George Raft

[charliechaplinfan]

Wasn't Raoul Walsh good buddies with Errol Flynn? I can certainly see him as the go between, telling the studio one thing whilst telling the star another. Isn't that an effective director?

I can't see Bogart in the Eddie Robinosn role in Manpower, not that he couldn't have pulled it off but from memory doesn't Marlene fall for Eddie because he's a decent guy only to fall for Raft because he's a decent guy who is good looking too? And he doesn't trust her, she has work to do to convince him. Without being disrespectful to Eddie he played these decent guy roles without the good looks roles he was so well suited for, Bogie was more attractive, not as much as Raft but enough to give the story a different twist. If Bogie had played it and there had have been fisticuffs, now that would have been a picture.

I'm in the middle of reading Nora Eddington's book on Errol Flynn, it's interesting and is a very personal memoir, not for anyone wanting to read bad about Flynn, even though he comes across as mostly a good guy, he was complicated. Nora was his secretary for a while and she uncovered a stash of bracelets for Errol's intends, all cheap bought as a job lot so he could give them out as reminders, occasionally she'd see them being worn. At least George was known for his generosity, I can't imgaine him with a job lot of similar, cheap bracelets.

[JackFavell]

Yes, they were good friends and hung out together.

[charliechaplinfan]

I thought so, what was the glue that held them together, were they similar types?

[Western Guy]

Hey Alison, regarding "Manpower", yes, Bogart taking the role that Robinson played would have been a major casting boner. The part required a fella who was good-hearted but quick to temper and homely. Robinson made that part his own. Bogart, to me, just would not have been convincing - especially when audiences likely still remembered their recent teaming as brothers in "They Drive by Night". Uh-uh . . .

Yet Bogart wanted the part badly and even wrote a note to Jack Warner expressing his disappointment over losing the role - as well as citing his unhappiness at Ida Lupino's rejecting him for the role that John Garfield was to play in "Out of the Fog".

[charliechaplinfan]

I don't know, was Bogie ever homely? Eddie played similar roles to the Manpower role, Tiger Shark is it's forerunner but Woman in the Window and Scarlet Street, if my memory serves me correctly are similar roles in which he gets the girl but he's not really the man they want. Bogie certainly got some brush offs on the way to the top.

I'm pondering watching Rogue Cop soon but I think I'm following George's line, I like him as the good guy, as at least a redeemable bad guy.

Did you see the television advert a few posts back, it's the first one that is George.Is that from Each Dawn I Die? My husband shall watch it with me when he's on the summe break. Last night he watched Marty with me but he's not really a classic movie guy, he will watch if the stories movie fast or the characters are engaging. So I've pegged a couple of George's best for viewing together, who knows he might like Rogue Cop.

[Western Guy]

IMO, "Rogue Cop" is Raft's best film of the 50s. He plays a thoroughly despicable treacherous gangster, Dan Beaumont (charming yet silkily threatening). Must warn you, Alison, there is nothing redeemable about his character - probably the most ruthless movie mobster he ever played, seconded by Spats Columbo.Great film and definitely one of my faves! I think your husband will enjoy it. Eager to get your feedback.

"Marty" is a simply wonderful film. And Borgnine is so terrific in it. One of those pictures that I confess brings a tear to my eye each time I see it 'cause Marty is such a sweet guy. As was Mr. Borgnine. Outside of the late Miss Merman, don't think you can find a soul who'd speak badly against Mr. B.

[charliechaplinfan]

What had Ethel Merman got against him? I love Marty, I'm going to review it later, both performances are stellar and how unflatterin for Betsy Blair is the role of Clara to be called a dog in scene after scene. At least she could remind herself she was Mrs Gene Kelly and a damn fine actress too.

I guess I'm not meant to like him in Rogue Cop then

I wonder if George's generosity was a result of relative poverty in childhood. The people from the humblest origins sometimes turn out to be life's biggest givers and spenders.

[feaito]

Wasn't Miss Merman married for one or two months to Mr.Borgnine? Sour grapes?

[Western Guy]

Well, give "Rogue Cop" a watch and let me know. I think it's a dandy.

I'd say you're right Alison about George's generosity stemming from his early poverty. He probably felt a tad guilty about his sudden "rags to riches" ascent (not to mention fame), and still maintaining a sort of naive street kid sensibility he assuaged his conscience by sharing his wealth. And share it he did. Probably next to Sinatra G.R. was Hollywood's biggest tipper.

Fernando, I think Ernie's marriage to Merman lasted only about a month. The story that Ernie tells in his book is that Merman was quite rankled that Ernie was receiving more attention than she and couldn't accept it. She musta had one hell of an ego.

[Rita Hayworth]

Wasn't Miss Merman married for one or two months to Mr.Borgnine? Sour grapes?

They were married for 38 days ... I think it was a big mistake on both of their part ...

