The Silver Screen Oasis

Thank you for the acknowledgment of Barbara Loden. WANDA is one of my favorite films and, from what I've read, painfully autobiographical. Another reason I have ambivalent feelings about Elia Kazan.

So odd to see Faye Emerson with her hair down. My youthful memories of her hair, when she was a TV presenter and glamour celebrity guest in the 1950s, are of a very severe swept back 'do with the hair in a big bun at the nape. When I think of her, I think of someone calling everyone "Darling." Most of the 1950s glamour girls of daytime TV called everyone "Darling," so they didn't have to remember their names.

Moraldo, you have met Ms Deneuve? Due to your description I don't know whether to say lucky you.

When I made my first forays into French movies I would get a little confused between Deneuve and Bardot, my husband who has no interest in film could. 'You wouldn't get them mixed up if you were a man' he'd say . I very quickly grew to know the difference, I like everything I've seen Deneuve in but not Bardot.

ChiO, I enjoyed Miss Loden's performance as the rebellious sister of Warren Beatty in Kazan's "Splendor in the Grass". She was indeed a promising actress. It was too bad that Burt Lancaster replaced her with Janice Rule in "The Swimmer" since she overshadowed him in their scenes together. Shame on him.

Judith, I recall those days of the golden age of television when lovely Faye Emerson wore that bun. She certainly was a striking woman.

Moraldo Rubini wrote:I'm sorry to say that I've seen another side of La Deneuve, and while I can appreciate her beauty, I'd rather not be at the same dinner table with her.

Marco, when Deneuve came to Santiago some years ago she was interviewed by a very well known TV host, who said his experience with her was one the most difficult in his career, in terms of her not being very helpful and nice. Apparently she had a certain air of superiority mixed with contempt. Maybe she hasn't patience with humanity

Bette Davis as Regina Giddens in a color shot from "The Little Foxes"

Joe, This color shot looks like a painting! It is gorgeous!

Thanks, Fernando. I'm glad that you are impressed with the image.

Dean Martin impressed with Pier Angeli's engagement ring

'Scooza me, but I guess more than the moon hit Dino's eye that night!

JULY 9th. BIRTHDAYS


SUSAN CABOT (1927 - 1986)


VINCE EDWARDS (1928 - 1996)


KAY ALDRIDGE (1917 - 1995)


EDDIE DEAN (1907 - 1999)

Joe, any idea which engagement this was? According to our Old Reliable Source, Wikipedia:

According to Kirk Douglas' autobiography, he and Angeli were engaged in the 1950s after meeting on the set of the 1953 film The Story of Three Loves.[1] For a short time, Angeli also had a close relationship with James Dean, however, under pressure from her domineering mother, she broke off the relationship and went on to marry singer/actor Vic Damone (1954–1959).[2] Her marriage to Damone ended in divorce, followed by highly publicized court battles for the custody of their one son. Her second marriage was to Italian composer Armando Trovaioli (1962–1969), with whom she had another son. This marriage also ended in divorce.

Poor Pier died at 39 from a barbiturate overdose; intentional or not was never established. I wonder what became of her Damone son's claims that Vic had her rubbed out by the Mafia. It was said around Brooklyn at the time of their divorce that if Damone saw Angeli coming, he'd cross the street to avoid even looking at her. She was, as they say, "fragile." A sad life for such a bella ragazza.

Wow Judith,

In all my years in LA, I never heard that one!!!! - - Vic Damone contracting to have Pier Angeli 'rubbed out' by the Mafia......
Vic Damone has always come across as a "polite young gentleman" (my governess, Laura's words) and has not really had any controversy associated with him. But, then again, often it's those quiet ones who are the real bastards in life - - "Still waters often run deep!!"..

Also, I never heard of her being engaged to Kirk Douglas. Wasn't he hitched up to Anne by then??? Pier was associated with James Dean; but then, so were Natalie Wood, Ursula Andress and Julie Harris... I've heard that Mama Angeli objected to him because he stunk, literally (the man never bathed)....
All of this is just rumours, of course, since I never knew any of them.....

Larry

Judith, there was no caption under the image indicating whom Pier Angeli was engaged to at that time.

Perry Damone, in his 50s, works as a radio DJ and owns an entertainers representation in Phoenix, Arizona and also produces shows in Las Vegas.

Larry, I had read that Pier's mother was against the union because of Dean's behavior, and helped arrange Pier's marriage to Vic Damone.

This is reported to be a quote from Pier Angeli:

[about her relationship with actor James Dean] He wanted me to love him unconditionally, but Jimmy was not able to love someone else in return . . . it was the troubled boy that wanted to be loved very badly. I loved Jimmy as I have loved no one else in my life, but I could not give him the enormous amount that he needed. Loving Jimmy was something that could empty a person.



How true any of this is, is anyone's guess.