Showbiz History: Swanson, John & Yoko, and Freddie Krueger
Monday, November 9, 2020 at 9:20AM 6 random things that happened on this day, November 9th, in showbiz history...
1931 Diva movie star Gloria Swanson divorces aristocrat Henri de la Falaise and marries Michael Farmer on the same day! (She and Farmer had married three months prior only to realize her divorce hadn't been final... so they had to to it again by which time she was four months pregnant) She was 33 years old and it was her fourth (of six) marriages.
1939 "Garbo Laughs!" Ninotchka has its world premiere in NYC...
It will open in theaters in time for Thanksgiving. The classic Ernst Lubitsch comedy goes on to 4 Oscar nominations including Best Picture and Best Actress
1966 John Lennon meets Yoko Ono for the first time in London at an art exhibit. She didn't know who he was but their relationship would soon rock the world.
Cinematographer Freddie Young (Oscar-nominated) and Director David Lean filming a scene from "Ryan's Daughter"
1970 Ryan's Daughter, a romantic drama about a married Irish woman having an affair with a British officer has its world premiere in NYC. It will receive four Oscar nominations Sound, Cinematography, Supporting Actor (John Mills) and Actress (Sarah Miles)
1984 A Nightmare on Elm Street opens in limited release in movie theaters (with a wide release the following week) and launches a major horror franchise.
2007 Alicia Keys drops the album "As I Am" which included the mega hit "No One" which wins two Grammys at the following years ceremony Best Female R&B Vocal Performance and Best R&B Song
Today's Birthday Suit:
Happy 31st to Brit actor Billy Howle
He looked poise to break big a few years back with three large roles back-to-back The Sense of an Ending and two with Saoirse Ronan The Seagull and On Chesil Beach as follow up to ensemble work in big hit Dunkirk but major stardom didn't happen. He was last seen in a lead role in the British miniseries MotherFatherSon (pictured above) and in a bit part as Rey's father in Star Wars Episode IX: The Rise of Skywalker. But he's only 31 so there's still time to rise even though the movie star launch fizzled.
Other Actors celebrating birthdays today Analeigh Tipton (32), Nikki Blonsky (32), Scottie Thompson (39), Cory Hardrict (41), Ian Hallard (46), Ryô Kase (46), Eric Dane (48), Karoline Eichhorne (55), Karen Dotrice (65), and Charles Robinson (75).
Other showbiz people celebrating birthdays today Brand-Mogul Ryan Murphy (55), Director Fernando Meirelles (65), Former "Hulk" Lou Ferrigno (69), Director Bille August (72)
Gone but not forgotten: Oscar winner Marie Dressler (Min & Bill, Dinner at Eight) born on this day in 1868, Oscar nominee Edna May Oliver (Drums Along the Mohawk, David Copperfield) born on this day in 1883, Oscar nominee Ed Wynn (Mary Poppins, Alice in Wonderland, The Diary of Anne Frank) born on this day in 1886, Silent film actresses Mae Marsh (Birth of a Nation, Intolerance) and Mabel Normand both born on this day in 1894, Director Anthony Asquith (Pygmalion, The Browning Version) born on this day in 1902, "THINK PINK!" Kay Thompson (Funny Face) born on this day in 1909), Hedy Lamarr (Algiers) born on this day in 1914, Dorothy Dandridge born on this day in 1922, Oscar winning screenwriter Ronald Harwood (The Pianist, The Dresser) born on this day in 1934
Reader Comments (9)
It’s interesting that john Lennon and Yoko ono met for the first time at Ann art gallery and its also interesting that a nightmare on elm street premiered on this date in 1984. And Ryan’s daughter premiered on this date in 1970
Ryan's Daughter is severely underrated. Especially considering it was so hated that it practically ended David Lean's career and it took him almost 14 years to make another movie. The first time I saw it, I hated it, too. It was so overblown and moved at a glacial pace. But a re-viewing a few years ago was revelatory. What we see is the world as seen by Rosie (the main character) filtered through her sensibility saturated with the cheap romance novels she reads and lives through vicariously in her isolation in the middle of nowhere in Ireland.. I could go on, but I'll just mention Sarah Miles' magnificent performance (she should have won the Oscar). A movie that seriously begs for a reevaluation.
Think Pink is always rewatchable! In fact, Funny Face is always rewatchable.
What about an artist who is not overshadowed by the immense charisma of Audrey Hepburn and Fred Astaire?
Kay Thompson is many things: actress, musician, etc, etc, etc - and creator of the character Eloise, who has already appeared in film.
Please make a movie based on Gloria Swansons life and career!
Happy birthday to Hedy Lamar the beautiful undercover nerd. She was always the best looking and smartest person in the room.
Gloria Swanson and Hedy Lamarr were both exquisite, dark-haired, blue-eyed beauties. I loved Swanson in "Sunset Boulevard" and "Airport 1975", Lamarr in "Samson & Delilah." The stunning and mega-talented actress-singer Dorothy Dandridge was gone much soon, unhappily, but will live on as "Carmen Jones."
"Hedley!"
There's a novel that came out last year called The Only Woman in the Room that speculates Hedy Lamarr's journey from a young Austrian stage actress to Hollywood star and amateur inventor. She was either the center of attention or overlooked altogether. Not a true biography by any means, but an interesting introduction.
So far based on the films from David Lean that I've seen (there's a couple I haven't seen so far...) and Ryan's Daughter is my least favorite of his. It's got great visuals and incredible performances from Robert Mitchum and Sarah Miles but it's a mess. I hated Christopher Jones' performance in that film as he can't act for shit. Then there's John Mills as what was the point of him in the entire film? He basically went full-retard and really did nothing for the narrative as a whole.
Kay Thompson in Funny Face: Maggie Prescott.
Meryl Streep in The Devil Wears Prada: Miranda Priestly.
O_o