Favorite (Old Hollywood) Feud

[Glebb]

Posted: 11/18/05 at 10:34pm

My best chum told me that when Judy was fired from "Barkleys of Broadway" she sent Ginger Rogers a shaving mug and razor as a congratulations gift.

What's your favorite old Hollywood feud?

[justme2]

Posted: 11/18/05 at 10:44pm

that's f'ing funny as hell!

I was always partial to the Olivia vs. Joan saga of the 1940's. I read both their biographies and it seems they were constantly one upping another throughout their lives..much less their careers! I can't think of a good story though...I'll have to consult the books.

[Rathnait62]

Posted: 11/18/05 at 10:49pm

Helen Lawson vs. Neely O'Hara

[Glebb]

Posted: 11/18/05 at 10:49pm

LOL!

[justme2]

Posted: 11/18/05 at 10:52pm

I also loved the book "Hedda and Louella"....those bitches HATED each other and the stories (alas, I no longer have the book) of their disrespect of each other's "craft" were cool.

[Glebb]

Posted: 11/18/05 at 10:57pm

Can't wait for an Olivia/Joan story justme2.
Though I've always loved Olivia in her films (I would love to see The Heiress right now), I've never cared for her in interviews. I'm not sure I know much of Joan except Rebecca and The Women.

[justme2]

Posted: 11/18/05 at 11:00pm

I can't remember which one adopted a South American girl, then tried to RETURN her when she hit about 13 or so. I think her name was Marta.

I am searching now to get a good one!

[Glebb]

Posted: 11/18/05 at 11:02pm

OMG, LOL!
Joan Crawford could hardly out do that.

[Glebb]

Posted: 11/18/05 at 11:04pm

My word!
Those angel faced girls had serious problems.

[justme2]

Posted: 11/18/05 at 11:05pm

"Adopted an infant Peruvian girl in 1952 who later ran away."...this is what it says in Joan's biographical book, No Bed of Roses. However, the girl, Marta, had a different story to tell.

[Glebb]

Posted: 11/18/05 at 11:07pm

"Veda don't say that!"

[justme2]

Posted: 11/18/05 at 11:11pm

Thank you undiscovered! I am roving through the Bed of Roses book and funnily enough....Joan doesn't talk about that! Gee, I wonder why?

[MargoChanning]

Posted: 11/18/05 at 11:14pm

While Bette and Joan is the classic one (read the Considine book of it if you get a chance -- it went on for DECADES, long before Baby Jane), I'm fascinated by the Bette and Miriam Hopkins one. They made two movies together (The Old Maid and The Old Acquaintance) and Miriam made the mistake of trying to be queen bee on the set and take over. Mme. Davis wasn't having it. In one scene in The Old Acquaintance, Davis had to slap Hopkins. In take after take, Bette got the slap right, but would miss her mark or flub her line, so they would have to do yet another take. Bette slapped the hell out of that woman until she realized Bette was messing up on purpose -- Hopkins ran screaming and crying to her dressing room humiliated.

Hopkins had learned the hard way -- there ain't but ONE queen bee on a Bette Davis set and that's Bette Davis. Even her many directors (with the exception of William Wyler) learned not to cross her and let her have her way. And I'm not sure if it's just a coincidence or not, but Hopkins didn't make a movie for 6 years after The Old Acquaintance. While her bio says she simply preferred stage work during that period, I've always assumed the real reason was that she was still too traumatized by Mme. Davis to go near a film set again.

[Glebb]

Posted: 11/18/05 at 11:14pm

Joan and Olivia hated each other?

[Glebb]

Posted: 11/18/05 at 11:19pm

I love that Davis/Hopkins slap scene, especially how long it takes Davis to walk across the room to Hopkins.

[justme2]

Posted: 11/18/05 at 11:46pm

That scene is great! I love Davis' almost nonchalant way of deciding to stop, walking all the way across the room, and slapping her HARD.

Miriam kinda ruined the scene after that by laying on that couch and kicking her legs, though...way too immature a movement for a woman of her age to have made.

and, yes...Joan and Olivia, the classic sibling rivalry.

[justme2]

Posted: 11/18/05 at 11:50pm

By the way...Miriam was none too happy that Bette got the role of Jezebel for the screen. Miriam had played it on the stage around 32 or 33, to great success, and was hoping for the chance to play it onscreen.

that could have something to do with the "tension".

alas, there can be only one queen on a lot...

[Glebb]

Posted: 11/19/05 at 12:13am

I love Bette in that film!

[Glebb]

Posted: 11/19/05 at 9:08am

It's a gazillion years since I read the Anne Edwards bio but didn't Vivien Leigh visit/stalk the set of certain Olivier films for which she was not cast? Maybe one was 'The Prince and the Showgirl"?

[lildogs]

Posted: 11/19/05 at 9:11am

I love hearing these stories! The Joan/Olivia ones always seem to end with Olivia coming out the mature one--they had been asked to appear together at the Oscars several times but Olivia was always the only one to show. Class act that lady.

I'd heard about Bette and Miriam too, but I have read from more than one source that Hopkins was a b!tch to all, regardless of Bette's actions.

[RobbO]

Posted: 11/19/05 at 9:22am

joan crawford vs. every other actress in hollywood from the 30s to the 60s.

[Glebb]

Posted: 11/19/05 at 2:35pm

Can you verify that?

[Glebb]

Posted: 11/19/05 at 9:27pm

I find it completely unacceptable that there are no Vivien Leigh fanatics on this board.

[justme2]

Posted: 11/20/05 at 1:25am

Well, I like her and all, but I would have LOVED to have seen Paulette Goddard take on the Scarlett role. Have you seen Vivian in WaterLoo Bridge? She'll break your heart.

I don't think Joan had poor relationship with everyone in Hollywood, either. TCM just ran a story (I think it was them) about a young girl writing to Crawford for advice on how to dress well and get ahead. Crawford invited the girl out to Hollywood and got her a walk on part in one of her mid 30's movies. It may have been "When Ladies Meet". The young girl was Gail Patrick, and she was thankful to her for that chance. After playing an array of spoiled bitches and "other women" in the thirties, Gail went on to become a very successful movie and television producer. One of the happier stories from that era, no doubt!

[lildogs]

Posted: 11/21/05 at 1:19pm

Glebb, I AM Vivien Leigh...I've modeled my eyebrows on her at a small, private tribute. She played the two best parts EVER and I don't want to hear anyone say "What about Margo Channing or Norma Desmond?" She's Scarlett and Blanche. End of story. Did she have any major feuds, though? Besides with her wife Laurence?