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Eve Arden's Career

Was she always cast as the snappy, snarky best friend?

by Anonymousreply 67February 20, 2019 4:16 PM

She and Lucy, early in their careers, called themselves the "drop gag girls." They would enter a scene, make a smart remark, and exit.

by Anonymousreply 1November 23, 2014 2:50 AM

R1

Pretty much. Even as Nurse Kelton on Bewitched Miss. Arden was quick with the snappy lines and witty remarks.

However if you catch Eve Arden's first big picture, Stage Door you'll notice the same fast talking/smart mouth/witty character that got EA noticed and was the blueprint for many future roles.

by Anonymousreply 2November 23, 2014 3:00 AM

I absolutely loved her and Kay Ballard in The Mothers-In-Law!

by Anonymousreply 3November 23, 2014 3:04 AM

If you can't be an athlete, be an athletic supporter.

by Anonymousreply 4November 23, 2014 4:03 AM

Hi Eve!

by Anonymousreply 5November 23, 2014 4:11 AM

Eve was one of the best. Like Thelma Ritter, no one could touch her when it came to smart comments and wisecracks,

by Anonymousreply 6November 23, 2014 4:26 AM

Was Thelma Ritter gay?

by Anonymousreply 7November 23, 2014 4:30 AM

She used to shit in Natalie Schafer's mouth.

by Anonymousreply 8November 23, 2014 4:32 AM

I understand she was a practicing Lesbyterian.

by Anonymousreply 9November 23, 2014 4:36 AM

Loved her in Mildred Pierce. I also loved her when she got huffy with Ethel on I Love Lucy.

by Anonymousreply 10November 23, 2014 4:39 AM

Something about her reminds me of my grandmother. I love her!

by Anonymousreply 11November 23, 2014 4:58 AM

Thelma's wasn't gay - married with kids.

by Anonymousreply 12November 23, 2014 6:31 AM

Was Arden much different in her sitcom (Our Miss Brooks, I think it was called)? She was the lead, which made a change from her "wiseacre friend" roles.

by Anonymousreply 13November 23, 2014 6:34 AM

Miss Brooks was pretty sharp herself. But she had a big romance (with Mr. Boylston), and that softened her image somewhat. Connie Brooks was vulnerable when it came to the subject of Mr. Boynton.

by Anonymousreply 14November 23, 2014 6:43 AM

I sat at her table at the Tonys Walforf after party. She was haughty but told some great stories about old Hollywood, including Edward Everett Horton's Sunday brunches. Noel Coward was at the table next to us. She said; "The only man in the world, who co could get away with a brown tuxedo." Streisand was there for a half hour and kept her back to everyone while waiting to leave. So many wonderful people, I'm sure would have loved to meet her.

by Anonymousreply 15November 23, 2014 6:49 AM

and a beautiful woman too in those 1940s movies.

She stole the scene with one liners!

Loved her in Mildred Pierce--right from her first scene, you can tell you are watching a real actress.

by Anonymousreply 16November 23, 2014 2:10 PM

WTF is Tonys Walforf??

Please elaborate r15?

by Anonymousreply 17November 23, 2014 2:51 PM

Could it possibly be a party at the Waldorf after the Tony awards ceremony...? I dunno. But even if every word was spelled incorrectly and the grammar was way off kilter I think that's the clearest conclusion. But that's just me.

by Anonymousreply 18November 23, 2014 3:11 PM

R18, please cut R15 some slack. He was pretty clearly drunk or otherwise disabled. His last sentence is fairly conclusive evidence.

by Anonymousreply 19November 23, 2014 3:31 PM

Why was she typecast?

Margaret Hamilton: I love the Wizard of Oz, which part would I play?

Agent: The witch, what else?

That's why.

by Anonymousreply 20November 23, 2014 6:36 PM

How did it come to pass that Eve Arden wasn't cast in "The Women"? Her snappy delivery of witty lines made the picture right up her street it would seem.

by Anonymousreply 21November 23, 2014 11:32 PM

In those days, studios generally only cast their pictures with performers under contract. I assume Miss Arden was not at MGM at the time.

by Anonymousreply 22November 24, 2014 1:19 AM

I loved her arched eyebrow action. She could convey a whole lot just raising that eyebrow.

Favorite one liner in Mildred Pierce comes courtesy of Eve and it is directed at that gorgeous bear, Jack Carson, as he eyes her up and down:

"Well, leave something on me. I might catch cold."

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by Anonymousreply 23November 24, 2014 1:26 AM

She was said to be one of the best Dollys among those who replaced Channing onstage. Would have loved to have seen her.

