Posts Tagged with Happy Birthday

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HAPPY BIRTHDAY WALLY COX

Remembering actor and comedian Wally Cox on his birthday. He was born on December 6, 1924, in Detroit, and was childhood friends with Marlon Brando, who he met after his family moved to Illinois. Wally was cast as the nerdy shoe salesman Marilyn, as Ellen, tries to pass off as her island companion in Something’s Got to Give. Wally and Marilyn left the set together on her last day of work, which was also her birthday, June 1, 1962. Although Wally was typically cast as meek or mild mannered characters, in real life he was athletic, a master metalworker and a military veteran.

L-R Dean Martin, Wally Cox and Marilyn Monroe on the set of “Something’s Got To Give.”
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HAPPY BIRTHDAY JOE DIMAGGIO

“Marilyn Remembered” is wishing a very happy birthday to legendary baseball player and of course, Marilyn’s second husband Joe DiMaggio, on what would have been his 104th birthday.

Taken from the Official Joe DiMaggio site:

The most publicized relationship for Joe began in 1952—a year after he had retired from the Yankees. A friend arranged a dinner date for Joe with up and coming actress Marilyn Monroe. They were at different places in their lives—Joe, retired, ready to settle down, and Marilyn, on her way to stardom, yet they commenced perhaps the greatest American love story with an 18-month courtship and then marriage on January 14, 1954 at San Francisco’s City Hall. The media called the union of Joe and Marilyn “The Marriage of the Century,” and their relationship captivated the nation.

After the wedding, Marilyn joined Joe in his home near San Francisco’s Wharf where they were often seen walking along the pier or fishing off of Joe’s boat, the “Yankee Clipper.” Like many great love stories, the stars’ relationship had many complexities—loving yet tumultuous. Their differences in personalities led to disharmony in the relationship, and Joe and Marilyn divorced less than a year after their wedding day.

The divorce did not mean an end to their story. Biographers have often noted that during difficult times in Marilyn’s life, even after she remarried, she would turn to Joe, because he was devoted, loving and dependable. There was speculation that the couple was reconciling prior to her death on August 5, 1962.

Joe proved his honorable character and his great love for Marilyn when he claimed her body after her death, took over the funeral arrangements, and had a dozen red roses delivered three times a week to her crypt for twenty years.

Joe’s marriage to Marilyn was his last and left an indelible mark on his life and American history.


Joe himself passed away on March 8th 1999, eerily enough March 8th was the anniversary of Marilyn and Joe’s first date at the Villa Nova Restaurant in Hollywood.  To read more about that night, head here:THE VILLA NOVA

He is remembered fondly in the Marilyn community for always remaining dignified in his silence over his relationship with Marilyn, never once selling out despite enormous amounts of money to do so.

Happy Birthday Joltin’ Joe.

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HAPPY BIRTHDAY MONTGOMERY CLIFT

Today we are wishing American actor Montgomery Clift many happy returns on what would have been his 98th birthday.

Edward Montgomery “Monty” Clift  October 17, 1920 – July 23, 1966) was an American actor. His New York Times obituary noted his portrayal of “moody, sensitive young men”. He is best remembered for roles in Red River (1948), The Heiress (1949), A Place In The Sun (1951), Alfred Hitchcock’s I Confess (1953), From Here To Eternity (1953), The Young Lions (1958), and The Misfits (1961). He received four Academy Award nominations during his career: three for Best Actor and one for Best Supporting Actor.

Along with Marlon Brando and James Dean Clift was one of the original method actors in Hollywood; he was one of the first actors to be invited to study in the Actors Studio with Lee Strasberg and Elia Kazan  He also executed a rare move by not signing a contract after arriving in Hollywood, only doing so after his first two films were a success. This was described as “a power differential that would go on to structure the star-studio relationship for the next 40 years”

Clift and Monroe worked together on the set of the 1961 John Huston production of “The Misfits” co starring Marilyn’s childhood hero Clark Gable and Eli Wallach.  It was written by Marilyn’s then husband Arthur Miller who dedicated the film to his wife as a valentine and wrote the character of Roslyn especially for her.  There are many similarities between Monroe and the character she played and a lot of her lines were things that Arthur had heard her say in person during their time together.


Clift described Marlyn as “the only person I know who’s in worse shape than I am” – was also accorded the Arthur Miller truth-in-script treatment: A chronic alcoholic who’s emotional instability stemmed in part from a love-hate relationship with his mother, Clift had his handsome face virtually reconstructed after a horrific 1957 car accident.  Now here he was, portraying alcoholic rodeo rider Perce Howland, who in his opening scene tells his mother on the phone, “My face is fine.  It’s all healed up.  It’s just as good as new.  You would too recognise me.”

Like Marilyn, Monty Clift had attended the Actor’s studio in New York, as had Eli Wallach, and their varied Method acting techniques flew in the face of the more conventional old-school approach employed by Clark Gable.  Nevertheless, according to Wallach, this was not among the sources of tension on the set.

“The first time he and I had a scene was in a truck, and I keep staring at him and he kept staring at me,”  Wallach recalled more than three decades later.  “Finally, Huston said. “What’s the matter with you two?  You’re like the boa constrictor and the rabbit: you keep staring at one another.  For Chrissakes, just say your lines!”  And both of us smiled because I was wary of the King Of Movies and he was wary of this man from New York with this mysterious method.”


Sources: Wikipedia and “Blonde Heat: The Sizzling Screen Career of Marilyn Monroe.”

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HAPPY BIRTHDAY ANNE BANCROFT

Today we are wishing the immensely talented Anne Bancroft many happy returns on what would have been her 86th birthday.

Bancroft was an actress, director, screenwriter and singer.  Respected for her acting prowess and versatility, Bancroft was acknowledged for her work in film, theatre and television. She won one Academy Award, three BAFTA awards, two Golden Globes, two Tony Awards, two Emmy Awards and several other awards and nominations.

Starting her career in television, she had her big break into movies at the tender age of 19, when she landed the role of Lyn Lesley, alongside Marilyn Monroe and Richard Widmark in the 1952 suspense drama: “Don’t Bother To Knock.”

Recalling her time on the set, Bancroft once remembered: “It was a remarkable experience. Because it was one of those very few times in all my experiences in Hollywood when I felt that give and take that can only happen when you are working with good actors. There was just this scene of one woman seeing another woman who was helpless and in pain, and [Marilyn] was helpless and in pain. It was so real, I responded. I really reacted to her. She moved me so that tears came into my eyes.”

Happy Birthday to a remarkable and talented lady, always missed.