Arlene Francis Was The Highest Paid Female Panelist.

Why didn't she have to pay settlements to people she murdered? Did she have a better lawyer than Arlene? Also, why was Arlene paying money to dead people? What are they going to use it for? Is there a gift shop in the afterlife? Is it like a Stuckeys where they sell mexican jumping beans or is it like a museum gift shop where you can buy costume jewelry that looks like stuff from the King Tut exhibit?

Frankly, OP, your post raises more questions than it answers. It's like a bad tv episode.

Also, where is my toaster? I mean it was just gathering dust for months so I put away somewhere, but now that it's cold I want toast.

Yeah, I don't understand Kilgallen's comment at all. Do you know what she meant, OP?

It all comes down to who was in the legitimate theater.

At least Dorothy had a real job.

Why was Arlene in so many plays? She must have had a remarkable memory to learn all of those lines to all the different plays in which she starred.

In the 60's, Arlene was driving when her car collided with another car. A woman in the 2nd car was killed and Arlene had to pay to settle the resulting suit.

Her maid accidentally (she says!) dropped a pair of dumb bells out the window of Arlene's 8th story apartment, killing a passerby on the sidewalk below. Arlene had to pay to settle.

If you don't know OUR dear Arlene, you must Be Hetero. Please run along and play elsewhere.

I beg to differ. I believe the highest paid female panelist was Joyce Bulifant in the glorious '70's.

Her son looks like the crypt keeper.

Thank goodness for R6, who knows his history. The others? More than Gothic ignorance.

R8, did you know this off the top of your head?

In those days lawsuit settlements and accidental murder was just so glamorous.

[quote]At least Dorothy had a real job.

At least Arlene had a real chin.

[quote]I beg to differ. I believe the highest paid female panelist was Joyce Bulifant in the glorious '70's.

I just saw Our Joyce on a rerun of "My Three Sons." She played an innocent 16-year-old who reminded Steve of the girls of his youth. Miss Bulifant was 26 at the time the episode was filmed.

Was Arlene's son homosex with Bennet's son or Dorothy's son?

If you see Walter Winchell's dummy Jerry Mahoney, Jerry kisses Dorothy on the cheek, but Arlene grabs Jerry and kisses him on the lips. What a cougar she was.

How much preparation went into WML?

If almost none, then Arlene earned what amounted to $2,000/hr.

Seems like a lot but just before WWII, Jack Benny and Burns and Allen, were the two highest paid radio acts.

Both got $10,000/week but Jack got all his money while Burns and Allen had to split $10,000

r17 Do you realize Burns and Allen were married?

I long for the days when our Joyce ruled the airwaves. Ahhh…..Calgon take me away!

[R16] Obviously, you mean PAUL Winchell (although Walter Winchell having a kissing puppet would have made for much better television).

[R16] Jerry kisses Dorothy on the cheek, but Arlene grabs Jerry and kisses him on the lips. What a cougar she was.

—Anonymous

I'll bet Arlene didn't learn THAT in the legitimate theater.

Did Arlene's stolen famous heart necklace ever turn up? Was it diamonds set in silver or platinum or something else?

r18

Of course, but they still paid Burns and Allen as one person when they were two.

r22

No, but seeing she was already showing signs of dementia, I wonder if she lost it and invented this story to cover.

[quote]If you see Walter Winchell's dummy Jerry Mahoney, Jerry kisses Dorothy on the cheek, but Arlene grabs Jerry and kisses him on the lips. What a cougar she was.

Walter Winchell was a Broadway columnist, just like Dorothy.

The necklace was diamonds shaped like a heart. She treasured it because it had been a gift from her husband, Martin Gabel. Someone snatched it off of her as she was walking in Manhatten. It was never recovered. She had an identical replacement made but spoke of her sadness of not having the original.

Poor Arlene.

Was anyone lucky enough to see Arlene in "Hello Dolly!" at that dinner theater in Long Island that was the rage in the '60's?

Arlene had Alzheimer's, she probably lost the necklace, then said it was stolen to cover up for her forgetfulness. That type of thing is common in such patients.

My father drove a cab in NYC in the 50s and early 60s. He had Arlene as a passenger once and said she was the nastiest fare he ever had. He also commented on her badly pockmarked skin.

[R29]

How was she nasty?

r26 Please don't ever use the word "snatch" in a post about Arlene Francis.

For some of us, Arlene Francis = GLAMOUR and BROADWAY. You mean queens can just go straight to hell.

What notable work on the stage did Arlene Star in? I only remember seeing her as a too old first time mother in a Doris Day/James Garner movie.

R29, She was arrogant and condescending to my dad. She insisted that he get out of the cab and open the door for her when they arrived at her destination.

He refused. She didn’t pay the fare.

Legit.....

Her Broadway credits, r33......

If Arlene Francis were a mystery guest, wouldn't she have to answer the question "Are you a character actress?" in the affirmative? She used to ask that question like it was nasty to be that.

I remember her role in "The Thrill Of It All". She looked far too old to become pregnant which was the part she played.

She did perform the first scene of the film, where she learned she was pregnant, with abundant joy bordering on almost orgasmic pleasure. But, yeah she looked too mature to be preggers.

Coincidentally I was a cab driver in NYC during the Seventies and she was also in my cab. It didn’t happen every day but there was a fair amount of celebrities in my taxi and Miss Francis was one. She was officious but pleasant with no desire to chitchat until I mentioned her radio show which I frequently listened to. Then she got chatty. Maybe she was nicer a decade later?

[quote]I remember her role in "The Thrill Of It All". She looked far too old to become pregnant which was the part she played.

Even harder to believe was the fact that she was supposedly knocked up by that queen Edward Andrews.

Arlene Francis, aged 25, played a prostitute tortured to death by Bela Lugosi.

No wonder she turned to the legitimate theater!

I think Arlene's unexpected pregnancy in The Thrill of it All was a plot point. It was a total surprise pregnancy because of the parents' ages.

Gracie Allen should of been paid more than George Burns.

[quote]Gracie Allen should of been paid more than George Burns.

You "should of" paid more attention grade school.

My Christmas tree looked fabulous this year, all thanks to Arlene's four gay new decorating ideas!

I still don’t understand why people are fascinated by her. She’s like flower arrangements in human form.

[quote]flower arrangements in human form

What a gay new decorating idea!

R41, you should tell us who else was in your cab. Maybe in another thread?

Such a hussy

The only other age inappropriate onscreen pregnancy I recall was Lucille Ball in YOUR MINE AND OURS. Based on a true story about a military widow who finds love again with another Navy pilot.The blend families bringing their total number of children to a dozen. Then she gets pregnant. The real life couple were in their thirties, but Lucy and Henry were 57 and 63 respectively. It was hard to hold back giggles when watching this in film class.

R52, now I'm stuck with that pregnant stick person image in my head.

Happy New Year, everybody!