[feaito]

Thanks for your feedback Stone and Kingme. I wonder why they got married...

[charliechaplinfan]

I saw Race Street this morning Stone, I didn't like the end but the story was very good and it had William Bendix, a supporting actor I really like and don't they make quite a partnership. My copy was very dark, the action wasn't that easy to make out, it would have been far easier to follow had it been lightened a bit. It was recorded off TCM and could do with some tender loving care to restore it. I enjoyed it though.

His generosity was legendary, it was towards individuals rather than charities, I'm not saying he didn't gvie to charities but he was a soft touch. Did George share an urge to learn like Chaplin and Cary Grant, two others who had known poverty but were keen to make up for the lack of education? There's no doubt he gained a polish, especially after he went out wih Virginia Pine. I'm thinking about Chaplin learing 5 new words every day and Grant's continuing search for both education and the meaning of life. He gained more than a polish, he was popular at dinner parties and the man Dolores Fuller talks about had come a long way. Perhaps the question should be how did he learn, off others, did he read to gain knowledge? (I can't buy what some say that he was illiterate, at least not all his life) He had street smarts is that what took him so far?

I'll get to Rogue Cop

[Western Guy]

I really believe that a lot of what has been reported about George being illiterate is exaggerated. He certainly was no scholar (and he'd admit it), but I can't accept, for example, the story that after he became a star in Hollywood he took night class courses to learn how to sign autographs with "Sincerely, George Raft". Total nonsense. Did that mean he could not even spell his own name at 30+ years?? Highly doubt it.

Yes, he was sensitive about his lack of education. Coleen Gray told me that when she worked with George in "Lucky Nick Cain", at first she found him terribly shy (which apparently he was). Then she discovered that he was really more self-conscious because he found out Coleen was a college grad. But they did hit it off and George later gave her the trench coat he wore in the picture. She sent me a cute photo of her dressed in it.

I do accept that he was probably a rather crude individual when he first arrived in Tinseltown - still rough around the edges, and definitely through Virginia's tutelage did George begin to adopt some polish.

"Race Street" is another pretty good Raft film. Yeah, the ending sucks and George is quite the patsy, but Bendix is always terrific and Harry Morgan is always watchable. Was surprised in a way to discover how fond Harry was of George and how much he enjoyed working with him in both "Race Street" and "Red Light". He told me he liked George enormously and would have done ten more pictures with him if he could. Quite a compliment!

[charliechaplinfan]

The one thing that makes me doubt that he was illiterate is the live radio broadcasts he did, it's not something an illiterate man could do. Plus a profession like acting is soon going to show it up. George seemed to be the butt of a lot of people's jokes, like the cigar store Indian one and the sincerely George Raft, I know most star are but usually it's fun, I'm not sure these are, especially not about his literacy. I can buy the fact that he perhaps didn't learn to read and write fully in his childhood but I've no doubt he could.

Shy people are often good around kids, they're far more accepting of shortcomings. It's really touching that he was so shy, so successful and liked by nearly one and all. I expected him to be partly another Wallace Beery when first I read about him, so far from the truth. I find the lives of people who came up from the street and made good far more satisfying than those who had a good start.

I like Race Street, the print needs a clean up. I've said it before and no doubt I'll say it again, I can't believe how young he looks for his age. 53 here and could pass for much younger.

It struck me when thinking about Some Like It Hot that Spats and his gang might just be the gentlest men in Hollywood. There's so much irony in the casting.

[Western Guy]

A lot of people had that misconception about George. That he was illiterate and would sock a guy in the mouth just for looking at him the wrong way. Yes, he was tough and even Cagney called George "the only really tough man (he) knew in Hollywood". But George was also extremely kind, generous and sentimental. He was touchy about certain things which was why he took a poke at Robinson during the filming of "Manpower". Despite his association with gangster films, Robinson was the antithesis of George, and Raft recognized this and found (or thought) Eddie to be somewhat condescending towards him. Sensitivity, I reckon, can be a two-sided coin.

Think I mentioned that I'd badgered the A&E television program "Biography" for the longest time to do an episode on George. Of all the movie tough guys his life IMO was by far the most interesting. But no go.

Have you seen "The George Raft Story" with Ray Danton as George? It's available through the Warner Archives. Not a bad flick, but doesn't really portray George in the most favorable light. And Danton is waaayyy to tall to be convincing as George. "Broadway", though fiction, is surprisingly a more accurate bio of George's life - and George plays himself, as does Mack Gray.

I hope you're just referring to the actors playing the mobsters in "Some Like it Hot". As I said, as far as gangster roles go, I find Spats Columbo to be extremely vicious, second only to Dan Beaumont as Raft's most ruthless gangster portrayal. As I say in my book, both were parts I'm certain George would have turned down back in his starring days. Neither had a s ingle redeeming quality. See for yourself Alison when you watch "Rogue Cop".