Welcome Scott Nollen to Discuss Glenda Farrell: Hollywood's Hard-Boiled Dame on 9/26 & 9/27

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Re: Welcome Scott Nollen to Discuss Glenda Farrell: Hollywood's Hard-Boiled Dame on 9/26 & 9/27

Post by Scott_Nollen »

I am feeling much better than when I first got up today. I've done a lot more writing here than I expected, and I've enjoyed it very much. I'm glad I was able to address the fact of what a good person Glenda was, as well as a terrific actor and a very beautiful woman.
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Re: Welcome Scott Nollen to Discuss Glenda Farrell: Hollywood's Hard-Boiled Dame on 9/26 & 9/27

Post by hbenthow »

Scott_Nollen wrote:I'm glad I was able to address the fact of what a good person Glenda was, as well as a terrific actor and a very beautiful woman.
That's part of what I find so fascinating about her. There are dozens, if not hundreds, of "juicy" Hollywood stories of tragedy and scandal that sell a lot of books, but to me those get old pretty quickly. Glenda Farrell is someone that managed to carve out a happy and peaceful existence for herself and her loved ones, while also enriching her art and the lives of others. She didn't let herself get chewed up and spit out by the Hollywood system, she was a hard worker but balanced it all with her private life instead of becoming a "workaholic", she learned from her mistakes instead of repeating them, and she didn't use the money she earned in a decadent or wasteful way. Her life is the exact opposite of what we're conditioned by society to believe makes a star's life interesting, and that paradoxically makes her all the more interesting. In short, she's about as much of a true success story as you can find. And in a world where we often wade through a swamp of the morbid, the sordid, and the tragic on a daily basis whether we choose to or not, sometimes that's just what we need.
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Re: Welcome Scott Nollen to Discuss Glenda Farrell: Hollywood's Hard-Boiled Dame on 9/26 & 9/27

Post by Scott_Nollen »

hbenthow wrote:
Scott_Nollen wrote:I'm glad I was able to address the fact of what a good person Glenda was, as well as a terrific actor and a very beautiful woman.
That's part of what I find so fascinating about her. There are dozens, if not hundreds, of "juicy" Hollywood stories of tragedy and scandal that sell a lot of books, but to me those get old pretty quickly. Glenda Farrell is someone that managed to carve out a happy and peaceful existence for herself and her loved ones, while also enriching her art and the lives of others. She didn't let herself get chewed up and spit out by the Hollywood system, she was a hard worker but balanced it all with her private life instead of becoming a "workaholic", she learned from her mistakes instead of repeating them, and she didn't use the money she earned in a decadent or wasteful way. Her life is the exact opposite of what we're conditioned by society to believe makes a star's life interesting, and that paradoxically makes her all the more interesting. In short, she's about as much of a true success story as you can find. And in a world where we often wade through a swamp of the morbid, the sordid, and the tragic on a daily basis whether we choose to or not, sometimes that's just what we need.
Hardwicke, thank you for this: a beautifully written, really perfect summation of Glenda's career. You're a great researcher AND writer. I cannot add a single word to this. Bravo, my friend! :D
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Re: Welcome Scott Nollen to Discuss Glenda Farrell: Hollywood's Hard-Boiled Dame on 9/26 & 9/27

Post by Professional Tourist »

Mr. Nollen, I'd like to mention that I appreciate the candor and direct style of writing of your posts in this discussion. It is a refreshing approach to say the least -- we need more of it. :)

I found some photos from the Broadway production of Forty Carats on the web site of the Museum of the City of New York. You've probably seen them all, but thought I'd post a few of them here for the other readers:

Image
Glenda Farrell, Julie Harris

Image
Julie Harris, Glenda Farrell, Gretchen Corbett

Image
Backstage with Glenda Farrell, Mayor John Lindsay, Julie Harris, Governor Nelson Rockefeller, Murray Hamilton

It's a shame that Miss Farrell had to leave the show after such a short time, due to her health. It looks like they had some fun with the casting after Julie Harris left, bringing in June Allyson, Joan Fontaine, and even Zsa Zsa Gabor to take over the role of Ann Stanley. :D

