Why is Arlene Dahl not a gay icon?

She is a very conservative rethug that raised Lorenzo Lamas enough said.

She was never a STAH!

The story she told at the 28:01 mark about meeting Joan Crawford was so delicious.

There's room for only ONE gay icon on Datalounge. And THAT is ME!

Didn't her first husband, former Tarzan Lex Barker, have a huge cock but she divorced him when her daughter came to her and said he had tried to fuck her or had raped her? Maybe I'm thinking of some other Old Hollywood story.

And yes, she was genuinely pretty when young, despite her politics. I think her problem was she was rarely assigned to truly A List films.

Arlene Dahl - Astrology Birth Chart, Horoscope

Arlene Carol Dahl (born August 11, 1925) is an American retired actress and former Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer star, who achieved notability during the 1950s. She has three children, the eldest of whom is actor Lorenzo Lamas.

She's 96.

She's boring and a Republican. Next!

People always comment on her beautiful complexion...and then what else is there to say?

Who was the most beautiful between Arlene Dahl and Rhonda Fleming?

Arlene is very much into numerology.

The mole, the awful dyed hair that you know would look like a used Brillo pad left alone, and...perhaps the lack of talent/star quality. She was always second tier (or lower) even in her best days at MGM.

Where did she do a piece of acting, singing or dancing that would wow us in the way all the time-honored DL beloved ladies can?

[quote]Who was the most beautiful between Arlene Dahl and Rhonda Fleming?

Toss up. But the country had moved beyond big titted conventional 1940s beauties like those two and onto the likes of Leslie Caron and Audrey Hepburn and two womens' careers were dead in the water before they really got started.

There is a thoroughly enjoyable soap opera style film that no one seems to know about called "Woman's World". 1954. Lauren Bacall, Fred MacMurry, Clifton Webb,...and Arlene Dahl and she's great in it. Plays an evil bitch. Seeing it makes you wonder why she never got better roles or became an A list star.

She was big dick adjacent, apparently

R12, Exhibit A . . .

Dining out with Lorenzo and their spouses.

I remember her mostly for doing commercials—I think they were for cosmetics, hairspray, something like that.

R18, Arlene for Toni.

The only movie I can remember seeing her in was "Journey to the Center of the Earth," starring James Mason and co-starring Pat Boone, who does a discreet nude scene at some point.

She was never anywhere near A list, even at MGM.

"Arlene Dahl's Beauty Spot"

Brought to you by Clairol.

With today's guest, Petula Clark.

Loved her as a kid when I saw Journey to the Center of the Earth.

There's a hilarious clip somewhere out there of Arlene as the Mystery Guest on What's My Line?, publicizing that film, in which she gets into an awful cat fight with Dorothy Kilgallen after the panelists guess her identity. Dorothy tells Arlene that she'll be sure to be nominated for an Oscar for her performance but Arlene just won't have it, or takes it like a jibe, and it just gets worse and worse.

Someone please find it and link. I'm too old and lame at tis point...

And yes, she's surprisingly magnificent in Woman's World. Perhaps she should have played more bitches.

Exactly R21. Hell, she wasn't even D-list at MGM. She's basically known for marrying Fernando Lamas, and then being the mother of the repugnant Lorenzo. Why in the world would any of the make her a gay icon ANYWHERE?

Wasn't Lorenzo actually raised by Esther Williams when she married Fernando Lamas, even though Fernando forbade Esther to see her own kids from her former marriage? I'm not sure what Arlene was busy with that she couldn't raise Lorenzo herself.

Arlene refuted Lana Turner's daughter Cheryl's claims that Cheryl was raped by Lex Barker when he was married to Lana. She said Cheryl's teenage pussy couldn't possibly withhold Lex's huge cock. There's a clip of this somewhere out there, too (Arlene, not the huge cock).

R23, Dorothy's praise begins at 23:00.

R26, Arlene discusses Lex Barker's cock @ 17:30.

Ah, thank you, r27! It' s so good.

R23, there is no cat fight or anything unpleasant in the WHAT'S MY LINE? clip.

Dorothy Kilgallen does seem a little drunk in that "What's My Line?" clip, but that was nothing new for her.

Dorothy did seem drunk.

Getting that kind of compliment from columnist Dorothy Kilgallen was a big deal. There was nothing wrong with their exchange, but Arlene could have accepted the compliments a little more graciously.

She was fun as Lucinda, Mimi's mother, on One Life to Live. She worked a lot with former western stars Philip Carey and Jeremy Slate. She was on for the masked ball that exposed Asa for keeping his first wife Olympia (veteran stage and screen actress Taina Elg) which lasted a month. She was later on when the campy Grayson Hall was on as Delia's mother. Elizabeth Hubbard, who went onto play the iconic Lucinda Walsh was also on OLTL at the same time, and they shared scenes.

Delila, not Delia. Oops.

**kisses Dahl**

That's probably the most underwhelming MGM musical number I have *ever* seen, r16.

I love "Woman's World".

One of those glossy, CinemaScope pictures from 1950s Twentieth Century Fox.

Clifton Webb is owner, boss of car manufacturing firm based in NYC. He has brought to NYC his 3 best men (and their wives) to choose the successor to the now deceased General Manager of the Firm. The couples are... Fred MacMurray and Lauren Bacall, driving in from Philadelphia, Cornell Wilde and June Allyson fly in from Kansas City and Van Heflin and Arlene Dahl come in by train from Texas.

Who will be offered the big job? Whose wife would be the perfect spouse of the GM but would her husband be best for the big job?

[quote]That's probably the most underwhelming MGM musical number I have *ever* seen, R16.

If I had been asked to choreograph a musical number, that's exactly what it would end up looking like. And I know nothing about choreography.

r37 That sounds similar to "Executive Suite," also with Miss Allyson.

R37, And since Clifton Webb was a "confirmed bachelor", his sister, Margalo Gilmore, acted as his hostess.

