenity. In 1954, Dorothy appeared in the all-black production of Carmen Jones (1954) in the title role. She was so superb in that picture that she garnered an Academy Award nomination but lost out to Grace Kelly in The Country Girl (1954). Despite the nomination for her performance, Dorothy did not get another movie until she appeared in Tamango (1958) which was an Italian film. She was to make six more motion pictures, of which Island in the Sun (1957) and Porgy and Bess (1959) were worthy of mention. Once again she was a standout. The last movie she would ever play would be in 1961's The Murder Men (1961). Dorothy faded quickly after that with a poor second marriage to Jack Denison (her first was to Harold Nicholas), poor investments, other financial woes, and a problem with alcohol. She was found dead in her West Hollywood apartment on September 8, 1965, the victim of a barbiturate poisoning. She was only 42. Had she been born 20 years later, Dorothy Dandridge would no doubt be one of the most well-known actresses in film history.
IMDb Mini Biography By: Denny Jackson
Hedy Lamarr
Mini Biography
The woman many critics and fans alike regard as the most beautiful ever to appear in films was born Hedwig Eva Kiesler in Vienna, Austria, and was a student of theater director Max Reinhardt in Berlin. She began her career in 1930 in Czech and German films. It was the Czech production Ekstase (1933), in which she caused an international sensation by appearing nude and simulating orgasm, that brought her worldwide attention. The resulting notoriety got her called to Hollywood, and she was signed by MGM. The studio changed her name to the more elegant "Hedy Lamarr" and put her in a series of exotic adventure epics such as Algiers (1938) and White Cargo (1942). Her biggest success was in Cecil B. DeMille's spectacular Samson and Delilah (1949) as the title temptress, but her career declined from that point as her looks began to fade and a new crop of beauties supplanted her. She left the screen in 1957.
IMDb Mini Biography By: Volker Boehm
The woman many critics and fans alike regard as the most beautiful ever to appear in films was born Hedwig Eva Kiesler in Vienna, Austria, and was a student of theater director Max Reinhardt in Berlin. She began her career in 1930 in Czech and German films. It was the Czech production Ekstase (1933), in which she caused an international sensation by appearing nude and simulating orgasm, that brought her worldwide attention. The resulting notoriety got her called to Hollywood, and she was signed by MGM. The studio changed her name to the more elegant "Hedy Lamarr" and put her in a series of exotic adventure epics such as Algiers (1938) and White Cargo (1942). Her biggest success was in Cecil B. DeMille's spectacular Samson and Delilah (1949) as the title temptress, but her career declined from that point as her looks began to fade and a new crop of beauties supplanted her. She left the screen in 1957.
IMDb Mini Biography By: Volker Boehm
November 09
BIRTHDAYS
Lou Ferrigno~58
Mary Travers~1936-2009
Dorothy Dandridge~1922-1965
Hedy Lamarr~1913-2000
Marie Dressler~1868-1934
TCM SCHEDULE
What's On Tonight: TCM PRIME TIME FEATURE: CUBA
8:00pm [Suspense/Mystery] Topaz (1969)
A French agent is sent to Cuba to spy for the CIA.
Cast: John Forsythe, Frederick Stafford, Dany Robin, John Vernon Dir: Alfred Hitchcock C-142 mins, TV-PG [Letterbox] [Close Captioned]
10:30pm [Suspense/Mystery] Our Man in Havana (1960)
A salesman in Cuba takes up spying to support his spendthrift daughter.
Cast: Alec Guinness, Burl Ives, Maureen O'Hara, Ernie Kovacs Dir: Carol Reed BW-107 mins, TV-G [Letterbox] [Close Captioned]
12:30am [Adventure] Cuba (1979)
A British mercenary meets an old love while training anti-Castro forces in Cuba.
Cast: Sean Connery, Brooke Adams, Jack Weston, Hector Elizondo Dir: Robert M. Stevens C-122 mins, TV-MA
Lou Ferrigno~58
Mary Travers~1936-2009
Dorothy Dandridge~1922-1965
Hedy Lamarr~1913-2000
Marie Dressler~1868-1934
TCM SCHEDULE
What's On Tonight: TCM PRIME TIME FEATURE: CUBA
8:00pm [Suspense/Mystery] Topaz (1969)
A French agent is sent to Cuba to spy for the CIA.
