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Home , Charles Boyer, Clemence Dane, Constance Bennett, Donald Ogden Stewart, Dudley Nichols, Gladys Cooper

VOICE Journal of the Alex Society Vol. 15, No. 1 of theTHEATRE‘‘0909 February 14, 2009, 2 p.m. & 8 the PHILADELPHIA STORY

hen David Selznick replaced as By Randy Carter Director during his production of Gone With WThe Wind in 1939 it ruptured a relationship humor of Broadway’s Dinner At Eight (1933). The that had produced a string of hit for RKO and pair followed this blockbuster with the glossy but Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. At RKO, Cukor directed quite sincere production of Charles Dickens’s David in What Price (1932) a Copperfield (1935). When lost faith drama about a broken down director (supposedly based in his ability to portray Micawber, Cukor went to on director Marshall Neilan) that suggested the story line Paramount and got W.C. Fields, who invested a world of fleshed out inA Star is Born (1937). That same year he experience in bringing the insolvent rogue to life. took a very young actress with a thin, bony physique It was during the thirties that Cukor acquired and placed her opposite film legend the reputation of being a woman’s director. Several in a screen version of Clemence Dane’s play A Bill of biographers point out that he was equally at home Divorcement. Awkward and even strange in her manner with leading men and point to performances by Ronald and film presence, audiences were intrigued by the Coleman (A Double Life 1947), (Gaslight young woman who immediately charmed them again in 1944) and James Mason (A Star is Born 1954) to answer Louisa May Alcott’s Little Women (1933). the conventional wisdom. But there is no denying that Moving to M-G-M in 1933, Cukor and Selznick his direction of in Camille (1937) brought made themselves at home with the elegant art direction out a performance that most concede was her best work and polished productions that only Louis B. Mayer’s and brought new life to this oft told tale of the dying operation could support. A child of the , Cukor heroine. was right a home with the witty dialogue and acerbic Continued on Page 2 GeorgeGeorge CukorCukor

The Women: (l to r) Florence Nash, , , , Cukor, Norma Shear, , Mary Boland, . cont’d from page 1 of the fiery Irish nationalist, was God (1940) before going to work leery of period wardrobe and with on The The next two years from ’37 to accents. He feared doing GWTW Philadelphia Story (1940). ’39, Cukor devoted himself to the and perceived that Cukor was more Cukor and Hepburn had a coming production of Margaret interested in telling ’s partnership that produced ten Mitchell’s best selling tale of the story. When Cukor suggested that he films over a period of forty-seven Confederacy. He visited the author years. The Philadelphia Story was in Georgia and charmed her with Hepburn’s property. After being his vision of the project. While scorned as “box office poison”, most directors hated doing screen she had retreated to Broadway, tests, Cukor would make tests for scored a major success in the productions he never worked on. Phillip Barry play which ran for 416 He meticulously staged the scenes performances, optioned the screen for dozens of actresses, known and rights (with an assist from Howard unknown, who were up for the part Hughes) and secured the lead role of Scarlet O’Hara. He discovered of Traci Lord. This was their second and her test for Barry comedy, having produced Scarlett became the basis for her Hepburn & Cukor on the set of in 1938 for RKO. Hepburn’s The Philadelphia Story. first motion picture contract. His contract called for two high profile direction of ’s love at least try an accent, the call went leading men to costar. Hoping for scene test with Ashley Wilkes is out to bring in M-G-M contract Gable and Tracy, they got James purported to be far superior to the director Victor Fleming. However Stewart and . final cut that is included in the film. it really went down, Selznick was Cukor’s camera work is stylish The story goes that , certainly a constant and sometimes and elegant and the performances still smarting from his failure in interfering presence on the set and Parnell (1937) a lackluster there is ample evidence that he Continued next Column resented Cukor’s handsome salary commitment. Producer immediately signed Cukor to direct Clare Luce’s comedy The Women (1939). The “Woman’s Director” now had a cast that included , Joan Crawford, Rosalind Russell, Paulette Goddard, Joan Fontaine, and Hedda Hopper. He would team up with Joan Cukor and cast on the set of Crawford the next year in Susan and Louis B. Mayer, Paulette Goddard, Cukor The Philadelphia Story. and Joan Crawford in 1939.

