Re: Welcome to Martha Crawford Cantarini
Posted: October 7th, 2013, 9:13 am
That idiot. Shame on him.
https://www.silverscreenoasis.com/oasis3/
https://www.silverscreenoasis.com/oasis3/viewtopic.php?t=6371
If you listed all the most delightful things you could say about someone and rolled them into one it would, maybe, describe Clark Gable. What a sweetheart. Not even films could destroy that inner beauty he had.
Will died soon after we moved to California. I believe that my father knew him from his earlier days in California. However, my father captained the first polo team to win the Will Rogers Memorial Polo Tournament which was played at the Uplifters Club in Santa Monica Canyon. I will have to look up the picture. I know Mrs. Rogers presented the trophy and the tournament is still played today although on Rogers home field. I was at the ranch many times and funny but there was a strong presence of him still being there. There was one really nice polo field, stables with his beloved horse Soapsuds buried in the front, a riding ring, cage with wooden horse where he could practice his polo shots and of course the Rogers home. The ranch was later given to the State of California by his two sons and is now a National Park. The house is wonderful with lots of Indian Rugs, paintings and many things of western theme. I remember the bannister on the staircase had beautiful Navajo Rugs draped over it. You must go there if you are ever in the area. The picture of me as a child presenting the polo trophies to a winning team with Spencer Tracy in my book was taken at a game on the Rogers Ranch Field.MissGoddess wrote:Martha---I have been busy with a move so was unable to join in the marvelous discussion this week-end, however I do want to jump in with many, many thanks to you for being here, for sharing so generously of your memories of a time I wish I could have experienced. It sounds like you had the greatest job ever. I especially love your stories about the animals you worked with and I do hope you get your "Frosty" book published.
If you listed all the most delightful things you could say about someone and rolled them into one it would, maybe, describe Clark Gable. What a sweetheart. Not even films could destroy that inner beauty he had.
how lovely---he's one of my favorites. and I believe selling his buggy constitutes grounds for divorce in most states.
I have just a few questions if you have the time.
Perhaps the one figure from the "golden era" I most would like to have met was Will Rogers, who was a great polo enthusiast. You would have been just a babe when he passed but did your parents have any memories of him?
QUESTION about one of your non-horsey movies: I see you worked on THE MAN WITH THE GOLDEN ARM. I'm curious if you have any particular memories of Otto Preminger, Sinatra and Kim Novak (if they were around during any of the days you filmed)? Talk about a totally different milieu from westerns!
So Chuck Connors broke a horse's jaw? I hope he realized what an awful thing it was he did. And I would have HORSEWHIPPED Lancaster if I'd witnessed such a thing as he did. Grrrrr....
And one more question if you have the time: Did you run into either John Ford or John Wayne in those days? Anything you could share about either would be super.
I do hope you'll peek in here from time to time, you have corralled many admirers and fans already including myself!
Kindly,
april
All I know is what I personally saw with my own eyes. I was there. They sure didn't care on those days! Although I am sure their PR people would have said I was wrong.JackFavell wrote:I don't know if I will ever be able to watch one of them again with the same feelings, knowing that they didn't care about animals.
Same here.I don't know if I will ever be able to watch one of them again with the same feelings, knowing that they didn't care about animals.
rerun wrote: The ranch was later given to the State of California by his two sons and is now a National Park. The house is wonderful with lots of Indian Rugs, paintings and many things of western theme. I remember the bannister on the staircase had beautiful Navajo Rugs draped over it. You must go there if you are ever in the area. The picture of me as a child presenting the polo trophies to a winning team with Spencer Tracy in my book was taken at a game on the Rogers Ranch Field.
Re The Man With the Golden Arm . . . I really did not see anybody there on the set. In the story, and it may have been cut out, Eleanor Parker is supposed to threaten suicide. To do this she was going to jump from a three story building. I had to walk to the edge of the roof, gulp, and stand there looking down at the camera crew. It was a little spooky as I had to stand right on the edge. Yikes! I have not seen the whole picture and do not know if they left the scene in or not.
His presence was so powerful it was like a locomotive rolling in through the door. He apparently had been invited by a member at the time though I do not remember who it was. But, the club was usually filled with celebrities either sitting and chatting or standing at the bar. Polo in those days was a Hollywood meeting ground!
I can only imagine how petite Lana looked walking in next to him! I think they're cute together in their one picture, The Sea Chase.
Thank you, again, for chatting with us, it's a privilege.
P.S.Neither Chuck Connors nor Burt L seemed to give a proverbial damn about the horses or what happened to them. And, you know what? I think that comes through in their screen persona. At least it does to me.
That arm flopping is the mark of a poor horseman. If you ever watch the horses perform from the Spanish Riding School you will notice that you cannot ever see the riders move in any way no matter what they are asking their horse to do. Just imagine you are carrying someone or a child on your back. The first guy sat still as you were asked to run around. The second guy flopped his arms and legs around wildly. It is really simple to figure out. The more a rider knows the less he moves around. Not a silly question at all.JackFavell wrote:I trust your eyewitness account. You've been straight about everything else and have nothing to gain by it.
Martha, this is a silly question but when you are talking about 'chicken wings', is that sort of how Glenn Ford rides his horses in westerns? With his arms in the air? I've heard people say he was a good horseman, but I find it disconcerting to watch him sometimes, it looks so uncomfortable. Sorry to be so dim about horsemanship.
rerun wrote:Miss Goddess:
Re Lana Turner - I think she was the cutest human being I have ever seen. Perhaps another, like Linda Darnell, whose true magic was not captured by the camera.