James Mason's Wise words about Judy Garland

James Mason was a lovely, intelligent man. But he was very stupid when choosing his (first) wife.

R1- Such an elegant, dignified man with impeccable manners. He was also a very talented and versatile actor. I could listen to him speak for hours.

But his divorce in the early 60s brought out a lot of self-hatred. He appeared in a lot of supporting roles in bad, ugly movies playing bad ugly men.

I think it is very sad. There are moments in his last one called 'The Shooting Party' where he evinces memories of his once-beautiful humanity.

R3- I was not aware of this, thank you for posting . What happened? Why was it so damaging to him? Thank you for sharing.

Pamela Mason née Ostrer

She showed herself as she was in life (as a machinating bitch) in this well-made melodrama.

His second wife was even more of a vicious cunt. She hid his ashes!

It still amazes me that James and Pamela Mason named their only child, a girl, "Portland."

They were exceptionally close friends in Hollywood with the hugely popular radio comedian Fred Allen and his wife Portland--she was named after the city in Oregon, where she was born. They just doted on her, and gave their daughter her name to honor her; but it was such a bizarre name for a woman (not to mention for a little girl).

Well, I, for one, like the name Portland.

R7- Did she like her unique name? I was pleased to read that James was a cat lover. They had up to 12 cats and doted on them all. Lovely man.

[quote] Portland.

James aspired to be an architect and train at the Royal Institute Of British Architects (which is made of Portland Stone).

Wife Pamela and her father and grandfather aspired to be great millionaire financial speculators (and own an English bank which are made of Portland Stone).

He was so debonair. We sadly do not see such men anymore. He played an excellent bad man , lol. He perfected the sinister man. You did not know what he was going to do, just that he was definitely going to do something. I especially loved his performance with Shelly Winters in Lolita. He managed to be a charming sleaze,.

I only liked him in "Mandingo".

R12: I watched every movie he was in. He was a very compelling actor. He really pulled you in and kept your interest. Even if the movie wasn't that good you knrbw he would be.

But they named her specifically after Portland Hoffa Allen nonetheless, r10.

[quote] Mason was born on 26 November 1948 and was the elder child of English actors James Mason and Pamela Mason. She was named after Portland Hoffa, the wife of James Mason's friend Fred Allen.

I’ve only seen him in Heaven Can wait and The Verdict. He deserved an Oscar for the latter. And that transatlantic accent! Always appealing.

That’s all I’ve got but a big fan from the little I know.

Funny to think of Mason ad Fred Allen as besties.

As a kid I always used to see Pamela Mason on the Merv Griffin show. I never understood what she was famous for. Same with Brett Somers on Match Game.

[quote]It still amazes me that James and Pamela Mason named their only child, a girl, "Portland."

Even stranger is the fact that later in her life she had it legally changed it to "Bakersfield."