I watched the film adaption this weekend, and was not too impressed with it on any level. I think Binnie Barnes downplayed Maud too much -- she must have been a much livelier character in Miss Farrell's hands. :)

On a personal note, I'd like to wish you good luck with your health issues, and hope there will be some better days ahead for you, along with as much work as you'd care to do. I would look forward to another visit with you here at the SSO once your next book is released, and at any other time you might like to jump into the discussions. Cheers. :D
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Re: Welcome Scott Nollen to Discuss Glenda Farrell: Hollywood's Hard-Boiled Dame on 9/26 & 9/27

Post by Scott_Nollen »

Professional Tourist wrote:Mr. Nollen, I'd like to mention that I appreciate the candor and direct style of writing of your posts in this discussion. It is a refreshing approach to say the least -- we need more of it. :)

I found some photos from the Broadway production of Forty Carats on the web site of the Museum of the City of New York. You've probably seen them all, but thought I'd post a few of them here for the other readers:

Image
Glenda Farrell, Julie Harris

Image
Julie Harris, Glenda Farrell, Gretchen Corbett

Image
Backstage with Glenda Farrell, Mayor John Lindsay, Julie Harris, Governor Norman Rockefeller, Murray Hamilton

It's a shame that Miss Farrell had to leave the show after such a short time, due to her health. It looks like they had some fun with the casting after Julie Harris left, bringing in June Allyson, Joan Fontaine, and even Zsa Zsa Gabor to take over the role of Ann Stanley. :D

I watched the film adaption this weekend, and was not too impressed with it on any level. I think Binnie Barnes downplayed Maud too much -- she must have been a much livelier character in Miss Farrell's hands. :)

On a personal note, I'd like to wish you good luck with your health issues, and hope there will be some better days ahead for you, along with as much work as you'd care to do. I would look forward to another visit with you here at the SSO once your next book is released, and at any other time you might like to jump into the discussions. Cheers. :D

Thank you so much for these wonderful photos, a couple I don't recall seeing (it's been a while), and your comments, as well. I am sure Glenda's interpretation was far better than the one in the film version, which I haven't seen, but I'll take your word for it.

As for my candor, a person becomes this way after staring down the Grim Reaper, which I've done a number of times (beginning at age 17), and lived to tell the tale! At this point in my mortal existence, my work IS my life, so when I speak or write about it, I really don't separate the two. I was trained to be objective, but that doesn't mean that there isn't a little piece of my heart in each one of my books. In fact, the forthcoming I AM A FUGITIVE FROM A CHAIN GANG is going to have a HUGE piece of what's left of my heart, because it will be about injustice, as the great Scottish bard Robert Burns wrote so perfectly, "Man's inhumanity to man." How often has THAT Robert Burns been quoted--and RIPPED OFF? "Of Mice and Men," "Auld Lang Syne," etc. And CHAIN GANG is about ROBERT E. BURNS. How perfect is that?

I hope to be here when that book is published to answer some deep, deep questions--and some fun and entertaining ones, too.

Always a pleasure and an honor to be here; and, again, I certainly appreciate your astute comments and the great photos. Thanks for taking the time to find them and add them here. Cheers right back at you! And please call me Scott! :D
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Re: Welcome Scott Nollen to Discuss Glenda Farrell: Hollywood's Hard-Boiled Dame on 9/26 & 9/27

Post by moira finnie »

What do you think of as The Essential Glenda Farrell films?

I loved her bit in Johnny Eager (1941) and her rye turn in the noir, I Love Trouble (1948), but I wonder which later roles you enjoyed, and why?

I haven't had a chance to see too much of her television work, but enjoyed her flintier approach to the leading role in the '57 episode of The Marriage Broker on The 20th Century Fox Hour. When this was shown on the Fox Movie Channel some time ago it made me realize that both Glenda & the peerless Thelma Ritter (who played in the movie of The Model & the Marriage Broker in 1951), created characters whose humanity transcended any script. I believe this was a pilot for a tv show. Did Farrell want a series?

Also, have you seen the two part 1963 episode of Ben Casey entitled "A Cardinal Act of Mercy" that earned Glenda Farrell an Emmy. Has this performance held up well and is it worth seeking out?