The trick, r38, is to let the fan do all of the dancing.

If I were still alive, I'd kick her in the CUNT bone.

From Lorenzo's autobiography, "Renegade at Heart".

"Suddenly, Dad appears right behind me. I turn and look. He is standing there naked with a huge erection. Never in my life have I seen anything like it. I am this seven-year-old kid, a guest in my father’s home. Still learning the ways of the world. Still trying to figure things out. And now my father is standing there as if nothing is wrong, his corn dog sticking in my face as I try not to stare. “Hey, amigo,” he says, “you must be getting hungry.” I avert my eyes away from Dad’s big salami. “Yeah, a little,” I mumble. I’ve watched National Geographic specials and stared at enough pictures in magazines to know what penises look like. Dad’s, however, is beyond my comprehension. I add, “I was wondering when you guys were going to come out.” Dad carries on like we are having a normal conversation, as if nothing is out of the ordinary as his flagpole still stands at attention. “We took a swim, amigo,” he says matter-of-factly. “Esther is taking a shower and then she is going to start dinner.” I can only think of one thing: “Wow, is that the way I am going to be? I hope so!” The fact Dad is so well endowed makes me realize later why women loved him and put up with his shenanigans. As the years went on, I never mentioned the incident of the erection or its effect on me. I do ask once, much later, “Did you ever play around on Esther?” And Dad says, “I never fooled around on Esther.” “Nothing ever stopped you before with other people.” “Well, with Esther, it’s different,” he admits. “She loves having sex and we do it a lot.” I laugh. “Oh, thanks, Dad.”"

What a shallow, desperate, and transparent attempt to increase his book sales.

He learned from an expert.

Lorenzo obviously used Shirley Jones' ghostwriter.

[quote]I love "Woman's World".

It's a lot of fun. A very tight well written script.

IIRC June Allyson wears enough Peter Pan collars in WOMAN'S WORLD to fly her to Neverland and back.

[quote]Lorenzo obviously used Shirley Jones' ghostwriter.

Or maybe he used an actual ghost writer, Jacqueline Susann.

I think she's fabulous!

I believe she is good friends with Joan Collins.I recall seeing photos of Joan and husband Percy at a private dinner party at Arlenes home.

Well, they're both married to younger gay men.

Did a stage show with her in late 1950s. She was stunningly beautiful up close with no makeup. Vapid performance though.

Trumps mother had the same hairdo that Arlene had in that silly interview with the Palm Springs queen. The idea that an 11 year old was making up rape stores back in the 50s, even if she was Lana’s daughter is just preposterous. Arlene sounds like right wing loon who. Ant admit she was married to someone horrible. That he was a second rate Tarzan was bad enough. Even she was a little higher on the food chain than that.

I'm absolutely adopting this *look*.

Good lord, dear r53, how old are you?

A guy I know who lived in Sparkill, New York along with Arlene and her husband, said he refers to Lorenzo as "my step son." even though he has no connection to Lamas.

Dorothy seems loaded. I never recall her being so unhinged.

r53 Percy is gay?

She was married to two dicks

Arlene Dahl is niche gay icon.

Just like Gale Sondergaard, Gloria Grahame, and Virginia Graham for that matter.

Small yet loyal houses and not the entire gay neighborhood.

Rhonda was the one with the voice...

During the interview with Ron Russell, she mentioned Obama and said she's writing Chapter 12 of her book "which should be out next year."

Checking Amazon there is no book by her in that time period.

r63 Perhaps a sign she is in severe declining health? One for deadpoolers deathlisters?

[quote]Did a stage show with her in late 1950s.

You gotta love Datalounge.

Arlene Dahl rhymes with toilet stall.

...which is probably where she met Fernando.

Gloria Grahame is much more icon worthy than this ex-home perm pitchwoman. For one thing she has an affair with her stepson while she was still married to his father. I think that beats marriage to ordinary beef cake. Plus Gloria occasionally could act and was an early plastic surgery victim. Gloria also was mocked by Mamie “Rock Hudson took my virginity” Van Doreen. Arlene is like a high gloss Vera Hruba Ralston by comparison.

Who the hellos Ron Russell. He’s a D-list queen we need to know more about.anymore interviews?

[quote] Why is Arlene Dahl not a gay icon?

She has no personality. Her deathly-white skin presented a big contrast to swarthy Fernando but she started looking like a ghost in her middle age.

Her Wiki page shows NO good movies. It says MGM loaned her out a lot. The studio system fell apart. She was involved in dodgy companies and went bankrupt twice.

[quote]She was involved in dodgy companies and went bankrupt twice.

Do you think she might have been involved in covering up the murder of Dorothy Kilgallen?

Wasn't she in a movie with Doris Day?

She had beautiful tangerine hair, like Greer Garson.

R72 No, that was Arlene Francis, another generic actress. Considering she was born in 1907 and was in her fifties when she played a pregnant woman in the Day movie, it was one of those 'suspension belief' roles.

Husband Fernando may have sexy, briefly, despite his long nose but he soon turned into a caricature.

The Thrill Of It All was one of Doris Day's best movies from the 1960's. James Garner loved working with her and made 2 films with her back to back, the other being Move Over Darling.

She was no Polly Bergen.

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer says navels are evil!

R74, Arlene was a replacement for Jeanette MacDonald(born 1903), who Ross Hunter offered the role to first. Jeanette declined citing issues with her heart, from which she would die two years later at 62.

[quote]Husband Fernando may have sexy, briefly, despite his long nose but he soon turned into a caricature.

That's not true.

OK, R80, Lamas turned into a caricature twenty years later.

See 1.00 in this vdeo —

Miss Arlene Dahl was a second tier actress at MGM. She was given leading lady roles in their B-pictures, but was almost always the supporting player in their A-pictures. And although she was famous in her day, she was never on the level as fellow MGM contract player and Mrs Fernando Lamas #4, Esther Williams.

