Lucille Ball,blazed her way from the bottom to making television history during a time that things didn't come easy she truly deserved all the awards and accolades she is truly a legend for all times.
She was auditioning for a Lucille Ball type role and didn’t get it? That’s hysterical. This confirms what a disciplined hard worker she was. Lucy approached her craft very seriously.
Thank you for posting this. I'm a huge Lucille Ball fan, also adored Ginger Rogers & Katharine Hepburn. I like Lucy's positive attitude, too. She ended up buying RKO with Desi 20 years later. One of a kind, there will never be another Lucille Ball. Glad we have the reruns.
During an interview with Burt Reynold and various female movie stars of the golden era, he asked a question "What did you miss?" Right away Ginger said "Lucy, I miss Lucy." The others all agreed!
These stars like Lucille Ball are fascinating to listen to as their background in acting started with studying and working very hard aand at a very young age.. They were not pampered and priviledged. Nowadays interviewers have to find some shock value to try and make an interview somewhat watchable. Real stardom was buried with the last of the golden age of Hollywood imo.
Lucille Ball's voice has gotten pretty deep as she grew old, I'm sure due to the smoking, cause Ginger still had a nice feminine voice. They both still looked good for their age, considering this interview was taken in the 1980s, 40-50 years after their beautiful golden days
Yes one of her last kovies was the stone pillow depicting a homeless life. Excellent movie. Lucy started out as a show girl. She worked hard. Another woman I enjoy is Carol Burnett avdvstes up there in age
Gail Patrick acted with all three of these ladies in 'Stage Door' and worked with many, many others over her long career including as the producer of 'Perry Mason.' Gail said, "Ginger was the biggest star and the greatest actor that RKO ever had."
@Pat Kat Lucille Ball died at age 77, not 89, she was born in 1911 & died in 1989. Katherine died at the age of 96, she was born in the year 1907 & died in 2003.
Lucy got her start as a background extra on Ginger's movies, then moved to speaking roles, then launched on her own and blasted off to stardom. She also took acting classes from Ginger's mom, Lela. Without the two Rogers women, we might not have had Lucy, and that would be a tragedy. Eventually Lucy got Gingers "Leading Lady" dressing room at RKO years later in a twist of fate. Lovely!
According to an interview I saw a while back with Lucie Arnaz, Lucy and Ginger Rogers were somehow distantly related. (Presumably, Lela and Lucy's mother DeDe were distant cousins, or something like that.)
I get one distinct impression about Lucy, from this interview...HUMILITY. Just the way she describes seeing her name typed on a script, for the first time; it's almost as if it had happened, YESTERDAY..not decades before, as it had. And, even though she was an undisputed LEGEND, at the time of this recording..it's apparent to me (just, by her overall demeanor) that she STILL, didn't think of HERSELF, as one!
I love the intelligence and honesty of actresses of this period. They were all sharp and very much in charge of their ambitions. And they were ready! When the folks at Warner Brothers saw the first rushes for "Romance on the High Seas" with Doris Day in her first role they were flabbergasted. She had everything she needed to explode as a big star; the screen came alive everytime she was in front of the camera. Ditto Deanna Durbin in "Three Smart Girls" at Universal.
I saw this documentary many (MANY) years ago, and in one part Lucille Ball did a Katharine Hepburn impersonation. She wasn't trying to be funny, she was just trying to illustrate a story she was telling. But the impression was so spot on it made me laugh. I would love to see that again.
What a great person Lucille was, earns such great respect and admiration, not just the talent but the putting in the hard work. Bravo to a legend of show business.
Great last act of THE MAJOR AND THE MINOR, when Lela Rogers plays the mom of Ginger's character. She was a lovely lady and it's great to see them together.
After watching several Ginger Rogers videos I'm reminded of Joan's assistant in "Fued" telling her nothing could be done for an aging neck except covering it with high collars, Ginger was never without her scarves and looked great!
This is fabulous! What wonderful memories of studios/acting by three great stars--notice how they all said they put their time in and learned their craft--attention today's actors--listen and learn here!!