Could have been a great Mane, too. Or at least Vera.

by Anonymousreply 24November 24, 2014 1:32 AM

R22

Thanks, but what a shame. Eve Arden would have been a scream in "The Women".

by Anonymousreply 25November 24, 2014 1:43 AM

[quote]R24

I agree. I did see HELLO DOLLY with Betty Grable, Ginger Rogers & Pearl Bailey so had my fill.

by Anonymousreply 26November 24, 2014 1:43 AM

She starred on radio as "Our Miss Brooks" for several years with Jeff Chandler as Mr. Boynton.

by Anonymousreply 27November 24, 2014 1:45 AM

One of Eve's best lines is from ZIEGFELD GIRL:

"You know, I think I'll adopt a baby. A boy, about 21."

She mostly freelanced and was only signed by Warners in 1941 or thereabouts, who promptly lent her everywhere. I think the only studios she didn't work at was Monogram and PRC.

Like Ann Sothern, Eve was not that well-served with their respective TV shows. The writing of PRIVATE SECRETARY and OUR MISS BROOKS is really limp and disappointing.

It breaks my heart to report she was a big conservative Republican.

by Anonymousreply 28November 24, 2014 2:01 AM

I so agree, r28! As a little kid I loved endlessly watching morning reruns of her on our Miss Brooks, as well as Ann Sothern on Private Secretary, but I'm now shocked at how bad those shows really are.

Joan Davis and I Married Joan fare a bit better.

But only I Love Lucy really holds up.....and for me, also Love That Bob! and Burns and Allen.

by Anonymousreply 29November 24, 2014 4:26 AM

R15 here. It was late when I posted. You would think you would appreciate the story. This is why people don't bother telling their stories. Forgive me, I'm getting old. And it was at the Waldorf after the Tonys.

by Anonymousreply 30November 24, 2014 5:26 AM

Being a big conservative Republican back in her day was not the same thing as it is today.

by Anonymousreply 31November 24, 2014 10:05 AM

[quote] Could have been a great Mane, too. Or at least Vera.

The word is beard, darling. And what the fuck's a Vera?

by Anonymousreply 32November 24, 2014 10:41 AM

It's what your husband's gay friends call him behind your back, Deborra-Lee.

by Anonymousreply 33November 25, 2014 2:57 AM

True, r31.

But then, being a big progressive Democrat then is not the same as today either.

by Anonymousreply 34November 25, 2014 3:03 AM

I love that Judy Garland was always a Democrat, like her pal Betty Bacall.

by Anonymousreply 35November 25, 2014 4:12 AM

[quote]This is why people don't bother telling their stories.

I agree R30. There has been a huge invasion of jackasses at DL recently.

by Anonymousreply 36November 25, 2014 5:58 AM

Forgive me, r30, I'd love to hear your stories.

But the way you posted that anecdote at r15, I couldn't understand what or who you were talking about.

Were Eve, Noel Coward and Barbra Streisand really all at a Tonys party together? What year was that?

by Anonymousreply 37November 25, 2014 12:38 PM

The only one of those 50s comedies that really holds up is Burns and Allen. It's wonderfully written and well acted, but also, has that incredible surreal touch of having George watch the program on his tv as it unfolded. Bea Benederet was also amazing. Didn't hurt that Ronnie Burns was so handsome.

Allen was a comic genius. Burns was the best straight man ever (so to speak). The odd thing is, when they started, it was the opposite -- their first act had Burns being the comic and Allen being the mug. It didn't work well, so Burns suggested they switch roles.

Good suggestion, George.

by Anonymousreply 38November 25, 2014 12:48 PM

Played Dolly in one of the HELLO, DOLLY! Companies.

by Anonymousreply 39November 25, 2014 2:04 PM

Burns and Allen in Dolly! would have been magic. And both could dance like a dream.

by Anonymousreply 40November 25, 2014 7:39 PM

Saw "Anatomy of Murder" on television last night. Miss. Arden gave few good wisecracks but all and all the role was rather "straight" forward.

by Anonymousreply 41December 10, 2014 1:05 AM

Love that idea, R40! They're fab in "A Damsel in Distress" with Fred Astaire, keeping up with him step for step. Too bad there wasn't a chance for it to happen because of Gracie's death. George would still have been a great and different mellow Horace. Which Dolly might he have been good with?

by Anonymousreply 42December 10, 2014 1:35 AM

Never understood on what planet Harry Von Zell was supposed to be considered "attractive".

by Anonymousreply 43December 10, 2014 1:42 AM

Lucille Ball, Eve Arden and Ann Miller all have supporting roles in STAGE DOOR, giving support to Kate Hepburn, Ginger Rogers and Andrea Leeds

by Anonymousreply 44December 10, 2014 2:34 AM

Joan Fontaine, Paulette Goddard and Mary Boland all have supporting roles in THE WOMEN, giving support to Norma Shearer, Joan Crawford and Rosalind Russell.

by Anonymousreply 45December 10, 2014 3:22 AM

Would Norma Shearer have gotten the lead in "The Women" had she not been married to you know who?