Cast: John Forsythe, Frederick Stafford, Dany Robin, John Vernon Dir: Alfred Hitchcock C-142 mins, TV-PG [Letterbox] [Close Captioned]
10:30pm [Suspense/Mystery] Our Man in Havana (1960)
A salesman in Cuba takes up spying to support his spendthrift daughter.
Cast: Alec Guinness, Burl Ives, Maureen O'Hara, Ernie Kovacs Dir: Carol Reed BW-107 mins, TV-G [Letterbox] [Close Captioned]
12:30am [Adventure] Cuba (1979)
A British mercenary meets an old love while training anti-Castro forces in Cuba.
Cast: Sean Connery, Brooke Adams, Jack Weston, Hector Elizondo Dir: Robert M. Stevens C-122 mins, TV-MA
Vivien Leigh
Trivia
Ranked #48 in Empire (UK) magazine's "The Top 100 Movie Stars of All Time" list. [October 1997]
Suffered from manic depression.
Mother of Suzanne Farrington.
Lived with John Merivale from 1959 to her death in 1967.
A heavy smoker, Leigh was smoking almost four packs a day during filming of Gone with the Wind (1939).
Gertrude Hartley, while awaiting the birth of her child in Darjeeling, spent 15 minutes every morning gazing at the Himalayas in the belief that their astonishing beauty would be passed to her unborn child.
After cremation at Golders Green, London, her ashes were scattered on the mill pond at her home, Tickerage Mill, at Blackboys in Sussex.
Scarlett O'Hara might have been played by an actress called 'April Morn', a stage name she briefly considered before settling on Vivien Leigh.
Laurence Olivier's first wife, Jill Esmond, named Vivien as co-respondent in her February 1940 divorce from Olivier on grounds of adultery. Vivien would name Joan Plowright - Olivier's next and last wife - as co-respondent in her 1960 divorce from Olivier, also on grounds of adultery.
The producer of the 1935 play "The Mask of Virtue" suggested to her that she change the 'a' in her first name to an 'e' from "Vivian" to "Vivien."
According to legend, Myron Selznick introduced Vivien to his brother - Gone with the Wind (1939) producer David O. Selznick - with the words, "Hey, genius! Meet your Scarlett."
Married Laurence Olivier at San Ysidro Ranch in Santa Barbara on August 31st, 1940, with Katharine Hepburn as maid of honor; they honeymooned on actor Ronald Colman's yacht.
A lover of cats, especially Siamese.
Claimed that when she tested for Gone with the Wind (1939), the costume was still warm from the actress who preceded her.
Ranked #48 in Empire (UK) magazine's "The Top 100 Movie Stars of All Time" list. [October 1997]
Suffered from manic depression.
Mother of Suzanne Farrington.
Lived with John Merivale from 1959 to her death in 1967.
A heavy smoker, Leigh was smoking almost four packs a day during filming of Gone with the Wind (1939).
Gertrude Hartley, while awaiting the birth of her child in Darjeeling, spent 15 minutes every morning gazing at the Himalayas in the belief that their astonishing beauty would be passed to her unborn child.
After cremation at Golders Green, London, her ashes were scattered on the mill pond at her home, Tickerage Mill, at Blackboys in Sussex.
Scarlett O'Hara might have been played by an actress called 'April Morn', a stage name she briefly considered before settling on Vivien Leigh.
Laurence Olivier's first wife, Jill Esmond, named Vivien as co-respondent in her February 1940 divorce from Olivier on grounds of adultery. Vivien would name Joan Plowright - Olivier's next and last wife - as co-respondent in her 1960 divorce from Olivier, also on grounds of adultery.
The producer of the 1935 play "The Mask of Virtue" suggested to her that she change the 'a' in her first name to an 'e' from "Vivian" to "Vivien."
According to legend, Myron Selznick introduced Vivien to his brother - Gone with the Wind (1939) producer David O. Selznick - with the words, "Hey, genius! Meet your Scarlett."
Married Laurence Olivier at San Ysidro Ranch in Santa Barbara on August 31st, 1940, with Katharine Hepburn as maid of honor; they honeymooned on actor Ronald Colman's yacht.
A lover of cats, especially Siamese.
