Joan Blondell: A Life between Takes (Hollywood Legends)

313 Pages·2007·2.14 MB·English

by  Matthew Kennedy

Joan Blondell
Hollywood Legends Series
Ronald L. Davis, General Editor

Joan Blondell
A Life between Takes
Matthew Kennedy
UNIVERSITY PRESS OF MISSISSIPPI • JACKSON
www.upress.state.ms.us
The University Press of Mississippi is a member of the Association of American
University Presses.
Copyright © 2007 by Matthew Kennedy
All rights reserved
Manufactured in the United States of America
First printing 2007
(cid:1)
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Kennedy, Matthew, 1957–
Joan Blondell : a life between takes / Matthew Kennedy.
p. cm. — (Hollywood legends series)
Filmography: p.
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN-13: 978-1-57806-961-3 (cloth : alk. paper)
ISBN-10: 1-57806-961-0 (cloth : alk. paper)
1. Blondell, Joan. 2. Motion picture actors and actresses—United States—
Biography. I. Title.
PN2287.B458K46 2007
791.4302’8092—dc22
[B]
2007011137
British Library Cataloging-in-Publication Data available
For Norman, who first had the idea, and Ellen,
who lived much of this

CONTENTS
Acknowledgments ix
Introduction 3
Chapter 1. The Next Town 10
Chapter 2. Starlight 25
Chapter 3. Hammer and Tongs 46
Chapter 4. Nearer to Heaven 68
Chapter 5. Freelancing 89
Chapter 6. The Interrupted Family 104
Chapter 7. Gulag-on-the-Hudson 130
Chapter 8. Solo Rites 153
Chapter 9. Love, Matey 179
Chapter 10. I Hear Voices 204
Chapter 11. Predestiny 227
Epilogue 240
Filmography 245
Stage Appearances 260
Radio Appearances 261
Television Appearances 262
Source Notes 265
Bibliography 284
Index 287
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Joan Blondell’s stature as a person and actress was reflected in the enthu-
siasm and affection of interviewees in recalling the movie, stage play, or
television series they shared. My thanks to directors Norman Jewison and
Curtis Harrington, producer Nancy Malone, camera operator Michael Ferris,
agent Hillard Elkins, dolly grip Chico Anzures, and actors Theodore Bikel,
Alice Ghostley, and Anthony Franciosa. Actor Gloria Manon offered invalu-
able comments on Blondell at the end of her career, and special mention
must be paid to the witty testimony of the Here Come the Brides crowd:
actors Robert Brown, Bridget Hanley, and Susan Tolsky, and story consult-
ant William Blinn. Jill Jackson and Rose Lundin, two who knew Blondell
but did not work with her, provided additional keen perceptions. Thanks,
also, for responses from actors Lauren Bacall, Joan Fontaine, Karl Malden,
Elizabeth Taylor, Vera Miles, James Garner, Gigi Perreau, Elliott Reid, Kay
Armen, John Saxon, and Jean Simmons, and director Robert Wise.
Good advice and support came from entertainment writers, critics,
editors, and historians, including Cari Beauchamp, John Kern, Gary Morris,
Miles Kreuger, Karen McHale, Thomas Gladysz, André Soares, Leonard
Maltin, Rex Reed, Roberto Friedman, Sam Staggs, and Mark Vieira. Ronald
L. Bowers and David Martin were gracious in sharing their writings that
pertain to Blondell. James Robert Parish has bestowed more wisdom and
friendly guidance than I could possibly summarize. Without collectors,
I would not have been able to see many of Blondell’s rare movies and tele-
vision. For loaning hours of video, appreciation goes to Randy Beucus,
Eric Chadbourne, Marc Kagan, Martin McQuade, Tom Kleinschmidt, and
ix