Forgotten Actresses of the 30's...

[Vecchiolarry]

Hello Everyone,

My list of actresses, from the thirties, who have largely been forgotten. Forgotten by Hollywood and their movies are not shown often and forgotten by us - we don't write about them much ourselves.

Ann Dvorak
Nancy Carroll
Ann Harding
Lilyan Tashman
Kay Francis
Margaret Lindsay
Karen Morley
Gladys George
Alice Brady
Anita Louise
Virginia Bruce

Larry

[ken123]

Karen Morley, " Scarface " was blacklisted because of her political beliefs. Ann Dvorak, real last name McKim, was also in Scarface. &

[feaito]

Good topic Larry. May I add Ruth Chatterton and Miriam Hopkins?

Ann Dvorak was gorgeous and I loved her as the earthy Cesca in "Scarface". The first time I saw her perform was in a forgotten 1950 film titled "Our Very Own", opposite Farley Granger, Ann Blyth, Jane Wyatt et al.

Nancy Carroll is vastly forgotten, especially due to the fact that her most famous films were done at Paramount and have been largely unavailable. I liked her in "The Dance of Life" (strong performance) and think that her insipid roles in films like "Follow Thru" and "Sweetie", do not jsutice to her talent; she fared only a little better in "Honey". Now I plan to see her in "Scarlet Dawn" and "Broken Lullaby", two goodies I got from friends.

Ann Harding is an absolute favorite of mine and, thanks heavens (and to TCM USA), I have seen many of her films, inlcuding the excellent "Peter Ibbetson", the dramatic "The Right to Romance" and "Life of Vergie Winters", the interesting "Westward Passage" and the cute "Devotion". She's excellent too in "The Animal Kingdom", "Condemned", "Double Harness", the first version of "Holiday" and in "Love From a Stranger". She also excelled as Fredric March's wife in "The Man in the Grey Flannel Suit". Even in a creaky early talkie such as "Her Private Affair" her performance was worthwhile.

I have yet to watch her in "Enchanted April", "When Ladies Meet", "The Flame Within", all which I taped off TCM while on vacation in the US.

Lilyan Tashman was one of the smartest dames ever. She's a riot in "Girls About Town" opposite Kay Francis. I barely recall her character in "Riptide"; she had little screen time it seems. I also liked her in "Millie".

Kay Francis was especially memorable in "Trouble in Paradise", the excellent markedly Pre-Codes "Man Wanted" and "Jewel Robbery", the magnificent "One Way Passage"; the very adult and poetic "In Name Only" (incredibly bitchy character); "Mary Stevens M.D." and more...

I think I've seen Gladys George only in "The Roaring Twenties", "Marie Antoinette" (she impersonated very well the brassy Madame DuBarry) and in "Madame X" (1937), a good remake of the old Brisson play.

I remember Margaret Lindsay primarily for her role as the sweet wife of Henry Fonda in "Jezebel".

Karen Morley was excellent in "Gabriel over the White House" and quite good in "Mata Hari". Her performance in the Camp-horror Classic "The Mask of Fu Manchu" is a little bit melodramatic, but nevertheless enjoyable. She was fine in "Pride and Prejudice" and "Cuban Love Song".

I remember Alice Brady especially for her roles in "In Old Chicago" and "The Gay Divorcee". Her finest role: as the zany wife of Eugene Pallette in "My Man Godfrey".....screaming Carlooooo!!!!

Virginia Bruce's most memorable moment was in the top of those mamooth stairs in "The Great Ziegfeld". I'd like to watch her in "Downstairs", which I've read is very good.

I remember fondly watching Anita Louise for the first time as a child in "The Bandit of Sherwood Forest" opposite Cornel Wilde. Also come to my mind her roles as the doomed mother of Fredric March in "Anthony Adverse", as Marie Antoinette in "Madame DuBarry" and as the Princess de Lamballe in "Marie Antoinette". She's good in the fantastic "A Midsummer's Night Dream". She had a Dresden Doll complexion.