www.AlexFilmSociety.org –  – Vol. 15, No. 1 February 14, 2009 GEORGE CUKOR Cukor acquired the (1899-1983) reputation of being a woman’s director. of all his principals are legendary. Ruth Hussey would be nominated for a Best Supporting Oscar® for her role as the wisecracking photojournalist. She is quoted describing Cukor standing behind the camera mouthing her part: “If I was supposed to be smiling, he was smiling. If I was frowning, he was frowning. He just acted the whole , on the set of A partial list of feature films he directed thing. He was the only director I Dinner at Eight (1933). in the course of a fifty year Hollywood ever knew who did that.” career. The Philadelphia Story was completed on August 14, 1940 and Rich and Famous (1981), The Blue Bird opened on Christmas Day at Radio (1976), Travels with My Aunt (1972), City Music Hall. A perfect holiday Justine (1969), My Fair Lady (1964), show for the 6,000 seat movie (1962), showcase, it quickly broke the all Something’s Got to Give (1962), time attendance record that was held Let’s Make Love (1960), Heller in Pink by ’s Snow White (1937). Tights (1960), (1958), Only a commitment to exhibit Alfred (1957), Bhowani Junction (1956), Hitchcock’s (1940) ended the A Star Is Born (1954), (1953), run after six weeks, but until then, (1952), every performance was sold out and (1952), (1950), Adam’s 850, 000 patrons saw the movie Rib (1949), A Double Life (1947), Gaslight during the New York opening. (1944), Two-Faced Woman (1941), The Philadelphia Story (1940), The following books provided (1940), The Women (1939), Holiday (1938), background for this article: GEORGE Camille (1936), (1935), CUKOR Master of Elegance, Directing Greta Garbo while Little Women (1933), Dinner at Eight making Two-Faced Woman (William Morrow (1941) (1933), A Bill of Divorcement (1932), What and Company), ON CUKOR, Gavin Price Hollywood? (1932), The Royal Family Lambert (Putnam), GEORGE CUKOR, of Broadway (1930) A Double Life, Patrick McGilligan (St. Martins Press). Randy Carter These actors received Academy Award is the President of the Alex Film Nominations under the direction of Society. George Cukor:

Basil Rathbone, Norma Shearer, Greta Garbo, (*), Katherine Hepburn, Ruth Hussey, (*), Charles Boyer, , Ronald Coleman(*), , (*), James Mason, , , , (*), Stanley Holloway, , and . (*won)

Rex Harrison, , and Cukor, The Philadelphia Story My Fair Lady (1964)

Vol.Vol. 15, 15, No. No. 1 1 February February 14, 14, 2 2009009 – – – – www.AlexFilmSociety.orgVOICE of the THEATRE George Cukor’s The Philadelphia Story

Black and White – 1940 – 112 minutes Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Presents A Loew’s Incorporated Production Print Courtesy of Warner Bros Distributing Inc.

Cast Cary Grant...... C.K. Dexter Haven Directed by...... George Cukor Katharine Hepburn...... Tracy Lord James Stewart...... Macaulay Connor Screenplay by...... Ruth Hussey...... Elizabeth Imbrie From a Play by...... & * John Howard...... George Kittredge Produced by...... Joseph L. Mankiewicz ...... Uncle Willie John Halliday...... Seth Lord Original Music by...... Franz Waxman Mary Nash...... Margaret Lord Director Of Photography...... Joseph Ruttenberg ...... Dinah Lord Edited by...... Frank Sullivan ...... Sidney Kidd Art Director...... Cedric Gibbons Lionel Pape...... Edward Associate Art Director ...... Wade B. Rubottom Rex Evans...... Thomas Set Decorator...... Edwin B. Willis Costume Designer...... Adrian (gowns) Hair Stylist...... Sydney Guilaroff * Uncredited Makeup Artist...... Jack Dawn* Assistant Director...... Edward Woehler* Recording Director...... Re-Recording Mixer ...... Tom Gunn* information from Internet Movie Database: IMDB.com Oscar® nominations in bold, winners in color.