Claimed that when she tested for Gone with the Wind (1939), the costume was still warm from the actress who preceded her.
November 08
BIRTHDAYS
Parker Posey~41
Gordon Ramsay~43
Mary Hart~58
Bonnie Raitt~60
Esther Rolle~1920-1998
TCM SCHEDULE
What's On Tonight: TCM PRIME TIME FEATURE: ROBERT STACK
8:00pm [Crime] House of Bamboo (1955)
An Army investigator infiltrates a Tokyo crime syndicate to solve a colleague's murder.
Cast: Robert Ryan, Robert Stack, Shirley Yamaguchi, Cameron Mitchell Dir: Samuel Fuller C-103 mins [Letterbox]
10:00pm [Adventure] Bullfighter and the Lady (1951)
An American takes up bullfighting to impress the ladies but learns to respect the sport.
Cast: Robert Stack, Joy Page, Gilbert Roland, Virginia Grey Dir: Budd Boetticher BW-125 mins, TV-G
12:15am [Silent] Felix Saves the Day (1922)
In this silent animated short, Felix the Cat tries to keep his favorite baseball team from losing.
Dir: Otto Messmer. C-7 mins, TV-G
Parker Posey~41
Gordon Ramsay~43
Mary Hart~58
Bonnie Raitt~60
Esther Rolle~1920-1998
TCM SCHEDULE
What's On Tonight: TCM PRIME TIME FEATURE: ROBERT STACK
8:00pm [Crime] House of Bamboo (1955)
An Army investigator infiltrates a Tokyo crime syndicate to solve a colleague's murder.
Cast: Robert Ryan, Robert Stack, Shirley Yamaguchi, Cameron Mitchell Dir: Samuel Fuller C-103 mins [Letterbox]
10:00pm [Adventure] Bullfighter and the Lady (1951)
An American takes up bullfighting to impress the ladies but learns to respect the sport.
Cast: Robert Stack, Joy Page, Gilbert Roland, Virginia Grey Dir: Budd Boetticher BW-125 mins, TV-G
12:15am [Silent] Felix Saves the Day (1922)
In this silent animated short, Felix the Cat tries to keep his favorite baseball team from losing.
Dir: Otto Messmer. C-7 mins, TV-G
November 07
BIRTHDAYS
Christopher Knight~52
Joni Mitchell~66
TCM SCHEDULE
What's On Tonight: THE ESSENTIALS: DIRECTOR DEBUTS
8:00pm [Comedy] Take The Money And Run (1969)
An incompetent criminal becomes the subject of a documentary.
Cast: Woody Allen, Janet Margolin, Marcel Hillaire, Jacquelyn Hyde Dir: Woody Allen C-85 mins, TV-14 [Letterbox] [Close Captioned]
10:00pm [Drama] Duellists, The (1978)
During the Napoleonic wars, two French officers fight a series of duels with each other.
Cast: Keith Carradine, Harvey Keitel, Cristina Raines, Edward Fox Dir: Ridley Scott C-100 mins, TV-14 [Letterbox]
12:00am [Crime] Gumshoe (1971)
A would be private eye gets mixed up in a smuggling case.
Cast: Albert Finney, Billie Whitelaw, Frank Finlay, Janice Rule Dir: Stephen Frears C-86 mins, TV-14
Christopher Knight~52
Joni Mitchell~66
TCM SCHEDULE
What's On Tonight: THE ESSENTIALS: DIRECTOR DEBUTS
8:00pm [Comedy] Take The Money And Run (1969)
An incompetent criminal becomes the subject of a documentary.
Cast: Woody Allen, Janet Margolin, Marcel Hillaire, Jacquelyn Hyde Dir: Woody Allen C-85 mins, TV-14 [Letterbox] [Close Captioned]
10:00pm [Drama] Duellists, The (1978)
During the Napoleonic wars, two French officers fight a series of duels with each other.
Cast: Keith Carradine, Harvey Keitel, Cristina Raines, Edward Fox Dir: Ridley Scott C-100 mins, TV-14 [Letterbox]
12:00am [Crime] Gumshoe (1971)
A would be private eye gets mixed up in a smuggling case.
Cast: Albert Finney, Billie Whitelaw, Frank Finlay, Janice Rule Dir: Stephen Frears C-86 mins, TV-14