Why wasn't Arlene offered a guest role on "Falcon Crest" like Lana was?

I was 7 when "Journey to the Center of the Earth" was released and saw it more than once.

Dorothy Kilgallen may have been smitten by Pat Boone, but this then little gayling wanted the hunky blond guy with the pet duck.

R82, Or Mrs. Lex Barker #3, Lana Turner.

Arlene as Margo Channing in Applause.

She doesn’t have the career, looks, or access to social media beauty filters it takes to be an icon. It’s a lot of work, even for those of us who were born icons.

Esther Williams also has a Lamas erection story that did not take place in a private space. He liked showing it off. Pity there are no pictures of it.

Esther wrote that Fernando had a thing about wrinkled trousers, so when they were driving to a public event, he would hang his pants on a hanger in the car and drive bare assed, no underwear.

R88, He got an erection while swimming and went into the kitchen where Esther was preparing dinner and demanded sex and she complied.

Lamas left Hollywood in the late 50s but continued his career by agreeing to costar on Broadway with Ethel Merman in what turned out to be her least successful musical, Happy Hunting. He played a latin lover Lotharia. They instantly disliked each other and by the time the show opened only spoke to each other onstage in character.

They constantly tried to upstage each other and on opening night Lamas made his entrance to gasps from the audience. He'd had all his pants recut to show off his enormous VPL in vivid detail. Ethel bitched about it but it brought the show so much publicity the producers let him get away with it.

Like Joan Collins she has the ability to wear expensive garments and make them look like ready-to-wear polyester pieces.

[quote]Lamas turned into a caricature twenty years later.

Because Billy Crystal would do an impression of him?

Lamas worked steadily through the 50s, 60s and 70s.˜And did lot of directing. He never became the caricature that you claim.

[quote]Lamas left Hollywood in the late 50s

That is not true. You are making things up.

And BTW "Happy Hunting" was not "the late 50s", it was 1956.

MGM had three Latin Lover hunks: Desi Arnaz, Ricardo Montalban and Fernando Lamas. Ricardo was the most successful while under contract.

R95, Rossano Brazzi appeared in a number of MGM films.

Arlene was too refined and lacked a dominant persona for us gay to claw into and never let go of.

Arlene as a brunette.

[quote]And BTW "Happy Hunting" was not "the late 50s", it was 1956.

That's the late 50s, hon. Post-1955 is the late 50s.

After kissing Ethel during Happy Hunting, Fernando would turn to the audience and grimace.

Here's Fernando promoting Happy Hunting on WML? @ 16:00.

R99 No, you are wrong.

Decades are divided into early, mid and late.

1956 is mid-50s, hon.

Houses built in the 1950s are described as mid-century.

R103:

"Mid-century modern (MCM) is an American design movement in interior, product, graphic design, architecture, and urban development that was popular from roughly 1945 to 1969, during the United States's post–World War II period.

"The term was used descriptively as early as the mid-1950s and was defined as a design movement by Cara Greenberg in her 1984 book Mid-Century Modern: Furniture of the 1950s."

Please note use of the term: "mid-1950s".

R99 Snookums you lose. '56 is most definitely mid 50s.

For you youngsters here, just think of the 1980s and how differently you dressed in 1981, 1984 and then 1989.

r78 Yummy and divinely hot 🔥😘

I'm still taking in the claim Joan Collins husband is gay.

[quote]MGM had three Latin Lover hunks: Desi Arnaz, Ricardo Montalban and Fernando Lamas. Ricardo was the most successful while under contract.

¿Quién es más macho, Fernando Lamas o Ricardo Montalbán? 😊

Fernando was to star opposite his real-life lover, Miss Lana Turner in "Latin Lovers" (1953), but they had a big fight over Lex Barker, and a jealously enraged Lamas beat her black and blue. Lana then marched over to Benny Thau's office and demanded Lamas be replaced. Shocked by Lana's appearance, Benny sent her to the doctor, fired Lamas, and replaced him with his rival Ricardo Montalban.

Unlike the 4-times married pussyhound Fernando, Ricardo had one wife, Georgiana (Loretta Young's half sister), whom he married in 1944 and they remained together until her death in 2007. Lana described him as the perfect gentleman, always professional, and completely devoted to Georgiana. A devout Catholic, he was an active parishioner at the Church of the Good Shepherd in Beverly Hills and was made a Knight of the Order of St. Gregory.

Desi was never a major motion picture star, but he more than made up for it by being an enduring tv legend and television pioneer.

He was a loser!!

But don't think for a minute, happy marriage or not, Lana didn't try and get into Montalban's undies.

With all the name changing they insisted on at MGM, how did Desi ever get to keep his real name?

I get it with Fernando Lamas and Ricardo Montalban as those are actually very sexy names. But.....Desi Arnaz? No wonder he didn't last long at the studio.

R111, What about Louis B. Mayer's successor, Dore Schary?

WOW! Fernando Lamas is really hot shit in that WML clip at r101, so seductive, even in primitive black and white. Talk about "lupine"....are those his real teeth?

Miss Arlene at Nancy Davis' engagement party.

Arlene co-stars with fellow flame-haired star Rhonda Fleming in SLIGHTLY SCARLET (56), vying for studly DL Fave John Payne. She plays a naughty nympho.

It's on Amazon Prime for your viewing pleasure.

Jean Hagen, Jane Powell and Arlene Dahl (and someone else) all look like they were corralled together by the MGM publicity dept. because Nancy Davis had no actual friends.

[quote]WOW! Fernando Lamas is really hot shit in that WML clip at [R101], so seductive, even in primitive black and white. Talk about "lupine"....are those his real teeth?

There was something in the air that night, the stars were bright. Fernando!

R116, Audrey Totter

Did those gals know that Nancy was knocked up with little Patti at the time?

