Thanks so much Sheana. I'm looking forward to reading Stella's life story. I'm sure it will prove enlightening for putting the Adler clan in perspective while writing about Sylvia Sidney. I've forwarded a couple of emails to you in regards to the letters you mentioned. Cheers, Scott

Thank you, Sheana. I appreciate your thoughtful reply. While working on the Sidney bio I've enjoyed learning about Group Theatre, Clurman, The Gentle People. Sylvia resented being referred to as "the money ball" for the Group and taking time out to give birth to Jody Adler offered a good e...

So glad that you are paying SSO a visit Ms. Ochoa. I have been researching the career of Stella's sister-in-law Sylvia Sidney (wife of Luther Adler) for an upcoming biography. I was hoping you might have come across information of how the two got along. Sylvia also provided Stella a nephew, Jody Adl...

Thank you, Moira. I appreciate this invitation and truly admire the time and knowledge you have to offer Silver Screen Oasis, Movie Morlock’s, and your own Skeins of Thought. It’s people like you who keep the legacy of classic Hollywood accessible and within reach of those who want to learn more. :w...

Jack - I forgot to mention the odd (to me, at least) friendship between Ann and Joan Crawford. "I cherish Ann's companionship more than any other person I have ever known," Joan confided to columnist Ben Maddox. Crawford raved about Ann's "radiance," "beautiful soul", a...

Fernando - It was neat having you participate, as you were reading Ann's biography as the week went along. BTW Ann and husband Werner Janssen returned from South America, arriving in Miami, on July 16, 1941. Prior to leaving the states it was reported that Ann was considering playing suffragist/crus...

Lynn -- the only address I have for Ann (c. 1974) in Sherman Oaks is: 4747 Sepulveda Blvd.

For Moira -- When I started my research about three years ago, I wasn’t aware that Ann had an adopted daughter. It came as a surprise. The internet has much mis-information about Grace Kaye and many sites claim that Ann and Werner Janssen adopted her. There is no connection at all between Grace and ...

Feaito - I wish I had more information on Ann’s sojourn with Werner Janssen to Santiago. I’m sure that if you check the archives at your library in Santiago from mid-May—end of July, 1941, you would find some articles about Ann Harding and Janssen. All I had to go by was news articles from the Ameri...

Thanks to Moira for this wonderful invite. It’s been a fun way to start the holi-daze. Philip Barry’s work reflected new attitudes and Ann Harding had the look, the depth and demeanor to carry his message home. Paris Bound (1929) asked the question if married couples could philander and remain spiri...

For Jack ... Virginia credited her marriage to the troubled John Gilbert as the catalyst which gave her emotional depth as an actress. They had met after Virginia's screen test for the excellent Gilbert-penned MGM film Downstairs . Upon meeting her, Gilbert not only fawned over Virginia, but her coa...

Hi Lynn ... My favorite Harding film is Peter Ibbetson (available on DVD), which is an exquisite film. Others that I particularly enjoy are: When Ladies Meet (with Myrna Loy and Robert Montgomery), Animal Kingdom (with Loy and Leslie Howard), The Life of Vergie Winters , Gallant Lady , A Lady Consen...

Good questions Joe … Unfortunately, Ann and her daughter Jane never reconciled their differences. Jane’s friends in the Bay Area told me that Jane did not talk about her mother and was reluctant to say much when asked about what it was like growing up in Hollywood. I’m not sure what the problem was ...

Hello Jack … Susan Ann Gilbert passed away on December 3, 2004. I began my research on Virginia Bruce shortly thereafter, however did have the cooperation of her son David. He knew nothing about the screen career of his grandmother … knew nothing about John Gilbert. These were his grandparents (!) a...

For Klondike … At $4,166 per week for six weeks, Ann gladly took on the role of Marjorie Merriweather Post Davies (mother of Dina Merrill) for the propaganda piece Mission to Moscow . As the wife of Russian ambassador Davies (Walter Huston), Ann didn’t have much to do on screen, and admitted, “I say...