As we’ve repeatedly written, we love to get emails from our very discerning and knowledgeable readers regarding various blogs posted.
Here are some of the latest: This from Andy Bueno responding to our Feb. 14 JEAN PETERS Quiz:
I know some facts about Jean Peters.
You mention certain actresses in your site. Well, Jean was considered for the role of (‘Samson and) Dalilah.’ It went to Hedy Lamarr. Jennifer Jones was considered for the lead in ‘Captain From Castile,’ but Jean got it.
However, Jean was considered for the lead in ‘Portrait of Jennie,’ which Jones got. Lauren Bacall was cast in a few of the roles Jean refused (‘Millionaire,’ ‘Gift of Love,’ ‘Designing Woman’). So was Gene Tierney (‘Way of the Gaucho,’ ‘The Egyptian’). She also got to play a pirate in ‘Anne of the Indies,’ a role scheduled for Susan Hayward. But Susan got to play ‘Bathsheba,’ a role Jean really wanted.
Also, the one role she played that she didn’t like was the Indian squaw in ‘Apache.’ It’s said she disliked Burt Lancaster.
In his book, ‘I Loved Her in the Movies’, Bob Wagner says Jean was a good actress but was never great. He’s wrong! Jean was great in ‘Pick Up on South Street’ (director Sam Fuller chose Jean over Monroe, Gardner, Shelley Winters and Betty Grable and praised her performance in the film).
Funny, but Wagner never mentions Terry Moore in his book — though they made films together and dated. Why? Moore claimed she was once married to Howard Hughes, but offers no actual proof. She did marry Jean’s ex-husband, Stuart Cramer. Jean married Cramer in May 1954 and divorced him in December 1956 (so their marriage lasted more than 33 days — but Hughes’s public relations man made sure this wasn’t properly publicized — hence the confusion in these time lapses). Moore married him in 1959.
Wow. A lot to mull over. Thanks, Andy.
Regarding last weekend’s blog extolling Bing Crosby as a Superstar, regular reader Jeff Woodman writes:
The recording industry also owes Bing a huge debt of gratitude for his championing of, and financial investment in, (then) new recording technologies, such as audio tape, BASF in particular.
Bing recorded in stereo before most home listeners could reproduce recordings in two channels, because he realized it was the coming thing.
And he faced down huge industry opposition when he wanted to record his radio shows rather than doing them live (affording him more time on the golf course).
It was argued that the public wouldn’t have any interest in anything that wasn’t happening live, which meant doing the shows at least twice, for East and West coast time zones. (For years this disclaimer was thought necessary; “This program was transcribed earlier for broadcast at this more convenient time.”)
Thanks for turning the spotlight on Bing, gents — I’ve never understood why he’s has been forgotten to the extent that he has. (I once lost an iPod, and when contacting me, the woman who found it asked for some reassurance that she had indeed reached the rightful owner. I said, “It’s the only iPod in Manhattan that has more Bing Crosby on it than any other artist.” That convinced her.)
And I love this dialogue exchange from an episode of ‘All In The Family,’ in which Archie claims to have heard the voice of God, and is challenged by Mike as to how he knew it was God’s voice. Archie replies, “Because Buddy-boy, God has one o’ them voices that once you hear you NEVER forget.” Then, turning to Edith he adds, “Ya know, like Bing Crosby.” Couldn’t have said it better…
Howard Hughes had a lot of affairs both with women and men, but the “marriage” with Terry Moore was faked just to get her into bed. Years later she did get a sizable “settlement” or payoff if you like.
It seems like Terry Moore made a career out of her very brief, and wildly overblown relationship with Hughes.
Jean Peters strange marriage to Hughes was more legitimate, even getting an official divorce in 1971.
As for Howard, well he always was a complete enigma, and research decades later offers convincing evidence that his death in 1976 was faked. It is well known he used doubles from the 1950’s on. And seeing as he was the number one defense contractor with the US government and very tight with the CIA, faking death would’ve been very easy.
As for Jean Peter’s not liking Burt Lancaster on APACHE, she was not alone. With Burt as both star and producer, he didn’t make it pleasant for director Robert Aldrich either. Aldrich was just starting out as a movie director, having graduated from TV and having been an assistant director. Aldrich made VERA CRUZ with Lancaster the same year, so maybe they came to an understanding.