[quote]Jean Hagen, Jane Powell and Arlene Dahl (and someone else) all look like they were corralled together by the MGM publicity dept. because Nancy Davis had no actual friends.

And Jean looks none too happy to be there, giving Nancy the stink eye.

^^ Sorry, giving Arlene the stink eye. ^^

Desi had already made a big name for himself on Broadway, in nightclubs and in presentation houses. People knew who he was even before I Love Lucy. Why would they change his name?

My mistake. It was Nancy Davis' engagement party for Arlene Dahl, hence, the perfectly poised Arlene opening her gifts.

[quote] Fernando Lamas is really hot shit

That is an ugly description.

[Quote] There was nothing wrong with their exchange, but Arlene could have accepted the compliments a little more graciously.

Are you kidding? Kilgallen torpedoed the interaction by shouting out "Maureen O'Hara!" after the title of the movie, which she'd just seen, had been spoken.

Take a tour of Treetops, Arlene Dahl's home

[quote]Take a tour of Treetops, Arlene Dahl's home

Well, hello! Welcome to my home!

R123, Engagement party for which husband?

Arlene is also the grandmother of Shayne Lamas, a former Bachelorette.

Why, there the Redgraves of Hollywood!

*they're

I wonder if Arlene and Lana ever compared notes.

They both married/dated Fernando and Lex.

R100, According to her biographers, Ethel was fond of well endowed men.

She probably attempted to take a ride on the Fernando Express and was rebuffed, hence their animosity.

Jack Klugman said she tried to bed him during the out of town Gypsy previews, but he declined.

Give me that jumbo jet! I need the hardness!

But she remained on the best of terms with him for the rest of their lives. Strange she didn't make a guest appearance on The Odd Couple.

Klugman probably let her down easier than Lamas did.

R128, Lex Barker

[quote]With all the name changing they insisted on at MGM, how did Desi ever get to keep his real name?

MGM also had (briefly) Perry Como.

Unusual names, but Desi and Perry became huge stars with the public.

There was also the case od Ricardo Cortez

Ooops sorry, I meant to continue:

There was also the case of Ricardo Cortez. Another "Latin Lover" who was actually Jewish but changed his name because the latin type was popular.

What a list!

Poor Shirley Booth. Lee Radziwill sticks out like a sore thumb too. Ordinary looking woman, at best.

Perry Como apparently hated working for MGM and didn't hesitate to tell LB Mayer off at a public function.

Did Lex Barker ever make any decent films? Even his Tarzan movies seem to be negligible. Was he under contract to MGM?

He sure was sexy!

I was getting Montalban to sign my program after a performance of Don Juan in Hell, r108. He had a bad cold. That's Entertainment! had just come out. I told him he probably caught the cold from too much swimming with Esther Williams. He wasn't amused.

They didn't change the name from the Huntington Hartford to the Fernando Lamas...

Ricardo Montalban Hollywood's New Romantic Star

The only one who remained unscathed by telling LB off was Elizabeth Taylor.

Wasn't LB gone from MGM by the time Taylor was an adult?

R135, "The Odd Couple" producers did approach Ethel to play Jack Klugman's mother, but she was insulted and refused.

How many Hollywood contract players of Arlene's vintage bared their breasts on screen?

R144, I'm surprised they never got Ricardo's sister-in-law, Loretta Young, to appear on "Fantasy Island".

A little cheesecake from Arlene.

Dahl dolls

Ricardo, Georgiana, and Desi.

R140, By 1962, Doris Day was wearing wigs in all her movies.

Arlene and Marilyn, perhaps sharing beauty tips.

r132 Is it true Esther Williams and Arlene Dahl hated each other?!

r144 That is a fantastic photo!!

R144 Big Esther has much bigger shoulders and chest than Ricardo.

R129 That show 'Leave it to Lamas' only lasted 8 episodes.

R159, And on one episode they visited Arlene in NY. Among the grandchildren, Arlene is known as "Gaga".

Wicked as they Come

That was pretty stupid for the producers of TOC to make that offer to Merman. I'm surprised Klugman didn't say to them are you out of your minds?!

Lex Barker shows up in LA DOLCE VITA, so he was in at least one great movie. He's the drunk and sullen husband of Anita Ekberg. The role was not much of a stretch.

Lex Barker with fur.

Love the fur! Wish he had displayed it more often.

Arlene Dawl had a nicely proportioned head but a ghostly complexion.

Both Lamas and Lex Barker should have had a quarter of an inch chopped off their nose(s).

Nancy Davis…how did she get a movie contract? She was not photogenic. At all.

Other than ITS A WOMANS WORLD, Dahl made few memorable films. She was more known for her looks.

People rag on DL all the time but threads like this are why I still come here for 20+ years. Where else could you find so many compelling and articulate answers to the question "Why is Arlene Dahl not a gay icon?"

R168, I hesitated posting it, thinking it might go nowhere.

Woman's World has an all-star cast and Arlene walks away with the film.

There must have been something else going on there for her not to continue with other good roles.

Did she make most of her money from endorsements? Maybe she thought bitch roles would limit her "lifestyle" marketing opportunities.

Arlene's Beauty Spot

This is an Aussie satire of shows like The Arlene Dahl Beauty Spot.

[quote]Nancy Davis…how did she get a movie contract?

Are you unfamiliar with her title of "Blowjob Queen of Hollywood?"

Her technique must have been astonishing because who would want to see that face going down on you?

At the end of her life, Lana Turner started to favor Nancy.

Lorenzo Lamas said his mother basically left his father because he wanted her to give up her career and be a full time wife and mother. She wasn't quite ready for that and said, "See ya!" In contrast, Esther Williams, quit showbiz and devoted 13 years of her life to that man. Granted, by 1969, Esther's career wasn't exactly red hot, but still, she admitted to taking a subservient role in that relationship.

Esther probably wanted to get away from her kids.

After Esther died, Lorenzo tweeted that she was his "soul mom," which made me wonder how Arlene reacted.

