« Who's the Jewish Movie Star? Take 2: Answer | Main | Israel-Arab Reader »
April 28, 2008
Best of the Jewish Blogosphere # 163
Hedy Lamarr as Delilah, reminds you: “No haircuts, it's Sefirah!”
Haveil Havalim #163 is live. Check out the fine articles. Nothing by yours truly, I got jammed with work and Pesach.
But I'm making up for my laziness by posting the still from Cecile B. DeMille's awesome Samson and Delilah, 1949. It's one of those guilty pleasure movies here at Casa Avrech.
No weddings, music, haircuts or movies during Sefirah, but gee, at least you can look at photos from important movies about Torah subjects!
Don't thank me, I'm just a generous movie geek helping to educate my Seraphic Friends.
Scan courtesy of Dr. Macro.
Posted by Robert J. Avrech at April 28, 2008 03:28 PM
Comments
Seraphic Secret is private property, that's right, it's an extension of our home, and as such, Karen and I have instituted two Seraphic Rules and we ask commentors to act respectfully.
1. No profanity.2. No Israel bashing. We debate, we discuss, we are respectful. You know what Israel bashing is. The world is full of it. Seraphic Secret is one of the few places in the world that will not tolerate this form of anti-Semitism. That's it. Break either of these rules and you will be banned.
I'm wondering if you were aware of this aspect of Hedy Lamarr.
Posted by: soccerdad ![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://www.seraphicpress.com/nav-commenters.gif)
at April 28, 2008 10:54 PM
David:
Oh yes, absolutely. Brains and beauty.
BTW, Hedy's mother was Jewish, but Hedy was raised a Catholic. I'm preparing a post about her.
Posted by: Robert J. Avrech at April 28, 2008 10:58 PM
I didn't know that her mother (and thus she) was (were) Jewish.
I also recall reading that she was very annoyed by the mocking use of her name by Mel Brooks in Blazing Saddles.
Posted by: soccer dad at April 29, 2008 08:20 AM
Soccer Dad:
Hedy Lamarr's mom was Gertrud Lichtwitz. When Hedy came to MGM, L.B. Mayer didn't feel that her last name, Kiesler, was a proper movie star name. Mayer renamed her Lamarr.
No doubt, L.B. Mayer was thinking of Barbara LaMarr (1896 - 1926) perhaps the most beautiful woman who had ever appeared in motion pictures. Tragically, LaMarr became addicted to heroin and died of an overdose at age 29.
Barbara LaMarr has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 1621 Vine Street.
So beautiful was this young screenwriter, stage and motion picture actress that she was labeled: “The Girl Who Was Too Beautiful.”
So perfect were Hedy Lamarr's features that she was known simply as, “The Face.”
In truth, MGM never quite knew what roles were suited for this brainy and beautiful actress, hence to this day, the majority of critics dismiss Hedy Lamarr as a second rate acting talent.
An evaluation Seraphic Secret does not hold and will write about in the near future.
Don't know about the Blazing Saddles story. Will check into it.
Posted by: Robert J. Avrech at April 29, 2008 12:29 PM