For Brod Crawford on the Centennial of his birth

[Western Guy]

Look how many great comedians were really unhappy people. "Laugh, clown, laugh" . . .

Speaking from what I suppose is my artistic strong point: writing, so many great scribes have suffered from mental or emotional disorders, substance abuse, etc. And apparently in many cases, even achieving success does not guarantee a personal contentment. Heck, after achieving superstar and millionaire status Stephen King admitted he was still addicted to his vices and confessed to drinking various mouthwashes, preferring Scope. Heck, that always blew me away. With his dough he could at least buy a better quality of beer. Seriously, this always struck me as somewhat odd, although I can sort of understand this given King's difficult upbringing and later struggles to achieve success while trying to juggle family obligations and living in a trailer.

As to the actor, if I may momentarily namedrop, Robert Stack told me that one of the most enjoyable people he ever worked with was Robert Newton (THE HIGH AND THE MIGHTY). Apparently Newton was what could be called a good drunk, meaning not mean-spirited but happy-go-lucky, but Robert still said he seemed to possess a self-destructive streak that did, eventually, do him in at a youthful age.

On the other hand you had the James Cagneys, Jimmy Stewarts, Eddie Robinsons, Lloyd Nolans, George Rafts. Cagney himself once commented that there were too many delicate egos and neuroses at work in Hollywood. He said the best medicine for these troubled types was to stop taking themselves so seriously and get their butts out onto the land and get to work with some good, solid manual labor. And I think that gent had a point.

[RedRiver]

I don't think we'll ever get to the bottom of this quandary. My guess is, creative people think a lot. How does this work? What makes you tick? What if we look at it another way? That could drive anybody to drink!

[Western Guy]

The curse of introspection.

[ChiO]

And then on the other hand....

Doesn't everyone have a vice, a problem, an issue? If one is chronically unemployed and a heavy drinker, then one is a drunk and a bum. If one is an artist and a heavy drinker, then one is battling demons (and, unfortunately, the "troubled" artist is often romanticized).

One vice, two ways of labeling it depending on the general view toward the person.

[Western Guy]

Yes, true. I suppose because of the high visibility of the (successful) artist - actor, musician, writer - we are prone to hear of such problems more. Especially today in this age of tabloid television and whatnot. Of course back in the old days of Hollywood a lot could be covered up: Clark Gable's drunk driving mishap, Spencer Tracy being carted away in a straightjacket. Wallace Beery and the Ted Healy incident.

[JackFavell]

Lots of food for thought here.

There's something to be said for getting outside and working hard when you are depressed. Ive been a victim of the "black dog" and getting out really helps me put things into perspective. Not always, but sometimes. I think some stars worked so hard, they never had time between pictures to do anything.

I completely agree with Red, thinking is overrated. From what I know, actors (and writers) tend to be the types to see every side of an issue and are also very likely to dig too deep into their own and other people's motivations, which can make for a lot of mental discomfort.

[mongoII]

All I know is that I like watching Broderick Crawford act. I thought he was wonderful in "Born Yesterday", among many other films.
I recall as a youth watching "Highway Patrol" that my father called him 'blubberhead' while he himself was a 'numbskull'. Enough said.
By the way RedRiver, Crawford's birth date is December 9th.

[JackFavell]

Hey, What about Wallace Beery and Ted Healy?

[Rita Hayworth]

Ted Healy, I do not know much about him ... because he is a mystery to me. But, Wallace Berry and Broderick Crawford are very much alike in terms of acting style, presentation, and poise. The problem is that I know both of these fine actors ... but never been able to watch much of them in my lifetime. I think Berry is slightly better Actor than Crawford and my beef against Crawford is his voice. Being hard of hearing ... Berry is easier to understand than Crawford. That's all I have to say about the difference between Berry and Crawford. Both are fine actors and very underrated. They should be recognized more than they should. It is a shame they don't.

[JackFavell]

Beery and Crawford seem nothing alike to me...their styles are so different that it's like comparing apples and dogs. I know they played the same types occasionally, but I don't even think of them in the same universe.

[moira finnie]

Hey, What about Wallace Beery and Ted Healy?

Ted Healy's death is still rather murky and some believe that Wallace Beery might have been involved. Sadly, it's pretty clear that Healy was celebrating the birth of his own child when this happened. As always, it's best to take things with a grain of salt:

More here about Healy:
http://monsterkidclassichorrorforum.yuk ... HHQkJjA8fw

More here about Beery:
http://monsterkidclassichorrorforum.yuk ... HHQ-5jA8fw

[charliechaplinfan]

I'm always 5 steps behind everyone else, what's this about Spencer Tracy being carted off in a straight jacket? When was this?