Lana sure became tiresome. And I'd forgotten how nauseating Robin Leach could be.

Yes, R180. It was so astonishing that no one called Lana on her hypocrisy - after all the drinking, rough sex, marriages, affairs outside of marriage (did she break all 10 commandments?) it turns out the guy who is the love of her life was...Jesus.

Applause closed one month after she took over. By all accounts she was not good.

R181: Well, Lana had just about everyone else. Who was left?

[quote] Applause closed one month after she took over. By all accounts she was not good.

Only the people in the first four rows of the audience could hear what she was saying.

No one fills you up like Jesus.

R181, I don't know much about Lana's later life, but if a person lived wantonly in their youth, and then surrendered to the Lord and was repentant and tried to live by those Christian principles, then I have no problem with that. If, however, a person continued with their wanton lifestyle and spoke the way Lana did in that interview, then she'd be a hypocrite.

R184, Four rows was considered capacity for Arlene.

John "Ryan's Hope" Gabriel was her Bill Sampson.

Why was she even cast? Was the show already failing with Anne Baxter?

R185, Or in Lana's case, Johnny Stompanato.

They didn't even add the fringe to her But Alive costume, r182.

R188, Maybe Anne Baxter had another commitment. Producers wanted Rita Hayworth, but she couldn’t remember her lines.

They toyed with the idea of Lizabeth Scott, but went with Arlene.

Did they try for Polly Bergen?

Anne Baxter played the role for nine months.

From one of our friends at BWW:

[Quote] But finding replacements for Bacall was always a challenge. I saw Ann Baxter, and loved her, but many didn't, and found her too much. I also saw Eleanor Parker on the road -- whom you'd think would be just right, after her turn in SOUND OF MUSIC. But she underplayed too the point of zombie, and it didn't cook. As has been widely noted, Rita Hayworth tried to learn the part, and finally bowed out. Later we learned it was due to Alzheimers. Sad, because wouldn't Rita Hayworth burn the place down, in her prime?

[Quote] I saw (Arlene). She was fine; handled the comedy well; sang well enough (that is to say, better than Bacall!). But after Bacall and Baxter had run for two years there wasn't much audience left and the show quietly folded weeks after Dahl arrived.

Anne Baxter would not allow Arlene to use her dressing room......

Fast forwarding to Woman of the Year, Bacall lobbied to have Dina Merrill replace her and was not pleased when producers went with Raquel Welch.

R196, do you mean while Anne Baxter was still doing the show?

[Quote] The next great replacement I saw was Anne Baxter in Applause. What might have been no more than a gimmick--Baxter played the title role in the source film All Above Eve and was now taking on the role of Margo Channing, succeeding Lauren Bacall--proved to be a thrilling star turn. Baxter's acting was more detailed and original than Bacall's (who, admittedly, was absolutely the right star to open the show with); Baxter was surprisingly good in the musical numbers, too, and provided a great deal of glamour. Following Baxter was Arlene Dahl, who was barely summer-stock level. I've never gotten over my disappointment that the star originally announced to follow Bacall--Rita Hayworth--was unable to do so because she was already suffering symptoms of what would prove to be Alzheimer's Disease.

Hitchs Frenzy closed the curtain on Applause prematurely.....

Because we already have an Arlene who's a DL icon.

That was hardly Rita's prime, r194, but she definitely would have been the best dancer in the role. It wasn't that Parker underplayed, it was that she didn't have the right persona. The Baroness was in no way comparable to Margo. Parker could take on a bitchy role, but she wasn't as effective as Davis, Bacall, or Baxter. She was bitch-lite.

Welcome to...Anne Baxter!

I wonder if they approached Jane Russell. She probably wouldn't have liked the gay dresser.

R199. Thanks so much for posting that article. I’m so glad Kathrynann Wright was mentioned. Her Sheila in ACL was brilliant and even surpassed Kelly Bishop. Plus she’s absolutely gorgeous. An unforgettable performance.

The less said about Stefanie Powers and the aborted Applause revival the better. Dreadful.

R204, Jane would have been in Company around that time.

Dolores gave a gritty Dorothy Brock? Hm.

How did Jayne Summerhays compare to Wright and Bishop?

What would one expect, r206? It's a weak/dated star vehicle. Stefanie deserved something she was better suited for...like Phyllis.

Margo Springfield!

R210, Stefanie later replaced Valerie Harper on tour in Looped.

Yes, she did, r212.

Let's face it, girls--the success of any "Applause" production depends wholly on the presence of Miss Bonnie Franklin.

Tying two topics together: Reprise did "Applause" with Sheryl Lee Ralph, Jean-Louisa Kelly, and James Avery. I had tickets for the first performance, which got cancelled due to a bomb threat (no pun intended.)

R201, is the DL Pantheon not big enough for two Arlenes?

Oh-- forgot to mention (tying in ANOTHER topic) - Kevin Earley played Bill Sampson in the Reprise production.

I saw Candy Brown, r214. Bonnie was not missed.

*

Candy, btw, is the only living dancer to have worked with Mr. Bob Fosse in Liza With a Z; the original Pippin and the original Chicago.

And Leslie Odom, Jr. was in the ensemble!

Jane Summerhays was a great Sheila. Got all the laughs and stunning.

Jane - ACL

Jane Summerhays stoodby for Lesley Ann Warren in Dream. She must have stories!

Dream!

R216 Is that Arlene Dawl on the far right?

I recognise Gloria but none of the others.

Arlene Francis, Anita Gillette and Kitty C. are there, r224.

Thank you, R225. I assume that's a behind-the-scenes eldergay at the back. Or perhaps it's Gloria's minder.

Here are the names.

[Quote] In 1978, his book No Pickle, No Performance An Irreverent Theatrical Excursion from Tallulah to Travolta was published by Doubleday. It detailed his humorous exploits working with some of the best known entertainers of the twentieth century.