Lucy said many times than in making "Stage Door" Katherine Hepburn never talk to anyone else in the cast, as if they were not there. They didn't know what to make of it. She said also the entire cast was a hoot and, of course, it included really an incredible group of legends and legends-to-be. I don't think such a film could be made today.
Wayne Brasler in her book she said the opposite. She said Katharine was very helpful to the cast and they all looked up to her. Hepburn was also going through a career slump during the making of their film, having been voted box office poison
Alot of people said she was a nice person she just wasnt immediately friendly or talkative to people. She had to feel you out first. This tells me she was probably shy or an introvert.
They make a big fuss about Katherine Hepburn but there's something about her I just don't care for. She comes off very snooty and opinionated. Two of her movies I do like "The Philadelphia Story" and "Bringing up Baby." I've never seen her in anything else that I really cared for. She aged terribly.
@@7777lizabeth I disagree - I loved her movies very independent lady. Yes, she had opinions - don't you? Said what she felt and meant was she said. She aged beautifully - little makeup kept her slim figure due to exercise - swimming, walking, biking, golf. Naturally athletic. She is a smart one-of-a- kind person.
@@TrangPakbaby Lucy was so outraged by Hepburn's behavior on the set that Lucy threw coffee on her. It took a lot of persuasion by Ginger to keep RKO from firing Lucy. Gail Patrick said numerous times that the entire cast and crew loathed Hepburn and refused to stay on set with her except for actual camera work.
Lucy you are simply the best in comedy and the world was a better place with you in it your the greatest of all my respect and love for you Lucy forever god bless ya and rip miss ya love dee
As I grew aware how the implementation of the Radio Keith Opheum [ RKO ] proceeded to have operation during early production, I could understand why Ginger Rogers's mother acted as a guided for her and many girls such as Lucille Ball. No could have foreseen that unless they were under a contract with RKO studios. I have learned a great many things from reading the biographies of Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz. The fact of the matter is that Lucy acted a coach to children, Lucie and Desi IV while they worked on " Here's Lucy " show with her.
Amazing gals, all! Ginger is sooO--Mmm! Tres elegant! Lucille...does it get any better? And Katharine..well, I think she's about the greatest storyteller of all time! ALL these women were simply the BEST in their particular fields of the industry. Perfect choices for this singular production!
I feel like actresses in the old days worked a lot harder to get into movies. Sure, studios gave contracts to pretty girls left, right and centre but that only guaranteed a small amount each week, pin up photo shoots and a chance for a role as an extra. Hundreds of girls came and went under these contracts, but to get even a speaking role took a lot of work, acting classes, elocution lessons, dance classes and god knows what else. Months of work for even a few lines in a film that may or may no
In other interviews, Lucy said that if someone had handed her a broom, and told her to sweep the studio floor, she would have done just that. She was so grateful to be given a chance to learn and advance, that she didn't dare complain.That is why, in later years, she was so impatient when crew members or guest actors would show up to the set ill-prepared, not knowing their lines, or demonstrating some other form of un-professionalism.
Yes , she grow old beautifully , and wearing simple close , she as more elegant than the others, but first , i think she was passionate by his work, this interview shown it
Funny you should mention that. I was watching the other day another interview where Ginger Rogers was asked about one infamous occasion where Katharine Hepburn threw a bucket of water on Ginger (out of anger). And I'm looking at a clip in the sidebar where Jane Fonda is telling Marlo Thomas that the first thing Katharine Hepburn said to her when they first met was that she didn't like her. I guess Ms. Hepburn wasn't much into people, but nonetheless was a fascinating person and a great actress.
Interesting because Jane told Osborne during her TCM interview that Hepburn was very supportive of her emotionally during "On Golden Pond." Henry had said something very cutting to her and Hepburn went up to her and said something like "They get you like that." Meaning, it's not you, it's men.