One wonders what another actress would have done with the role of Mary Haines. Someone not so rooted in the theatre acting school of the 1920's. *LOL*

by Anonymousreply 46December 10, 2014 4:10 AM

Did Eve get along with Joan Crawford during the making of 'Mildred Pierce'?

Did Joan bone her?

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by Anonymousreply 47February 18, 2016 12:19 PM

I haven't seen it in MANY years, but I remember really enjoying her (and the movie) in The Dark at the Top of the Stairs.

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by Anonymousreply 48February 18, 2016 1:07 PM

I want to see dat movie, R48.

by Anonymousreply 49February 18, 2016 1:39 PM

R46 MGM chief LB Mayer had a to beg Shearer to do The Women, as she didn't want to play the role. By the way "You know who" (Irving Thalberg) had been dead for over 3 years by this time.

by Anonymousreply 50February 18, 2016 1:46 PM

Anyone who is interested in the inside story of MOOSE MURDERS, the infamous one-performance flop of 1983 that pretty much ended Eve Arden's career (she was fired in previews) should read Arthur Bicknell's book 'Moose Murdered: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love My Broadway Bomb".

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by Anonymousreply 51February 18, 2016 1:50 PM

Our Miss Brooks-The Magic Tree (1953)

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by Anonymousreply 52February 18, 2016 1:57 PM

[quote]on what planet Harry Von Zell was supposed to be considered "attractive".

I did

by Anonymousreply 53February 18, 2016 2:10 PM

[quote]The only one of those 50s comedies that really holds up is Burns and Allen.

Only if you have never heard the radio show. It's a pale and I mean pale comparison to the Burns and Allen radio show.

by Anonymousreply 54February 18, 2016 2:12 PM

I've been listening to Our Miss Brooks on the Archive (dot) com and she is absolutely AWFUL in it. She keeps missing her mark, flubbing her lines and laughing at her own jokes. The show is OK for a 50s comedy, but Gale Gordon is exactly, 100% the same as Mr Mooney, but I can tolerate this, but Eve was easily the worst radio actress I've ever heard.

by Anonymousreply 55February 18, 2016 2:13 PM

Lol R55, how lovely you can be!

by Anonymousreply 56February 18, 2016 2:15 PM

Burns and Allen was the single greatest tv comedy of the 50s -- it is totally watchable today. Burns was a comic genius, as others have noted. But Gracie Allen was the real star. No one could turn the world topsy-turvy as quickly as she could.

And yes, Ronnie, who was adopted, was damn good-looking.

by Anonymousreply 57February 18, 2016 2:34 PM

Eve I can't believe

that you could mean

what you just said

Think of what you are

How very far you are from being real

Eve, I wouldn't lie

The open sky is not your home

Wide as it may be

Reality is here among the stones...

by Anonymousreply 58February 18, 2016 2:44 PM

I wanna be clean and creamy!

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by Anonymousreply 59February 19, 2016 3:25 PM

R45, even Rita Hayworth, then Cansino, had a walk on in The Women. You are also forgetting Paulette Goddard (former Mrs/ Charlie Chaplin, painted by Diego Rivera, etc. etc.), Marjorie "Ma Kettle" Main, Hedda Hopper, etc. etc. Only Lassie, it seems, wasn't in it.

Love, love Stage Door, too. My favorite bit actress is in both Stage Door and The Women, Margaret Early. She is the one who gets one line in a play at the end of SD, and is looking for her grandmother, who is southern, in TW.

by Anonymousreply 60February 19, 2016 3:54 PM

Her stage name, Eve Arden, was rumored to be from Evening in Paris Perfume and Elizabeth Arden.

by Anonymousreply 61February 19, 2016 3:55 PM

I am shocked and dismayed that this thread only got 61 replies.

by Anonymousreply 62March 26, 2017 10:48 PM

[quote]Burns and Allen was the single greatest tv comedy of the 50s -- it is totally watchable today.

Some of Jack Benny's stuff has aged well also, including his radio shows.

by Anonymousreply 63March 26, 2017 11:22 PM

That recent our Miss Brooks thread is chock full of fun stories

by Anonymousreply 64March 27, 2017 1:13 AM

OP. Because looks 2, snark 10.

by Anonymousreply 65March 27, 2017 1:16 AM

I’ve seen most movies with Eve Arden and enjoyed them with the exception of The unfaithful 1947. She was not in the least bit funny in fact she was downright nasty.

Am I the only one who feels this way?

by Anonymousreply 66February 20, 2019 2:43 PM

Her last few roles when she was older weren't the witty, sassy dame. She played the principal in Grease and especially the baroness in Under the Rainbow as downright befuddled.

Eve does seem really dykey (in the best possible way), but she was married with kids. But the kids were adopted. And she and the husband both enjoyed antiques. So.

by Anonymousreply 67February 20, 2019 4:16 PM
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