I still remember the summer stock threads, especially the married couple who double teamed Travolta (or did the wife tap out?).

Is Harold Kennedy a Datalounger amongst us?

He died in the late 1980s, so yes.

What is Candy Brown doing now? I probably saw her in Applause and Chicago but I remember her most clearly in Pippin.

r231...

R228, He was brutal to Ginger Rogers and her then husband, William Marshall.

R227, Only Arlene and Anita are still breathing.

What about Renee Taylor?

r197 I wonder if Raquel Welch and Lauren Bacall had an argument about that? Something I would have delighted in seeing as a fly on the wall!

Didn't Bacall do something with the dressing room?

When a replacement star is rehearsing, of course it happens in the theater where the show is playing with the current star.

So, where do you settle the replacement star when she breaks from rehearsals, where does she put all her stuff??

When a replacement star is rehearsing, of course it happens in the theater where the show is playing with the current star.

So, where do you settle the replacement star when she breaks from rehearsals, where does she put all her stuff??

Raquel has said Bacall left a message on the mirror wishing her luck.

At first, Raquel only covered for Bacall's vacation, but the producers were impressed and offered her the role when Bacall went on tour.

r240 Awe That was sweet of Lauren I feel even though I relish the thought of them getting into a slanging match!

Bacall addresses the Raquel situation @ 9:30.

I've read Bacall's memoir. I don't recall that she said the show's publicists were working against her.

R243, "By Myself" was published two years before Woman of the Year opened.

r244

I think it had revisions. I read it this century.

The memoir I read included "Sweet Bird of Youth." I think Bacall did that in the mid to late 1980s.

That's a truly great interview with Bacall at r242. Thanks for posting it. She comes across as very smart, level-headed and reasonable.

Kupcinet (the interviewer) tries to get her to respond to rumors that she was feuding with Raquel but Bacall doesn't quite take the bait. She infers that Raquel's PR people and perhaps the show's PR people wanted to create a feud when Bacall wasn't interested in joining Raquel for photos and publicizing her replacing her. She rather politely lets Raquel off the hook.

Does anyone know anything about Bacall's daughter Leslie Bogart? I don't think I've ever seen a photo of her as adult. IIRC she studied to be a nurse, but I guess I read that a long time ago. She must be well into her 50s or maybe 60s by now.

You know his daughter was a starlet and possible murdered, right?

*possibly

I believe Leslie teaches yoga.

Yes, r248, I'm old enough to remember seeing photos of starlet Karen Kupcinet in 1960s movie magazines. And I remember her sad death.

R251, There's no question it was murder, which remains unsolved. Karyn was dating actor Andrew Prine at the time of her death, but he was cleared of any involvement.

R247, Leslie Howard Bogart is 69 and lives in Los Angeles with her husband, no children. They both teach yoga and she's also involved with animal shelters. For years, she worked as a nurse in Boston and lived on the same street as a friend of mine in Arlington.

Leslie, Sam, Bacall, Stephen.

R238 and R239, what stuff would she have in rehearsal? A bag? You put it in a seat in the house, the same place you put your ass on a break. You don't want people messing up your dressing room.

Elaine Paige did the same to her matinee Eva, Susannah Fellowes.

R253 Humphrey Bogart did three pictures with Leslie Howard.

It has to be more than a coincidence that his child is named Leslie Howard.

Do you think they were banging?

If so, R258, Leslie was certainly slumming it.

Larry Olivier fucking Danny Kaye was the really slumming it situation.

Most of her rehearsals wouldn't have been on the set, r238.

Is every old lady who was once famous supposed to be a gay icon?

R260 Those two names would be a good example of 'slumming it' but as I keep on saying they were merely rehearsing a music hall number for a fund-raiser performance. Any sexual goings-on are completely in the fetid, malodorous minds of gossips.

Do you make similar comments when opposite sex names are linked?

R254, Leslie has Kathleen Turner's face.

R264 It depends who the names are. I care if the person is a talented hard worker and their reputation is trashed by people who don't appreciate that hard work.

Trashed? Why would Olivier and Kaye fucking trash their reputations?

Olivier was fascinated by the complete gamut of human behaviour. He paid attention to all sorts of people from all different classes and all different countries.

He was an obsessive, energetic man who enjoyed all challenges.

He could see that his main task was bringing Shakespeare to a wider audience but he liked seeing performers and clowns who could get a strong reaction from audiences in a vulgar, non-cerebral way (ie Danny Kaye).

He may have used that Danny Kaye vulgarity in 'The Entertainer'. But he says he it was based on someone called Sid Field (who appears in a rarely-shown appalling camp comedy called 'London Town')

What had Lucy done to make Arlene so cross? Arlene looks livid.

Oooh, r269, tense.

That's Arlene in the front row on the right, right?

I’m guessing Welch and her then hubby out-cunted Bacall. Also, Bacall wrote a sequel to her first memoir.

Oof. Angie has the Mamie Eisenhower.

[Quote] Also, Bacall wrote a sequel to her first memoir.

I think it was expanded. The original was "By Myself." The expanded was "By Myself and Then Some."

R274, Correct, I have it on Audiobook.

R269, she told her she and Viv had a Fernando sandwich.

R257, Bogart was eternally grateful to Leslie Howard for refusing to appear in the film version of "The Petrified Forest" unless Bogart was also cast.

Even though Bogart was a sensation playing Duke Mantee in the Broadway production, Jack Warner did not want him for the film, but Leslie Howard prevailed.

That's, of course, the MGM company photo at r271, which I think was taken in 1948, the 25th anniversary, 5 years after the most famous one. I like that the stars are made to sit alphabetically, no matter their status. There's Spencer Tracy way up in the back with Esther Williams. Well, I love this photo but perhaps it has a more perfunctory, dutiful look than the earlier one.