Including Short Subjects A WILD HARE Hearst Movietone News Parade of 1940 Studios/Warner Bros, – 1940 – 7 minutes

Be vewy, vewy qwiet, as Elmer’s hunting rabbits. This short establishes many stan- dards we expect in a cartoon right from the start. Examples: pushing a gun down a rabbit hole, Bugs inquiring, “What’s up, Doc?” This is the first official Bugs Bunny cartoon, although there are some very Bugs-like characters that precede this cartoon. Oscar® nominated for short subject (cartoon).

Directed by...... Fred ‘Tex’ Avery Written by...... Rich Hogan Produced by...... Leon Schlesinger Animation by...... , Charles McKimson*, Robert McKimson*, Rod Scribner* Voices...... (Bugs Bunny), Arthur Q. Bryan () Original Music by...... Carl W. Stalling

* uncredited www.AlexFilmSociety.org –  – Vol. 15, No. 1 February 14, 2009 Photo Gallery

The Alex Film Society relies on membership support and tax deductible donations to present our classic film events. Our volunteer Board, and members make it possible. Please join us as members and donors. Information can be found on page 8 of this program.

Stills from www.drmacro.com, the Natural History Museum of County, and private collections.

Vol. 15, No. 1 February 14, 2009 –  – VOICE of the THEATRE PERSPECTIVE: Ruth Hussey By Linda Harris

of Nantucket Island, Mass. In 1945, she starred opposite After studying acting at the in the Broadway University of Michigan, she production of State of the Union. moved to New York in 1936 Her later movies included I, Jane where she modeled and eventually Doe (1948), the 1949 remake of The joined the touring company of Great Gatsby, and Stars and Stripes the hit drama, Dead End. Forever (1952). Her last feature “Discovered” by a Metro-Goldwyn- film role was in 1960 inThe Facts Mayer casting agent when Dead End of Life, playing ’s wife. came to Los Angeles, she was signed to a contract in 1937. Apparently, In the 1950’s, Hussey moved she was hired as a threat to keep into , including guest stars and Norma Shearer appearances in dozens of from becoming too demanding. Her television series including Lux irector George Cukor cast Ruth ascent was expeditious. A bit player Video Theatre which garnered Hussey in The Women (1939) opposite in the drama her a Emmy® nomination. Dand hired her for the role of Big City (1937), she became his co- Liz Imbrie in The Philadelphia Story star three years later in the frontier While still acting, Hussey focused (1940). She portrays the scandal- drama Northwest Passage (1940). on raising her children. She magazine’s saucy photographer painted watercolors and designed who, with writing partner James her family’s weekend home in Stewart, is sent to cover the Lake Arrowhead, CA. The three- wedding of haughty socialite, story house was a mere 28 feet Katharine Hepburn. Donald Ogden in diameter, conforming to her Stewart’s script provided snappy husband’s request for a round dialogue to all the characters home. “It was a unique design such as Liz’s crack to James based on clock face mathematics,” Stewart after he’s been neatly her son John told Michelle put in his place by Cary Grant: Vogel for her book CHILDREN “Here’s a handkerchief. There’s OF HOLLYWOOD (2005). “It spit in your eye and it shows.” was practical, yet different.”

The role earned her an Oscar® After a long absence from television, , her old M-G-M nod for Best Supporting Actress, Spencer Tracy & Ruth Hussey but she lost to Jane Darwell’s Ma in Northwest Passage (1940). crony, coaxed her back to TV as Joad in The Grapes of Wrath. Her a guest star on a 1972 episode of Oscar® nomination led to several his ABC series Marcus Welby, M.D. leading roles. Among them were In Flight Command (1940), opposite and also as his love interest in the turns as the aloof wife of a Boston Robert Taylor, she impressed talent TV-movie My Darling Daughters’ blue blood (Robert Young) in scout C. Robert Longenecker, who Anniversary (ABC, 1973), which H.M. Pelham, Esq. (1941); and told friends he would marry the marked her last screen appearance. the sister of in the actress. They met through mutual Ruth Hussey passed away on ghost story The Uninvited (1944), friends at Hollywood’s Brown April 19, 2005 in Newbury Park, about siblings who buy a haunted Derby restaurant two years later at the age of 93. house on the Cornish coastline. and were married after a seven- week courtship. They had three Ruth Carol Hussey was born Oct. 30, children including Oscar® winning 1911, in Providence, Rhode Island. filmmaker, John Longenecker Her ancestor, Christopher Hussey, (The Resurrection of Bronco Billy). was one of the original purchasers Robert Longenecker died in 2002. www.AlexFilmSociety.org –  – Vol. 15, No. 1 February 14, 2009 1940 (13th) Selected Categories

