TIL that everyone wears Crocs in the 2006 movie Idiocracy because the costume designer had a limited shoe budget, and thought the cheap plastic shoes made by the then startup company were futuristic yet too stupid looking to ever become popular in real life The author combines vast research, extensive interviews These Natalie Wood massive butt photos are positive to depart you mesmerized and awestruck. Missing was inspired by a true story - the production was condemned by the Reagan administration and awarded the Golden Palm at the Cannes film festival. The film was a major box office success. install aisle scuppers to drain off the tears." In April 1957 and January 1958, "Rambling Reporter" items in Hollywood Reporter stated that Deborah Kerr and Richard Egan were being considered for starring roles. Fiehn, Anne/Lailach, Christian (Redaktion) Katalog der 69. (1972), The Front Page (1974) and Buddy Buddy (1981). According to a July 19, 1956 Hollywood Reporter news item, producer Ross Hunter originally planned to make a musical version of the story starring Shirley Booth and Ethel Waters. Natalie Wood, Thelma Ritter. Billy Wilder and Lemmon's lifelong comic foil Walter Matthau (nine collaborations with Lemmon in 32 years, including their most popular film, The Odd Couple, 1968) brought some of the comedian's finest funny moments to the screen. Natalie Wood was first considered for the part of Turner's daughter, but eventually Universal went with its own contract player, Sandra Dee, whom they were grooming for stardom. Directors Michael Anderson Vincente Minnelli Writers Rosamond Marshall Robert Thom Stars Robert Wagner Natalie Wood Susan Kohner The book's reviews were mixed, with the best notices going to the depiction of Delilah and the story's racial issues. Her few films of that period : "Tell her I know I was selfish -- and if I loved her too much, I'm sorry -- but I didn't mean to cause her any trouble. Fannie Hurst's novel, Imitation of Life, was the story of two single mothers, one white and one black, who join forces and become successful businesswomen. He lives in Dallas, Texas. Cinematography: Russell Metty Universal-International Pictures Co., Inc. Hollywood, California, United States; Los Angeles--Moulin Rouge nightclub, California, United States, SYNOPSIS With Sirk's other melodramas, Imitation of Life has become one of the central films for proponents of the auteur theory, who point to his filmmaking technique as a clear reflection of his personality and his attitude toward the often exaggerated soap opera plots in his films. By Lang Thompson He also had a reputation for pampering his female stars. Steve, now a company vice-president, learns that Sarah Jane is working as a chorus girl in Los Angeles, and Annie, convinced she is dying, flies to California for one last look at her daughter. The film's treatment of race, considered daring in its day, provides a powerful view of liberal sentiments at the birth of the civil rights movement. A year later, Lemmon hit the major leagues when he supported Hollywood heavyweights Henry Fonda, James Cagney and William Powell in Mister Roberts (1955). (A branch of the Los Angeles County Public Library now occupies the site of Quinn's childhood home; in 1981 it was renamed in his honor.) "Oh, Mama, stop acting. Magazine In Missing (1982), directed by the uncompromising Costa-Gavras, Lemmon played a patriotic father searching for his kidnapped son in Latin America. Despite its success, it was also Sirk's last commercial feature. Eve, Close-Up On Sunset Boulevard, and When In the early Sixties she engaged in an infamous and surprisingly bitter debate with critic Andrew Sarris among others about the merits of auteurism, the French-born philosophy that believes the director is the chief creative person behind any film. Is it true? "Sarah Jane is your child?" The opening and closing cast credits vary in order. It Should Happen to You, directed by George Cukor, was a popular success and Lemmon and Holliday were quickly teamed again in Phffft! (The idea for the book was born when Hurst traveled with black author Zora Neale Hurston and encountered racism, although the story was not remotely based on either of their lives.) Carroll O'Connor - who died June 21st at the age of 76 - will be best remembered for portraying Archie Bunker on TV's All in the Family but his career actually was much more extensive. Imitation