I have seen her searing portrait of a caustic mother in an Ida Lupino-directed episode of The Fugitive called "Fatso" but wondered what your take on her other tv appearances might be? Are there some well worth a look?
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Re: Welcome Scott Nollen to Discuss Glenda Farrell: Hollywood's Hard-Boiled Dame on 9/26 & 9/27

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Dear Scott,
Thank you so much for your wonderfully in-depth response to my question. I am so grateful for your visit here!
Please feel free to visit again.
Sincerely,
Christy
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Re: Welcome Scott Nollen to Discuss Glenda Farrell: Hollywood's Hard-Boiled Dame on 9/26 & 9/27

Post by Scott_Nollen »

moira finnie wrote:What do you think of as The Essential Glenda Farrell films?

I loved her bit in Johnny Eager (1941) and her rye turn in the noir, I Love Trouble (1948), but I wonder which later roles you enjoyed, and why?

I haven't had a chance to see too much of her television work, but enjoyed her flintier approach to the leading role in the '57 episode of The Marriage Broker on The 20th Century Fox Hour. When this was shown on the Fox Movie Channel some time ago it made me realize that both Glenda & the peerless Thelma Ritter (who played in the movie of The Model & the Marriage Broker in 1951), created characters whose humanity transcended any script. I believe this was a pilot for a tv show. Did Farrell want a series?

Also, have you seen the two part 1963 episode of Ben Casey entitled "A Cardinal Act of Mercy" that earned Glenda Farrell an Emmy. Has this performance held up well and is it worth seeking out?

I have seen her searing portrait of a caustic mother in an Ida Lupino-directed episode of The Fugitive called "Fatso" but wondered what your take on her other tv appearances might be? Are there some well worth a look?

As far as essential films, I just tell people to watch anything she did while at Warner Bros, from LITTLE CAESAR (1931) through the "TORCHY BLANE" series (1939). Each role, no matter how big or small, is worth seeing. There are certain films that stand out: LIFE BEGINS (1932), I AM A FUGITIVE FROM A CHAIN GANG (1932), HAVANA WIDOWS (1933), MYSTERY OF THE WAX MUSEUM (1933), Hi, NELLIE! (1934), HEAT LIGHTNING (1934), DARK HAZARD (1934) with Eddie Robinson, WE'RE IN THE MONEY (1935)--and LITTLE BIG SHOT (1935), Warners' answer to LITTLE MISS MARKER, is a lot of fun, and directed by the amazingly eclectic and prolific Michael Curtiz.

JOHNNY EAGER (1941) is a terrific film with a magnificent performance from Van Heflin, and Glenda's scene is very good. And, of course, THE TALK OF THE TOWN (1941) is an essential film, period, and Glenda's scenes with Ronald Colman are worth the price of a DVD.

This may come as a surprise, but I love to watch Glenda in THE DISORDERLY ORDERLY with comic hurricane Jerry Lewis. Glenda is great, Kathleen Freeman is great, plus one of the other actresses I've always been in love with, Susan Oliver, also is in it.

I have seen a lot of Glenda's television work, from her first (live) STUDIO ONE performance (1949) to the BEWITCHED episode. She is good in every single TV show I've ever seen her in. Her role in her RAWHIDE episode is too brief, but she does share a scene with her son, Tommy, in that.

The BEN CASEY episode holds up very well, and Glenda's character is very complex, and she is very moving at several points.

I recommend her WAGON TRAIN episode (in which she plays an eccentric mother), her FRONTIER CIRCUS episode (a single-season WAGON TRAIN-like show, and she is very funny as the mother and leader of a gang of juvenile thieves in this--MY mother LOVES Glenda in this--maybe her favorite of Glenda's later work), the "Fatso" episode of THE FUGITIVE, her ROUTE 66 episode (in which she is moving in just a very brief, single scene), and ABSOLUTELY her BONANZA episode, in which she and the fabulous Dan Blocker make a natural and hysterical comedy TEAM--this is SO MUCH FUN. You can tell both Glenda and Dan had a blast doing it--very essential viewing.