4:30 It's funny that Lucy found out they were looking for a 'Lucille Ball-type' for a picture in those early days, but after telling them she was interested, they told her she was wrong for the part! I wonder if she ever compared notes with Dolly Parton who said she once entered a Dolly Parton lookalike contest- and LOST! LOL
I, personally, always thought Katherine Hepburn was more than a bit overrated. The other Hepburn on the other hand...Audrey...was not only beautiful and a grest actress but also a great person and humanitarian. In Ginger's autobiography she mentions an incident when Catherine Hepburn threw water out a window on Gingers first new mink coat. Apparently Hepburn's career was stalled as Ginger's (with Fred) was taking off.
Chris Stockslager and Reagan dyed his hair to the end. So what? People age how they feel comfortable. There is no right or wrong. Wait until you’re in your 70s. Hope you look a fraction as good as they ALL do. Incidentally, Ginger never had any plastic surgery and was not ashamed of aging. Ever. In the end, as a diabetic, she did interviews with sores on her face she didn’t try to hide.
I think they call it "Let's cheat it! Nah... nobody will notice" editing! ;) The characters in "Having a Wonderful Time" aren't really teenagers, more like young adults.
The movie you're referring to was "Lured". She wasn't a prostitute, though. She was a Taxi Dancer who becomes a Detective with Scotland Yard to track down a Serial Killer through the Personal Column. It was a Douglas Sirk Thriller from 1947. She starred opposite English actor George Sanders.
No mention of Betty Grable. She appeared in 8 movies at RKO between 1932 and 1936. Two of them Astaire/Rogers films. I believe Ginger and her mother found Betty to be compatishon for Ginger. Both were cute, blonde and capable dancers. I thought Betty to be a better singer than Ginger. She had a big number called Lets Knock Knees in Gay Divorcee. In Follow the Fleet two years later her part was butchered. She was one of the trio for Let yourself Go and appeared in a scene with Lucille and Harriette with no dialogue. Her contract was not renewed and she went to Paramount. I think Ginger was jealous of her. Two years at Paramount and she replaced Alice Faye in 1940 at 20th Century Fox. There she became Fox's top female star and the number one box office star of the 1940s. Eat your heart out Ginger!
No, Irene was the reigning Queen of the Lot at RKO from 1931 to 1935 with the success of Cimarron, which won RKO it's only Oscar as Best Picture. She was in Symphony of Six Million, produced by David O. Selznick at RKO and it made a lot of money at the box office. Also The Silver Cord (1933), Ann Vickers (1933) and Roberta (1935). She was key to RKOs success in the early 30s. She left RKO in 1935. Because Irene was reclusive from the 1960s onward, that is a reason she's not in this documentary. I can imagine the BBC filmmakers tried to get a filmed interview with her but were unsuccessful. She was one of the missing pieces of this documentary along with Cary Grant, Joel McCrea, Frances Dee that are missing in this documentary.
Katharine Hepburn chose to grow old with such grace and class, she was a presence till the end, natural and real. The others painted themselves up like circus clowns and thought that was sophisticated. They had such HUGE issues over their appearance and ended up looking quite ugly.
They came from a generation when you had to look good and made up even at old age. There's no right or wrong here. Katherine was more of a hippie compared to Lucy and Ginger. Anyways your comment is a bit too judgmental because Katherine looking more natural than the other two doesn't necessarily make her a better person.
he didn't say she had bad taste BUT he does talk about her ornamentation on her dresses in the documentary series. but knowing fred astaire, he probably said this a lot. so he had more of an issue with hollywood costume designers than with the women that wore their dresses. just saying. smiles, everyone!
i never liked katherine hepburn. i didnt think she came off as natural or likable. -for me. my icons were davis, crawford, underrated ball, loretta young, vivian lee, colbert, stanwyck, norma shearer, susan haywood, lauren bacall to name a few....
BELIEVE ME WHEN I SAY, WE DON'T HAVE INTERESTING GREAT TALENT LIKE THESE SUPERB INTELLIGENT BEAUTIFUL LADIES TODAY. NEVER WILL. TALENT IN YEARS PAST WAS IMMENSE. BUT THERE IS TWO TALENT OF TODAY THAT ARE SUPERB. MRS. GLENN CLOSE AND MR. TOM CRUISE. THESE TWO ARE INDIVIDUAL TALENTS. WHERE EVERYONE ELSE ARE GOOD IN GROUPS.