ACTOR Charles Chaplin The Grapes of Wrath Abe Lincoln in Illinois All three were nominated but Rebecca went home empty handed... James Stewart The Philadelphia Story

ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE Albert Basserman Foreign Correspondent The Westerner They Knew What They Wanted The Great Dictator James Stephenson

ACTRESS The Letter Joan Fontaine Rebecca Katharine Hepburn The Philadelphia Story Kitty Foyle Our Town Charles Chaplin, The Great Dictator ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE Rebecca Jane Darwell The Grapes of Wrath Ruth Hussey The Philadelphia Story Barbara O’Neil All This, and Heaven Too Marjorie Rambeau Primrose Path

DIRECTING The Grapes of Wrath Kitty Foyle The Letter William Wyler The Philadelphia Story George Cukor Rebecca

OUTSTANDING PRODUCTION Joan Fontaine, Judith Anderson All This, and Heaven Too Warner Bros. Rebecca Foreign Correspondent The Grapes of Wrath 20th Century-Fox The Great Dictator Charles Chaplin Productions Kitty Foyle RKO Radio The Letter Warner Bros. Argosy-Wanger Our Town Sol Lesser (production company) The Philadelphia Story Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Rebecca Selznick International Pictures

WRITING (Screenplay) The Grapes of Wrath Nunnally Johnson Kitty Foyle The Long Voyage Home The Philadelphia Story Donald Ogden Stewart Rebecca Robert E. Sherwood, Joan Harrison

Winner Bette Davis, The Letter

Vol. 15, No. 1 February 14, 2009 –  – VOICE of the THEATRE Voice of the Theatre Saturday,Feb February 14! 14, 2009 at 2 pm & 8 pm only Published by and for members of the Alex Film Society Katharine Hepburn, Cary Grant and James Stewart in P. O. Box 4807 • Glendale, CA 91222 • 818.754.8250 The Philadelphia Story [email protected] $5 (mailed free with membership)

A witty, sparkling adaptation of Philip ©2009 AFS, all rights reserved Barry’s Broadway hit. A classic romantic comedy/farce of love and marriage, class distinction and redemption, the film earned Jimmy Stewart his only Best Actor Oscar™ along with an award for screenplay and four other nominations including best picture.

Saturday, April 25, 2009 at 2 pm & 8 pm only Whirls you to a world of amazing adventure in the year 800,000! THE TIME MACHINE

Producer/Director scored a major hit with his 1953 version of H. G. Wells science fiction novel War Of The Worlds. Pal used the best selling British author again in 1960 for the enormously popular M-G-M production of The Time Machine. Rugged Australian actor Rod Taylor became a major star as the time traveler and Yvette Mimieux established herself as a 60’s icon with her portrayal of the golden haired Weena. The production won an Academy Award™ for it’s Special Effects and stop action

animation sequences. (M-G-M, 1960)

Approximately 2 1/2 hours with intermission. with hours 1/2 2 Approximately

comedy film (and always a cartoon) caps off the evening. Come see what it’s all about! about! all it’s what see Come evening. the off caps cartoon) a always (and film comedy

when we present multiple live acts of period music, magic and mayhem. A classic classic A mayhem. and magic music, period of acts live multiple present we when

Soitenly! Prints courtesy of . Running time approximately 2 hours. 2 approximately time Running Pictures. Columbia of courtesy Prints Soitenly! For the 10th time, the grand tradition of Vaudeville returns the Alex Theatre to its roots roots its to Theatre Alex the returns Vaudeville of tradition grand the time, 10th the For

and general mayhem from Larry, Moe, Curly and Shemp will be the order of the day. Fun? Fun? day. the of order the be will Shemp and Curly Moe, Larry, from mayhem general and A NZ A G A V RA XT E ILLE V DE U A V nnual A 10

H T

by our Blue Ribbon Committee of resident Stoogeophiles. Additional surprises, live music music live surprises, Additional Stoogeophiles. resident of Committee Ribbon Blue our by

A Hurricane of Fun and Frolic for Everyone! for Frolic and Fun of Hurricane A

tradition. As usual, we will feature a collection of classic shorts and bonus films selected selected films bonus and shorts classic of collection a feature will we usual, As tradition.

