Gypsy Rose, birthday girl

Gypsy Rose Lee's birthday is today.  

Jeff Still Loves His Wife

Husband and Wife - Jeffrey Hunter and Barbara Rush; at Home; 1953

Jef Hunter

Has been carrying a torch for Barbara Rush, who seems determined to go through with a divorce.  But that tall, dark and handsome guy on whom she has her eye isn’t in the mood for marriage.  He happens to be Rock Hudson, whose chief interest is his career.  Jeff is not exactly weeping in his beer though at least as long as Debra Paget is around.




[Source: Movieland; February 1955]

Jeffrey Hunter; Barbara Rush; Rock Hudson

Jeffrey Hunter (born Henry Herman “Hank” McKinnies, November 25, 1926 – May 27, 1969) and Barbara Rush were married from December 1, 1950 until March 29, 1955.  They would have one son together, Chris.  Hunter and Debra Paget would star in two films together, Fourteen Hours and Princess of the Nile.  I'm not sure there was ever a relationship between the two, but they would have made a handsome couple.  I'm 100% sure Barbara and Rock didn't happen, as we have more info than those living in the 1950s would have.  I've always thought Jeffrey Hunter was a strikingly handsome man - almost too beautiful to be true.  Tragically he died from a cerebral hemorrhage from injuries received on the set at the young age of 42.  

Jeffrey Hunter and Debra Paget in Fourteen Hours

Sheila in the Sun

Sheila Ryan

Sheila Ryan (June 8, 1921 – November 4, 1975) - Born Katherine Elizabeth McLaughlin in Topeka, Kansas, Ms. Ryan was a 20th Century Fox player.  Although appearing in a couple Laurel and Hardy films, she is best known for her B Western work.  She was married 3 times, most notably to western side-kick and Green Acres's "Mr. Haney" Pat Buttram.  They were married from December 26, 1952 until Sheila's death from lung cancer.  Sheila virtually retired from acting when she married Buttram.  They had one child together, Kerry.

Constance Snags Herself Another Beau

Joel McCrea and Constance Bennett

"Constance Bennett now sports two beaus, Joel McCrea is the new addition.  He is reported to be cutting in on the Marquis de la Falaise de la Coudraye.  He is tall, robust, and handsome chap who has been in movies since the early single days.

Joel McCrea and Constance Bennett

He doesn't have exclusive rights to Constance, however.  The Marquis and he both sometimes lunch with her.

Henry de La Falaise and Constance Bennett

McCrea has played in two of her pictures - Born to Love and Common Law."




[Source: Picture Play; July 1931]

The Marquis and Constance on Their Wedding Day; 1931

Bennett and McCrea would eventually star in a total of 4 films together.  And the Marquis really had nothing to worry about for he and Constance would marry later that year, a mere days after divorcing his wife, the formidable Gloria Swanson.  He and Bennett divorced in 1940.

Henry de La Falaise and Gloria Swanson

Fred MacMurray Channels Tony Curtis

Fred MacMurray

June and Fred

“I’ve had so many pictures taken with my wife (June Haver)  that I’m beginning to feel like Tony Curtis.”

[Source: Movieland; February 1955]

June and Fred

I find both Fred MacMurray and June Haver delightful.  They were married 37 years, from 1954 until MacMurray's death in 1991.  They adopted twin girls in 1956.  

Above Suspicion (1943)

June is not remembered as she should be and Fred seems to be remembered solely for My Three Sons.  Not that it wasn't a good show, but he was great in many other projects, most notably in Double Indemnity, a Film Noir classic.  My current MacMurray favorite is Above Suspicion (1943) which I saw recently on TCM.  My favorite June Haver film is her last film appearance, The Girl Next Door (1953).

Dewey Looks for Greener Pastures

Dewey Martin

Dewey Martin

Is expected to file for divorce soon, and that’s a pity.  He and his wife went through some mighty lean years together.  Now that his career is clicking, his marriage seems to be doing just exactly the opposite.  The price of fame can be high.

[Source: Movieland; February 1955]

Dewey Martin and Peggy Lee

I assume Movieland is referring to his first wife Margaret Ann Havelhurst.  I cannot find any marriage dates for the two.  Martin was also married to singer Peggy Lee from 1956-1958.  

Jane Gets Stopped on her Way to Her Wedding

Jane Powell

Pat Nerney and Jane Powell

And Pat Nerney, after waiting all this while, got stopped by a cop for speeding on the way to their wedding in Ojai.  Pat explained the situation.  The cop wished them lots of luck and handed them a ticket anyhow. Jane had an interchangeable wardrobe made for her European honeymoon; so she could get all her fine feathers in two suit cases, an overnight bag, and a hat box.

[Source: Movieland; February 1955]

Pat Nerney and Jane Powell

Jane Powell and Pat Nerney were married from November 8, 1954 until 1963.  

Pat Nerney and Jane Powell

Jane has been married 5 times, currently to former child star Dickie Moore.  I find Jane's films simply delightful and it is too bad that classic movie musicals went out of style and we have been deprived of this wonderful star on screen.