of Life (2021) - IMDb The idea for remaking Imitation of Life came up in 1956, when Hunter was looking for a follow-up to All That Heaven Allows (1955), a hit romance co-starring Jane Wyman and Rock Hudson in the romance of an older woman and younger man. O'Connor even auditioned for the part of the Skipper in the TV series, Gilligan's Island, but it was his role as Archie Bunker in a 1971 sitcom that made him a star. At around 8 a.m., Wood's body was found about a mile south of the couple's yacht, off an isolated cove known as Blue Cavern Point. Fannie Hurst's novel, Imitation of Life (1933), was the story of two single mothers, one white and one black, who join forces and become successful businesswomen. Turner agreed, and the film succeeded beyond anyone's wildest dreams. With her fetching blonde curls and pretty face, Dee found herself moving up quickly on the modeling ladder. The two mothers are now alone in the house. Sirk had given Donahue a small role in The Tarnished Angels (1958), but when he offered him the role of the fraternity boy who discovers girlfriend Kohner is black and beats her up, Willson almost turned down the role. But there was a serious side too. He had just completed the title role in Avenging Angelo (with Sylvester Stallone) at the time of his death. Natalie Wood was producer Ray Stark's first choice for the starring role, but he changed his mind after reading the script and instead offered the . Natalie Wood first saw Robert Wagner when she was just 10 years old and swore she was "going to marry him" someday, per People. Susanna "Susan" Kohner is an American retired actress who worked in film and television. November 30, 1981. Quinn worked with Marlon Brando who he had replaced in the original Broadway production of A Streetcar Named Desire. Although the killing was ruled justifiable homicide because Cheryl was defending her mother, the scandal rocked Hollywood, and many people thought Lana's film career was over. He always used real flowers on the sets, and the jewelry was the real thing, too, supplied by Laykin et Cie. Quinn married his third wife in 1997; they had one son. Why Natalie Wood's Daughter Is Confronting Robert Wagner About Wood's Was considered to play the role of the young daughter of Lana Turner in the classic melodrama directed by Douglas Sirk. continually counterpointed by an emphasis upon racial tension and the Quinn also appeared on stage in 1936 playing opposite Mae West. everything: mother love, musical numbers, backstage intrigue, race relations, Her next film, The Reluctant Debutante, a bubbly romantic comedy with Rex Harrison, Kay Kendall and John Saxon, proved Dee to be adept in light comedy. 2023 Turner Classic Movies, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Life.com unearthed these gems, which show her relaxing poolside at her first home and entertaining a few guests (including an impossibly young Dennis Hopper) in style.I highly recommend a trip over to Life.com to see their other images of Natalie Wood, along with . In 1988, O'Connor took the role of a Southern sheriff in a TV series based on the movie In the Heat of the Night and found himself in another hit, this one lasting until 1995. Maria seemed to be very . Quoting the actress herself, she claimed, "I'm . and Susan Kohner their respective daughters, caught up Tragically, Ms. Dee died on February 20 at Los Robles Hospital and Medical Center in Thousand Oaks. At the time, Hollywood didn't release films to black theatres until they had played out in other markets. When no arguments could convince her to return to the church and shoot the scene, her makeup woman slapped her in the face, breaking her out of her hysterics. Together they made seven films, but it was their first, Some Like It Hot (1959), that captured the sheer comic genius of their collaborations together. by Frank Miller, Because of the heavy public interest in Turner's first film after the Stompanato scandal, producer Ross Hunter threw the set open to the press on the first day of shooting. Turner agreed, and the film succeeded beyond anyone's wildest dreams. Critic's Notebook; Black Films: Imitation Of Life? It Should Happen to You, directed by George Cukor, was a popular success and Lemmon and Holliday were quickly teamed again in Phffft! It features Claudette Colbert, Louise Beavers, and Freddie Wa. But she was deeply in debt, and she needed to