[pktrekgirl]

Kay Francis is one of my all-time favorite actresses, and I have most of her films. Ann Harding is also a favorite of mine - I really love her also. She didn't make as many films, but I always think of Ann Harding as so elegant.

Some of the others on the list I am familiar with though only 1 or 2 of their films...but Kay and Ann? I've made much more of an effort and have not been disappointed!

[feaito]

Karen Morley, " Scarface " was blacklisted because of her political beliefs. Ann Dvorak, real last name McKim, was also in Scarface. &

I forgot that Miss Morley was also in "Scarface" and delivered a grand performance as Muni's object of desire. She was tough here! Totally different from her role in "Mask of Fu Manchu" and she fared much, much better.

[MissGoddess]

Alice Brady and Kay "Fwancis" are two of my favorites. I like Virginia Bruce, too, mainly when she played baddies now and then.

Margaret Lindsay seemed to often play the girl who lost the guy to some other actress or was an all-purpose good gal. I always liked her.

[benwhowell]

Alice Brady is a favorite of mine..."The Gay Divorcee," "Gold Diggers Of 1935," "Go West Young Man," "My Man Godfrey," "Zenobia" and, of course, her Best Supporting Oscar winning role in "In Old Chicago." I read that she did not attend the awards ceremony...a man accepted the award on her behalf...the man and the Oscar vanished?

[mongoII]

Two of my very favorites on the list, Gladys George and Ann Dvorak have been featured 'In the Spotlight'. A few of the other ladies are scheduled for future profiles.

[MissGoddess]

Alice Brady is a favorite of mine..."The Gay Divorcee," "Gold Diggers Of 1935," "Go West Young Man," "My Man Godfrey," "Zenobia" and, of course, her Best Supporting Oscar winning role in "In Old Chicago." I read that she did not attend the awards ceremony...a man accepted the award on her behalf...the man and the Oscar vanished?

Never heard that before---I wonder what happened?

[mongoII]

From IMDb regarding Alice Brady:


In 1938 Alice Brady's statuette for "In Old Chicago" (1937) was swiped by an impostor who came onstage to accept the award on the absent actress' behalf. It has never been recovered and the imposter could never be tracked down. Before the Academy could do justice and issue a copy of the statuette, Alice Brady passed away of cancer at age 46, five days shy of her 47th birthday.

[pktrekgirl]

^ Good grief! That is amazing.

I thought that sort of thing only happened in marathons!

[MissGoddess]

From IMDb regarding Alice Brady:


In 1938 Alice Brady's statuette for "In Old Chicago" (1937) was swiped by an impostor who came onstage to accept the award on the absent actress' behalf. It has never been recovered and the imposter could never be tracked down. Before the Academy could do justice and issue a copy of the statuette, Alice Brady passed away of cancer at age 46, five days shy of her 47th birthday.

Poor thing! I didn't know she passed away so young! Thank you, Mongo.

[traceyk]

Kay Francis is one of my all-time favorite actresses, and I have most of her films. Ann Harding is also a favorite of mine - I really love her also. She didn't make as many films, but I always think of Ann Harding as so elegant.

Some of the others on the list I am familiar with though only 1 or 2 of their films...but Kay and Ann? I've made much more of an effort and have not been disappointed!

As much as I enjoyed the Hepburn-Grant version of "Holiday" I love to see the Ann Harding version. Is it out on dvd or does it ever show on TCM?

I've only seen Harding in "Animal Kingdom" (can't imagine Hepburn in that role--wasn't she supposed to play it on stage at some point?) and "Double Harness."

Tracey

Tracey

[melwalton]

Here're some, Larry
Mona Barrie, Grace Bradley, Kitty Carlisle, Mary Carlisle, Fifi D'orsay, Graham ( can't recall her first name. British, played in 'The Informer' ), Mitzi Green, Dorothy Lee, Jessie Matthews, Helen Vinson, Helen Twelvetrees, Freddi Washington...
I'll probably think of more

[feaito]

Graham (can't recall her first name. British, played in 'The Informer')

It's Margot Grahame melwalton. I saw her recently in "The Buccaneer" with Fredric March. I believe she was also in "The Crimson Pirate" with Burt Lancaster.