As WWII was over, more stars were available and could be corralled into appearing., including Judy Garland and Clark Gable, who were absent from the earlier one. And Fred Astaire was now a contract player and Ginger Rogers is also there though I think it was just to make The Barkleys of Broadway with Fred.

Well, actually there are many missing: where the hell were Lana Turner and Fernando Lamas? Myrna Loy, Greer Garson and Hedy Lamarr? Was Cyd Charisse a star yet, she's not there? Mickey Rooney, or was he already on the outs? And I guess Lucy's contract was not picked up. Also, sadly missing is Lena Horne who does appear in the filmed footage of the famous luncheon which took place the same day.

I can't imagine how glorious it was to be at MGM in 1940 when Joan Crawford, Norma Shearer, and even Greta Garbo were still working there on a daily basis, yet the newer ladies Hedy Lamarr, Greer Garson and Lana Turner were crowding the old ones out. Not to mention Myrna Loy, Judy Garland, Katharine Hepburn, Jeanette MacDonald, Eleanor Powell, Margaret Sullavan and Ann Sothern. All there together every day!

How did they ever schedule the early morning hair and makeup calls? Sydney Guilaroff must have bee much in demand!

" . . . where the hell were Lana Turner and Fernando Lamas?"

Probably fucking.

R278 said: [quote]I like that the stars are made to sit alphabetically, no matter their status.

But why is Lionel Barrymore before June Allyson, and not sitting next to Ethel?

I think Arlene, Dame Angela, Jane Powell, and Dean Stockwell are the only ones still with us. It's amazing to think that that part of movie history still walks among us.

Stefanie Powers on Broadway? How was she? Never really cared for her onscreen.

Claude Jarman Jr. is still alive.

Only on DL would we have discussion taking the body of work of Stefanie Powers seriously. A pal who was on that Broadway bound but aborted APPLAUSE tour said she was awful, and nasty to the other people working on the show to boot. Her combination of facemaking and dead eyes on HART TO HART is almost unbearable, and as someone upthread said of Joan Collins, Powers is another one who can make a custom gown costing thousands of dollars look like polyester ready to wear. I cannot imagine her in a transformational part like Tallulah Bankhead, which Valerie Harper to her great credit did very well.

I think Powers' pluses were that she is certainly good looking and poised, and she was cast in a series of roles early on that most anyone could have done. Under the studio system, she amassed a body of respectable work fairly quickly.

" Under the studio system, she amassed a body of respectable work fairly quickly."

Really, r284? Quick! Name 4 Stefanie Powers movies from that era.

Die! Die My Darling!

Love Has Many Faces!

Hold Me Closer, April Dancer!

Palm Springs Weekend!

Obviously, they moved Lionel Barrymore to the end of the row in the MGM photo so he could more comfortably manspread and fart. June Allyson was fine with that. Ethel, not so much.

"Experiment in Terror" with the divine Lee Remick.

Presenting an Oscar to Helen Fucking Lawson

Her later in life look was so heavily made up, it's interesting to see her as an ingenue.

I remember as a kid loving a short-lived TV series in the 1960s called Hollywood and the Movies (I think that was the title), produced by David Wolper, that would usually focus on an aspect of vintage movie making each week. It was unusual at the time because it preceded the great interest and enthusiasm for nostalgia of a few years later.

Usually the episodes had titles like: The Westerns, The Gangster Films, The Horror Films, The Sex Symbols, etc., for example, but one week, oddly enough, it focused on the burgeoning career of starlet Stephanie Powers and the machinations of turning her into a star. I think it was when she was making Die! Die! My Darling! and the making of the film was featured. Now, I realize, the film was probably produced by the same studio that produced Hollywood and the Movies.

I think there are episodes of the series to be found on youtube.

You should see the way John Alton photographs her in THE BLACK BOOK (aka REIGN OF TERROR), a low budget French Revolution flick made at Eagle-Lion in 1948. She looks like a goddess. She never looked that good at MGM.

Rhonda had more striking bone structure.

[quote]I remember as a kid loving a short-lived TV series in the 1960s called Hollywood and the Movies (I think that was the title), produced by David Wolper, that would usually focus on an aspect of vintage movie making each week.

I remember watching that series as a kid, R294. It was called "Hollywood and the Stars."

Yes! Hollywood and the Stars.....I knew I didn't have the title quite right. Thanks, r297.

And I'm now remembering that the film they focus on in the Stephanie Powers episode was Experiment in Terror not Die! Die! My Darling!

Bacall’s second memoir is called NOW. I’ve got a copy.

She even did an "enhanced edition" of NOW? Are they just the same memoir retitled?

Stephanie Powers has a nice speaking voice and must be one of the last actors to have been taught mid-atlantic accent.

*

What about me, bitches? Isn't this my thread??

...sigh. Yes, Arlene...

You can act scenes from "Casablanca" with Arlene!

I prefer to co-star with Tallulah, r305.

Lorenzo has declared bankruptcy several times. He just keeps getting married and keeps having kids. If his mother dies before his stepfather I wonder if he'll get screwed out of any inheritance. His son AJ was hot but got in some police trouble and you haven't heard about him in a while. Arlene might just leave Lorenzo nothing. Who are her other two kids?

R307, "In addition to Lorenzo Lamas, Dahl has two other children: a daughter Christina Carole Holmes (born August 3, 1961) by third husband Christian R. Holmes, and a second son, Rounsevelle Andreas Schaum (born December 7, 1970), by her fifth husband, Rounsevelle W. “Skip” Schaum. She has six grandchildren (one of whom is Shayne Lamas) and two great-grandchildren."

R307, In addition to the arrests below, Lorenzo caught AJ in bed with one of his trashy wives.

In 2012, AJ Lamas was accused of breaking into his ex-girlfriend's home (Jessie Schulman) and holding her captive in the bathroom. Schulman filed a restraining order, claiming she broke up with A.J. and moved on to a new relationship. Lamas denied the incident saying he was only trying to talk to Schulman.