[Western Guy]

Alison, as one Tracy biographer, Bill Davidson, tells it, Spencer had a tendency of taking off between picture assignments, hopping onto a train and going to New York, where he'd check into a hotel with a suitcase loaded with booze. For whatever reason, he'd then go into a bathtub (I think I may be able to guess the reason and it ain't too pleasant) and drink himself senseless from the contents of the suitcase. After a while he'd sober up. clean himself off and hop a train back to Hollywood. No problem. But apparently on one such trip (can't recall, may have been while he was actually filming a picture and needed on back in California) MGM went looking for him, tracked him down to whatever hotel where he was ensconced and a violent episode ensued. Tracy's older brother Carroll was summoned and, though usually the one person who could control Spence when he went wild, on this occasion was physically attacked by his brother and almost tossed out the hotel window. Spencer was so out of control that he finally had to be restrained in a straightjacket and taken to a hospital until he dried out.

Tracy was a scary drunk, which he realized and why he would spend long periods on the wagon. Another scary incident reported by Davidson happened on the set of THE MOUNTAIN when suddenly a drinking Tracy switched gears from amiable companion to violent aggressor and tossed a glass at a waiter while sitting in a bar with Robert Wagner. Wagner managed to intercept the glass, though severely gashing his hand in the process. To his credit, Wagner never spoke ill of Tracy about the incident. But clearly, as talented as Tracy was - and my admiration for the man extends to the point where I wear a Spencer Tracy wristwatch - he was clearly a trouble and difficult man. Even close friends Cagney and Bogart admitted as much.

Moira, the Beery-Healy thing has always been one of Hollywood`s most intriguing unsolved mysteries. Surprised it`s never been investigated further. Beery was certainly a bully. George Raft had a run-in with him during filming of THE BOWERY when Wally threw a punch at George during a fight scene which he deliberately did not pull, knocking Raft to a fare-thee-well, and Jackie Cooper finally came out in his autobiography admitting how much he disliked the man.

[moira finnie]

I'm always 5 steps behind everyone else, what's this about Spencer Tracy being carted off in a straight jacket? When was this?

Spencer Tracy was largely a binge drinker, though he sometimes tried to function with just a cocktail before dinner, much to the chagrin of those who loved him. Several times during his decades-long wrestling with alcoholism there were often hospital stays following his bouts with the bottle.

Some periods of hospitalization were worse than others, including one in 1934 following the mutual decision to part from Loretta Young, and again in the mid-forties when he was at the height of his Hollywood success and about to return to the stage for the last time. This continued until a few years before his death. James Curtis' detailed and moving Spencer Tracy: A Biography chronicles his worst and best moments with exhaustive care. Reading it was a revelation about the depth of his problems with drink, his insecurities, and the psychological cost of his dedication to his work.

Stone--I think we were posting simultaneously on this topic. The Fixers: Eddie Mannix, Howard Strickling and the MGM Publicity Machine by E.J. Fleming is one of the better books I've come across that touches on this and other scandals that were covered up by MGM. City of Nets: A Portrait of Hollywood in the 1940's by Otto Friedrich was also a very well-researched book on the whole period, not just the scandals. (I wish that Friedrich would do other books on each decade from the '20s-'50s).

[Western Guy]

Seems that either sober or binge drinking, Spencer could be trying. Cagney wrote that once you became a friend of Tracy`s you`d might as well be prepared for the phone to ring at all hours - including well after midnight. Of course Tracy suffered from insomnia so I suppose those post-midnight calls were in part a way for him to deal with his own restlessness. He apparently was never apologetic about disturbing the sleep of whomever it was he called and also would just go into conversation without any sort oif preamble. Cagney also reported that during the Boys`Club meetings Tracy was careful not to drink. Cagney surmised that was because Spencer was well aware of his unpredictable behavior and volatile nature when liquored up and was afraid of saying or doing something to offend his pals.

Interesting how Loretta Young referred more fondly to her romance with Tracy than any of her other amours, including her daughter`s papa Gable. Who`da thunk it.

Moira, mucho thanks for the leads on the two books. Must confess I`m not familiar with either and now must check èm out. Thios stuff fascinates me. Of course it does, otherwise what am I doing on SSO . . .