The Silver Screen Oasis

Thank you so much, Lesley. He certainly sounds like a fascinating man.

Hi, Lesley, thank you for coming to the oasis. My introduction to Lew Ayres was from watching All Quiet on the Western Front, one of the most powerful books written against war, it seems almost prophetic that Lew played Paul considering his stand as a conscientious objector in WW2. Didn't he serve in a none military capacity, as a medical orderly? And did he declare himself a conscientious objector because he would have had to have joined up or because he felt he had to make his feelings known. Being British I know the age ranges and exemptions for our forces but I'm not clear on how Lew's status became public knowledge. Very brave thing to do, even looking back on it now.

The onyl other conscientious objector I know about was James Mason but his career never suffered. Are there any parellels between the two men? Or perhaps it shows Hollywood moguls ability to look the other way when it suited them. Mason's status wasn't widely known, as far as I'm aware.

Professional Tourist

Speaking of Johnny Belinda, Lesley, have you come across any memories of Mr. Ayres' experiences working on that film as regards his co-star Agnes Moorehead? On a person level, since they were both students of religion, they may have found much to talk about.

He loved working with Agnes Moorehead and Charles Bickford. The four main actors actually directed one another on the film, because the director of the film didn't concern himself with performances. Because their were on locations, there was time for socializing and the actors did share some deep conversation (although the introspective Ayres was more a listener than talker). Lew Ayres and Charles Bickford were planning to work together again on a religious film, but Ayres decided to make his documentary Alters of the East instead.

I've just seen a picture of Lew in the medical corp on the candid thread that has answred my question as to how he served in WW2.

Didn't he serve in a none military capacity, as a medical orderly? And did he declare himself a conscientious objector because he would have had to have joined up or because he felt he had to make his feelings known.

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He initially wanted to serve as a medic and would only serve in the military if he could secure this position, a stand not permitted by the military.

The onyl other conscientious objector I know about was James Mason but his career never suffered. Are there any parellels between the two men? Or perhaps it shows Hollywood moguls ability to look the other way when it suited them. Mason's status wasn't widely known, as far as I'm aware.

The big difference in the two cases is their notoriety at the time. James Mason was still primarily a theater actor and had only done small British films when he made his positon known. Lew however was at the very height of his popularity when it was announced, so it was a much bigger story.

Lesley, could you please talk about the house that Lew Ayres built on Lookout Mountain in the Laurel Canyon area? It always sounds as though it was an enchanting (if remote) place when he lived there.

Also, did Ayres enjoy the social scene in Hollywood during his early years there? As his career circumstances changed during the '30s, was this a strain for him to maintain?
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FYI to members: You can see Ayres this evening on TCM when he plays a pivotal role in his own quietly powerful way in the ensemble film about Washington, Advise and Consent (1962-Otto Preminger) on TCM at 8PM (ET).

In Internet Movie Database ... IMDb ... He did many television shows in his lifetime (Haven't read his book, but someday I will) what shows that he enjoyed the most doing and least doing?

Just Wondering?

Lesley, thank you so much for joining us here at The Silver Screen Oasis!

Lew Ayres seemed to have such an active professional life in the 50s-90s on episodic television. One of the performances that totally endeared the more experienced Ayres to me was his appearance as Doug Booth on The Mary Tyler Moore Show. But having seen his performance as a young teenager as Paul in All Quiet on the Western Front, and having been so moved by his performance then, I find reconciling his later performances on television afforded me the privilege of understanding how an actor can have a lengthy, meaningful career that seemed to provide joy in retrospect. Did Ayres have that kind of joy in his career? How did he seem to reconcile the length of his employability with the vanity that is usually attributed to actors?

We appreciate you so much for sharing your expertise.

moirafinnie

Lesley, could you please talk about the house that Lew Ayres built on Lookout Mountain in the Laurel Canyon area? It always sounds as though it was an enchanting (if remote) place when he lived there.

Lookout Mountain looks down on the lights of Los Angeles and then was extremely isolated (today there are far more homes built on the location, and much closer together). When Lew moved to the area following his seperation from Ginger Rogers, a number of close friends followed (including his best friend William Bakewell).

Even as a young man, Lew had little interest in the Hollywood scene. But as he became more introspective and introverted, he was less willing to make a show of it and retreated to his home and his interests to occupy his time.

kingme

He did many television shows in his lifetime (Haven't read his book, but someday I will) what shows that he enjoyed the most doing and least doing?

Excellent question and I wish I could definitively answer what his least and favorite roles were, but he rarely spoke of such things (out of modesty and politeness).

He loved work on anthology series because they gave him the opportunity to play such a wide variety of characters, although he often played doctors or religious men. He was good friends with Roddy McDowall and loved working with him on Fantastic Journey, along with the other people he was friendly with from his years in the movies (Janet Gaynor, James Stewart, Barbara Stanwyck). He was very proud of the two part episode of The Bionic Woman he did titled Doomsday is Tomorrow and thought the episode of I Spy he appeared in called The Tiger was something he could be proud of. Two of the roles which made the strongest impression on him and he worked especially hard where the roles of Noah in Greatest Heroes of the Bible and as Candy in Of Mice and Men for PBS.

As for projects he had bad feelings for, the pilot he made with Michael Landon called Johnny Risk, was a project they both seemed rather embarrassed by, especially the idea of the much younger Landon being his brother.

Sue Sue Applegate

First, I have to say I completely agree with you about his role on Mary Tyler Moore. It was a very smart performance and the fact that he and Moore were able to have so much chemistry without their age difference being unsettling was a testament to both of them.

Did Ayres have that kind of joy in his career? How did he seem to reconcile the length of his employability with the vanity that is usually attributed to actors?

The sad fact is, he didn't find a great deal of pleasure in his career towards the end of his life. The issues of vanity seemed to occupy his time and he felt that ultimately, he had made a mistake choosing to be an actor. His opinion changed fluctuated, but as an old man he rarely spoke with great joy of his career accomplishments. It was one of the aspects of his life I found very sad to write about.

Thank you all for your comments. I hope some of you are getting the opportunity to watch Advise and Consent this evening.

Thanks for answering all our questions today.

While I write this, I am enjoying Lew's wry comments in Advise and Consent as the Vice President who describes himself sarcastically as "the housewife's delight" but who is worried about inheriting the presidency from an ill Franchot Tone. I love the moment on the Senate floor when he says to one senator who really isn't listening to him at all that "I murdered my wife and buried her under a kumquat last night." Then, once the man starts to half-listen, he just says it's about time "to get up there and let the tourists rubberneck at me."

He looks as though he is having fun with this part, creating a character who says that the humility that is ascribed to him is a nice word for the shakes.

I found the episode you mentioned of I SPY: The Tiger on Hulu and it can be seen here:
http://www.hulu.com/watch/15433

Thank you so much for your responses, Lesley. I think it would have made me sad, too. He seemed like such a sweet, adorable man, and to have such great chemistry with MTM in such a short span of time is also a testament to his talents.


I am going to go finish watching Advise and Consent now.

Glad to see people are enjoying Advise and Consent. Lew was very sick when performing the role and almost had to drop out. According to younger actors Don Murray and Betty White however, he was a delight to have on set.