Also in 2012, Lamas was arrested for DUI; he pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 36 months probation and $1,600 in fines.

In 2015, Lamas was arrested after allegedly shoplifting at Target and assaulting a security guard.

Lorenzo announced via video on his social media he had a vasectomy this year. He's a big Republican--lots of pro-Trump stuff--and has an investment in a vineyard (bottoms who buy red wine might want to serve their tops the Baby Maker) and does helicopter piloting mainly, acting on the side when the gigs come along.

[quote]I think Arlene, Dame Angela, Jane Powell, and Dean Stockwell are the only ones still with us. It's amazing to think that that part of movie history still walks among us.

I think I spoke to soon.

RIP Jane.

Yike! TOO soon.

Don't forget lovely Marsha Hunt, everyone. She even appears in the MGM 20th Anniversary photo.

Don't forget lovely Marsha Hunt, everyone. She even appears in the MGM 20th Anniversary photo.

I have absolutely no fucking idea who she is in the first place.

R315, Same for Audrey Totter.

I used to mix up Audrey Totter with Marie Windsor...

And I mixed up Audrey Totter with Lurene Tuttle.

And Greer Garson with Gretchen Wyler, of all people!

Greer Garson took over for Juliet Prowse in the London Sweet Charity. That's how I tell them apart, r318.

Wow, the guy on the right in R297's pic is Broncho Billy Anderson who started movies in 1902! Probably the earliest movie star ever and here he is on DL.

Marie Windsor mostly made grade-Z melodramas and sci-fi films. She was featured in "Cat Women of the Moon". Compared with her, Audrey Totter was the Streep of her day.

Like Hotsy-Totsy Totter was A-List, r321??? Piffle. I'll take Marie over Audrey any old day.

Gretch...

Gretchen Wyler was Janis Paige without the Hollywood credits.

Btw, today is Janis Paige's 99th birthday and SHE'S STILL HERE!

Janis had...verve.

LOL, R319.

I always lump Arlene Dahl, Rhonda Fleming, and Ruta Lee together. Can't tell them apart.

None of them could compare to the uniquely terpsichorean Silvana Mangano.

Yes, Marsha Hunt! No better Miss Havisham!

R323, Betty Bacall's u/s in Applause, never went on once.

Martita Hunt was Miss Havisham. Marsha Hunt was the little spinster sister in Pride and Prejudice.

Has Arlene commented on MGM colleague Jane Powell's passing?

How very Susan Dey of Arlene not to have commented on Jane Powell.

Arlene is 96 years old and might not even remember who Jane is.

Arlene believes it was Colin Powell who died.

Gretchen Wyler stoodby for Bacall in Applause but not sure if she stuck around for Baxter. She ended up playing Margo in stock. Louise Troy was the WOTY standby and went on 2.5 times for Debbie.

I'm not surprised it closed so soon with Debbie. She's just bellowing here.

[quote] She's just bellowing here

Why isn't she using a microphone? She used a microphone for the previous 50 years in her career.

R337, Debbie became ill not long into her run. I recall her fainting at a press event for the show. I've seen a boot of a complete performance and Debbie's dancing was far better than Bacall or Welch, especially Bacall.

Debbie was under a tremendous amount of stress trying to keep the show open. She had an ‘episode’ and blacked out at the end of the first act during a Saturday matinee. She was hospitalized but back onstage Tuesday night. Show closed that Sunday.

Debbie's "One of the Boys" used to be on Youtube. It was good.

The only people Jane ever trashed were Debbie and Gower. She considered them friends from her MGM days and when she stepped into a huge musical like Irene where the lead has to carry the show she received not even so much as a good luck postcard from either of them. She was totally on her own and pretty frightened.

Did they ever make up, R342? They shared the same birthday (not the year, Jane was older). Debbie made it to 84, Jane to 92 years old.

I can't say if Jane and Debbie ever made up....first of all, it doesn't sound like Jane ever had it out with Debbie or Gower, so there'd really be nothing to make up, r343.....but there's a clip of Jane and Debbie appearing together on an old Dinah Shore show (from I'm guessing the early 1980s, anyway long after IRENE) and they seem perfectly comfortable with each other. You can find it on the JANE POWELL is dead to me thread.

It's kind of a fun clip as the theme is "Hollywood Glamour" and Dinah's other guests are Jane Russell, Diahann Carroll and Jean Peters, who are all there to pay tribute to costume designer Bill Travilla. As might be expected, Debbie keeps stealing focus from the other ladies.

Jean must have issued a "No Howard Hughes questions" edict.

I was looking for something Travilla and came across this...

What the hell was "Sangaree"?

[quote] What the hell

Sangaree was the hellish nickname invented by this sex-mad Argentinian.

It refers to this skinny Norwegian woman's imaginary breasts.

The Argentinian salivates over the DEPTH of her imaginary breasts which reach into three dimensions.

Her imaginary bosoms were advertised again the same year

Arlene says that an 11 year old Cheryl Turner could not have been repeatedly fucked by Lex Barker because she would be dead.

[quote]Arlene says that an 11 year old Cheryl Turner could not have been repeatedly fucked by Lex Barker because she would be dead.

Lex was lucky that Cheryl didn't stab HIM to death.

Arlene seems happy to talk about Lex's "package" with some silly queen yet she comes up with this ludicrous opinion about the situation which says more about her than about Cheryl or even Lex. Her idea that a lesbian (who probably knew she was a lesbian at that age) was playing Lolita with Lex seems preposterous.

R347: "Everahtheen ees deferrent. We have lenth [FL's hands alluding to his pinga], we have hithe . . "

Norway didn't produce many movie stars.

^ Poor Greta was given some outlandish dresses and an ugly screen name but she did appear in one good movie— it's a Hitchcock-style 'Noir' co-starring TWO homosexuals.

I'm just jealous that Arlene got to play with Fernando's and Lex's big cocks and who knows how many others.