Will Success Spoil Rock Hunter? (1957).

Will Success Spoil Rock Hunter? (1957). Cast:Jayne Mansfield, Tony Randall, Betsy Drake, Joan Blondell, John Williams, Henry Jones, Lili Gentle, Mickey Hargitay, and a cameo by Groucho Marx. It was produced and directed by Frank Tashlin, who also wrote the original screenplay. The Broadway play ran from 1955–1956 and also starred Jayne Mansfield as Rita.

The film has many references to several of Jayne Mansfield's other roles: The Girl Can't Help It, Kiss Them for Me, and The Wayward Bus. The book Mansfield reads in the bathtub scene is, Peyton Place by Grace Metalious, which became a movie and a popular TV series, that is one of the first prime time soap operas.

The story begins when, a advertising agency is about to lose a very important account, Stay Put Lipstick. Rock comes up with the idea to get the most famous actress with the "oh so kissable lips", Rita Marlowe. But... to get Rita to endorse the lipstick, Rock has to pretend to be her new boyfriend to make her real boyfriend, Bobo Branigansky , the star of a TV Tarzan show, jealous. Bobo leaks the news of Rita's new romance to the tabloids and Rock Hunter, now becomes known as Marlowe's, "Lover Doll".

It does not take long before Marlowe, thinks she is falling in love with Hunter, but.. her true love is, George Schmidlap. Not being able to find Schmidlap, she goes after Hunter, even though her Secretary Vi, warns her that she is playing a dangerous game.

After Rock, becomes the company president, he quickly finds it is not what he really wants and goes back to his fiancee.

As Rita Marlowe opens her television spot for Stay Put Lipstick, she is surprised by the shows "surprise" guest star, George Schmidlap. Hunter, now free decides to become a chicken farmer, living happily ever after.

Tony Randall, was wonderful playing the everyman. Mansfield, is hilarious with her little high-pitched squeal, it's very cute and always funny. The supporting cast is also wonderful, especially Joan Blondell, who.. I absolutely love.

Fun Facts:

The name of Jayne Mansfield's character, "Rita Marlowe", is a combination of  Rita Hayworth, Jean Harlow, and Marilyn Monroe.

Rita Marlowe's screen credits - "The Girl Can't Help It", "Kiss Them For Me" and "The Wayward Bus" - have the same titles as three of Jayne Mansfield's films - The Girl Can't Help It, Kiss Them for Me and The Wayward Bus.

Rita's poodle is named "Shamroy," a reference to long-time Fox cinematographer Leon Shamroy - who, ironically, did NOT photograph this picture!

Adapted from a Broadway play that also starred Jayne Mansfield. "Will Success Spoil Rock Hunter?" opened on Oct. 13, 1955 at the Belasco Theatre in New York and ran for 444 performances. The original Broadway cast included Orson Bean, Walter Matthau and Jayne Mansfield. Tina Louise and Tom Poston were replacement cast members.

Mamie Van Doren turned down the role of Rita Marlowe.

Jayne Mansfield (April 19, 1933 – June 29, 1967) . One of the leading blond sex symbols of the 1950s, Mansfield starred in several popular Hollywood films that emphasized her platinum-blond hair and figure.

While Mansfield's film career was short-lived, she had several box office successes. She won the Theatre World Award, a Golden Globe and a Golden Laurel. She's well-known for her starring roles in, The Girl Can't Help It (1956) and Will Success Spoil Rock Hunter? (1957).

As the demand for blond bombshells declined in the 1960s, Mansfield performed in low-budget film dramas and comedies, but remained a popular celebrity. She is best known for the romantic-comedy, Promises! Promises!(1963), in which she appeared nude.

In her later career she continued to attract large crowds in foreign countries and in nightclubs. Mansfield had been a Playboy Playmate of the Month and appeared in the magazine several times.

The Second Woman (1950).

The Second Woman (1950). Film noir, directed by James V. Kern. Cast: Robert Young, Betsy Drake, John Sutton and Florence Bates.

The story begins when Major Badger, stops by one Sunday to warn Amelia Foster and her niece Ellen, that Jeff Cohalan, is a dangerous criminal. They find him unconscious in the garage, with the car engine running. Ellen remembers their first meeting: On a train to Pine Cliff, where Jeff meets Dr. Hartley, who is concerned about Jeff's problems with depression. In the dining car, he meets Ellen, who is going to visit her aunt, who lives next door to Jeff.

Later, at Ben Sheppard's office, where Jeff works there as an architect, another employee Keith Ferris, notices his forget fullness. Ellen meets with Jeff, on the beach and asks him to show her the house "Hilltop". Later, Ellen finds out that Jeff built the house for his fiancee, Vivian Sheppard, who was killed in a car accident, the night before their wedding. Ellen, finds herself attracted to Jeff, who's being haunted by explainable, harassment...or is it.. paranoia?

This is a better-than-average psychological thriller, where Robert Young gives a wonderful performance. The Second Woman, is a cross between the films, Rebecca, Gaslight and Fountainhead, one of those movies you like to watch in the middle of a stormy night...

Florence Bates (April 15, 1888 – January 31, 1954) was a character actress who often played grande dame characters in her films.