work. melodrama: it is through the conventions of that hyper-emotional genre that insincere." (Kohner was like a sexier, less delicate, even more on-the-edge Natalie Wood. Staggs, the author of All About "All About Eve" Instead of accepting her offer, they made Imitation of Life their major offering for spring 1933. Leading man John Gavin was being groomed for stardom at Universal, where he was seen as a younger version of Rock Hudson. If some producer with a hand as cold as a toad wants to do a painting of you in the nude, you'll accommodate him for a very small part." In It Should Happen to You, Holliday plays a struggling actress who soon wins fast fame as the product of promotion. It was in Ireland that O'Connor started acting in several local productions. . There she majored in philosophy at University of California at Berkeley though she didn't graduate (the school later gave her an honorary degree). In 1965, his relationship with an Italian costumer created a minor scandal when it was revealed that the couple had two children. In Cowboy (1958), Lemmon plays a city slicker venturing out on the wild frontier. 1. (It also produced one of TV's oddest spinoffs in1994's 704 Hauser about a multi-racial family living in Archie Bunker's old house. Most of Donahue's later films were direct-to-video efforts like Nudity Required and Omega Cop but trash aesthete John Waters, a huge fan, used him for Cry-Baby (1990). Universal bought the screen rights to Imitation of Life and produced a faithful screen adaptation in 1934 under John Stahl's direction (he had previously directed the very successful first version of Hurst's Back Street in 1932). The film is. Heartbreaking Details About Natalie Wood's Life - Grunge Imitation of Life (1959) - YouTube The role finally went to Juanita Moore, who had mostly played uncredited roles as African-American domestics to that point. Bea's daughter, Jessie, becomes her romantic rival, while Delilah's light-skinned daughter, Peola, rejects her mother and attempts to pass for white. -- Kohner, as Sarah Jane, rejecting her mother, Moore, as Annie Johnson. Lana Turner was back on top, and a rich woman as well. Principal Cast: Lana Turner (Lora Meredith), John Gavin (Steve Archer), Sandra Dee (Susie, age 16), Juanita Moore (Annie Johnson), Susan Kohner (Sara Jane, age 18), Dan O'Herlihy (David Edwards), Robert Alda (Allen Loomis). Industries Comedy Action. By 1970, it had made over $25 million worldwide. Turner's daughter, Cheryl Crane, visited the set during location shooting for Sandra Dee's high school graduation. Art Direction: Alexander Golitzen, Richard H. Riedel Imitation of Life became Universal's top-grossing film to that time, and Turner's most successful film ever. "Imitation of Life crosses a succession of emotional bridges, hitting Hunter offered a first-class production, with Jean Louis gowns and Laykin et Cie jewels, the leading women's director, Douglas Sirk, and a chance to make a lot of money, if Lana would work for a small salary plus half the net profits. Juanita Moore's Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actress was such a surprise the studio didn't even have a biography on hand to distribute to the press. The following year came was a Best Actor nomination for George Cukor's Wild Is the Wind (1957). She had been in 52 films and a star since she was 7. Not only could she not risk another flop, but she wasn't sure she was ready to go back to work. vouchers) and made her film debut in Until They Sail (1957), starring Joan Fontaine, John Gavin. initial U.S. release, placing number five on the year's list of top box-office It was a trip to Italy that brought Quinn one of his most acclaimed roles: a simple-minded circus strongman in Federico Fellini's La Strada (1954). The series lasted until 1979 and brought O'Connor four Emmys, even leading to a four-year spinoff Archie Bunker's Place starring O'Connor. Although she has the second largest role in the film, Juanita Moore was billed seventh, behind actors with much smaller roles. A Complete Timeline of Natalie Wood's Mysterious Death - Harper's BAZAAR Quinn was born April 21, 1915 in Mexico. Hunter insisted on maintaining a lavish production, despite a tight budget. Lana Turner was back on top, and a rich woman as well. Imitation of Life 1959: Lana Turner Classic Mother Love Tearjerker by Frank Miller, Imitation of Life is one of only two dramatic