Saturday, September 19, 2009 at 8 pm only pm 8 at 2009 19, September Saturday,

Stooges fans of all ages make AFS’ popular “Stooge-Fest” part of their Thanksgiving Thanksgiving their of part “Stooge-Fest” popular AFS’ make ages all of fans Stooges

NT! E V E N REE SC G I B

glorious De Luxe color and CinemaScope 55, don’t miss this! (20th Century Fox, 1956) 1956) Fox, Century (20th this! miss don’t 55, CinemaScope and color Luxe De glorious

S™ S™ E G OO ST HREE T AL NNU A 12

You”, “Hello Young Lovers” and “I Whistle a Happy Tune”. The King And I is presented in in presented is I And King The Tune”. Happy a Whistle “I and Lovers” Young “Hello You”, H T

Saturday, November 28, 2009 at 2 and 8 pm 8 and 2 at 2009 28, November Saturday, created the part. Hit songs from the show include “Shall We Dance”, “Getting To Know Know To “Getting Dance”, We “Shall include show the from songs Hit part. the created

Academy Award® Nominations. Among its five wins was Best Actor for the man who who man the for Actor Best was wins five its Among Nominations. Award® Academy

was Deborah Kerr who portrayed the English tutor in the blockbuster hit that garnered nine nine garnered that hit blockbuster the in tutor English the portrayed who Kerr Deborah was Running time approximately 2 hours. 2 approximately time Running

year career. When 20th Century Fox produced its lavish widescreen film version in 1956 it it 1956 in version film widescreen lavish its produced Fox Century 20th When career. year spook fare to put you in the Halloween mood. In black and white and CinemaScope. CinemaScope. and white and black In mood. Halloween the in you put to fare spook

run, Brynner would eventually appear in the title role almost 5000 times during his forty- his during times 5000 almost role title the in appear eventually would Brynner run, in film history. A true ghost story of the first degree, THE HAUNTING (1963) is perfect perfect is (1963) HAUNTING THE degree, first the of story ghost true A history. film in

in 1,246 performances during its historic Broadway Broadway historic its during performances 1,246 in (Russ Tamblyn). Together they experience some of the most subtle yet frightening scenes scenes frightening yet subtle most the of some experience they Together Tamblyn). (Russ

King of Siam. Appearing opposite Gertrude Lawrence Lawrence Gertrude opposite Appearing Siam. of King psychic experiences ( and ) and the owner’s skeptical nephew nephew skeptical owner’s the and Bloom) Claire and Harris (Julie experiences psychic

Hammerstein’s 1951 adaptation of Anna and the the and Anna of adaptation 1951 Hammerstein’s decides to investigate a 90-year old haunted house aided by two women with recent recent with women two by aided house haunted old 90-year a investigate to decides

Brynner for the part of the King in Rodgers and and Rodgers in King the of part the for Brynner of filmdom’s most memorable horror films. A paranormal investigator (Richard Johnson) Johnson) (Richard investigator paranormal A films. horror memorable most filmdom’s of

Musical comedy star suggested Yul Yul suggested Martin Mary star comedy Musical adapted Shirley Jackson’s novel THE HAUNTING OF HILL HOUSE into one one into HOUSE HILL OF HAUNTING THE novel Jackson’s Shirley adapted Wise Robert

I D N A NG I K HE T NG I UNT HA HE T

Rodgers & Hammersteins’ Fabulous Broadway Stage Success Comes to the Screen! the to Comes Success Stage Broadway Fabulous Hammersteins’ & Rodgers You may not believe in ghosts but you cannot deny terror! deny cannot you but ghosts in believe not may You

P. O. Box 4807, Glendale, CA 91222-0807 CA Glendale, 4807, Box O. P.

Saturday, July 25, 2009 at 2 and 8 pm only pm 8 and 2 at 2009 25, July Saturday, to: check with mail lex Film Society Film lex A at 2 and 8 pm 8 and 2 at 2009 , 25 October Saturday,

application membership 09_02

Tickets: 818.243.2539 Tickets: www.AlexFilmSociety.org • • www.AlexFilmSociety.org 2009 Events Calendar Events 2009