Bates showed musical talent as a child, but a hand injury stopped her from continuing her piano studies. She graduated from the University of Texas with a degree in Mathematics in 1906, after which she taught school.

In 1909 she met and married her first husband and gave up her career to raise their daughter. When her marriage ended in divorce, she began to study law and passed the bar in 1914, becoming at the age of 26 the first female attorney in her home state.

After the death of her parents, Bates left the legal profession to help her sister manage their father's antique business. She became a bilingual radio commentator whose program was designed to foster good relations between the United States and Mexico.

 In 1929, she closed the antique shop and married wealthy oil baron William F. Jacoby. When he lost his fortune, the couple moved to Los Angeles and opened a bakery.

In the mid-1930's, Bates performed in Jane Austen's, Emma. When she decided to continue working with the theater group, she changed her professional name to that of the first character she played on stage.

 In 1939 she was introduced to Alfred Hitchcock, who cast her in her first major screen role, Mrs. Van Hopper, in the film, Rebecca.

Bates performed in more than sixty films over the next thirteen years. Among her credits are: Kitty Foyle, The Moon and Sixpence, Mr. Lucky, Heaven Can Wait, Mister Big, Since You Went Away, Kismet, Saratoga Trunk, The Secret Life of Walter Mitty, Winter Meeting, I Remember Mama, Portrait of Jennie, A Letter to Three Wives, On the Town, and Les Misérables.

Bates had a regular role on The Hank McCune Show and made guest appearances on I Love Lucy, My Little Margie, and Our Miss Brooks.

Room for One More (1952)

Room for One More (1952). Comedy/drama. Cast: Cary Grant and Betsy Drake. Directed by Norman Taurog.

After Anna Rose, mother of three, shows interest in becoming a foster parent during a tour of a children's home, the director, Miss Kenyon, visits their home unannounced with a troubled girl, Jane, who needs a place to stay for a couple of weeks. Anna's husband George, is not to happy at first to add another child to his already overly crowded home. But... after seeing "the gleam in Anna's eye," he agrees to let Jane stay. Anna realizes that Jane is resentful of her dependence on others, finds her a babysitting job to help build up her self confidence. After two weeks, she fits in nicely with the the Roses, who want her to stay permanently. Later, Anna arranges with Miss Kenyon for a young handicapped boy, Jimmy-John, to join them on a beach vacation . George, who had hoped to spend some alone time with Anna, insists that his engineer's salary cannot afford another child, but changes his mind after seeing the conditions in which Jimmy-John lives.

If you want to watch a feel good movie, this movie is for you. It shows the closeness of family and how they overcome obstacles.

Lurene Tuttle (August 29, 1907- May 28, 1986) was a character actress, who made transitions from vaudeville to radio, to films and television. She was best known as one of network radio's most versatile actresses. Often appearing in 15 shows a week, comedies, dramas, thrillers, soap operas, and crime dramas.

Betsy Drake, third wife of actor Cary Grant.

Betsy Drake (born September 11, 1923) is a French-born American actress and writer. She was the third wife of actor Cary Grant.

Betsy went to twelve different schools, both private and public, before going into theatre and acting at junior college in Rock Creek Park, Washington, D.C.. She met the playwright, Horton Foote who offered her a job as understudy in his play, Only the Heart.

After winning the attention of the producer Hal Wallis, Betsy was pressured by her agent to sign a contract. She hated Hollywood and managed to get herself released from the contract by declaring herself insane. She returned to New York and in 1947 read for the director, Elia Kazan, for the lead role in the London company of the play, Deep are the Roots.

Cary Grant first met Drake in 1947 while she was performing in London. The two, were returning to the USA on the ship the RMS Queen Mary and quickly became friends. Drake was signed to a movie contract by RKO and David Selznick, where she performed in her first film, Every Girl Should Be Married (1948), opposite Grant.

On Christmas Day 1949 Drake and Grant married, in a private ceremony organized by Grant's best man, Howard Hughes. In 1952, they performed together in the film, Room for One More, and Drake performed in a number of leading roles in England and the United States, and a supporting role in the 1957 film, Will Success Spoil Rock Hunter?.

Grant and Drake separated in 1958, remaining friends, and divorced in 1962. Their marriage was his longest union. Drake had no children with Grant but has 2 goddaughters - Tessa Dahl, daughter of actress Patricia Neal and Tracy Granger, daughter of actress Jean Simmons.

Drake gave up acting in order to focus on her writing. In 1971 Atheneum published - under the name Betsy Drake Grant - her novel Children You Are Very Little. She also worked as a practicing psychotherapist in various psychiatric hospitals in Los Angeles, California and earned a Ed.M. degree from Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Her most recent screen performance was in Cary Grant: A Class Apart, a documentary about the time they spent together.

Filmography:
Every Girl Should Be Married (1948)
Dancing in the Dark (1949)
The Second Woman (1950)
Pretty Baby (1950)
Room for One More (1952)
Will Success Spoil Rock Hunter?
General Electric Theater as Ellie
Intent to Kill (1958)
Next to No Time (1958)
Wanted: Dead or Alive as Lucy Fremont in "The Spur"
Clarence, the Cross-Eyed Lion (1965)
Cary Grant: A Class Apart (2005)