I haven't seen "The Marriage Broker," so I can't comment on that one. But, basically, if you can find any of Glenda's TV work, get it (if it's reasonably priced). Glenda was very versatile, and this is made very evident in the great variety of work she did on television (that period of TV created second careers for so many great film actors, and I will watch any good show from the mid 50s through early 60s just to see all the wonderful actors who came from film, AND all the young actors just starting out who eventually "graduated" to feature films--of course, I could do an entire SSO weekend on Boris Karloff's prolific television career--like Glenda, he loved all the variety available to him, whereas he was just getting offers for the same old horror shtick in feature films--on TV, he even got to sing with Rosemary Clooney and play in drag on THE GIRL FROM UNCLE! :roll: )
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Re: Welcome Scott Nollen to Discuss Glenda Farrell: Hollywood's Hard-Boiled Dame on 9/26 & 9/27

Post by Scott_Nollen »

Sue Sue Applegate wrote:Dear Scott,
Thank you so much for your wonderfully in-depth response to my question. I am so grateful for your visit here!
Please feel free to visit again.
Sincerely,
Christy

Again, it is my absolute pleasure. Doing these sorts of "visits" make my life a WHOLE lot more enjoyable. I am quite grateful to be asked and to be able to be here.

All you have to do is ASK, and I won't ever say, "No," and I'll get to one of my laptops and type as long as I'm physically able. Right now, I'm feeling better than I have all weekend.

I have written about SO many different people and subjects that I would be happy to do a weekend on any of the books I've ever written--especially since they are all still in print. All of the books I have written solo (with the exception of JILLY! which is no longer available--that was self-published) are available (signed) through my Ebay store, and I handle all that stuff personally (which the exception of transporting them to the USPS, which is handled by my indefatigable 85-year-old father, Harry!).

So, any time you need someone to fill a weekend, just ask me and I'll do it, And hopefully I won't be trying to get through one of my severe digestive attacks!

I do the same thing with the SINATRA radio show I do for Hawaii Public Radio. I've actually conceived and written entire shows and then cohosted them, having only less than two days' notice! So I've "still got it," as long as I can muster up the energy to overcome whatever stage of illness I'm in at the moment!

Seriously, I've enjoyed this so much today, and it gives me a chance to connect with the outside world again, that I will do this any time. Like I said, don't ever be afraid to ask me ANYTHING, and I'll do the best that I can.

The Eternal Pal of the Silver Screen Oasis,
Scott Allen Michael "Scotty Books" Nollen
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Re: Welcome Scott Nollen to Discuss Glenda Farrell: Hollywood's Hard-Boiled Dame on 9/26 & 9/27

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Thanks again, Scott. Your expertise is much appreciated! :D
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Re: Welcome Scott Nollen to Discuss Glenda Farrell: Hollywood's Hard-Boiled Dame on 9/26 & 9/27

Post by Scott_Nollen »

Sue Sue Applegate wrote:Thanks again, Scott. Your expertise is much appreciated! :D

You are very welcome. And thank you for all the excellent and very challenging questions. This transformed my weekend into a very worthwhile experience, and I plan to wake up tomorrow, ready to write more of I AM A FUGITIVE.

I'm also looking forward to my next visit here; so, as I said, don't hesitate to ask me any time.

Scott
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Re: Welcome Scott Nollen to Discuss Glenda Farrell: Hollywood's Hard-Boiled Dame on 9/26 & 9/27

Post by moira finnie »

Many thanks for the privilege of sharing your knowledge and infectious passion this weekend. I hope you'll return any time you wish. You really do liven things up. Glenda would like that.
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Re: Welcome Scott Nollen to Discuss Glenda Farrell: Hollywood's Hard-Boiled Dame on 9/26 & 9/27

Post by Scott_Nollen »

moira finnie wrote:Many thanks for the privilege of sharing your knowledge and infectious passion this weekend. I hope you'll return any time you wish. You really do liven things up. Glenda would like that.
moira finnie wrote:Many thanks for the privilege of sharing your knowledge and infectious passion this weekend. I hope you'll return any time you wish. You really do liven things up. Glenda would like that.

Thanks, Moira, for putting up with me! 8) I shall return--just let me know when you need someone!
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