Actresses of a Certain Character: Forty Familiar Hollywood Faces from the Thirties to the FiftiesMcFarland, 2007 - 248 sidor Ma Joad in The Grapes of Wrath, Mammy in Gone with the Wind, Auntie Em in The Wizard of Oz --all were unforgettable characters who played an integral part in some of Hollywood's most memorable productions. For over three decades, from the 1930s to the 1950s, character actresses who brought such roles to life were one of Hollywood's great but little acknowledged assets. Often lured from Broadway yet billed fifth or sixth (if at all), these talented ladies received little acclaim for their roles in film industry productions. Still, what they lacked in promotion and perhaps adulation they made up for in longevity. While a screen star's career was generally limited by age and physical appearance, character actresses often worked well into their seventies, eighties or even nineties. Signed to contracts by major studios just like the stars they supported on screen, character actresses made hundreds of films over their careers. From the early days of sound film through the end of the studio era, this volume documents in detail the lives and careers of two score of Hollywood's most talented character actresses. It presents information regarding birth, death, film credits and prizes and analyzes each player's unique talents, signature roles and overall career development. Forty individual profiles are provided from a representative range of backgrounds, character types and career experiences. These include actresses such as Marjorie Main, Agnes Moorehead, Thelma Ritter, Fay Bainter, Beulah Bondi, Lucile Watson, Sara Allgood, Lee Patrick and Jessie Ralph, among others. A fascinating tour through Hollywood's big studio era and the lives of its characters. |
Innehåll
The Actresses | 9 |
That Morgan Woman Earth Mother | 76 |
Mother of the Year The Star That Wasnt | 84 |
Not So Nice to Come Home To Mother | 95 |
Glamour and LAmour Butterflies Are Free | 106 |
The Gay Divorcee Lavender Lady | 117 |
The Proessional Tweetybird Blithe Spirit | 128 |
Doyenne of Dowagers A Real Nutter | 137 |
The Eternal Aunt Star for a Day Grandmother for a Decade | 184 |
Duchesses and Domestics Cat Woman | 196 |
Mother Courage Grand Dame | 202 |
The Forgotten Woman A Real Dame | 208 |
Notes | 217 |
Bibliography | 231 |
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Actresses of a Certain Character: Forty Familiar Hollywood Faces from the ... Axel Nissen Ingen förhandsgranskning - 2011 |
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acting actor Alice American appearance Aunt Barrymore Beavers Bette Davis Boland Bondi born Brady Broadway Burke called career Carole Lombard cast character actress Charles classic comedy Cooper Crews Dame Darwell daughter David Davis death debut decade died director drama early face film film career final first forty four George give Gladys Hattie Hollywood House husband James Jane Joan John Lady Lanchester Landis later leading Leonard less lived London look maid Main major married Mary McDaniel Miss Moorehead mother never nominated Oliver original Oscar Paramount Parish performance Pictures played production remembered Ritter Robson role scene screen Skipworth stage star started story studio success supporting talents Theatre turned Twentieth Universal W.C. Fields Warner Bros Watson wife woman women York young