films to feature gospel legend Mahalia Jackson. Troy Donahue claimed that after the film's release, blacks actually came up to him and thanked him for beating up Kohner on screen. African-American actress Juanita Moore "Why do we always have to sleep in the back?" He died in Lugano, Switzerland January 14, 1987. O'Connor even auditioned for the part of the Skipper in the TV series, Gilligan's Island, but it was his role as Archie Bunker in a 1971 sitcom that made him a star. Things You Didn't Know About Natalie Wood's Mysterious Death A key role in Lawrence of Arabia (1962) only confirmed his talents while he again earned a Best Actor nomination for the unforgettable lead role in Zorba the Greek (1964). As recently as 1995, readers of the New York Daily News voted Imitation of Life a place among their ten favorite films. If we should ever pass on the street, please don't recognize me." Director and comic star went on to make five more films: Irma la Douce (1963), The Fortune Cookie (1966), Avanti! All the while, Dee still plugged away with a series of hit films over the next few years: Romanoff and Juliet a charming satirical comedy directed by Peter Ustinoff; Tammy Tell Me True with John Gavin (both 1961; If a Man Answers (1962) a surprisingly sharp comedy of manners with husband Bobby Darin; Tammy and the Doctor, another corn-fed entry that was her leading man's Peter Fonda's big break; and Take Her, She's Mine (1963), a rather strained generation-gap comedy with James Stewart. Between theatrical gigs, he played piano accompaniment to silent films shown at the Knickerbocker Music Hall in New York. In exchange for her small room, Annie offers to keep house and look after Susie while Lora seeks acting and modeling jobs. During the publicity tour for the film, one reporter asked Susan Kohner if she had "minded" playing a black character. Stories about women in the workplace had declined in popularity since the '30s, and the change also reflected Turner's notoriety as an actress and single mother. Released in United States Winter January 1, 1959. Actress. Actor who got the part: Sandra Dee. He returned to the U.S. for his Broadway debut in 1958 and shortly after started to appear on numerous TV shows like The Untouchables and Naked City. Illicit love and the corruption of big business might not seem to be the stuff of hit comedies, but Wilder and Lemmon found humor in the most unlikeliest of places. No fun." Before graduating, he followed his brother to another college in Ireland (he would later get a Masters in speech from Montana). More than 40 women were considered for the role of Annie (Delilah in the original), including Pearl Bailey and classical singer Marian Anderson. "You know I still have you in my blood, don't you?" Not many actors can boast that they've inspired a Bob Dylan song but Anthony Quinn - who passed away June 3rd at the age of 86 - was one of the select few. In a passionate and witty behind-the-scenes expose, Sam (1952) provided him a wonderful role which he used to win a Best Supporting Actor Academy Award. It has "When passed before the moviegoer's eyes, it may force theatre owners to Oddly enough, in Viva Zapata! But there was a serious side too. A journal about film, music, literature and any other form of imitation of life. TCM REMEMBERS CARROLL O'CONNOR 1924-2001 (The idea for the book was born when Hurst traveled with black author Zora Neale Hurston and encountered racism, although the story was not remotely based on either of their lives.) Donahue's career declined as the Sixties became more turbulent but he still made notable appearances in The Godfather Part II (1974), playing a character with Donahue's own real name, and Monte Hellman's Cockfighter (1974). One unanticipated result was that Quinn married DeMille's daughter the following year; they appeared together in Phil Karlson's Black Gold (1947) and had five children. Her deal for half the profits kept her financially comfortable for the rest of her life, particularly after fifth husband Fred May invested much of the money in real estate. Was considered to play the role of the young daughter of Lana Turner in the classic melodrama directed by Douglas Sirk. That same year, much to the delight of her fans, she resurfaced briefly when she starred in a stage production of Love Letters at the Beverly Hill's Canon Theatre with her friend and former co-star, John Saxon.