Will Joe and Marilyn Ever Reunite?

Marilyn Monroe

Marilyn 1954

And Joe DiMaggio who supplied the biggest screen divorce story of the year, may also come up with the largest reconciliation.  At this writing, Marilyn still has her divorce on file, but Joe, with time for reflection, seems to think he acted too hastily in walking out on his blonde bride.  And he was the one who did the walking, of that you can be sure even though Marilyn hastily applied for the divorce.  Joe was blazingly angry at something about which he wouldn’t talk.  The rumor mill has been working overtime to try to come up with an answer.  But Joe took the first active step toward a reconciliation when he visited Marilyn while she was hospitalized for minor surgery.  It was the concern that a man shows for his wife and not a divorced mate.  If they reconcile, and we believe they will, both Marilyn and Joe will have to learn a little more of the old game of give and take which has saved many marriages.  Certainly Marilyn has no intention of chucking over her career and Joe will have to accept that fact – just as Marilyn will have to accept the fact that a marriage brings responsibility to the home.  The highly publicized separation could be the best thing that ever happened to that marriage.  We believe the reconciliation will be as sudden as the divorce.  Marilyn needs a long rest, which a second honeymoon could provide – rather than the publicity field day occasioned by their first.

[Source: Movieland; February 1955]

Marilyn and Her Attorney Announcing the Divorce

We all know the story of Marilyn and Joe.  If not, there are plenty of sources which speak of the topic.  I wish they could have made things work.  They seemed to have a lifelong love, or at least lifelong respect for one another.  Joe certainly never married again and Marilyn is known to turn to Joe when life was roughest.

Marilyn 1954

There were rumors of the two reuniting in February 1961, but though Joe nursed Marilyn through this tough moment in her life, the two never remarried.  Maybe they found each other again in that great baseball diamond in the sky.

Joe and Marilyn - in Happier Times

Ursula Thiess's First Film

Ursula Thiess

Actress Ursula Thiess, telling columnist Earl Wilson about her forthcoming film in which she swims nube:  "It was my first picture and I did what they told me."




[Source:  Quick Magazine; January 5, 1953]

Ursula Thiess

Ursula Thiess (May 15, 1924 - June 19, 2010)  born in Hamburg, Germany.  RKO brought her to America for a test in 1952 and she was voted most promising newcomer by Modern Screen (along with Marilyn Monroe).  While starring in a mere 5 films, she is probably best known for her marriage to Robert Taylor.  They met on a studio-arranged blind date.  They fell in love and were married May 24, 1954 until Taylor's death on June 8, 1969.  She had 2 children with Taylor.  Ursula basically retired from the screen after she married Taylor and concentrated on her family.  Her last screen appearance was in 1972.

Robert Taylor and Ursula Thiess

Anita Loos Remains a Brunette

Anita Loos, author of Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, when asked why she remained a brunette:  "Personally, I don't prefer gentlemen."




[Source:  Point;  August 1954]

Anita Loos and Jean Harlow

Anita Loos was the author or contributor to some of my favorite films such as Red-Headed Woman, Another Thin Man, The Women, Susan and God, and When Ladies Meet.  

John Emerson and Anita Loos

Loos had two troublesome marriage:  First, to Frank Palma, Jr (from 1915-1919); and secondly to actor, writer, director John Emerson (married from 1919 to his death in 1956).  Emerson and Loos never officially divorced, but their marriage consisted of economic strife and Emerson's mental illness.  

Frances Walks Out On Van

Frances Heflin
After stalking out on Van in a huff from a Hollywood restaurant, explained: “I was just being a red head.”

(Source: Movieland; February 1955)

Van Heflin and Frances Neal, an RKO contract player, were married from 1942 - 1967. They had two daughters and one son.

I'm a redhead myself, and I wish redheads weren't known for having a fiery temper. I wonder if it was bad food or something Van said. It must have been an intense argument if it caused her to leave dinner.

Sterling Hayden is a bachelor . . . again

Sterling Hayden, his wife Betty Ann de Noon, and daughter Gretchen Bell in happier times (November 31, 1950)



Sterling Hayden
Has his divorce out and will soon be on the eligible bachelor list again. Since he’s probably made more pictures than any other male star the past two years, he’ll also be taking a vacation from the studios – as well as marriage – until he gets a rest.

(Source: Movieland; 1955)






Apparently "The Most Beautiful Man in the Movies" (as Paramount billed him) would not be a bachelor for long. This Movieland tidbit must have been written between marriages to Betty Ann. Sterling Hayden and Betty Ann de Noon seemed to have a love hate relationship. They were married and divorced three times: from 1947-1953, 1954-1955, and 1956-1958. They had 4 children together: Christian, Dana, Gretchen, and Matthew. Sterling Hayden was also married to actress Madeleine Carroll (from 1942-1946) and Catherine Devine McConnell (from 1960-1986; they had 2 children). Sterling appeared in some pretty great pictures like The Godfather, but my favorite Sterling performances were in Dr. Strangelove and The Asphalt Jungle.